Mmmm politics.

It has been a stressful and taxing situation that made me quite angry, but in the end, I’ve realized that I’d rather expend my energies pursuing something productive and meaningful. I’d rather use my time finding those who agree with me, rather than endlessly quibbling with those who never will.

I haven’t completely ruled out going to another media outlet, though I am quite willing to just let it go. I expected to face resistance, for we are fighting the status quo itself here, I just didn’t think it would be this…haha, well, unfair.

Anyway, thanks for calling attention to this CWC, and for listening to my side of the story. Fortunately, this provides me a way to intertwine myself with this community further.

Additionally, if you’re looking for a silver lining, perhaps the controversy surrounding your departure will elevate the interest in the original story far more than it ever could on its own. Plus, you’ve already got the sympathy of the other students – it’s not as If anyone chafes more at being indoctrinated into the anti-plagiarism society than college students. Your story is pretty newsworthy for students though. If possible, contact another paper (possibly the other campus paper?) or even a local TV station and see if they’ll interview you and run a story where you attribute the ‘real’ source as D.O.W.N.O.L. and inspire a whole other lot to read the book. Making a stink about first amendment rights and/or threatening libel/defamation/false light usually draws attention in the academic world. After all, you said yourself that the paper is painting you in a false light which is defamatory to your character. According to Wikipedia (and it’s different even within regions of the US): In law, defamation (also called vilification, slander, and libel) is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressively stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation. Most jurisdictions allow legal actions, civil and/or criminal, to deter various kinds of defamation and retaliate against groundless criticism.

This is not to say you ACTUALLY want to pursue a case as they can be humiliating and expensive, but a convincing threat would sure roust up some controversy if you’ve got the energy and will to pursue such ends.

Many folks are desperate for ideas that can help them break into a new world but haven’t a clue that they already exist. Perhaps you can help to change that.

Best of luck in your future endeavors!

On a more positive note, I plagiarized an entire conclusion to a college final paper from DOWNOL’s section on morality. Instead of taking a couple hours to rehash the same ol’ argument against heteronormativity, I stole from the book and spent an afternoon in the sun having a picnic and cheating on my partner.