(Image: Edited from sxc.hu)

I have to admit that when I posted Cassie McNaney’s article on my site, I initially had no idea it would elicit the response that it has. I’ve told several people this, but I find this entire situation supremely humorous, primarily because had ORU’s administration elected not to censor, thirty or forty people at most would have read Cassie’s letter. It might have drawn a response or two online or (less likely) in next year’s first edition, but the entire thing would have blown over without much fanfare.

But, perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. I’ll avoid rehashing the story for those of you just joining in (you can read the older post), but there are a few things I think we can all take away from this situation that I’d like to share with you. Continue reading →

(Graphic: Roy-Gene MacIninch)

Note: I worked as the editor in chief of the Oracle from May to October of 2011; I am not currently affiliated with the newspaper in any official capacity. None of the newspaper staff are aware that I chose to repost this article, nor did I seek their advice or consent. The article in question is re-printed by permission of the author. I also offer some insights here on some things we can take away from the situation.

On Friday, April 20, Oral Roberts University’s student newspaper, the Oracle, released it’s final print edition of the 2011-2012 academic year. That particular edition would have been fairly innocuous were it not for the presence of a particular letter to the editor in the back pages and, most significantly, the university administration’s response to that letter.

Continue reading →