Trinity College Dublin Authorities Censorship of Student Magazine Found Wanting of Motive

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Saturday March 18, 2006 12:31

by Le Sybarite

Mainstream Media Sunday Times misses key points and confuses debate about censorship and licence with less lofty motives.

Trinity College Dublin has ordered the seizure and destruction of a student magazine called Piranha! because it used what the College authorities say is “offensive language” in an article about Muslim reaction to the cartoons depicting "the Prophet Muhammad".

“Irish people should know that this type of racism is not funny and in 2006 it is just not acceptable,. Satirical magazines sometimes argue that they are causing debate on issues by writing articles from a certain point of view, but in this case that argument doesn’t hold water.”

Sheikh Dr Shaheed Satardien

Pirana History of Offensiveness, Funded by Capitation

Trinity College Dublin has ordered the seizure and destruction of a student magazine called Piranha! because it used what the College authorities say is “offensive language” in an article about Muslim reaction to the cartoons depicting "the Prophet Muhammad".

All known copies of Piranha!, which is an undergraduate-produced magazine, written in the style of the UK satirical publication Private Eye, were collected and destroyed not because of complaints from Muslims, but out of fear that it would offend their community, and lead to unforeseen repercussions, some of which could have serious legal, financial, and political implications.

The Sunday Times reports that the February 2006 edition of Piranha! carried a piece called "Stinking sand niggers outraged by Danish slight on their towel-headed religion”. This article aslo contained “fictitious comments attributed to (Irish) President Mary McAleese and described Muslims in other terms that the college has since requested are not repeated."

McAleese is a former Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology in Trinity College, succeeding Mary Robinson, and a position now held by Ivana Bacik.

The Sunday Times also quoted Dublin Muslim Community leader, Sheikh Dr Shaheed Satardien, of Interfaith Roundtable, who said, “students are supposed to be radical and mischievous, but this is stupid. This is not a student prank or a joke. It is supposed to be a satirical magazine. On that basis, the reference to Islam as a ‘towel- headed religion’ is fine, but the ‘stinking sand niggers’ part is blatant racism and disturbing. It’s just not acceptable. Everybody is going to be unhappy about this, you can count on that.”

The seizure and destruction of Piranha! magazine may also have little to do with Trinity College's concern for ecumenical harmony. The College authorities were disingenuous about their own responsibility when they say that the Piranha! editor responsible was not “on books”, indicating he was not a Trinity student, according to the The Sunday Times. This may not be entirely true. "Going off books" is a Trinity term for taking time out from study for health, travel, or other reasons. The "off books" student remains registered at the College, to return later to their place in College. Also not revealed in the The Sunday Times is the fact the Piranha! is produced with the aid of a "grant" from the Dublin University (TCD) Publications Committee. These publishing "grants" come from the capitation fee paid each year by each student for funding student societies, sports, and other activities. If a non-student was heading up a magazine being funded by College money, then College staff heads could roll in the Dublin University Capitation Committee which distributes the funds to the student controlled Publications Committee. Furthermore, the College itself could be liable for a legal action as the de facto publisher of Piranha!, which could be costly in legal terms, international prestige, and of course, damaging to Mary McAleese who recently raised controversy with her comments in Saudi Arabia about the Irish people "abhorring" the publication of the infamous Danish cartoons.

Questions also need to be asked about why past articles and commentary published in Trinity College Dublin student magazines, including Piranha!, that were offensive to women, immigrants, the disabled, homosexualsts and lesbians, Travellers, and to people of other religious persuasion, notably Roman Catholics and Jews, were tolerated by the TCD authorities, even after complaints. Some of these clearly went beyond student ribaldry and were offensive. However, no action was taken.

Piranha! magazine was founded in the 1970's. Past editors include Quentin Letts (now of the Daily Telegraph) who, at the time, wrote several pieces in Piranha! in a style and anti-Irish slant similar to Kevin Myers, Michael O'Doherty, now the joint publisher of VIP and New York Dog magazines, and Nick Webb, who left Trinity College in the 1990's after another controversy with Piranha!. Webb is married to the daughter of Shane Ross, and he now writes for the Sunday Independent.

Questionable Satire, Questionable Reprimand

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Comments (14 of 14)

Interesting Article, But Not Surprising

by Captain Bob About

Sat Mar 18, 2006 19:57

According to libel law in Ireland, you can sue either the editor/writer, the publisher, or the printer. In practice, you would go for the person with the deepest pockets, which woould be the college itself.

However, I am not sure what legislation would allow a prosecution of the magazine - maybe, anti-hate legislation.

So who are the current editors that published this stuff?

by R. Isible

Sun Mar 19, 2006 00:23

I notice that in your very long post you don't mention who the current "off books" student is who is the editor. Why not? Who are the other editorial staff?

