David Wallis would say students across the country are not practicing their right to free speech. And their colleges are to blame for it.

Wallis, a journalist and editor of “Killed: Great Journalism Too Hot To Print,” discussed his book and the idea of self-censorship Wednesday night in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

“When do journalists learn to shut up, fall in line?” Wallis asked. “Probably in college. When students cower on campus, how can we expect them to stand up for their beliefs off campus?”

Wallis said the cause of student subordination lies in the hands of the school administration. He cited examples of administrations taking action against students who toe the line. One example he mentioned dealt with La Roche College in Pittsburgh, Pa., a Catholic school that confiscated 900 copies of the student publication because a columnist mentioned “condoms can be used to prevent unwanted pregnancy out of wedlock.”

Wallis said this trend continues up the ladder to big media conglomerates.

“Journalism, as a business yielding profit, ignores the craft,” he said.

Wallis said editors and reporters are to blame for this form of censorship because they are shying away from controversy in the political arena.

“They fear of losing access to sources, so they play down criticism of the Bush administration,” Wallis said.

Wallis said this wave of pseudo-journalism hurts not only the art of journalism but also the American public.

“Publishers who worry about offending advertising ultimately hurt themselves, and their pact with us, the readers,” Wallis said.

Randy Essex, assistant managing editor at The Des Moines Register, said he agrees with Wallis’s cause to print what was deemed “too controversial” to view — but said he can see why a publication would worry about legal ramifications. Essex has been with the Register since 1988, and he said he has never seen a libel judgment come up, but he nevertheless errs on the side of caution.

“We are careful to be sure that a story is solid,” Essex said, “that it is legally sound and ready to go.”

Essex said an editor doesn’t have to print everything that crosses his or her desk.

“[You’re] not obligated to print something that’s bad,” Essex said.

Wallis contends that everything in his book is “a gem” — and because of that, it was hard to get into print. Wallis was rejected by 10 publishers before “Killed” was accepted by an independent firm.

“This book was an absolute bitch to get published,” Wallis said.

Even with his adamant disposition against self-censorship, Wallis said some things still aren’t worth printing. Wallis said he has had stories get killed, and has killed a few as well.

“Editors kill stories for legitimate reasons,” Wallis said.

“But these died an unnatural death.”