Issue 7 - November 5, 2014

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Wednesday, November 5, 2014 - Issue 7 // www.thesputnik.ca

News On Campus Features Arts & Culture Sports Opinion

2 4 6 8 10 12

Do students Partnership with Laurier care about likely Remembrance page 3 Day?

page 2

Brantford sees low voter turnout page 3

Sexualizing society’s little women page 7

How the media covered Ottawa page 8

Open year round . Friday 7am -­ 5pm . Saturday 7am -­ 2pm Laurier Students get 10% discount Located close to Laurier downtown campus & residences . 79 Icomm Drive

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The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

News Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

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The “Monuments and Memorials� walk is hosted close to Remembrance Day each year to help familiarize people with local historical war landmarks in the city’s downtown. (Photo by Marissa White)

Community preparing for Remembrance Day space in which curious onlookers can absorb the narratives that make Brantford, Brantford.

With November, also comes a close to The Brant Historic Society’s 2014 heritage walking tour season.

7KH Ă€QDO WRXU RI WKH \HDU ZLOO EH hosted on Saturday Nov. 8, starting at 10:30 a.m. Titled “Monuments and Memorialsâ€? walk, the trek is one of the Taylor Berzins steadfast annual tours hosted by The News Editor Brant Historic Society.

The “Monuments and Memorials�

Remembrance Day is just around walk is hosted close to Remembrance the corner, and community members Day in November each year to help fahope to see more student consciousness miliarize participants with local historithis year. cal war landmarks throughout the city’s /RFDO KLVWRU\ RULHQWHG QRQ SURÀW groups have put together a number of downtown, and to help participants initiatives to make the story of war and better understand the profound role Brantford more accessible to the com- war played in the development of the community. munity.

Brian Moore who coordinates the tours says that the walk will focus on Brant Historic Society eras surrounding the Boer War of 1900 “Your history matters� is the slogan all the way to the 1950s.

Moore explains that this year alongthat acts as a charming reminder of the side essential memorial sites like the Arrole Brant Historical Society plays in the mories and Cenotaph, the tour will take local community, creating an inclusive

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a new route, exploring sites like the Red Cross, Church Street, and the Returning Soldiers Home. “People walk by these memorials quite regularly and often have no idea what the story is behind them,� says Moore.

Brant Historic Society’s walking tours are free to Historical Society Members, and $5 for non-members. The walks typically run between 75 to 90 minutes in length.

Moore encourages university students in Brantford to attend heritage walks in order to garner a better sense IRU WKH ORFDO Ă DYRU RI FRPPXQLW\ WKH\ are living in. “Each walk has an element of its own character,â€? explains Moore, “and reveals something of the character of the community.â€? “I’m not sure that I can tell you that there’s a popular walk,â€? says Moore, explaining that the monthly events typically draw crowds between nine and seventeen people. “But there isn’t a walk that I have taken where there aren’t people afterwards saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t know that!’â€?

munity businesses garner the walls WKURXJKRXW WKH PXVHXP UHà HFWLQJ WKH names of thousands of locals who left their industrial jobs to answer the call of war; photos hang showcasing the youngness in the faces of local soldiers throughout time. $Q\ZKHUH IURP WZHOYH WR ÀIWHHQ thousand people visit the museum each year, says Shaver, although it’s still tough to draw in students.

The museum offers guided tours, as well as the opportunity to explore its artifacts independently. Filled to the brim with stories that represent many facets of the local community during war initiatives Shaver explains, “These are all stories that can be heard, if kids came down.â€? “It’s a big museum, and it’s a good museum,â€? says Shaver. The exhibits aim to educate viewers about the realities of war while honouring the fallen and appreciating the efforts of veterans and current military personnel. According to Shaver war is an integral part of the community’s fabric, and students who ZDQW WR NQRZ PRUH DERXW WKH VDFULĂ€FHV that contributed to the Brant commuCanadian Military Heritage Museum nity as it is today.

Shaver is disheartened by the lack The Canadian Military Heritage RI LQWHUHVW KH VHHV UHĂ HFWHG LQ WKH QXPMuseum on Greenwich Street is look- ber of youth who patron the museum, ing forward to an increase in patrons “young people walk around without this month as Remembrance Day draws giving any interest whatsoever to what nearer.

VDFULĂ€FHV ZHUH VSHQW Âľ $ORQJVLGH WKH 7KH QRQ SURĂ€W PXVHXP KDV EHHQ thousands of artifacts on display, the running for the last twenty years. The museum maintains a Military library, 14,000 square foot building is host to which Shaver says is yet to see the face 20,000 artifacts with over 10,000 in stor- of a Laurier student, “they just haven’t age and represents a history of Canada’s got the interest,â€? says Shaver. military endeavors from 1775 to today.

During its winter season, the Cana“We have a theme room every yearâ€?, dian Military Heritage Museum opersays museum chairman Richard Shaver, ates Friday through Sunday from 10 “for the last two years it was the War a.m. to 4 p.m. of 1812, we took that down this Spring, Brantford’s Remembrance Day Cerand we are now honoring the century emony will take place around 10:45 a.m. of the First World War.â€? The exhibit will on Nov. 11 at the Cenotaph across from run for four years, changing each year the Armories on the corner of Brant Ave WR KLJKOLJKW VSHFLĂ€F HUDV RI WKH ZDU 7KH and Dalhousie St. current exhibit is stocked with artifacts from the Brant community.

Honour Roll plaques from com-

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sputnik

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News Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Layla Bozich eic@thesputnik.ca PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Neha Sekhon visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Dylan Kellendonk web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Hannah Brunsdon Roberto Belardi SECTION EDITORS Taylor Berzins - News Josh Adesina - On Campus Karly Rath - Features Dillon Giancola - Arts & Culture Kyle Morrison - Sports Brittany Bennett - Opinion CONTRIBUTORS Anthony Fusco Julian Panchaud Nadine Saba Miles Smith Melissa Weaver

&& 5HVWRUDWLYH -XVWLFH FODVV (Photo courtesy of Thomas Rose)

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WLUSP BRANTFORD 202-171 Colborne St. Brantford, ON N3T 2C9 (519) 756-8228 ext, 5948

-XOLDQ 3DQFKDXG Staff

MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Nathanael Lewis nathanael.lewis@wlusp.com

PRESIDENT Dani Saad (519) 884-0710 ext. 3565 dani.saad@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Tammy Rowe (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 trowe@wlu.ca The Sputnik is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial FRQFHUQV )RU DGGLWLRQDO LQIRUPDWLRQ RU WR Í„OH D complaint, contact info@ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981.

Thanks to the efforts of Laurier Brantford’s Restorative Justice class CC211, the City of Brantford will recognize Nov. 16 to Nov. 23 2014 as Restorative Justice Week.

According to the course’s professor Thomas Rose, “[Restorative Justice] is an alternative justice model that has found expression in various aspects of Canada’s criminal, youth and family justice system.�

With 152 Laurier Brantford students lending their names to the cause, a petition sent to city council on behalf of CC211 was recognized and incited city council to proclaim the third week of November 2014 as “Restorative Justice Week.� “Restorative justice is important because it places the person most affected by

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Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those RI WKH DXWKRU DQG GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHÍ…HFW the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS Main: Marissa White Left: Cody Hoffman Centre: Christina Manocchio Right: Neha Sekhon

between the victim, offender, and the community.� According to Correctional Services, restorative justice in Canada provides victims an opportunity to have their stories heard, while offering offenders a space to be accountable for the crimes they commit. “Restorative Justice empowers communities to gain a better understanding of the root causes of crime and allow the community to express and reduce its fears.�

In 2013, Correctional Services of Canada GHWHUPLQHG WKDW JRLQJ IRUZDUG WKH RIĂ€FLDO theme of the initiative would permanently remain “Inspiring Innovationâ€?. According to their website, Correctional Services of Canada hopes the theme “encourages us to celebrate and share our experience and leading edge examples, for years to come, in delivering restorative justice based services.â€?

According to Correctional Services, many of the participating municipalities in Canada develop independent sub-themes for the week like “addressing harms in reODWLRQ WR FRQĂ LFW ZURQJ GRLQJ EXOO\LQJ and crime.â€? This year, the City of Brantford has opted to recognize the central theme and focus its attention to “Inspiring Innovationâ€? through local restorative justice measures.

