_
      Letters
      to
      the
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      New
      Cadre
      Found
      to
      Be
      Biased
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      writing
      about
      the
      offensive
     
     
      and
      controversial
      article
      that
      appeared
      in
      a
     
     
      recent
      issue
      of
      The
      Cadre.
      I
      found
      this
      so-
     
     
      called
      news
      story
      extremely
      troubling
      and
     
     
      disturbing.
      In
      the
      article
      "SU
      President
     
     
      Fears
      Students
      may
      be
      Punished
      in
      Faculty
     
     
      Deal"
      by
      Nicholas
      Stewart,
      The
      Cadre's
     
     
      News
      Editor
      attempts
      to
      pass
      off
      the
      com-
     
     
      pletely
      one-sided
      and
      biased
      opinion
      of
     
     
      Student
      Union
      President
      Brandon
     
     
      MacKenzie
      as
      if
      it
      was
      a
      legitimate
      news
     
     
      story.
      I'd
      like
      to
      point
      out
      that
      when
      writing
     
     
      an
      actual
      news
      story,
      reporters
      are
      required
     
     
      to
      get
      quotes
      from
      four
      sources.
      In
      this
     
     
      same
      issue
      of
      The
      Cadre,
      there
      was
      a
      story
     
     
      picked
      up
      from
      the
      Canadian
      University
     
     
      Press
      Wire
      ("McGill
      Student
      Battles
     
     
      University's
      Anti-Plagiarism
      Policy")
      that
     
     
      beautifully
      illustrates
      the
      proper
      methods
      a
     
     
      reporter
      must
      follow
      in
      order
      to
      avoid
      bias.
     
     
      Without
      other
      perspectives
      to
      give
      readers
     
     
      more
      information,
      Nicholas
      Stewart
      is
      sim-
     
     
      ply
      allowing
      the
      SU
      President
      to
      manipu-
     
     
      late
      The
      Cadre
      into
      being
      a
      propaganda
     
     
      machine
      to
      put
      forward
      his
      own
      agenda,
     
     
      and
      distorting
      the
      paper's
      role
      as
      a
      voice
      for
     
     
      the
      students,
      NOT
      a
      student
      union
      newslet-
     
     
      ter.
     
    

    
     
      But
      perhaps
      that
      is
      all
      The
      Cadre
     
     
      has
      become.
      Why
      else
      would
      the
      Chair-of-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Council
      get
      a
      half-page
      article
      devoted
      to
     
     
      how
      the
      student
      union
      took
      over
      the
      paper
     
     
      and
      how
      great
      it's
      going
      be?
      Finally
      I
      got
      to
     
     
      see
      a
      pull
      quote
      in
      The
      Cadre
      that
      says
     
     
      "Don't
      walk
      by
      a
      Cadre
      without
      making
     
     
      sure
      you've
      read
      it
      from
      cover
      to
      cover."
     
     
      Thank
      you
      Clare
      Henderson
      for
      making
      the
     
     
      February
      4
      issue
      of
      The
      Cadre
      the
      most
     
     
      self-referential
      issue
      of
      the
      paper
      since
      the
     
     
      time
      we
      dedicated
      an
      entire
      issue
      to
      how
     
     
      we
      won
      trivia
      at
      Myron’s.
     
     
      STEPHAN
      MACLEOD
     
     
      Sex-pert.
     
     
      PS:
      In
      the
      February
      4
      Editorial,
     
     
      Sean
      Brady
      says
      "...as
      part
      of
      our
      retooling
     
     
      around
      here....we've
      decided
      to
      hold
      a
      con-
     
     
      test
      to
      rename
      the
      paper.
      Happy
      with
      The
     
     
      Cadre?
      OR
      would
      you
      like
      to
      see
      The
     
     
      Faction
      make
      a
      return
      as
      our
      namesake?"
     
