Controversial article Reasons for getting a bicycle rather than a girlfriend, according to a Signpost article: @ A bike won't expect you to respect it in the morning. 4B You can lock your bike in “the basement with no food, water or light and no one will ‘Call the police. ~~ Abike likes to be ue ~through the mud. 1 Abike can be easily— ‘manipulated. lm You can beat your bike to ‘death and not go to jail. | -@ A bike won't file charges of sexual harassment. “fm A bike doesn't cost you “Toney every time you take it “anywhere. Lindy Ward confronts writer Tyson Hiatt in the WSU paper’s newsroom. pedal on ‘sexist’ article Standard-Examiner uthor wo Column on women, bikes brings protest By PAT BEAN Standard-Examiner staff | oe GDEN — A student journalist who wrote a column suggesting men give up women in favor of | ‘bicycles refused Thursday to — apologize to about 50 demonstrators who: charged the article was sexist and encouraged domestic violence. Tyson Hiatt, arts editor for the Weber’ State University Signpost, said the article had been written as a joke and within his rights under the First Amendment. _ Hiatt’s boss, Signpost Editor Jeff Haney, also defended the article. But he did | acknowledge the column should have carried a logo indicating it was Hiatt’s personal commentary. Haney spoke to protesters who ended their march across campus by crowding into Signpost offices. “Perhaps Tyson did go a too far. ... But it is his opinion and a matter of free speech,” he said. Sharon Guerrero, a protester who also is a” Signpost reporter, disagreed with her - colleagues’ reasoning. ' “This isn’t about freedom of speech. This 1S about being responsible for what one says,” said Guerrero, a prelaw student. Guerrero and Hiatt are also free-lance contributors to the Standard-Examiner. The article that caused the furor listed lijatt’s top.10 reasons‘to get a bike instead ofa Malate Iteae the lines eyou Tn his column, Hiatt, 6, said a bike 1S” j better than a woman because it doesn’t expect to be respected, won’t file sexual harassment charges against you and won't squander your money. Hiatt, responding to allegations that the column encouraged battering of women, said, “Just as there are women being beaten newspaper article they said was demeaning to women. and ‘raped every day, there are men who column back then. ... The whole reason be- Community Connection, said Hiatt’s re- -have women swindling them out of money every day. _ “Are these’ things a laughing matter? I hind running it again was because someone reminded me about it and told me how marks were stereotypical of attitudes that “keep the women’s shelter at the YCC... much they liked it,” said Hiatt. ‘Hiatt in a second Signpost column defending his article. Several of Thursday’s protesters, including professor Mark Luna, said the second column only made the situation worse.. But Hiatt said the controversial column. | was a reprint that was published almost ek- actly as it originally appeared 1in the Sign post in1992. |] got nothing but compliments on ‘the full of battered women. “What you’re saying is why can’t you -women have a sense of humor about getting Haney said the change in attitude from 1992 to today could probably be traced to the implementation of a women’s studies program at WSU, “which has focused attention on men’s injustices toward women.” Student Sydney Holgreen, one of Hiatt’s few defenders Thursday, said some students s think not. A man’s financial future and emotional well-being are serious,” wrote — CHUCK WING/Standard-Examiner About 50 people march on the WSU campus to protest the beat up,” she said to Hiatt Thursday. “It’s basically a blatant sexist piece.’ Ward was one of the more strident protesters Thursday as she demanded that Hiatt at least say he was sorry for what he had written. “I want to hear an apology,” said Ward. humor about things in print. “No apology,” Hiatt responded. Be think Tyson just said things the wrong . Freshman student D. Marisa Black said . way,” > she added. ey | | the best thing about Thursday’s protest is . But Lindy Ward, who also works at Your attending the classes have lost their sense of that it “has gotten students involved with something political besides football.” Several other students expressed similar opinions. Even Haney, in remarks meant to calm the protesters, said, “I appreciate such appropriate responses on a campus known for its apathy.” The protesters included almost as many men as women and a sprinkling of Lpagahed members as well. After they all vacated the Signpost offices, Haney said the controversy “is really a Shame because Tyson’s been a good reporter, for me.”