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The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP)

The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP)

the crime, the victim, at the center of the process.� Says CC211 student, Arianna Noctor, “I think that it is great that Brantford is recognizing restorative justice week and I hope that Brantford is successful in putting restorative justice to work within our community.�

In the request to the City of Brantford to proclaim Restorative Justice Week, Prof.

Rose highlighted that Restorative Justice Week offers “a uniqueÂŹ opportunity for Brantford to demonstrate its desire to explore non-adversarial, non-retributive, FRVW HIĂ€FLHQW DSSURDFK WR MXVWLFH WKDW HPphasizes healing in victims and accountability of offenders to create safer communities for all.â€? “I think the students of CC211 deserve a shout out for keeping this tradition alive,â€? says Prof. Rose.

Restorative Justice Week is an annual initiative created by the department Correctional Service of Canada in 1996. The program works with community partners throughout Canadian municipalities to celebrate the unique restorative justice services being offered throughout the nation.

Correctional Services of Canada cites restorative justice as, “a safe and respectful process that allows for open dialogue

7D\ORU %HU]LQV News Editor The Oct. 27 election results proved that Brantford was ready to give incumbent Mayor, Chris Friel another four years as head of the city.

36 per cent of local voters opted for Friel; candidates Vanderstelt, Wrobel, St. Amant, Littell, Kaye and Turmel followed in voter support.

With less than 40 per cent of eligible voters showing up to cast their ballot, 2014 municipal voter turnout was the lowest the city of Brantford has seen since 2003.

7KH RIĂ€FLDO HOHFWLRQ UHVXOWV UHYHDO WKDW YRWHU WXUQRXW ZDV VLJQLĂ€FDQWO\ UHGXFHG WKLV election, dropping from about 43 per cent in 2010, to 37 per cent this year.

During Friel’s election campaign, he

promised post-secondary students in the downtown core that he was committed to ensuring that Brantford will provide “space to offer a richer student life experience.�

Friel’s campaign also ensures that he will focus on issues like job creation, developing a local culture of “100 mile diet� and work towards bringing Go Transit to the city.

During his campaign, Friel launched an economic development initiative called “Smart Brantford�. Through the initiative, Friel hopes to “shift the way we live� by working to further develop the six components of: connection, economy, people, living, governance and environment.

7KLV HOHFWLRQ PDUNV )ULHO¡V ÀIWK PD\oral win in Brantford, having began his career in municipal politics in 1994 at the age of 27, Friel became one of the youngest mayors in Canadian history.

Friel proceeded to serve as mayor through the 1997, and 2000 elections, sitting as head of the council that brought the Laurier campus to Brantford. Friel lost the 2003 and 2006 municipal elections to Mike Hancock, only to return to City Hall in 2010.

Alongside the Mayor, local voters established the new city council, as well as

school board trustees.

For the next four years, Brantford’s city council will consist of incumbent councilor Larry Kings and Rick Weaver for Ward 1, incumbent councilor John Utley and John Sless for Ward 2, incumbent councilor Dan McCreary and Greg Martin for Ward 3, incumbent councilor Richard Carpenter and Cheryl Lynn Antoski for Ward 4, and incumbent councilor Dave Neumann and Brian Van Tilborg for Ward 5.

2I WKH WHQ FLW\ FRXQFLOORUV HOHFWHG ÀYH DUH UHWXUQLQJ LQFXPEHQWV PHDQLQJ ÀYH councillors did not appear on last term’s roster.

Elected Trustees Carol Ann Sloat, Alex Felsky, David Dean and Greg Anderson will represent the Grand Erie District School Board, Rick Petrella and Bill Chopp will represent Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Pierre Girouard will represent Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, and DorothÊe Petit-Pas will represent Conseil Scolaire De District Catholique Centre-Sud. Brantford’s newly elected council will be sworn in on Dec. 1 2014.

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The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

On Campus Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Learn how to cook at the Frugal Foodie event

Josh Adesina On Campus Editor Are you a student and/or resident in Brantford? If so, then the Frugal Foodie HYHQW LV GHÀQLWHO\ ZRUWK FKHFNLQJ RXW $V a student, it is important that you are able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´(DWLQJ JRRG IRRG LV JRRG IRU \RXU PLQG ,W·V DOVR DERXW XQGHUVWDQGLQJ EDVLF FRRNLQJ WHFKQLTXHV DQG QDWXUDO WKLQJV \RX FDQ GR WR HQKDQFH WKH ÁDYRUV WKDW DUH DOUHDG\ WKHUH 7KDW·V RYHUDOO P\ FRRNLQJ SKLORVRSK\ 5HVSHFWLQJ WKH LQJUHGLHQWV DQG XQGHUVWDQGLQJ ZKHUH WKH\ FDPH IURP µ

Joe Farrell participated in the Frugal Foodie event.

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Joe Farrell cutting up some vegetables.

(Photo by Josh Adesina)

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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sputnik

5

On Campus Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Laurier students send shoes to Escuela Sabanilla

Melissa Weaver Staff Soles2Sarchi is a group that emerged from another organization called Duke of Edinburgh which sends high school students to Costa Rica, and sent three Laurier Brantford students over the summer of 2014. Kelsey Anger, the coordinator and chaperone of the Duke of Edinburgh, Cody Groat, Asha Mistry, Angela Braun and to a lesser extent Zoe Zrini, who joined the group in Costa Rica, after participating in the organization, saw the need for shoes in Costa Rica. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day I noticed that these two sisters, Maybelline and Cassandra were never in school at the same time. After asking the principal, he told me to pay attention the next day. So I did. Cassandra would come in the morning and Maybelline would come in the afternoon. I then realized that they were wearing the exact same pair of shoes because they only had one. It was that moment that I realized this was not okay and something needed to be done.â&#x20AC;?

This year, the shoeboxes are being sent to Escuela Sabanilla. Once a student decides to participate in Soles2Sarchi,

A few of the Costa Rican children with their gifts. (Photo courtesy of Mauricio Perez / facebook.com/soles2sarchi)

they are assigned to an elementary student in Costa Rica. They are then given a picture of their child with their shoe size, along with a list of items to put in the shoebox and a place to drop it off. In August, the three students will return to Laurier Brantford and give pictures of the children opening their gifts and a heartfelt letter of thanks written by the child.

Upon meeting Kelsey Anger, her passion and enthusiasm for the project

was evident, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Costa Rica changed my lifeâ&#x20AC;? said Anger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been friends with .HOVH\ VLQFH Ă&#x20AC;UVW \HDU DQG KHU H[SHULHQFes in Costa Rica brought out a passion in her that was never really seen when she was talking about anything else,â&#x20AC;? said Groat. Anger lived in Costa Rica for 2 years after high school and taught English for three months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It totally changed my life,â&#x20AC;? said Anger. It also helped her choose her major in human rights. Anger explained that most Costa Ricans are immigrants from Nicaragua, and that they come to work for $1 a day in the coffee bean industry. The government of Costa Rica pays for the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education up until grade 6, after which their education is paid for by their parents. Teachers in Costa Rice have to pay out of pocket for any and all supplies they need for their classes including art supplies, scissors and extra pencils, in case any of the children forget theirs.

During the holiday season, there are a number of charities that send shoeboxes and other gifts to other countries and even in Canada. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not only told that these are the children who would EHQHĂ&#x20AC;W WKH PRVW DQG KDYH WR EHOLHYH LW but Kelsey and I have had boots on the JURXQG DQG ZLWQHVVHG Ă&#x20AC;UVW KDQG WKDW this is the case. A group like this provides direct, personal channels to impoverished global situations.â&#x20AC;?

Anger also expressed her gratitude towards the Laurier Brantford community including the Dean of Students, Adam Lawrence. Anger was able to get 50 stuGHQWV WR SDUWLFLSDWH LQ KHU Ă&#x20AC;UVW \HDU 7KLV

Angie displaying her new shoes. (Photo courtesy of Mauricio Perez / facebook.com/soles2sarchi)

year, she has another 50 students and faculty participating and a large number of people who still wish to participate.

Generic girl and boy boxes will still be accepted, along with baby boxes with bottles and bibs. Angerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hopes to create a club at Laurier Brantford that will allow this event to continue every year.

