Journal should have reported on anti-racism rally
Dear Editors,
The Rally Against Racism that took place on Wednesday, Jan. 16 was organized by of the Queen’s faculty and was an important step in bringing issues of race and racism at Queen’s to the forefront. The speakers addressed racism and the culture of whiteness at Queen’s, and steps the Queen’s community can take to make a change. There were students, faculty and staff on all four corners of Union Street and University Avenue showing their opposition to racism.
We are disappointed that this significant event, as with other anti-oppression events and campaigns (such as the Conference on Slavery and the Transgender Day of Remembrance) run through the Social Issues Commission or other bodies on campus, was largely overlooked by the Journal. In this case, a mere picture did not—and cannot—capture the importance of an event such as this and the it garnered from the Queen’s community. It is unfortunate that the Journal seems more interested in covering the problems than the actions taken to address them.
We understand the Journal has limited space. However, a third front-page article on Clark Hall Pub in a row is not going to solve issues of oppression, systemic or otherwise, at Queen’s. If we want to make a real difference on this campus, the media outlets must also play a role and cover, in detail, the efforts made by students, faculty and staff. Simply criticizing the status quo won’t change it.
Jenny Glozman and Jessica Soedirgo, acting AMS social issues commssioners
ArtSci ’08
Littering indicates lack of maturity, respect for city
Dear Editors,
Once again, I am dismayed by the behaviour of my fellow Queen’s students. While walking home from an intramural game, I saw a group of four students walking towards me dressed for an evening, presumably, at a campus bar. As they approached, I watched one of the females in the group finish drinking a can of beer and say in a joking voice, “I didn’t do that,” casually tossing the empty beer can onto the snow.
My question to that student is this: if you knew that your actions were wrong (why else would you say “I didn’t do that”?), why do it? Or, if your actions are to flaunt your defiance of the law by drinking in public, then flaunt it 50 metres farther and recycle your beer can.
It’s time to show a little maturity and integrity. No wonder Kingston residents believe Queen’s students have no respect for our town.
Jennifer Waugh
MSc ’06
BEd ’08
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