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2.27.2008

if it's war max karson wants...

The fallout from Max Karson's War on Asians piece continues to rage on (oh, you know it ain't over yet) with a student rally today at 3:00pm at the University of Colorado's Campus Press: University of Colorado student leaders want Campus Press changes. I'm told that students have a meeting scheduled with the school's Chancellor where they will be presenting their concerns and what they want to see changed at CU. There's also an online petition condeming the piece, Karson, and Campus Press editorial staff: Condemn "If it's war the Asians want..." Opinion Piece. Lend your signature, show your support. Here's a press release from CU's Asian Pacific American Student Services on today's rally:
PRESS RELEASE CU-BOULDER

On Wednesday, February 27, at 3:00 pm, there will be a peaceful, student-led rally on campus. The purpose of this rally is to show our unity as diverse communities in the face of discrimination, as well as to show our support for one another in all our endeavors. Shortly after, at 4:00 pm, there will be a second debriefing with campus administration, where student leaders will come together to discuss solutions with the administration in regard to the Campus Press, as well as preventative measures the administration can take to make certain these kinds of incidents do not take place on our campus again.

Our student leaders are meeting with administration to stress the importance of education in attaining a racist-free environment within the Boulder community. We are working to come together to act at a very crucial time on our campus; we will no longer stand for a campus community that does not promote and embrace cultural diversity. Working together as students, we hope to enact measures that will positively affect the entire campus in their understanding of people of diverse backgrounds, and foster a community that is built on mutual respect for one another, and not mere "tolerance."

After the meeting with the administration, there will be short debriefing in the Aspen Rooms, located on the second floor of the UMC at 6:30 pm, where we will discuss with the press the aftermath of the meeting, as well as our hopes for future initiatives. This will be a time for the press to ask the students any questions they may have.
No longer able to ignore it, The Campus Press published the first news story yesterday on the backlash from the article, and the editorial rationale that went into publishing it: From Conception to Publication: The Process Behind the Karson Opinion. There's also a piece from members of the Campus Press staff who apparently objected to the publication of the piece: A letter from some different editors. That's all great to know after the fact. It would've been nice if you'd actually done something about it at the time. Here's an article on the article: Campus Press editors: Opinion piece 'a mistake'.