If you are at all interested, check out the Soles2Sarchi Facebook group and email Kelsey with any questions at Kelsey.anger@hotmail.com

OCOA Projects: Baked goods for building supplies nie Rideout, a volunteer for the club.

About $4,000 worth of supplies is required to build a home in the DominiFDQ 0HPEHUV SD\ IRU WKHLU RZQ Ă LJKW food and accommodations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have always wanted to go on a mission trip but they are extremely expensive,â&#x20AC;? says Magen Wydeven. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I did the same type of trip in high school to Nicaragua but it was much Melissa Weaver more expensive,â&#x20AC;? says Kayla SpielStaff macher.

Jennie added â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted to do someOCOA Projects set up their stathing that wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost a fortune. tion in the Student Centre Lobby with With fundraising, the trip is about SXPSNLQ ZDIĂ HV FDNH SRSV JOXWHQ $1,000 but even without fundraising it free brownies, cupcakes and caramel is only $1,300.â&#x20AC;? apples. On Oct. 30, the club put on Last year, there were two groups a Halloween bake sale, their second that were sent to the Dominican; one event of the year. in May and one in June. The months OCOA Projects is a club that sends have not yet been decided this year, as Laurier Brantford students to the Doit depends on the number of members minican Republic for two weeks to help going on the trip and which month build homes. The students live with a they prefer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have 35 members but citizen from the city and are exposed to we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how many groups to the culture, as well as their lifestyle. have yet until people decide whether The bake sale was held to raise they are going or not,â&#x20AC;?

Danielle Hyde, money towards building homes in the the club president explained.

Dominican Republic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;OCOA is not Other events include a Wacky an acronym, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an area,â&#x20AC;? says Jen-

Left to right: Spielmacher, Wydeven, Rideout and Hyde with their delicious goodies.

(Photo by Melissa Weaver)

Wings event on November 23rd, a Boston Pizza event, and a Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day $XFWLRQ 7KH =XPEDWKRQ ZDV WKHLU Ă&#x20AC;UVW event and they raised over $500. More events will be held this year in comparison to last year. There will be a lot

of events for students to get involved in. The club is still accepting members to go on the trip or help out with the fundraising aspect of the club.

6

The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Features Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

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Karly Rath Features Editor As a fourth-year student, I am completing a journalistic thesis on the controversial topic of pornography.

My two colleagues and I embarked on ZKDW FDQ RQO\ EH FDOOHG RXU Ă&#x20AC;UVW VH[KLbition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we dedicated an entire day to H[SORULQJ WKH WK DQQXDO (YHU\WKLQJ 7R 'R :LWK 6H[ 6KRZ LQ 7RURQWR We walk into the huge room of red and black. Immediately, we are bomEDUGHG ZLWK YLVXDOV RI QXGLW\ VH[ WR\V and lingerie. But there was so much more than that: erotic art, health foods and educational products, to name a few.

There were innovative products WKDW FRXOG VROYH DQ\ VH[XDO SUREOHP you can imagine. Some of the most noteworthy include the no-slip shower knee pads, NoMoreWetSpot blankets and menstrual products that can be ZRUQ ZKLOH KDYLQJ VH[ 2Q 2FW , VDZ P\ Ă&#x20AC;UVW VWULS VKRZ had a heart-to-heart talk with a male porn star, and had a stripper hand me his business card and open with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hey, want to see me get naked?â&#x20AC;?

Oh â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and I learned a heck of a lot

Features Editor Karly Rath holds a plush duck strapped into a suspension system used for BDSM. (Photo by Layla Bozich)

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.DUO\ 5DWK GRQV RQH RI WKH PDQ\ QRYHOW\ LWHPV RIIHUHG DW WKH VH[ FRQYHQWLRQ (Photo by Layla Bozich)

there was a lesbian couple in front of me who were clearly and audibly quite Č&#x201D;, VDZ P\ Ě˝UVW VWULS VKRZ KDG D The How-to-Squirt Seminar H[FLWHG DERXW WKH VHPLQDU $OWKRXJK KHDUW WR KHDUW WDON ZLWK D PDOH the PDA was distracting, I got the gist SRUQ VWDU DQG KDG D VWULSSHU We attended a seminar called of the lesson: activate your G-spot until â&#x20AC;&#x153;Squirt: The Secrets of G-Spots and you feel the pressure build, then you KDQG PH KLV EXVLQHVV FDUG )HPDOH (MDFXODWLRQÂľ ZKLFK EHJDQ ZLWK withdraw all stimulation and rub your DQG RSHQ ZLWK Č?+H\ ZDQW WR 6H[ (GXFDWRU &DUO\OH -DQVHQ DVNLQJ WKH urethra and voilĂ . attentive audience, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anybody with G-DQVHQ IRXQGHU RI VH[ VKRS DQG VHH PH JHW QDNHG"Č&#x2018;Č&#x2022; spots out there?!â&#x20AC;? In response, the au- education centre Good For Her, demdience erupted in gleeful applause and RQVWUDWHG VHYHUDO VH[ SRVLWLRQV WKDW shouting. activate the G-spot best. Fully clothed, ty Shades of Grey perpetuates the myth , ZDV KDYLQJ GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW\ VHHLQJ WKH she suited up with a strap-on dildo that BDSM blurs consent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Implied consent is a tricky thing PowerPoint screens of diagrams as and straddled an enthusiastic volunEXW QRW IRU VH[ Âľ 0F&RUPLFN VDLG teer from the audience.

0F&RUPLFN VLWV GRZQ ZLWK KLV SDUWners ahead of any physical contact and Kink Corner H[WHQVLYHO\ GLVFXVVHV ZKDW WKH\ ZDQW Unsure of what was in store, we as well as stating â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;safe wordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that can entered the area of the show dubbed be called during the acts if the partici´.LQN &RUQHUÂľ $W Ă&#x20AC;UVW LW ZDV WKH pants change their mind.

0F&RUPLFN VDLG WKDW LQ WKH %'60 typical products you may think about when you think of kink: black leather community, the gender ratio of tops RXWĂ&#x20AC;WV ZKLSV DQG ERQGDJH %XW DV , (dominants) and bottoms (submisZDONHG SDVW WKH VXVSHQGHG VH[ VZLQJ sives) is about even, though more I saw the section that was certainly women than men like to switch benew to me. The vendor was Mizz tween the roles.

This interview was not easy. When I Barbie Bitch, a professional dominaWUL[ ZKR ZDV D PD\RUDO FDQGLGDWH LQ ORRNHG MXVW WR WKH ULJKW RI 0F&RUPLFN¡V Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent municipal elec- face, I could see someone demonstrating how to spank by using a paddle on tion.

Her brand was stamped on count- a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly bare behind. Plus, less products some may describe as the sounds of a female orgasm hapdark. There was a grape purple paint- pening on the main stage were boomed crib with zombie baby dolls, spider ing through the sound system.

ZHEV DQG EDWV YLVLEOH ZLWKLQ 1H[W No Shame to that was an enormous pink dental chair attached to a monstrous black The majority of the attendees of the cross adorned with heavy chains. show were middle-aged couples and RQO\ DQ H[WUHPH PLQRULW\ ZRUH FORWKThe BDSM Educator and Dungeon ing or makeup that was more provocaMaster tive than you would see at the mall.

At one point, a couple, who looked We noticed some mysterious contraptions on display and wandered DURXQG \HDUV ROG EHVLGH PH SLFNHG over to the leathered man with a up a substantial glass anal plug and openly discussed whether the size nametag. *UHJRU\ 0F&RUPLFN LV D OLFHQFHG and shape would work for them: they SDUDOHJDO DV ZHOO DV D %'60 (GXFDWRU spoke of it as though they were conand Dungeon Master. Thrilled that we templating what shade of beige would were eager to learn about the world of be best to paint the living room.

The atmosphere and people at the Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission and Sadism and Mas- show differed from the average crowd ochism (BDSM), he opened up right because everyone emanated accepaway. He told us about his journey tance: there was no judgment, secrecy from fearing BDSM, to discovering or shame present. Only passion, pleathe pleasure of it, to struggling with sure and freedom.