     
      You
      can't
      change
      the
      name
      of
      the
     
     
      newspaper
      without
      having
      a
      referendum
     
     
      and
      getting
      50
      percent
      of
      the
      ENTIRE
      cam-
     
     
      pus
      (not
      just
      50
      percent
      of
      the
      vote)
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      agree
      on
      a
      name
      change.
      You
      have
      former
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Cadre
      Editor,
      and
      the
      current
      editor
      of
     
     
      Grain
      Magazine,
      Kent
      Bruyneel
      to
      thank
     
     
      for
      passing
      this
      resolution
      through
      student
     
     
      council,
      in
      order
      to
      avoid
      ignorant
      editors
     
     
      without
      a
      sense
      of
      history
      from
      changing
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      paper's
      namesake.
      Nobody
      wants
      it
      to
      -
     
    
   
   
    
     
      be
      called
      The
      Panther
      Prints
      or
      The
      Gem
     
     
      ever
      again.
     
    

    
     
      Also,
      The
      Faction
      was
      a
      4-page
     
     
      humour
      pullout
      that
      appeared
      in
      The
      Cadre
     
     
      once
      a
      year,
      and
      it
      consisted
      mostly
      of
      fake
     
     
      articles
      satirizing
      student
      union
      politicians.
     
     
      if
      you
      want
      to
      return
      to
      the
      paper's
      tradition
     
     
      of
      critical
      thought
      and
      spirit
      of
      independ-
     
     
      ence,
      then
      for
      the
      love
      of
      God
      stop
      pub-
     
     
      lishing
      biased
      articles
      written
      by
      student
     
     
      politicians
      and
      start
      writing
      and
      thinking
     
     
      critically.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Editor's
      Response:
     
     
      Dear
      Reader:
     
    

    
     
      Had
      the
      article
      by
      Nick
      Stewart
     
     
      which
      was
      referred
      to
      in
      your
      letter
      been
     
     
      about
      the
      contract
      negotiations
      as
      a
      whole,
     
     
      I
      would
      agree
      that
      the
      story
      was
      one-sided
     
     
      and
      biased;
      however,
      the
      story
      was
      simply
     
     
      a
      report
      of
      how
      Brandon
      MacKenzie
      (a
     
     
      representative
      elected
      by
      the
      student
      body
     
     
      specifically
      to
      look
      out
      for
      us
      when
      dealing
     
     
      with
      such
      troubling
      matters
      as
      a
      potential
     
     
      faculty
      strike)
      felt
      about
      the
      whole
      ordeal.
     
     
      Even
      so,
      I
      fail
      to
      see
      how
      the
      article
      could
     
     
      in
      any
      way
      have
      been
      reasonably
      construed
     
     
      as
      "offensive".
     
    

    
     
      The
      Cadre
      is
      not
      a
      Student
      Union
     
     
      newsletter,
      but
      is
      instead
      here
      to
      inform
     
    
   
   
    
     
      students
      about
      any
      pertinent
      issue
      --
      and
     
     
      how
      an
      article
      detailing
      the
      Student
      Union
     
     
      President's
      fears
      on
      behalf
      of
      students
      (and
     
     
      their
      pocketbooks)
      fails
      to
      meet
      said
      crite-
     
     
      ria,
      I
      cannot
      fathom.
     
    

    
     
      Regarding
      the
      name
      change,
      I
     
     
      thank
      you
      for
      bringing
      that
      bit
      of
      news
      to
     
     
      our
      attention.
      Because
      of
      the
      "spring"
     
     
      break
      we
      have
      not
      been
      able
      to
      dig
      into
      the
     
     
      minutes
      deep
      enough
      to
      find
      that
      resolu-
     
     
      tion,
      but
      we
      are
      looking
      into
      it.
      The
      moti-
     
     
      vation
      for
      the
      name
      change
      was
      brought
      on
     
     
      by
      staff
      listening
      to
      urges
      from
      friends
      and
     
     
      associates
      to
      make
      a
      change.
      Opinions
     
     
      were
      split,
      some
      believing
      that
      "The
     
     
      Cadre"
      was
      a
      ridiculous
      name
      in
      the
      first
     
     
      place
      (many
      don't
      even
      know
      what
      it
     
     
      means),
      and
      others
      believing
      that
      given
      the
     
     
      ups
      and
      downs
      the
      paper
      has
      experienced
     
     
      over
      its
      recent
      history,
      even
      though
      they
     
     
      had
      liked
      the
      name,
      that
      it
      had
      been
      soiled
     
     
      to
      the
      point
      that
      a
      change
      was
      necessary.
     
