Fifth Estate Goes to College
New Friends at Wayne

Reprinted from The Daily Collegian, Thursday, October 27, 1966, Vartan Knpelian, Editor-in-Chief. Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

KOLDYS & SHANNON

Against New Tabloid

It is always interesting to observe the machinations of the New Left. Therefore, it would seem to be even more interesting to observe their latest innovation designed to spread their particular form of radicalism.

The “Fifth Estate” is a frank New Leftist journal published by its editor, one Harvey Ovshinsky. The fact that it is ultraleftist does not in itself militate against the quality of the publication. What does, however, is the fact that the magazine relies as little as possible on facts, and as much as possible, it would seem, on innuendoes, exercises in name-calling, and irresponsible statements.

EMOTION OR LOGIC

An example of the dependence on emotion rather than logic—one earmark of the “Liberal mentality”—is the answer to a letter which was sent to the magazine and criticized its anti-Viet Nam war stand.

The sender of the letter is immediately charged with writing “arch-type fascist ravings,” this on the basis of his calling himself “virile.”

He is then told that the AP And UPI deliver “obvious propaganda” (obvious perhaps to the “Fifth Estate,” but not to many others, especially when no evidence is presented that it IS obvious “propaganda”), that he is “psychotic” (this the paper apparently knows without any psychological examination), and that there is still room for “free journalism” (an apparent implication that there will soon be no room for it; on what do they base this?).

The stand of the “Fifth Estate” on the Vietnam war is strictly “in,” that is, they oppose American “aggression” there, and we should withdraw post-haste, etc., etc. But the stand is unique in that it goes far beyond that. Readers are advised “Don’t buy Chrysler trucks, Pedwin shoes, RCA phonographs, Am Nickel Company products, don’t fly on Boeing products.”

TV YES, PHONO NO

Why, one wonders, can one buy an RCA television, and not buy an RCA phonograph? But this is left unexplained.

The tabloid as a whole deals in unfounded charges, name-calling that if it were practiced by those on the right would be characterized as “McCarthyism,” one-sided slanted reporting, and a distinct tendency to treat anyone to the right of Hubert Humphrey of the ADA as being an “anti-minority fascist.”

The paper is also crammed with advertisements, some of them full-page, but the paper runs only to twelve pages. There is a ten-cent charge, which seems to suggest that the publisher of the paper had a much-derided profit motive in mind when he thought of this periodical. For there can be no intellectual justification on the grounds of “freedom of reply” for the type of articles that appear in this paper.

Fulton Lewis III is identified as a “key figure in exposing ‘communists’ and tennis-shoe wearers.” (Note the ingenious use of quotation marks around the word “communists,” an obvious implication that the people he exposes as communists are not, which is an unfounded, irresponsible, and untrue charge.)

MONUMENTS HIGH CAMP

Films which show the Statue of Liberty or the American flag are called “unbelievably high camp.” (The preference of leftists for Communist propaganda films, such as the one produced by the North Vietnamese, shown to members of Students for a Democratic Society in 1964 as part of their excursion to Cuba, is well-known, as is the way in which they wildly cheer scenes showing Americans being killed at the hands of the Communists.)

It is truly unbelievable that a newspaper like this should flourish in a community which likes to think of itself as “intellectual.” For the sort of glaring yellow journalism which the publication represents is doing little good for responsible Liberalism, not to mention responsible journalism.

Sidebar in The Collegian

Letter to the Editor FIFTH ESTATE Sept. 15, 1966

To the Editor,

How did your last attempt ever pass the censors and the FBI? Doesn’t Larry Miller have any other words in his limited vocabulary besides “org—m”? Also his comparison of Christian martyrs with the pasty-faced faggoty followers of the Beatles was disgusting.

Moreover your constant barrage of ACLU articles (an identified subversive unit) can only lead to the assumption that you are all a bunch of commie perverts.

Mr. Ovshinsky and staff...I shall see you at the phantasmagoria.

And in hell.

A virle American

Sidebar in The Collegian

FIFTH ESTATE Oct. 1. 1966

Larry Miller Leaves Detroit; Writes Final Words for Fifth Estate

Well, attentive readers, I must say there is nothing like an occasional attack to sharpen up one’s reflexes...Having had several lately, I shall at this point contribute several “counterattacks...

To our friendly neighbor “Virile American”...(see letters, last issue) I would not ordinarily dignify such arch-type fascist ravings with a response, however I feel that this letter is representative of the thinking of a good many people, so therefore: Dear V.A.: Thank OM that there is no F.C.C. type of agency monitoring the papers...In the popular Press, the effect is much the same when you consider the fact that the AP and UPI must pass along to the public the obvious propaganda as delivered to them by the government news agencies, or risk losing their sources...There is, however, still room for some free journalism...The “pasty-faced faggoty followers” in my comparison were actually the “Virile Romans,” as they called themselves... As a humane person, genuinely concerned with the welfare of my fellow Americans, I hope, Mr. V.A., sir, that you will be able to overcome your rather psychotic hang-ups about “orgm”, “Pasty-faced faggots,” and “commie perverts”... Moreover, I am quite sure that your stated intention of being in Hell will be easily fulfilled...Just continue to be a “Virile American” and before long you’ll be living right in the middle of hell, right here in the good old virile U.S. of A...

Sidebar in The Collegian

Letter to Editor FIFTH ESTATE, Oct. 1

Just finished reading a friend’s copy of THE FIFTH ESTATE.

Enjoyed very much Mr. Ovshinsky’s article about Dr. Hoffer and LSD. It was refreshing to read an article that dealt with experimental facts and a word of expert caution, rather than a shocking expose attempting to scare the pants off you!

I must say, however, that most of your editorial and journalistic opinion I disagree with. But I’m happy to see such writings. At least it makes one think -and makes me more steadfast in my disagreement with you.

Last word: Don’t buy Chrysler Trucks, Pedwin Shoes, RCA Phonographs, Am Nickel Co. Products, don’t fly on Boeing products—Mustn’t support the war, you know!

Moderately yours,

Joey Reagan

East Lansing, Michigan