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Sad news rocketed around yesterday afternoon: the Boston Phoenix is . A vital, intelligent alternative newsweekly, the Phoenix had an impressive track record of serving as a proving ground for talented journalists and critics-a proud history confirmed and celebrated by the outpouring of remembrances across the Internet.

I'm adding my own bittersweet tribute here on The Torch today because the Phoenix provided a great platform for civil libertarians throughout the years.

FIRE co-founder Harvey Silverglate has been for the Phoenix, writing about a wide range of civil liberties issues and controversies. FIREsupporters will remember Harvey's yearly campus "Muzzle" awards, in which he exposed campus censorship and hypocrisy in his own inimitable style. For a recent sample, check out Harvey's from last July. Until 2009, Harvey also penned a blog for the Phoenix, the . Author, attorney, and FIREBoard of Advisors member Wendy Kaminer was , as well.

And I'm proud to say that one of my first pieces as a FIREstaffer was published by the Phoenix. Way back in February of 2007, Greg and I wrote an article for the Phoenix about students being punished for Facebook and MySpace posts. (Yes, MySpace—this was 2007, remember.) I remember being thrilled to see it in print, and we've got a framed copy hanging here in our Philadelphia office.

So a sincere thanks to the Phoenix for providing a powerful platform for so many years. It will be very much missed.