     
      We
      will
      continue
      to
      explore
      this
      issue
      fur-
     
     
      ther.
      In
      the
      time
      being,
      make
      suggestions
     
     
      (namethatpaper@hotmail.com),
      and
      if
     
     
      you
      wish,
      suggest
      that
      "The
      Cadre"
     
     
      remains.
      If
      the
      name
      can
      be
      changed,
     
     
      maybe
      it
      will
      be.
      If
      it
      can't,
      we
      can
      at
      least
     
     
      have
      some
      fun
      considering
      the
      possibility.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      the
      Editor:
     
    

    
     
      A
      decision
      by
      a
      student
      union
      to
      take
     
     
      a
      direct
      role
      in
      the
      management
      and
      creative
     
     
      process
      of
      a
      student
      newspaper
      is
      never
      some-
     
     
      thing
      to
      be
      taken
      lightly.
      After
      careful
      consider-
     
     
      ation
      of
      the
      circumstances
      surrounding
      the
     
     
      UPEI
      Student
      Union’s
      decision
      to
      intervene
      in
     
     
      The
      Cadre,
      I
      would
      like
      to
      say
      that
      I
      support
      the.
     
     
      the
      student
      union’s
      action
      are
      examples
      of
     
     
      extremely
      poor
      editorial
      judgment.
      The
      editori-
     
     
      al
      cartoon
      that
      was
      published
      was
      offensive
      for
     
     
      many
      reasons,
      not
      the
      least
      of
      which
      is
      the
      per-
     
     
      petuation
      of
      negative
      stereotypes
      surrounding
     
     
      the
      LBGTQ
      community.
      It
      is
      a
      perfect
      example
     
     
      of
      how
      the
      ends
      do
      not
      justify
      the
      means.
     
     
      Although
      I
      can
      totally
      empathize
      with
      the
      frus-
     
     
      tration
      felt
      by
      some
      students
      on
      your
      campus;
      I
     
     
      feel
      that
      their
      frustration
      could
      have
      been
      com-
     
     
      municated
      far
      more
      effectively
      and
      without
      -
     
     
      causing
      undo
      harm
      and
      distress
      to
      members
      of
     
     
      your
      university
      community.
     
    

    
     
      -
      Regarding
      the
      article
      that
      was
      pub-
     
     
      lished
      in
      The
      Cadre,
      I
      must
      first
      state
      my
      total
     
     
      and
      absolute
      shock
      at
      its
      content
      and
      nature.
     
     
      That
      such
      an
      article
      would
      be
      given
      any
      expo-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sure
      in
      any
      publication
      is
      profoundly
      disturbing.
     
     
      That
      article
      was
      particularly
      offensive
      to
      mem-
     
     
      bers
      of
      the
      Christian
      faith
      tradition,
      to
      those
      who
     
     
      have
      suffered
      losses
      because
      of
      suicide
      and
     
     
      mental
      illness,
      and
      to
      the
      entire
      community
      at
     
     
      large.
      There
      have
      always
      been
      reasonable
      limi-
     
     
      tations
      on
      free
      speech.
      Hate
      speech,
      and
      speech
     
     
      which
      is
      known
      or
      reasonably
      ought
      to
      have
     
     
      been
      known
      to
      cause
      offense,
      is
      never
      justified
     
     
      by
      the
      defense
      “it
      was
      free
      speech”.
      Few
      com-
     
     
      munities
      in
      Canada,
      if
      any,
      would
      support
      the
     
     
      publication
      of
      that
      article.
      It
      was
      an
      offensive
     
     
      and
      anger
      filled
      piece.of
      trash
      that
      was
      more
     
     
      suitable
      for
      the
      recycling
      bin
      than
      the
      pages
      of
     
     
      The
      Cadre.
     
    

    
     
      Student
      newspapers
      do
      not
      have
      any
     
    
   
   
    
     
      '
      special
      protection
      or
      status
      when
      it
      comes
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      facing
      the
      consequences
      of
      poor
      editorial
      deci-
     
     
      sions.
      Although
      they
      are
      a
      learning
      environment
     
     
      for
      young
      journalists,
      student
      newspapers
      must
     
     
      at
      all
      times
      strive
      to
      ensure
      that
      they
      are
      not
      dis-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ~
      criminating
      against
      members
      of
      their
      communi-
     
     
      -
      ty.
      When
      student
      newspapers
      fail
      to
      do
      this
      it
      is
     
     
      ‘the
      responsibility
      of
      those
      ultimately
      responsi-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ble
      for
      the
      newspaper
      to
      take
      action.
     
