Most college students jump at the opportunity to receive anything for free, and Tufts students are no exception.
Many local publications spanning the political spectrum have realized that students are always up for a free read, if not a good read, and thus make it a point to drop their wares on the Hill.
A recent newcomer to the free publication fray has been the Boston Herald, a conservative-leaning tabloid-style newspaper that made headlines across Beantown two weeks ago when it published graphic photos of an Emerson student killed in post-ballgame rioting.
In the wake of the rioting photos, the TCU Senate is considering whether to ban the free distribution of the Herald on campus. The move would not be without precedent, as Northeastern University's student government has already taken action to remove the publication from its campus.
However, the Senate would be well-advised to steer clear of removing the Herald from Tufts, since doing so would not only deprive students of a different political point of view but would also set an unfortunate precedent regarding the distribution of non-Tufts publications.
The Herald is a loud and proud conservative voice in the largely liberal Boston area. It has consistently supported the right side of the political spectrum on its editorial page, which recently endorsed President Bush for re-election. Due to the area's political climate, it is often difficult to find conservative views in local publications, and with this in mind the Herald is a welcome addition to the variety of voices that plead for students' ears.
The senators cited particular concern that the low quality of the Herald was not in keeping with Tufts' standards. These misgivings might be more appropriate if the paper was not distributed free of charge. So long as it is, however, the Senate should trust Tufts students to be smart enough to determine if reading the Herald is indeed detrimental to their gray matter.
If the Boston Herald were banned from campus, would that mean that we would have to be consistent and prohibit any non-Tufts publications from being distributed? What would happen if we were forced, by weight of precedent and intellectual consistency, to remove Bay Windows, Editorial Humor, and the publication of the Maoist International Movement? Could the New York Times, which is paid for, stay? It certainly does not seem like removal of outside publications would do much to enhance intellectual discourse at the University, and thus all should be permitted to stay.
The TCU Senate should not be concerned with saving Tufts students from themselves. If the Boston Herald is indeed the horrible paper that TCU Senator Jonathan Adler and his colleagues maintain it is, they should be confident that most students on this campus will see it as such. In the meantime, leave the Herald around and let the Jumbos judge.
