02
REDBRICK
Friday 3rd February 2017
redbrick.me
Letter from the committee... When I last wrote for this editorial, it felt like we’d only just started to get somewhere as a committee. Now, just over 3 months later, it already feels like we’re nearly finished. Much of the talk over these past few weeks has been concerned with the future of Redbrick and beginning the process that will see us appoint a new committee by the end of this term. At the moment, we have a date for our AGM, 9th March, and will be publicising more information about it in the coming weeks. But right now, I want to take the opportunity to say that we hope to see as many of you there as possible. If you’re a member of Redbrick, you are welcome to come along and vote for your next committee with us. Even more so, we encourage anyone to go forward for a committee role, no matter what your level of experience is. This time last year, I was only a writer for the paper and despite my ambitions, had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that my dream of becoming editor would remain as that. Then, with nothing better to do and the assurance that there would be free pizza, I decided to attend the meeting. I may not have become editor in the end but the pizza was indeed free and I came out as the paper’s digital editor. People often think I’m joking when I say that I decided to run there and then but that’s how it
was; I didn’t even know what the committee positions were before it started. It goes to show that putting your name out there will always get you further than staying silent. Or, at the very least, it shows that the members of Redbrick are willing to take a punt on someone who is woefully underqualified. While we’re on the topic of those who are woefully underqualified, I would also like to commend those who attended the city’s emergency protest against Donald Trump and his order to refuse entry to refugees/citizens of 9 Middle Eastern and North African countries. Redbrick has not been a particularly political paper recently and I would not normally see this space as a place to comment on world events. Yet, when the support for those seeking refuge from countries torn apart by war is seen as merely a political stance, one has to wonder if the west has become out-of-touch with basic humanity. In its insensitivity, its cruelty, and its cowardice, Trump’s actions cannot be justified on any grounds. Those attributes do not have a place on either side of politics and it has been moving to see the speed and forcefulness with which they have been opposed across the world. Watching events from the UK, it is easy to feel powerless to combat the actions of this US government but while we may not
have a direct influence, we can still be vocal that we will not let this sort of injustice be unchallenged. For anyone who’s tired of reading about politics, I’m sorry for talking about it where we would normally talk about how much we love this paper. I still do love it and fear not, this week’s edition does have articles that aren’t about that; although good luck finding them. Millions of voices have already spoken out against Trump and it may be fair to argue that another doesn’t matter. But when intolerance and power come together in a way as ugly as this, the opposition to it should be deafening and unavoidable. In this paper, we have the opportunity to support those who seek to make the world a more compassionate, loving place and to oppose those who seek to divide it. That opportunity should not be forgotten. From the dungeons, we salute you,
Conrad Duncan, Digital Editor
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Online this week at redbrick.me... CULTURE
GAMING
LIFE&STYLE
MUSIC
Review: LOVE at the Birmingham REP
Nintendo Switch : A ‘Switch’ in the Right Direction?
The It Factor: Are Brands Important?
Single Review: Arcade Fire – I Give You Power
Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Anna Griffiths editor@redbrickonline.co.uk
Deputy Editors Harry Turner Imogen Lancaster deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk
Print & Features Editor Gabriella Marcucci print@redbrickonline.co.uk
Digital Editor Conrad Duncan digital@redbrickonline.co.uk
Lead Developer Andreea Gheorghe developer@redbrickonline.co.uk
Marketing Secretary William Baxter marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk
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News Editors Beriwan Ceren Erin Santillo Grace Duncan Gregory Robinson Joseph Timan
Music Editors Giulia Bardelli Greg Woodin Holly Carter Phil Jones music@redbrickonline.co.uk
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Comment Editors Aamina Siddiqi Joe Goodsall Harry Tennison comment@redbrickonline.co.uk
Culture Editors Imogen Tink Olivia Boyce Sophie Taylor
Film Editors Alex McDonald George Griffths Joe Ryan film@redbrickonline.co.uk
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Travel Editors Carys Bedford Delfina Rainoldi Sophie Braybrook
Life&Style Editors Kamila Geremek Nia Roberts Sophie Kesterton Zoe Screti
Television Editors James Tyson Lara Billington Tamsin Hackett
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Sci&Tech Editors Ellen Daugherty James Pettit Kara Watson
Careers Editor Lael Hardtman Mira Lodhia
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Food Editors Lauren Kelly Phoebe Radford Tasha Smart Tamar Smith food@redbrickonline.co.uk
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