     
      In
      the
      end
      the
      publication
      of
      these
     
    
   
   
    
     
      offensive
      pieces
      and
      the
      subsequent
      actions
     
     
      taken
      by
      the
      student
      union
      are
      symptoms
      of
      a
     
     
      bigger
      problem.
      It
      has
      been
      my
      experience
      as
      a
     
     
      student
      newspaper
      editor
      that
      the
      creation
      of
      a
     
     
      newspaper
      editorial
      board,
      or
      of
      a
      board
      of
     
     
      directors,
      has
      a
      direct
      and
      positive
      influence
      on
     
     
      the
      operation
      of
      the
      newspaper.
      A
      Board
      of
     
     
      Directors
      aids
      young
      newspaper
      editors
      by
      act-
     
     
      ing
      as
      a
      place
      to
      go
      for
      advice,
      and
      as
      the
      final
     
     
      authority
      for
      the
      newspaper.
      Such
      a
      Board,
      cre-
     
     
      ated
      with
      a
      balance
      between
      the
      various
      stake-
     
     
      holders
      in
      the
      university
      community
      (newspa-
     
     
      per
      staff,
      students,
      faculty,
      administration,
      and
     
     
      the
      student
      union)
      can
      help
      to
      ensure
      the
      edito-
     
     
      rial
      independence
      of
      the
      newspaper
      from
      any
     
     
      single
      group.
      A
      student
      newspaper
      board
      of
     
     
      directors
      acts
      as
      a
      pro-active
      leadership.
      It
      also
     
     
      helps
      maintain
      experience
      and
      knowledge
     
     
      gained
      from
      past
      mistakes.
      Ultimately
      a
      Board
     
     
      of
      Directors
      helps
      to
      ensure
      that
      a
      student
      news-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      paper
      maintains
      not
      only
      their
      independence,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      but
      also
      their
      sense
      of
      responsibility
      to
      the
      com-
     
     
      munities
      they
      serve.
     
    

    
     
      I
      feel
      confident
      in
      these
      assertions
     
     
      because
      my
      newspaper,
      The
      Baron,
      went
     
     
      through
      a
      similar
      situation
      as
      The
      Cadre,
      in
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI
      Cadre
      February
      24,
      2004
      page
      3
     
    
   
   
    
     
      2002.
      During
      our
      incident
      an
      article
      was
      pub-
     
     
      lished
      that
      was
      highly
      offensive
      to
      women.
      The
     
     
      student
      union
      here
      took
      action
      and
      immediately
     
     
      restructured
      the
      newspaper.
      I
      was
      hired
      to
     
     
      rebuild
      The
      Baron
      and
      I
      along
      with
      a
      team
      of
     
     
      dedicated
      students
      have
      helped
      create
      a
      new,
     
     
      healthy,
      and
      stable
      newspaper
      that
      accurately
     
     
      reflects
      the
      many
      viewpoints
      on
      our
      campus
     
     
      while
      at
      the
      same
      time
      always
      striving
      to
      main-
     
     
      tain
      the
      highest
      editorial
      standards.
      I
      can
      see
      no
     
     
      reason
      why
      The
      Cadre
      can’t
      achieve
      the
      same
     
     
      success.
      However,
      in
      order
      to
      achieve
      this
      The
     
     
      Cadre
      will
      need
      the
      support
      of
      the
      entire
      UPEI
     
     
      university
      community.
      I
      would
      encourage
     
     
      members
      of
      your
      university,
      from
      students
      to
     
     
      members
      of
      the
      faculty
      and
      staff,
      to
      help
      ensure
     
     
      that
      The
      Cadre’s
      transition
      is
      positive
      and
      bene-
     
     
      ficial
      for
      your
      community.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sincerely,
     
     
      David
      Shipley
     
     
      Editor-in-Chief,
      The
      Baron
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -
      Chair,
      Canadian
      University
      Press
      B.O.D.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Atlantic
      Rep,
      Canadian
      University
      Press