Legacy magazine wants you to know about kinky sex.
It also wants you to know about students with social disorders, presidential candidate Buddy Roemer and an organization obsessed with StarCraft, but a story on sexual fetishes is the reason two printing companies have now refused to publish the magazine’s upcoming issue in attempts to strip the publication of its free speech rights.
Where has the value of the First Amendment gone? On paper, nowhere. But in this scenario, it’s at odds with what both printers said was behind their refusal to publish Legacy — Christian values.
The printers claim the story in question, titled “Kink,” presents content that goes against their standards as religious companies with Christian morals. One might question how the behavior of consenting adults safely expressing their unique sexuality encroaches on any system of morals, but that’s beside the point. The real issue here is freedom of the press.
The Daily Reveille’s Editorial Board has seen the story, and while we won’t spoil any of the juicy tidbits before the magazine hits stands, we can say that the article is in no way obscene or pornographic. It’s a straightforward look at the habits of real students on our campus who are just like anyone else — except they have a little more bite in the bedroom.
The intent isn’t to grab attention or to be controversial, but to tell the stories of those who participate in something that might be unfamiliar to most readers. This objective is an ideal upon which the news media is founded: to give a public voice to individuals who otherwise might not have one, even if their behavior may be interpreted as scandalous.
Though there’s nothing wrong with the acts described in the story, Legacy’s editorial staff has said it does not condone them. The magazine isn’t telling its readers to try S&M. It’s merely carrying out its mission to shed light on societal trends both tame and taboo.
It’s disheartening for The Daily Reveille to see our Student Media colleagues face impediments to their freedom, but we support the Legacy staff, their work and their right to continue printing what students want to read.
Ultimately, these printing companies have guaranteed one thing — that we’ll all be rushing to read the issue when it finally finds a printer with respect for free speech.
 
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Contact The Daily Reveille’s Editorial Board at [email protected]