This is the text of a letter that I have sent to FOX 4 News regarding their expulsion from Ave Maria University campus this week. They were sent off campus after interviewing students without school permission. Judging by the video report, their sources were two students who contradicted themselves and were not resolute in their opinions. They can be heard here in the FOX report. My letter is as follows:
November 19, 2009
FOX 4 News
621 SW Pine Island Rd
Cape Coral, FL 33991-1950Dear FOX 4,
I am a student at Ave Maria University here in Florida. I was both surprised and disappointed to see the section in the evening news regarding your reporters having been expelled from AMU property. I am writing of my own volition to present an opposing opinion to the one expressed by the interviewees of Ms. Pooja Lodhia.
As a sophomore here at the university, I have spent many months peacefully going about my daily activities and arguing with student and faculty alike about philosophical ideas and current political topics without even a hint of oppression. Faculty and staff alike openly support discussion in and out of class. The oppression spoken of by my two fellows is completely foreign to me despite my twelve months of living on campus in the school dorms. I am due to complete my thirteenth class this December and have not experienced a single instance of suppression of opposing ideas by any faculty member. I have corresponded with the administration to clarify and understand rules numerous times and have not once found them to be oppressive or narrow-minded. The school is, however single-minded in its dedication to the well being of its students as well as to the furthering of high quality education in the liberal arts.
As the opinions I express herein constitute a third of your student-based information, I can only hope that they receive fair publicity to ensure that the reputation of this fine institution is not marred by unopposed student accusation. I look forward to your follow-up with the school and with the American public with regard to yesterday’s situation and wish you nothing but good. I will be making this letter as public as I can to ensure that more than one side of the story is in circulation. I feel that I speak for the campus when I say that you are in our prayers. May God bless you.
Your Humble Correspondent,
Jackson Egan
3 responses so far ↓
D // November 19, 2009 at 7:09 pm |
Life must be pretty good in SW Florida if the news has to fill space with film of a reporter trying to locate the campus boundary at Ave, so she can ask random students about rumors….
Big Rock // November 20, 2009 at 9:46 am |
It is amazing how people will spend their time trying to find little differences of opinion, so that they can blow them up into a bogus “big” controversy. Differences of opinions always exist. Do you suppose that a new employee on the Fox 4 news team likes every single policy that his or her employer has in place? Probably not. Oh my gosh! Fox 4 doesn’t have a cohesive team! Dissention in the ranks! Put it on the 6 o’clock news! Pathetic.
Greg // November 24, 2009 at 11:18 pm |
HAHA! Quick! Call the local ABC affiliate.