ZK\ KH ORYHG LW VR PXFK WR Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ D FRPPXQLW\ WKDW XQGHUVWRRG 0F&RUmick says even the popular series Fif-

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sputnik

7

Features Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

Off the clock: The effects of emotionally draining jobs

Karly Rath Features Editor â&#x20AC;&#x153;You never know when you answer the phone if someone is going to die. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pick it up quick enough, are they going to kill themselves?â&#x20AC;?

Debbie Matthews, 55, struggled sporadically throughout her 33-year career as a 911 dispatcher for the Waterloo Regional Police Service.

0DWWKHZV KDV FRDFKHG D Ă&#x20AC;YH \HDU ROG on how to help his mother survive her stroke, listened to suicidal people shoot themselves, and had to do a hostage negotiation to get 18 people out of a building alive.

Matthews recalls one night when she had a suicide call, then listened to a man whose throat was slit â&#x20AC;&#x153;gurgle outâ&#x20AC;? while in his brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arms, and due to her resourcefulness on the phone, the culprits were arrested exactly 90 seconds later. Then, she had another suicide call.

When she walked out to her husband that night after her shift, she was unable to even get into the car. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I said to him. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t breathe.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Addictions Counsellor Fiona Apperson said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you hear a lot of trauma, it can really affect you and you can be triggered in many ways so I really have to detach myself [when I come home].â&#x20AC;?

Apperson, 54, is an early intervention counsellor at Bridges to Health, a House of Friendship program. She runs workshops to improve the spiritual, emotional and physical health of women with addictions.

Each day, Apperson hears the patients

Some people choose to have emotionally draining jobs so that they can help others. (Art by Neha Sekhon) open up about their â&#x20AC;&#x153;raw feelingsâ&#x20AC;?, pain and trauma which triggered the substance abuse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It can be very draining. Especially when somebody comes back and says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Okay, well now I have lost my job or my children have been apprehended,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? she said.

Apperson adds that she has lost patients due to overdoses which is extremely GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR GHDO ZLWK 6XH 0LOOHU D FHUWLĂ&#x20AC;HG RQFRORJ\ QXUVH DW the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre, spends each day talking and working with people with a disease many know all too well. Miller obtains a full medical history and performs a standardized test on patients that assess their emotional wellbeing.

This allows the team to decide on how they can improve or change their experience the next day or for the near future.

Miller says that during follow-ups and consults, patients often discuss how their cancer has affected their family, relationships or career: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of them are very quick to share what is going on.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprising â&#x20AC;Ś how much emotional content is brought to the visit, in terms of their personal stuff, that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really have anything to do with the visit, but it does because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their life,â&#x20AC;? Miller said.

Miller says that there are a few times a year when she â&#x20AC;&#x153;hits her breaking point and just [has to have] a good cry.â&#x20AC;?

Just last week, a doctor and Miller had to tell a patient she has been working with

for years, who she describes as â&#x20AC;&#x153;an extraordinary person you sometimes come across in lifeâ&#x20AC;?, that he or she only had a few more months to live. ´, ZDV Ă&#x20AC;QH LQ WKH URRP , ZDV D JRRG support in the room. But as soon as I left and went back to clinic, I just completely had a breakdown.â&#x20AC;?

For 911 Dispatcher Matthews, a particular type of call gets to her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When a child calls me and is hiding in their closet and says to me â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I know Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to get grounded because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not supposed to call the police but daddy is really hurting mommy this time.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;Ś I hang up from those calls and I cry.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I wept over every person that died, I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to give help to the next person,â&#x20AC;? Matthews said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of darkness but you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it eat you up.â&#x20AC;?

Matthews says these types of jobs can affect your personal relationships. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are always investing yourself in other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s troubles, sometimes there is little energy left to deal with your own or those around you,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And you feel LVRODWHG ÂŤ PRVW KDV WR UHPDLQ FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQWLDO so you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vent or share your day with your loved ones.â&#x20AC;?

Instead of having negative feelings when she learns of the patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; relapses, Apperson is able to avoid taking things personally and instead focuses on moving forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not shocked or anything, I just keep assuring them that at least they came back ... I say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Okay, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about this.

What happened?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Although Matthews, Miller and Apperson deal with emotionally challenging situations, they all describe their jobs as rewarding and invigorating.

Apperson witnesses a huge transformation in her patients after just two weeks of education, hope and direction.

0LOOHU VDLG ´'HVSLWH WKH GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOWLHV that we face each day, in terms of what people are going through, for the most part, I leave each day feeling like I have helped somebody.â&#x20AC;?

Sexualizing societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little women Nadine Saba Staff

%OHDFKHG WHHWK IDNH WDQV DQG Ă&#x20AC;VKQHWV Not things you would usually associate with young girls, unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve watched Toddlers & Tiaras, the now cancelled TLC show that presented viewers with the crazy world of child beauty pageants.

0RPHQWV RI WKH VKRZ LQFOXGHG D Ă&#x20AC;YH year-old screaming during an eyebrow wax, a two-year-old wearing Madonnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cone-bra costume and even a three-yearold dressed up as Julia Robertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sex worker FKDUDFWHU LQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;OP Pretty Woman.

As a viewer of Toddlers & Tiaras, Jordan MacNeil, a dance instructor for the Brantford-based dance studio, Dance Discovery, is stunned over the materialistic trait of child beauty pageants.

MacNeil said she thinks a lot of the glitz is due to what the mothers want rather than what their children want. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a lot of the footages, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kids crying and pouting but the parents are forcing them into the spray tan cornerâ&#x20AC;?, said MacNeil. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worrisome and scary but I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the nature of pageants which is unfortunate.â&#x20AC;?

Ravinder Mann is a mother of four and has two children under the age of nine. She said she would never allow her youngest daughter, eight, to wear some of the revealing fashionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sold. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sections RI FORWKLQJ VWRUHV DUH Ă&#x20AC;OOHG ZLWK PLQLDWXUH versions of teen clothing. Jewelry and comprehensive makeup kits for kids are also common.

Mann said she thinks there is nothing wrong with clothing that follows certain

fashions but only to a degree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Children are growing up too fast because of the media,â&#x20AC;? Mann said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They try to [emulate] what they see on television.â&#x20AC;?

MacNeil began dancing at age four, when she did not wear as much makeup as the older girls. But nowadays, MacNeil VDLG LW LV FRPPRQ WR Ă&#x20AC;QG JLUOV RI DOO DJHV wearing the same amount of makeup.

Professor Lisa Wood, program coordinator for youth and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studies at Laurier Brantford, said age compression is a factor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only are young girls wanting to be and to look older but their parents are wanting to be and look younger,â&#x20AC;? Prof. :RRG VDLG ´6R ZKDW \RX Ă&#x20AC;QG LV WKDW RIWHQ mothers and daughters are wearing the same style of clothing.â&#x20AC;?

Prof. Wood said the subject of sexualized childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing is a part of consumerism and commodity culture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responding to the audience because commodities, manufacturers and marketers depend on creating a desire in their audience and also responding to the desires,â&#x20AC;? said Prof. Wood.

Mickey Mouse Monopoly, a 2002 documentary, examined Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of gender and racial stereotypes. Prof. Wood said that, for years, Disney has been sexualizing their female characters, and having their main power lie in their physical attractiveness.

Prof. Wood said the Disney princess phenomenon encourages stereotyped behaviours which could result in the hypersexualization of young girls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the midtwentieth century there was a much clearer division between tweens and teens â&#x20AC;Ś you might want to be like your older sister who is wearing makeup and going out to danc-

Many products available for young girls today are sexual in nature. (Photo by Christina Manocchio)

es,â&#x20AC;? Prof. Wood said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the expectations would be that you would not adopt those types of behaviours until you had reached that rite of passage into teenage hood.â&#x20AC;?

Young boys are also affected. Prof.

Wood believes the targeting of males is a product of capitalismâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s need to expand and Ă&#x20AC;QG QHZ PDUNHWV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being buff, being hot, these are messages that boys are absorbing,â&#x20AC;? Prof. Wood said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These messages are absorbed across genders so the sexualized girl image is also being consumed by boys, and the buff, sexy male version is being consumed by girls

with the possible implication that this is shaping their initiation into romantic and sexual relationships with this focus on the highly idealized, sexualized body.â&#x20AC;?

