Alumni and Southern Heritage Supporters Petitioning Trustees of East Carolina University Seeking Sanctions Against School's Paper For Publishing Race
(PRWEB) October 28, 2004 -- East Carolina University alumni and Charlotte, North Carolina based Southern Heritage watch dog web outlet, My Dixie Forever, are petitioning the Board of Trustees of East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, requesting that disciplinary sanctions be levied against a writer and the editor of the Universitys student operated newspaper, The East Carolinian.
In the October 14, 2004 edition of The East Carolinian, opinion writer Peter Kalajian analogized the estimated 43 million descendents of veterans of the Confederate Armed Forces who celebrate their Confederate heritage as evil and aligned with hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Kalajians article alleges that the nineteenth century Southern Confederacy was the equivalent to twentieth century Nazi Germany, both societies, claims Kalajian, stood for hate, oppression&wanton murder, and destruction. Kalajian further analogized the Confederate Cross of the Apostle St. Andrew to the Nazi Swastika.
My Dixie Forevers Jim Hickmon said from that organizations Charlotte, NC headquarters that all efforts to persuade the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Amanda Lingerfelt, to issue an apology or retraction of the offensive hate speech has failed. We have tried to deal with Ms. Lingerfelt in good faith, said Hickmon. We were advised by the newspapers staff that any attempt by alumni or Southern Heritage groups to influence the opinion of University administrators, advertisers, or the general public would be a violation of their right to free speech. We disagree.
Atlanta writer Lewis Regenstein, a Jewish American columnist and himself a descendent of a Confederate Colonel, said last week that Peter Kalajians article comparing the Confederacy to Nazi Germany and its battle flag to the Swastika is highly offensive, especially to those of us who are Jewish.
Dr. Neill H. Payne, Public Information Officer for the North Carolina Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, denounced The East Carolinians article and requested that Kalajian be reprimanded for his irresponsible and insensitive profanities.
Petitioners anticipate delivering the signed petition to East Carolina Universitys Board of Trustees, its Media Board, and the Chancellors Executive Council on Monday November 1, 2004. Text and copies of the petition are available online at: http://www.petitiononline.com/ecu1861/petition.html
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jim Hickmon
My Dixie Forever
www.dixieforever.com
6917 Cameron Glen Drive
Charlotte, NC 28210
704-299-2377
jimhickmon@dixieforever.com
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