Author Is Responsible

In its eagerness to condemn a right-wing organization, the staff has forgotten one of the first rules of journalism: unsigned staff pieces represent the opinion of the publication; signed pieces represent only the view of the author. The article in Peninsula, offensive as it may be, was the work of only one person, and therefore only he should be held accountable for that article, as the author himself pointed out in a letter to The Crimson last week. To argue about the use of the word "we" is to blur a line which is inherently very clear: individuals are responsible for signed pieces, organizations for unsigned ones.

On The Crimson, for example, only the president and the managing editor are responsible for everything published in the paper. The many other Crimson editors have the ability to go to editorial meetings where they are able to discuss and alter editorials, and choose whether they they want to affirm staff opinions. Each of these other editors does not, however, have either the right, time or interest to read over every single opinion aired by a Crimson columnist. Would the staff be willing to apply the same standards to itself as it does to Peninsula members? We don't think so.