Costumes, makeup and candy are all part of Halloween. The tradition of dressLQJ XS LV NQRZQ IRU LWV UHYHDOLQJ RXWĂ&#x20AC;WV HVpecially for young women. In recent years, there has been controversy over the maturity and sex appeal of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s costumes.

But the fact of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society is that sex sells, even to little women.

8

The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Arts & Culture Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

6KRWV Í&#x201E;UHG +RZ WKH PHGLD FRYHUHG 2WWDZD

0LOHV 6PLWK Staff Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all heard about it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of hard not to when every major North American news network covered the story since its emergence. I am talking about the recent Ottawa Parliament attack. At this point, there is still much we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know: the killerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complete motives, his background, and many other key things regarding the case â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop the news from â&#x20AC;&#x153;reportingâ&#x20AC;? it. I am of course talking about CNN, the Cable News Network, an American news station ZKR SURGXFHG WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW WHOHYLVHG VWRU\ on the event. This normally would be fantastic, our cousin to the south so interested in our lives they get to the punch line before we do; howev-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The CBC reported with a degree of level-headedness that provided comfort to numerous Canadians at the time of the crisis.â&#x20AC;?

7KH $PHULFDQ FRYHUDJH KDV EHHQ VORSS\ KDV FXW FRUQHUV DQG PXFK RI LW LV EDVHG RQ UXPRXUV (Art by Neha Sekhon)

er, when words like â&#x20AC;&#x153;terrorismâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;ISISâ&#x20AC;? get thrown around it tends to create fear and rumours. The American media has begun to pump out story after story with titles like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ottawa shooter connected to Jihadistsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ottawa Shooting, what we know, and what we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t knowâ&#x20AC;?.

As CNN continued with their assumptions and rumours the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Channel) was SXW LQ D YHU\ GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW SRVLWLRQ 7KH\ approached the situation carefully,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When words like â&#x20AC;&#x153;terrorismâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;ISISâ&#x20AC;? get thrown around it tends to create fear and rumours.

only reporting on what they knew to EH WUXH 2QH RI WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW EURDGFDVWHG messages on the air was: â&#x20AC;&#x153;And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on days like this where a story can take a number of different pathways, a number of changes occur, and often rumours start in a situation like this. We try to keep them out of our coverage.â&#x20AC;?

The CBC then proceeded to not attempt to make feeble connections between Zehaf-Bibeau and ISIS or any sort of terrorist group for that matter, but instead reported with a degree of level-headedness that provided comfort to numerous Canadians at the time of the crisis. They stayed calm and reported the facts as they were released. Even CTV news, whose coverage started later, reported on facts and the future plans caused by the event,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In general, the Canadian coverage has been quiet, calm, and sympathetic.â&#x20AC;? as opposed to praying on the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fear.

In general, the Canadian coverage has been quiet, calm, and sympathetic. Which although is not unusual for Canadian media, is not nearly as constant as it should be. The American coverage has been sloppy, has cut corners, and much of it is based on rumours. Keep in mind, for every CNN there is an American news station reporting correctly and for every CBC there is a Canadian news station reporting incorrectly. This is not as cut

DQG GU\ DV LW VKRXOG EH ,Q WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW UHsponse to the event however, Canada puts its best foot forward.

I could attack the fear-mongering nature of American media further, but I do believe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten my (possibly) subtle pot-shots in. The issue remains this however: Though we share news, aid, resources, and ideas with the U.S, do they have the right to step in on a situation happening on our soil and report falsities which frighten our populous? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the CNN meant well, and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of the repercussions this would cause, but often times the worst deeds are done with the best of intentions.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sputnik

9

Arts & Culture Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

John Wick: Cool Keanu is back! ability. John Wick has the same effect, in adding something new to the revenge movie, albeit in a much different way.

Before we get to what that addition is, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say that the genre does indeed need new, fresh takes if it is goLQJ WR FRQWLQXH WR Ă RXULVK DV LW KDV Revitalizing old starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s careers wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be enough going forward, and the concepts alone are rarely enough to get me Dillon Giancola excited about them, one of the reasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A&C Editor I have not seen the last few from Liam It is now November, and that means Neeson and do not plan to see Taken 3 here come the serious movies. Basi- when it comes out. However, if it looks cally, either very slow, heavy dramas, sharp, new, and innovative, you bet I or huge budget, polished marvels, will show up. like Christopher Nolanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming What John Wick brings to the reInterstellar. These are the movies that venge-action movie is style, coolness, are ready to compete for awards sea- and self-assuredness. This movie does son, and it will make for two months such a good job of understanding what of great theatre-going. However, that it is, that nothing is sugar-coated; the also means an end to the recent post- trailer hides nothing. Think of it as a August presentation of revenge-action louder, faster, more violent Drive. If Ă LFNV VXFK DV A Walk Among the Tomb- that sounds appealing to you, then go stones, The Equalizer, and John Wick. see this movie right now.

The latter is the latest from Keanu The action is very simple on the surReeveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and his answer to his fanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face (it is basically just one-shot handcries for a better movie than 47 Ronin. gun combat throughout) but is done so Now I will say that I saw 47 Ronin, and in a way that you never became bored did enjoy it, but I am not about to say RI LW 'LUHFWHG E\ WZR SURĂ&#x20AC;FLHQW VWXQWthat it was a particularly good movie. men by trade (David Leitch and Chad But the same cannot be said about John 6WDKHOVNL LW LV Ă&#x20AC;OPHG VR WKDW \RX GR Wick. The Sputnik has written previ- not realize how complex the scenes are. ously about The Equalizer and how that In this way it is very easy to watch and movie, in that genre, really surprised appreciate; there are no blurry shots or XV ,W KDG D VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;F KXPDQ HOHPHQW WKDW confusing â&#x20AC;&#x153;who is who?â&#x20AC;? sequences. was relatable amongst all the improbWick also brings such a smart,

fresh humour. It is so subtle, and spaced throughout, but it works. This LV DFKLHYHG E\ KDYLQJ PDQ\ VPDOO Ă&#x20AC;YH minute roles - some by actors familiar to the audience, others unknowns â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who exist solely to provide tension release before the next pulse-pounding action scene. Keanu Reeveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s himself even has some funny moments, which are so rare that they are enough to sell the movie outright.

That brings us to the third thing this movie adds to the genre: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coolâ&#x20AC;?

Keanu Reeves. I saw cool here because

it is not the Reeves we saw in 47 Ronin or The Day the Earth Stood Still, but the actor we saw in Speed and The Matrix that was so engaging he made audiences ignore the fact that he was horrible anytime he actually had to speak.

He is back here, in his 50th year, better than ever. And unlike Gosling in Drive, there are two scenes where he actually shows emotion, which is incredible.

One place where John Wick perhaps is a little lacking is its plot. It is incredibly simplistic, basically, Wick, played

by Reeves, just lost his wife, and as he is getting over that, his dog is killed and his car stolen. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it, the bad guys pushed him too far, and now he wants to kill everyone. It works in that it is easy to set up and does not have to take up precious time to show character development, and can instead devote that screen time to blowing our socks off. However, it does take time to accept that Wick has enough reason to go King Kong on the entire city of New York.

0LQRU Ă DZV DVLGH John Wick is the perfect early November movie to go enjoy on a Friday night before the winter hits, bringing along cold serious dramas. If that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough reason, just go enjoy Keanu Reeves doing what he does best.

As Reeves says in the movie, â&#x20AC;&#x153;People keep asking if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back. Yeah, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thinking Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back!â&#x20AC;?

The Trews: Exploring the value of the Internetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new media forums

Dillon Giancola A&C Editor Tired of fear-based media? Are you sick of the endless speculation of rumours? You want the news true and accurate? Well the internet has provided you with just what you want.

Russell Brand presents The Trews, an

almost daily video-based news commentary online. Promoted as â&#x20AC;&#x153;true newsâ&#x20AC;?, Brand rambles for 5-10 minutes every video with his take on all things from political news to celebrity scandals.

Capitalizing on a huge love of his personality and opinions to meet the societal desire to see real people give WKHLU XQĂ&#x20AC;OWHUHG WDNH RQ LVVXHV %UDQG has picked the perfect venture to push his career forward. The videos are definitely entertaining, with no shortage of issues provided from which to stay informed on. Or at least as informed to the extent that a comedian like Brand can make you. Having just started doing these videos this year, Brand is

already up to 180 episodes, with no signs of slowing down. Topics he has covered this week include Renee Zellwegerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new face and Stephen Harperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post-Ottawa-attack speech.

