Editor, Daily Nexus,
I’m having an extremely strong negative reaction to your decision to publish the story about former Associated Student President Cervin Morris (“Authorities Hold Ex-A.S. President for Evaluation,” Daily Nexus, Nov. 6). How is this news? How is this not libel and un-defendable slander? How is this not an utter disregard for medical privacy – if he indeed was admitted for a hold? Why did you once again put a picture of a person of color allegedly “in trouble” on the front page of the Nexus? How is this even any of our business? This is one of the most unethical pieces of news I’ve ever seen published – and I’ve been reading the Nexus for 13 years.
Newsflash: Hundreds of people every day in this country are admitted for 72-hour stays, and none of this makes headlines. It happens for a variety of reasons – mainly because it’s a medical issue – and people have a right to keep medical records private. I’ve worked at UCSB for over 13 years, and have known several students, faculty, staff and family members who have been admitted for 72-hour stays, for a variety of reasons. But none of them made the front page of your paper, or any paper for that matter. Again, I ask you why? Should people who need medical or counseling advice now fear making the front page of the Nexus?
This is not news. At best this is an alleged medical issue, at worst it is racism, libel and slander, and it’s stigmatizing for anyone who does need help for whatever reason. You do your entire readership a disservice by publishing this. Regardless of whether or not Cervin Morris was admitted for anything, you owe this man an apology.
So because he is black, it automatically is a racial issue? If you read the article, it says Morris himself went to the Nexus office to complain about an arrest and detention. It doesn’t seem like they are trying to libel him. Also, this is an individual who has a history of violence and was in a position of power at the university, so it is hardly a smear campaign to follow up on his story.
This is news because Cervin Morris was elected AS President, which means a majority of a fifth of students voted him into office and the entire student body paid his tuition for that year, which was completely uneventful (http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=8583). This is news because Cervin is still very active in local issues (http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=12451) and apparently likes to have his name in the pages of the DNex. And this is news because when you add alleged mental illness with a history of violence, good things don’t typically ensue (cough Attias cough). So, quit screaming "racist!" when it has nothing to do with… Read more »
Well, you know…
I’ve always liked to think slander is a state of mind.