Editor and other information

by Trintiy Spews

Sun Mar 19, 2006 09:38

Piranha Editor = Robbie Gunning

Not Satire

by pat c

Sun Mar 19, 2006 16:04

"Stinking sand niggers outraged by Danish slight on their towel-headed religion”.

Just how is this supposed to be satire? There are 2 racist insults in that sentence alone. Religion is not race but equally race is not religion, mocking someones religion is one thing, abusing them because of their race is totally different. you can change your religion, you cant change your race.

SO what R.Isible...

by Max Hastyngs

Sun Mar 19, 2006 20:34

"I notice that in your very long post you don't mention who the current "off books" student is who is the editor. Why not? Who are the other editorial staff? "

"very long post" - I disagree - it's shorter than many others that have been made on this site.
SO what if Le Sybartite doesn't mention the editor or staff by name - it's a bit rich coming from a secret society of editors like Indymedia to find such a fault...

GREAT ARTICLE!!!!!!!

Re: Trinity Spews

by Trinity insider - Trinity Publications

Mon Mar 20, 2006 03:29

That links is almost 5 years old. Robbie was editor along time ago and is well gone...Check the time stamp on the page if you like... The editor at the time of that issue that got in so much(relatively little) trouble is no longer a trinity student. Next year's editors have been selected already.

Piranha is no stranger to to being banned or fined...

wheres the satire ?

by well mannered irishman

Mon Mar 20, 2006 04:45

its nothing more than right wing racist filth . No studenty excuses for this hateful garbage . Its unacceptable and a prosecution under hatred laws is the least of what should hapen . Disgraceful .

Agreed

by Gay Geori

Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:37

What is so puerile about this stuff is that it is so *obviously* offensive. So why do it? If this is what passes for intellectual stimulation or undergraduate debate in Trinity College these days, then there's something seriously wrong. One wonders why what old JOhn Kelly of Fine Gael once referred to as "subsidised brats" need to go to College at all, when there's tons of less well off people trying to get onto Trinity's Access Programme (founded by Ivana Backik) and get an education.

But then coming from a college that has maintained a plaque commemorating the killing of 2 1916 volunteers by its Officer Training Corps (now the DU Rifle Club) at the front gate of the college, perhaps being offensive is par for the course.

By the way, the financial aspect of the magazine is not quite accurate. College magazine funding in trinity is supposed to be a combination of the publications committee grant, sales, and advertising money. It would seem the best response to make to this kind of crap is to boycott the advertisers in College magazines in Trinity. Or someone takes a legal action. Hitting people financially brings the best results - always.

Btw, I also notice that the WikiPedia entry for TCD that refers to the Publications section has been recently edited, so washing the hands of the college and the publications committee - why is that?

"In February 2006, the College seized almost all copies of Piranha. The controversy was caused by a satirical piece, deemed to be racist. Neither the College nor the DU Publications Committee agreed with the content and offensive language contained in the article."

Anyone know the names of the editor and staff for real? Or did they put their names to it?

Does it depend where they are coming from?

by Tim

Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:09

The infamous Slate 'Blacks in the Jacks' edition was very offensive but alsoamazingly inciteful in highlighting the sort of jobs left to immigrants to do.

Southpark has some really offensive and stupid stuff but is is mixed in with strong criticism of the subject.

Spelling

Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:59

I presume you mean insightful and not inciteful..:)

I was not aware that Slate carried such an article. Is there a URL? Or is this a different Slate?

editor name

Tue Mar 21, 2006 13:47

Niall Morris

How many of those condemning the article have actually read more than the headline?

by Catherine

Thu Mar 23, 2006 02:01

The piece was actually the only article in the whole rag that can be described as satire, and is actually very though provoking once you get past the incredibly ill-judged and indefensible language. That, and it's patently in defense of muslims.

I have

Thu Mar 23, 2006 08:07

And it was a piece of moronic racist of the highest order. It was neither funny nor insightful, but a deliberate attempt to "stir the brown stuff". Kevin Myers would have been proud.

Relax... Freedom Of Speech?

by SirDuke

Wed Apr 19, 2006 13:50

Have any of you people who find this so offensive actually read an issue of piranha? There are no sacred cows for the publication and no taboo too important to break. The reason this is possible is that they slag off everyone equally and do not print article after article on muslims.

When did people start getting so bloody offended? A huge majority of trinity students (the target audience and pretty much the only people who can obtain the magazine) would be able to understand the context and realise that by saying "stinking sand niggers" doesn't mean you hate muslims at all.

I found that edition funny as fuck for poking fun at people just like you who sit and worry about what others are doing or saying, rather than your own bad works. There will be no terrorist attack in Ireland, what'll they bomb? the spire? Get a grip. And to be honest, after the ridiculousness of that cartoon debacle the muslim religion needed a bit of a kick in the balls.

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Trinity College Dublin Authorities Censorship of Student Magazine Found Wanting of Motive

Comments (14 of 14)