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The Pendulum
Editorials
Thursday, January lo, 1935
Flynt verdict
sets poor precedent
for libel suits
Anyway you look at it, a lie is
a lie. Even little white lies
which have achieved a certain
acceptance in today’s society
are small falsehoods that can
turn into a web of bigger lies.
But even though our culture is
very big on freedom and in re
cent years this attitude has be
come increasingly more diffi
cult to accept.
This pressure concerning the
nature of America’s first
amendment is perhaps best ex
emplified by the recent libel
trials which have been sweep
ing through legal court rooms
over the past several months.
One such case is last month’s
trial of Hustler publisher Lar
ry Flynt, who was found inno
cent of charges that he libeled
Moral Majority leader Jerry
Falwell. The now famous (or in
famous) case began after Flynt
printed a parody advertise
ment of a liquor ad that por
trayed Falwell as an inces
tuous drunk. The ad carried a
disclaimer, but even so, Fal
well was scrambling for his leg
al defense and filed a $45 mil
lion libel suit. While the jury
found Hustler not guilty (be
cause of the ad’s unbelievabil-
ity) Falwell was still awarded
$200,000 in punitive damages
for emotional stress.
Since a landmark decision 20
years ago, by a public figure
(like Falwell) has to prove libel
by proving that the published
statement was false, and that it
was made with knowledge of its
falsity.
This unusual decision in the
case against Larry Flynt, has
been regarded by legal special
ists as a very poor legal prece
dent, one that could very well
damage the first amendment.
For example, why couldn’t Lar
ry Flynt have come out of the
case without having to pay any
thing at all. The split decision
really seems like a “guilty” ver
dict because Larry Flynt just
THIS 15 A SHORT 5T0K^/
6V EPGAR ALLAN POE...
isn’t the “kind of guy” who is
ever found innocent of any
thing. Hustler magazine is one
of the more offensive pornog
raphic publications. Thus Lar
ry Flynt falls into the same
category: he is an offensive
person. The decision is being
appealed, as it should be.
The advertisement was a sa
tire, and satires (i.e. editorial
cartoons) are meant to poke,
prod and push people, regard
less of who they are. 'The jury
claimed the ad not libelous,
but still awarded Falwell with
a relatively substantial amount
of money because Falwell was
apparently hurt. It seems as
though Falwell took this oppor
tunity to vent his feelings about
pornography in general, and
not specifically the contents of
one particular ad.
All of this is not to say that we
support Flynt or his type of
print journalism, but rather
that since the jury perceived
the material as unbelievable,
then they shouldn’t have still
tried to score.
And now, the race is on, the
latest of which is the trial of
Gen. William Westmoreland
against CBS. Under impressive
media attention, as well as con
cern, Westmoreland’s libel suit
will more than likely be the
biggest libel case of our time.
General Westmoreland is
suing CBS news for $120 mil
lion for accusing him of lying to
President Johnson and other
officials about the strength of
enemy troops just prior to the
1968 Tet Offensive in the Viet
nam War.
As the public waits to hear if
CBS’ documentary was a mali
cious slam at the general, we
will be, as a society, examining
the advantages and disadvan
tages of our free society by
tasking a closer look at how the
government and the press
operate.
By Loukia Lo uka
SOME HEARS A60,l
EN6A6EP PA55A6E FRO/V\
CHARLESTON TO THE
CITV OF NEU) 4'ORK... "
Foreign language study essential
In 1966,36 per cent of all col
leges and universities re
quired some type of foreign
language for admissions. In
1982, only 8 per cent required
it
However, foreign language
studies apparently are making
a modest comeback. Enroll
ment in foreign languages
courses has increased by about
4.5 per cent over 1980, accord
ing to the Modern Language
Association.
More colleges and universi
ties need to make foreign lan
guage a requirement for gra
duation. A foreign language
major was re-established here
in October 1983. Students may
be admitted with language de
ficiencies (less than two years
high school study), and the pre
sent General Studies require
ment in “Civilization” requires
six hours of foreign language
and/or history.
Thus, it is possible for people
to get a degree from Elon with
out studying foreign languages
at all. Elon should require at
least two courses of foreign
language conversation and
perhaps even require courses
in foreign cultures.
Students and educators
should realize the increasing
importance of foreign lan
guages. English may be the lan
guage of much of the global
economy, as but as American
corporations expand into fore
ign markets, knowledge of fore
ign languages and culture will
prove to be useful in conduct
ing business. Better interna
tional business relations could
be achieved with more know
ledge of foreign customs or lan
guages.
European students have
mandatory lessons in English.
Many of them are able to com-
municate with English-
speaking visitors, giving direc
tions or selling their merchan
dise. It too often happens that
this is one-way communication
because Americans cannot
participate in conversation in
the native languages.
We cannot expect everyone
in the world to drop their tradi
tional languages and learn to
speak English—especially
learning all of our slang ani
collQquialisms. This would b(
ethnocentric.
American schools should in
sist on study of the foreign Ian
guages interest; to require it
for graduation would help. The
next generations of students
would be better prepared for
international relations. Be
sides, isn’t communication
start of understanding be
tween countries?
By Penny Thomas
"we were To sail on the
FIFTEENTH OF THE MONTH"
019^ Uiwt«d Fulur* Swodi
Q @
Inc #1 /
The Pendulum Staff
Editor
Associate Editor
Student Affairs Editor
Features Editor
Sports Editor
Head Photographer
Photographers
Ad Manager
Adviser
Louiua LouKa
Penny Thomas
Vidw Jiggetts
Maureen SweeW
Brian Batchotof
Jamie Cobb
Joe Coco
Stuart While
Steve Pearce
Mouche Magg®
Bob Nowell
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des. All letters submitted must be signw,
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tors validity can he chocked. The edto
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su'o.nitting naierial is 2 p.m. Monday. OK
office is located in 102 Williamson Aver**,
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rhe paper is pub ished by fte C^'
munications Media Board of Elon
Founded on October 14.1974, as t^»
dent newsp^r serving the Elon pW
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