This is just one of many of an increased amount of independent, internet-based news sites. Be it the HuffLQJWRQ 3RVW¡V WUDGHPDUN EUDQG RI Ă XII The Bleacher Reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s similar take on sports journalism, or TMZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formula of â&#x20AC;&#x153;doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter what we report on as long as we are the ones to break it!â&#x20AC;?, there has never before been more ways WR Ă&#x20AC;QG GLYHUVH RSLQLRQV RQ LVVXHV WKLV fast.

I consider that to be a good thing.

With the emergence of news being available instantly on a global level, SHRSOH ZDQW WR KHDU XQĂ&#x20AC;OWHUHG RSLQions, separate of advertising values or backlash-free politically incorrectness. And with newspapers and traditional media outlets searching for new ways to exist and succeed in this day and age, it appears that this type of reporting and writing will become even more prevalent.

While there is a plus side to anybody being able to give their opinion, and popularity and content both playing an equal part in what gets noticed, there is something to be desired about the ability for skewed opinions to reach such a large audience. I am not giving a criticism of these views â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I like Brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take on Zelweger but think his opinions on Harper are unsupported â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as much as I am considering the pros and cons of this new type of media. Are Russell Brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinions on politics really what you

want to base your understanding of issues on? Is it good for people to decide who they are going to vote for based on some random guyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog who happens to have a large twitter following?

It is no longer enough for CNN to interview a social scientist on a certain issue when just as many people will tune in to hear comedian Bill Burrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take on his podcast.

People want to hear what they want to hear, but even more so, people want to hear honest opinions. If people think what people are saying or reporting is skewed by an outside factor, be it a boss or investor, that person may lose credibility. But if people think a person is reporting or writing passionately on what they believe, than it does not matter if they agree ZLWK WKHP RU LI WKH RSLQLRQ LV Ă DZHG For better or worse, this is the reality of our internet-based society. It is now up to both the reader to discern what views are credible, and for traditional PHGLD WR Ă&#x20AC;QG RXW KRZ WR DGDSW WR WKLV new format, and perhaps do it better.

Follow Sputnik Arts & Culture on Twitter! @sputnikarts

10

The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Sports Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Gatluak and Collins lead youth movement on extramural basketball team SRLQW JXDUG &ROOLQV DOVR QHHGV WR EH Ă&#x20AC;UVW ´1R WHDP¡V JRLQJ WR WDNH XV OLJKWD OHDGHU RQ WKH FRXUW UXQQLQJ WKH RI- O\ EXW DW WKH VDPH WLPH ZH¡UH JRLQJ LQ IHQVH ZLWK D ORW RI \RXQJ SOD\HUV Âľ &ROOLQV *DWOXDN ZDV QRW RQ WKH WHDP ODVW VDLG \HDU EXW EULQJV D ORW RI FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQFH 6PDOO IRUZDUG *DWOXDN KDV D PRUH WR WKH WHDP ZLWK DOO RI KLV H[SHULHQFH DJJUHVVLYH DSSURDFK +RZHYHU LW¡V IURP SOD\LQJ UHS DQG IRXU \HDUV RI VRPHWKLQJ KH IHHOV KH QHHGV WR ZRUN KLJK VFKRRO EDVNHWEDOO (YHQ DV D URRN- RQ VRPHWLPHV KH FDQ VWUXJJOH ZLWK LH KH GRHVQ¡W IHHO WKH SUHVVXUH RI WU\LQJ NHHSLQJ KLV HPRWLRQV LQ FKHFN ´,¡P JRWR SURYH KLPVHOI ´<RX¡YH JRW WR KDYH D LQJ WR WU\ QRW WR JHW PDG DOO WKH WLPH Âľ Kyle Morrison VWURQJ PHQWDO JDPH Âľ KH H[SODLQHG ´, KH VDLG *DWOXDN LV D YHU\ YRFDO OHDGHU Sports Editor ORRN IRUZDUG WR WKRVH RSSRUWXQLWLHV Âľ EXW LI KH¡V JRLQJ WR \HOO DW KLV WHDP7KH WHDP KDV ORVW VRPH RI LWV VL]H PDWHV KH ZDQWV WR PDNH VXUH LW¡V GRQH ,W LV GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ JRLQJ WR EH D GLIIHUZLWK WKH GHSDUWXUH RI :ULJKW DQG WKH ULJKW ZD\ +H KDV WR Ă&#x20AC;UH WKHP XS HQW ORRN WHDP IRU WKH JURXS RI PHQ RQ ,]LUHLQ VR LW ZLOO EH HYHQ PRUH LPSRU- QRW Ă&#x20AC;JKW ZLWK WKHP DQG JHW WKHP PDG WKH *ROGHQ +DZNV¡ H[WUDPXUDO EDVNHWWDQW IRU WKH WHDP WR KXVWOH DQG SOD\ D +H KDG D ORW RI WURXEOH ZLWK WKLV RQ KLV EDOO WHDP VFUDSS\ JDPH RI EDVNHWEDOO &ROOLQV KLJK VFKRRO EDVNHWEDOO WHDP ´, SOD\HG :LWK WKHLU YRFDO WHDP OHDGHUV 0DWWKHZ :ULJKW DQG 2MH ,]LUHLQ ORVW WR â&#x20AC;&#x153;Growing up the two had a lot of experience playing against JUDGXDWLRQ LW¡V WLPH IRU WKH WHDP¡V each other, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lots of competition there. But now they \RXQJHU SOD\HUV WR VWHS XS (QWHU VHFhave a mutual respect for one another.â&#x20AC;?

RQG \HDU VWXGHQWV &KXFN &ROOLQV DQG .RQJ *DWOXDN &KXFN ZDV D PHPEHU VWUHVVHG 5HERXQGLQJ KDV DOZD\V EHHQ RQ D WHDP >LQ KLJK VFKRRO@ ZKHUH JX\V RI WKH H[WUDPXUDO EDVNHWEDOO WHDP ODVW D ODUJH SUREOHP IRU WKH *ROGHQ +DZNV GLGQ¡W OLNH HDFK RWKHU SHRSOH ZHUH \HDU DQG LQ RQO\ KLV VHFRQG \HDU KDV DQG LQ WKH SDVW IHZ VHDVRQV KDV EHHQ Ă&#x20AC;JKWLQJ DQG WDNLQJ EDG VKRWV Âľ *DWEHHQ SURPRWHG WR FR FDSWDLQ DORQJ WKH GLIIHUHQFH EHWZHHQ D ZLQ DQG D ORVV OXDN VDLG ZLWK IRXUWK \HDU VWXGHQW $OH[ 3DFNHU ² HVSHFLDOO\ RQ WKH RIIHQVLYH ERDUGV 7KHUH¡V D PXFK GLIIHUHQW DWWLWXGH RQ ´>$V D OHDGHU@ ZLWK WKH QHZ JX\V 7KH WHDP¡V Ă&#x20AC;UVW WRXUQDPHQW LV RQ WKLV \HDU¡V /DXULHU WHDP &ROOLQV DQG FRPLQJ LQ , KDYH WR VWHS LQ DQG VSHDN 1RY EXW &ROOLQV *DWOXDN DQG WKH *DWOXDN KDYLQJ D VWURQJ UHODWLRQVKLS XS PRUH Âľ &ROOLQV VDLG $QG EHLQJ D WHDP KDYH EHHQ ZRUNLQJ KDUG LQ WKH DV WHDPPDWHV LV SURRI RI WKLV *URZJ\P VLQFH WKH VWDUW RI VFKRRO DQG &RO- LQJ XS WKH WZR KDG D ORW RI H[SHULHQFH Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OLQV OLNHV ZKDW KH KDV VHHQ VR IDU EXW SOD\LQJ DJDLQVW HDFK RWKHU VR WKHUH¡V younger players to step up. KH LV VWD\LQJ KXPEOH +H NQRZV WKDW ORWV RI FRPSHWLWLRQ WKHUH %XW QRZ WKH\¡YH JRW D ELJ WDVN DKHDG RI WKHP WKH\ KDYH D PXWXDO UHVSHFW IRU RQH Enter second year students DQG ZLWK D \RXQJ WHDP \RX FDQ¡W ZDON DQRWKHU ´>*DWOXDN@ LV D VODVKHU ² PRVW RQWR WKH FRXUW ZLWK WRR PXFK FRQĂ&#x20AC;- JX\V ZDQW WR FRPH XS DQG MXVW SXW XS Chuck Collins and Kong GHQFH WKH\ KDYH WR SURYH WKHPVHOYHV D WKUHH EXW KH SOD\V JUHDW RII WKH EDOO Gatluak.

