Dear Editors,
As a former President of the Engineering Society of Queen’s University and student representative at AMS Assembly, I am writing to condemn the “advertisement” posted on page 17 of the March 18, 2011 edition of the Journal.
The fact that you would permit a full-page ad to be printed that twists facts and directly targets an individual student at this university—clearly posting her picture and her name (twice)—is a reprehensible and disgusting misuse of the power you wield as a campus news provider. The so-called “advertisement” is nothing less than a publicized witch-hunt and belongs in the pages of the National Enquirer next to a photograph of a swamp monster in Lake Ontario, not our beloved Queen’s Journal.
First off, the motion is hardly a threat to editorial autonomy and the language used to drum up support for the “Team Journal” cause is both misleading and inflammatory. If you take the time to read (and properly report on) the motion that was proposed at AMS Assembly on March 10, 2011, you would realize that the motion presented simply requests that the Media Services Director analyze the “percentage of content that directly addresses student activities and events.” Given that you are obligated to give an accurate account of news relevant to the university (Section 15.01.01.iii.b of the AMS Constitution), this seems to be a logical way to ensure that you, as an AMS organization, are meeting this requirement.
Perhaps you could explain to me how Victoria Pleavin and the 20 other members of AMS Assembly who voted to adopt the motion are trying to “restrict the Journal’s ability to report on issues that matter” to the reader? If anything, these students are trying to ensure that this happens, and to print an advertisement stating otherwise is inappropriate.
As editors, you are directly responsible for the material you print in the Journal. Writing an editorial to encourage students to educate themselves on this issue is one thing, but allowing a committed and hard-working student representative to be publicly defamed is a gross misuse of the power you have as a campus news provider.
At the very best, allowing such a personal attack to be printed demonstrates a lack of moral integrity on behalf of the editors. At worst, the misrepresentation of the motion and the opinions of Ms. Pleavin is libelous in nature and you should be reprimanded for your actions accordingly.
Ironically enough, it seems that AMS Assembly would be responsible for this (Section 15.01.04 of the AMS Constitution). As such, I encourage the AMS Executive and Assembly members to review this case and determine if such a violation has
taken place. In my opinion, Ms. Pleavin deserves an apology from the editors who printed this misguided advertisement and a full-page ad should be placed in next week’s Journal to this effect.
Connor Langford,
AMS Assembly Representative 2005-2007
Engineering Society President 2006-2007
AMS Assembly Speaker and Chief Electoral Officer 2007-2008
Dear Editors,
I’d like to express how very hurt and disappointed I was upon picking up the March 16 issue of Golden Words.
On the front cover, there were four pictures under the heading, “St. Patrick’s Day Goes Too Far,” one of which was a photo-shopped image of Pope Benedict XVI, made to be vomiting into a chalice.
As a member of the Roman Catholic Church, I found this tasteless, utterly inappropriate and very hurtful.
Consider for a moment if Golden Words had instead depicted the Dalai Lama or Muhammad in this manner. Apologies would probably already have been made to Buddhists and Muslims for such an offense.
For some reason, however, the Catholic Church is chosen for attack, and receives little respect. Consider also the religious meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.
Although to many it means little more than an occasion for drinking and partying, for Catholics it is a day to celebrate an important historical figure in our Church.
How very disappointing to think that Golden Words would choose to offend Catholics, and on an occasion such as this. I am thoroughly disgusted.
Rachel Helferty, ArtSci ’13
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.
