Students call on "people of conscience" to contact The Diamondback

(College Park, MD - 04/30/03) Students at the University of Maryland, College Park launched a massive flyer campaign today aimed to raise awareness of their campus newspaper's history of hurtful publications. The flyer, entitled "The Diamondback: A Legacy of Hate and Indecency", lists several recent cartoons, comics, and editorials printed by the Diamondback with such targets as women, the pope, U.S. troops, and rape.

 "The Diamondback has stooped to an unfathomable level of indecency this year as it engages itself in a campaign to spread hate and intolerance," asserts the flyer. "It is unbelievable that the nation's third most-read college newspaper, representing tens of thousands of diverse students, has little more professionalism than an elementary school bully."

Over 10,000 flyers were released for hand distribution and posting throughout the campus. The campaign also includes a website with a larger listing of cartoons and comics, and links for viewing the actual Diamondback publications referenced. SEE: https://www.angelfire.com/comics/breakers.

The past week has witnessed the appearance of two new publications on campus bred from a dissatisfaction with the Diamondback. "The Space Between" was issued on Monday, April 21 as a color newsletter "exploring a multitude of viewpoints" (SEE: http://dspeyer.student.umd.edu/cgi-bin/index.cgi). "The Terrapin Times", a newspaper airing conservative views, was released three days later (SEE: http://www.theterrapintimes.com). The flyer campaign does not claim affiliation with either of these publications or any student organizations.

- ACTION ALERT -

ACTION REQUESTED: The Diamondback must be told that publications of such a hateful and indecent nature are not acceptable. As the nation's third most-read campus newspaper, the Diamondback should set an example in decency and fairness rather than breed hate and intolerance.

SEND POLITE COMMENTS TO: 

newsroom@dbk.umd.edu , parsons@dbk.umd.edu ,  s.goldstein@dbk.umd.edu ,   s.shaffer@dbk.umd.edu  ,   k.miller@dbk.umd.edu ,   a.kovalan@dbk.umd.edu ,    managing-ed@dbk.umd.edu , melanie@dbk.umd.edu , opinion@dbk.umd.edu , ombudsman@dbk.umd.edu 

CALL: (301) 314-8200 FAX: (301) 314-8358