The team hopes to have a strong showing at Humber College on Nov. 14. (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Gatluak] is a slasher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most guys want to come up and just put up a three, but he plays great off the ball â&#x20AC;Ś heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of like [NBA player] Luol Deng.â&#x20AC;? ÂŤ KH¡V NLQG RI OLNH >1%$ SOD\HU@ /XRO 'HQJ Âľ &ROOLQV VDLG $QG *DWOXDN RQO\ KDG JRRG WKLQJV WR VD\ DERXW &ROOLQV ´>&ROOLQV@ LV JRRG DW HYHU\WKLQJ KH KDV D JRRG ORZ SRVW JDPH IRU D JXDUG ÂŤ KH¡V JRRG DW SDVVLQJ WKH EDOO KH DOVR KDV D QLFH VKRW DQG KH JRHV DQG GULYHV WR WKH EDVNHW WRR ´ &ROOLQV FRXOGQ¡W KHOS EXW DJUHH :LWK D UHODWLRQVKLS OLNH WKH RQH &ROOLQV DQG *DWOXDN QRZ VKDUH LW JRHV D ORQJ ZD\ LQ FRQWULEXWLQJ WR WKH RYHUDOO FKHPLVWU\ RI WKH WHDP WKDW WKH\¡OO QHHG WR EH VXFFHVVIXO FRPH 1RY DQG WKURXJKRXW WKH UHVW RI WKH VHDVRQ

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Gatluak and Collins have great chemistry on the basketball court. They will need this in order to be successful this season. (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Sputnik

11

Sports Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

*ROGHQ +DZNV KRSH WR LPSURYH RQ VHPL Í&#x201E;QDO Í&#x201E;QLVK DW *HRUJH %URZQ pared to last years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tough one because honestly our team this year is not much different from the team last year. I know how everyone plays together and how they play individually. All I can really ask them to do is to show up and give a hundred percent of their effort,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The core of the team has stayed together. The players all know each other $QWKRQ\ )XVFR and have won together before. What Staff will be this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest challenge?

Every new school year, students â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last two years we have had the set new expectations for themselves. honour of playing for the Challenge Some want to get higher marks, for Cup, which is a big one for us,â&#x20AC;? Dionne others, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about putting yourself out said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a guaranteed there and trying new things. But for spot. We need to win enough games Blake Dionne, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little bit different. and to do that we need to remain foAs the new captain of Laurier Brant- cused on the game in front of us, not fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extramural hockey team, on the future.â&#x20AC;?

The team got a chance to gel early he has one clear goal in mind: having on as they were late additions to a a successful year and winning a chamtournament hosted by George Brown pionship. on October 24.

Despite not having a â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Dave Howe] has been the captain warm-up period pre-game they were for the last three of four years I think. able to start off on the right foot with This year he decided to pass down the a win.

The team subsequently went on reigns onto me, which Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m honoured to and won their second match as well take over. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of responsibility and before falling to George Brown in their I respect the guys for allowing me to Ă&#x20AC;QDO URXQG URELQ JDPH lead them this year,â&#x20AC;? Dionne said.

7KH WHDP PDGH LW WR WKH VHPL Ă&#x20AC;QDOV Dionne has played on the team where they faced off against the deevery year he has been at Laurier. He fending OCAA champion Humber knows the way the game works and is North Hawks.

Unfortunately, that was very familiar with all of his teammates. where Laurierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day would end. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We But that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop him from being a honestly got caught.

We werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ready bit nervous about taking over leaderfor this team.

Humber North was realship of the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was very excited ly strong and came at us guns blazing.

DQG D OLWWOH QHUYRXV DW Ă&#x20AC;UVW %XW DOO WKH They scored two quick goals and that guys know me, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all friends so it literally threw us off our whole game.â&#x20AC;? wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that big of a difference.â&#x20AC;?

7KH Ă&#x20AC;QDO VFRUH WXUQHG RXW WR EH DQ Dionne doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect much of a change from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team com- thrashing.

Dionne had some valuable advice

&RUH\ :D\ DQG WKH *ROGHQ +DZNV ZHUH HOLPLQDWHG LQ WKH VHPLÍ&#x201E;QDOV DW *HRUJH %URZQ LQ WKH PHQČ&#x2018;V Í&#x201E;UVW H[WUDPXUDO KRFNH\ WRXUQDPHQW RI WKH VHDVRQ (Photo courtesy of Laurier Brantford Athletics & Recreation)

for his team after the devastating loss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told the boys that this was a learning experience. We need to not give any team a chance like that; we need to give our full effort one hundred percent of the time for 60 minutes a game.â&#x20AC;?

'LRQQH KDV RQH Ă&#x20AC;QDO ZLVK IRU WKLV season and his teammates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think WKHUH DUH IRXU RU Ă&#x20AC;YH RI XV JUDGXDWLQJ this year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really our last chance to win. I want to stress that to the new guys on the team. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our last shot, so

help us win some championships.â&#x20AC;?

Laurier extramural hockey is going to be exciting to watch this season. The team is dedicated to winning and will do anything to be able to represent the school and hoist a championship trophy high. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a rollercoaster and each and every one of the boys is ready to step up and represent.

&R HG GRGJHEDOO WHDP LV FRQÍ&#x201E;GHQW KHDGLQJ LQWR ODVW WRXUQDPHQW

Kyle Morrison Sports Editor The co-ed dodgeball team has been one of Laurier Brantfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful extramural teams over the past two or three seasons. Almost every tournament

has resulted in the team making it to the Ă&#x20AC;QDOV +RZHYHU WKDW¡V ZKHUH WKH VXFFHVV ends as the majority of the tournaments KDYH HQGHG LQ VHFRQG SODFH Ă&#x20AC;QLVKHV 7KH trend has continued this year.

Although the Golden Hawks were able to beat Humber Lakeshore in their Ă&#x20AC;UVW WRXUQDPHQW RI WKH \HDU LQ HDUO\ 2Ftober, but their rivals got revenge two weeks ago on home court.

Fourth year veteran of the team, $GDP =DFN IHOW WKH KRPH FRXUW ZDV GHĂ&#x20AC;nitely an advantage for Humber and was one of the main factors that the Golden Hawks lost. Humber also plays a full court game, something the team isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

used to playing on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a new environment; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re used to playing smaller gyms, so having all that open space around you â&#x20AC;Ś at least for me, took me out of my game a little bit,â&#x20AC;? Zack exSODLQHG ´:H FDQ GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWHO\ EHDW SHRSOH in that condition, but it couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a factor [in the loss].â&#x20AC;?

Humber Lakeshore has always been the toughest obstacle for the Golden Hawks. Zack knows that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll most likely be the team they will be facing if WKH\ PDNH LW WR WKH Ă&#x20AC;QDOV RI D WRXUQDment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Humber Lakeshore] is a very well coached team â&#x20AC;Ś theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re one of those teams that you always want to beat, too,â&#x20AC;? he said. So far the team has actually gotten the better of them with a record of %XW WKDW RQH ORVV ZDV REYLRXVO\ D big one.

He takes a lot of pride in that record and even in the last tournamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loss, Zack still felt that the Golden Hawks are strategically sound and they have the ability to adapt to the different situations a game may present.

They already play very well in their current formations; everyone is on the same page. With four years of experience playing for Laurierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dodgeball team, Zack has seen his fair share of players come and go, but even with the turnover this season, the team is as uniĂ&#x20AC;HG DV HYHU â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually been a blessing to have a bunch of new people on the team,â&#x20AC;?

Zack said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since they come into it not knowing the ins-and-outs of competitive dodgeball, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready for me to put knowledge in their brains.â&#x20AC;?

The new players can also bring a new approach to the game as they learn

the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategies, Zack felt. Obviously it has worked as the dodgeball team hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t missed a beat.

