Latest Sniff story goes too far
Commentary
Brandon Ortiz

The Sniff is back to its old tricks and, as usual, a handful of people are upset. But this time they have a good reason.

The Sniff bills itself as the unofficial, satirical newsletter of TCU. It usually publishes biweekly on the Web, and it is also placed inside newspaper bins.

The Sniff has made a name for itself for its over-the-top jabs at greeks, the business school and Chancellor Michael Ferrari.

In its 12 issues, it has written about fraternity and sorority members protesting a new core curriculum for fear it would take time away from partying and about the business school offering a class called “Getting Around Business Ethics.” One headline read: “Lame duck Ferrari just phoning it in.”

Few people know the identities of The Sniff’s writers, and that’s just how they like it.

It can be a little heavy on the swear words sometimes, but for the most part, it’s pretty funny. (The chancellor jokes are getting stale, though.)
And in the middle of all the absurdity, a point — sometimes a very important one — is usually made.

But its latest work of fiction goes too far.

On The Sniff’s front page, a picture of an English professor is pasted on the head of a woman exposing her breasts in a “Girls Gone Wild” video. The headline reads: “Feminist Professor Caught on Tape!”

I’m not going to name the English professor because there’s no reason to embarrass her further, but I’m sure most of you have seen the article.
She is not amused.

“I don’t know if I want to comment,” the professor said. “I don’t think it deserves it. I think that speaks for itself.”

Phil Record, who teaches a course on media ethics and is the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, said the article could be libelous.

“From the surface of it, I think it is driven not just on humor, but on malice,” said Record, a retired reader advocate for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I think this goes beyond humor and borders on maliciousness, which would give her grounds.
“She doesn’t deserve this.”

Since the professor would not be considered a public figure, Record said, all she would have to prove is that she’s been harmed to collect damages.

That might be something as minor as being laughed at in class or looked at differently by colleagues.

The professor said she does not plan to sue.

In a letter to the Skiff, the editors of The Sniff said the professor was not the target of the article.

It targets “people who believe that ‘professional’ and ‘sexually liberated’ are mutually exclusive concepts — that professors cannot be sexually active, and porn stars cannot be intelligent.”

A valid point, perhaps, but poorly made.

A spokesman for The Sniff, who agreed to an interview only on condition of anonymity and wore a disguise, said he has the utmost respect for the professor.

She “is a person with a lot of dignity,” he said. “She is a great professor; she is well respected, and she is a feminist. And we don't have any problem with feminists, but we think with any ‘ism’ there is room for attack.”

But was it necessary to use a real professor?

“That’s true, we possibly could have made the same point,” he said. “But the whole point behind satire is to make people uncomfortable so they may question their beliefs. It may have gotten the whole joke across, but it wouldn't have accomplished the same point.”

The Sniff points out that it has written far worse things.

“Dead hookers being found in Ferrari’s trunk; that is not a big deal,” he said. “Ferrari smoking dope; that’s not a big deal.”

“Why doesn’t anybody laugh when we make alter egos for the English professor?,” he asked.

Because there is a difference between lampooning people who thrust themselves into the spotlight and ridiculing average people who do not.
Ferrari knew he would be subject to criticism when he became chancellor, just like candidates for Student Government Association knew they might be ridiculed when they decided to run for office and columnists for the Skiff know they may be mocked when they write something.

The English professor, to my knowledge, has never aspired to be the center of attention. That’s not to say she can’t be criticized.

The Sniff's point is one that perhaps needs to be made, but not this way.
The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression in this country, but those who exercise that right have a great responsibility. The Sniff article did not live up to that responsibility.

“I think we have a good defense for it,” The Sniff spokesman said. “By printing The Sniff, we hope that the people who laugh at it recognize that criticism and take part in that criticism.

“Critical thought — discussion — is something that is really lacking on this campus.”

No disagreement here. I just hope The Sniff remembers that if you offend too many in your audience, pretty soon you’ll just be preaching to the choir.

And that doesn’t foster any discussion.

Opinion Editor Brandon Ortiz is a junior news-editorial journalism major from Fort Worth. He can be reached at (b.p.ortiz@tcu.edu).

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