By the time you read this, I will no longer be an employee of KSUA. For over two years I was the Program Director at our station, responsible for scheduling, coordinating volunteers, and quality control, among many things. However, due to recent events, I have decided to resign from the station that I love so much.

Why? Two words: Spider Bui.

Actually, this oversimplifies things, in much the same fashion as Spider--government name Scott Hornyak--and the local media has oversimplified his position against KSUA. I quit for two reasons, the first of which being the now hostile and contentious professional and personal relationship between Scott and I. It was never that functional to begin with, but I know my limits and I think I understand his. Having us both continue to work there could only cause more harm than good in the long run.

The second reason is that I simply cannot abide the University's decision to reinstate Scott. I believe he is a liability to KSUA as long as he is allowed to remain on air. Unfortunately, the University has effectively neutered the position of Program Director. What authority would I have now to suspend him, or for that matter, anyone, for any incident in which quality control was the central question? None. When all anybody has to do to get their way at UAF nowadays is whine to the press and say the word "lawsuit" loud enough for President Hamilton to hear, a dangerous precedent has been set.

I think it is foolish, ill advised and reckless for the University to reinstate Scott at KSUA, but unfortunately we had no choice in the matter. So I chose to leave. It was a heartbreaking decision, and I sincerely hope that none of my former colleagues, either staff or volunteer, feel that I have let them down—if so, I apologize. It was never my intention.

But I do want to make this clear: KSUA is not an enemy of free speech, and neither am I. In fact, I agreed with probably 95 percent of what Scott said on the day of his infamous broadcast. What I do find objectionable is the lazy, vulgar and infantile style of "relevant art" that he chooses to express himself with. For me, this issue has always been a matter of aesthetics, not free speech. I just don't think Spider Bui is good radio. It's a shame, because Scott's a brilliant individual, and capable of creating entertainment much more fulfilling than his B-grade Howard Stern knockoff schtick. We deserve better, and so does he, but he insults himself, and all of us, with what he chooses to give us.

In the interest of fairness, we should all be familiar with the Bui's hijinks before we form our opinions. So I encourage every student to listen to his show, which airs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m. on KSUA 91.5 FM. Listen and make up your own mind. And remember this: KSUA's budget is almost entirely comprised of student gov- ernment fees. Every single student at UAF is paying for KSUA to exist. Think of it like being a stockholder: all of us own one of over 7,000 shares of KSUA. It belongs to us, and it always has. And as Robinson pointed out in his editorial last week, you have a right to ask questions about how your money is being spent.

So listen. And ask yourself: "Is this of good quality? Does this reflect my tastes, my beliefs, my aesthetics? Is this something I would pay for?" Because we are paying for it. So if we don't like it, we should be able to hold the University accountable for their decision. Should KSUA be a healthy and fun environment in which to learn and enrich our community, or should we succumb to the common college radio stereotype and offer mindless, self-indulgent nonsense?

I'm sorry if KSUA disappointed anyone with our original decision to release Scott, but I feel as justified today as I did then. KSUA has limitless potential and more freedom than any other radio station in town, and it kills me to see it squandered on something so absurd. And in my mind, in every stage of this process, the most important question hasn't been whether or not we abused his right to free speech, which I still maintain we did not. The question has always been one of pride in our college radio station. And this question begins and ends with, "Is KSUA better off without Scott Hornyak?"

And the answer has been, is, and will always be: yes.

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