However, now comes possibly the toughest test for the co-ed dodgeball team: waiting. The Golden Hawks donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have another tournament until January, which leaves them with more than two months of time off in between tournaments.

This leaves Zack a little nervous, but because of the strong foundation the team has built with their collective knowledge of their formations and strategies, it will FRPH GRZQ WR Ă&#x20AC;QH WXQLQJ DQG VLPSO\ keeping everyone in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dodgeball mindset,â&#x20AC;? he explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just keep with it the entire time, just polish what we already have â&#x20AC;Ś weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won a tournament so we know we can win.â&#x20AC;?

As a veteran on the team, he needs to lead by example and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest aspect of his game that needs to be consistent on and off the court for the purple and gold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My biggest strength thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a large contributor to the team is just being there as a leader for the team â&#x20AC;Ś making sure they have support â&#x20AC;Ś and having an eye out for my other teammates,â&#x20AC;? Zack said.

This role comes with added pressure for Zack, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something he embraces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The pressure is a little higher, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t handle,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I actually love that pressure; it makes me play better.â&#x20AC;? Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to continue to bring this attitude for their next meeting with their rivals from Humber Lakeshore if WKH\ ZDQW WR Ă&#x20AC;QLVK WKH FR HG H[WUDPXUDO dodgeball season on top.

12

The Sputnik

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Opinion Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

The changing culture of gender stereotypes

Brittany Bennett Opinion Editor Ever since I could remember I have noticed subtle gender discrimination entwined in my everyday life. I recall boys teasing me when I was playing sports with them, â&#x20AC;&#x153;you _____ like a girl!â&#x20AC;? But I never took it seriously, just brushed it off and continued to kick their butts in whatever we were doing.

This year I enrolled in a womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right class, and had no idea of the concepts this class would open my eyes to. I knew we still live in an unequal world gender-wise, but what I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know was that I was a part of this gender discrimination.

The problem now-a-days with certain American culture traditions is that they are seen as the norm without considering the possible discrimination behind them.

What hit me the most was concepts around marriage. I had always believed that the man should ask the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father before proposing out of respect, the father should walk his daughter down the aisle because he is giving away his little girl, and the woman should take the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last name to continue their family history.

I had never even considered where these traditions came from and why they came about.

Here my professor is explaining to me a man asks a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father for permission as an agreement to pass

rubbed my tummy when I felt sick, and carried me to bed when I passed out in the car. Although I have yet to grow out of more of these things than I would like to admit, that is what I see my daddy passing on to my future husband, this loving role in my life.

I am by no means trying to rationalize the gender discrimination here, but I think the intention behind situations such as these are an important factor.

Another form of casual gender discrimination embedded into our culture that I had never realized are typical insults. Some of the worst things you can call a person is in the end, a female or in relation to feminine traits. Take the stereotypical insults for women: slut, whore, bitch and that awful C word that even looks terrible on paper. One of the worst things you can call a female, is a female. But the same even goes with males: fag, girl, pussy, etc.

How cruel is that? The only male related insult I can think of off the top of my head is dick. One, I can think of one solely man-related insult while the female list is proverbially endless.

This gender discrimination is not something that can be seen in another light, it just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t right.

All in all I just think we need to realize what is around us, what it repreThe problem now-a-days with certain American culture traditions is that they are seen as the sents to our culture, and what it means norm without considering the possible discrimination behind them. (Art by Neha Sekhon) to us as individuals. Gender equality has come a long way, and still has quite along the ownership of the woman. As ize, maybe we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to look at the road ahead of it. If we continue to for the tradition of the father walking it like that. Yes, these traditions may walk through life with a blind fold his little girl down the aisle, it illustrates have come from gender discrimina- making assumptions, goals like genthat he is ready to give his daughter tory ideas, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the way I der equality cannot be attained. But if away, and to further shove this own- have always seen it. Maybe these once you want to help in the slightest, think ership concept down your throat the discriminatory customs and traditions through your beliefs and words, bewoman is obligated to change her last have been adopted into a new light? cause what does hitting, or throwing, name to her husbands, to show that The way I look at it, is my daddy or running like a girl even mean? she is owned by that man. (yes that is what I call my father and Than Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m here like no! My life! How yes, I am 20 years old, deal with it) did I not see this? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m on the bridge of was the one man in my life. He tickled losing faith in the world when I real- my back when I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall asleep,

Keep it simple, stupid! ple intentionally dress as the scariest things they can fathom, like zombies, JKRXOV DQG NLOOHU Ă&#x20AC;OP LFRQV +DOORZHHQ VRFLDO PHGLD ZDV DOO DĂ XWWHU with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sexy Hazmatâ&#x20AC;?, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Terroristâ&#x20AC;? costumes, because whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more scary than Ebola and ISIL? Beheadings, internal bleeding, ethQLF FOHDQVLQJ Ă&#x20AC;IW\ SHU FHQW VXUYLYDO rate, torture, and viral contagions; Taylor Berzins words like these are enough to send News Editor shivers up the spine of a grizzly bear, A time of moral panic can dissolve I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even begin to pretend that I even the most stoic thinkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poker grasp them.

I do however grasp that when peoface.

Trying to adjust oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moral com- ple are forced to fear things they do pass to the direction of justness in a not fully understand, or desire to learn time in which each day thrusts a new more about, people become incredboogeyman into global headlines is ibly paranoid. With the words Ebola like assuming the reheated leftovers and ISIL being slung around like lasyouâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re about to eat for dinner will taste sos by media groups on the daily, these cast ropes are left clinging like nooses as good as they did yesterday. ,I RQO\ ZH FRXOG UHĂ&#x20AC;QH WKHVH LVVXHV around the necks of associated cultural to the point in which all that we had groups.

The government of Canada anleft to say was something as simple as violence and disease are bad, but such nounced on Friday that it is closing its doors to anyone travelling from is never the case.

Instead we get bombarded with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, names like ISIL and Ebola, the kind of countries that are combatting on-going terms that would have held as much Ebola outbreaks; this initiative is being cultural resonance as the word Twitter implemented by suspending visas and halting permanent residence applicaten years ago.

During a time of year in which peo- tions for those coming from the Ebola-

stricken nations.

On Oct. 23, after the shootings at Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we live in dangerous times,â&#x20AC;? in a statement to the House of Commons. He promised to work on legislation to increase CSIS surveillance of potential terrorist threats, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canada will never yield to terrorism and neither will this House of Commons. We carry on.â&#x20AC;? This is coming from the Prime Minister who stated that the biggest threat to Canada was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Islamicismâ&#x20AC;?, and in turn promised to beef up laws related to terrorism, in a 2011 interview with CBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peter Mansbridge.

The stigmatizations that have come to associate themselves with Muslim and West African communities today are heavy, hence the sudden appearance of a number of stigma combatting viral social media campaigns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;#NotInMyNameâ&#x20AC;?: a viral video and twitter campaign that began in England this September. It serves as a means to provide a platform for Muslims to open the dialogue about their beliefs, and clarify that the acts being committed by radicalized groups like ,6,/ GR QRW UHĂ HFW WKH 0XVOLP FRPmunity as a whole. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We must band together to stop this group from dam-

aging Islam, and damaging Muslims,â&#x20AC;? the video says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;#IAmALiberianNotAVirusâ&#x20AC;? campaign was launched after LiberianAmerican Shoana Solomonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nineyear-old daughter, who has never been to West Africa, was quarantined and removed from her school because she had a cough and was of Liberian decent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stop the stigmatization. I am a Liberian, not a virus!â&#x20AC;? says Solomon.

In response to the news of Canada barring West African travellers, the President of the Canadian Medical Association took to Twitter stating, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Irrational fear and politics trump science \HW DJDLQ 7KHUH LV QR VFLHQWLĂ&#x20AC;F MXVWLĂ&#x20AC;cation for this. #ebolaâ&#x20AC;?

There seems to be no easy answer, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fabric of this entire paranoia. There is no denying that ISIL, and Ebola are scary, but perhaps we should take our panic down a few notches. We should not be so manic as to villainize Muslims and West Africans; this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the kind of tangible fear we can dress up as for Halloween in substitute for Jason Voorhees. What our current age of moral panic really all boils down to is truly as simple as this: violence and disease are terrifying.