Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to an article and two letters published in last week’s paper (“A Movember to remember” by Chris Muller, and letters from Douglas Lusted and Paulina Cumming).  Three very different subjects, at first glance, but still deserving of more critical attention: one, regarding the rugby team’s participation in Movember, the prostate awareness fundraising drive, and the others regarding student behaviour, and access to food on campus.  All of them have one thing in common: student health.

While I applaud those participating in Movember who have also taken the initiative to actually receive a prostate and colon check from their doctors, I feel that this particular event can be seen as disingenuous (or perhaps that’s just my cynical side).  To devote a portion of your page space to showing off the rugby team’s disgusting porn ‘staches is proof of this: nowhere in the article did any member of the team mention that he had received a prostate cancer check, or that such an action should go hand in hand with fundraising for the event.  All that was mentioned is “raising awareness” for prostate cancer – which is fine, except when nothing is done in the face of awareness.  Men who are participating in Movember should be obligated, in my opinion, to be responsible about their own health and undergo a screening for cancer.  If they do not, they are simply participating for participation’s sake; I suppose that in itself cannot be a bad thing, but again, it ends up feeling disingenuous.  I can’t help reiterating that the event should be underlined by cancer screenings for all participants.

In the Letters to the Editor section, Douglas Lusted recounted his dizzying experience at the University of Guelph on Saturday, November 12, and I couldn’t help but be sympathetic with his plight.  In his letter, Lusted recalled how in one night as a visitor at the University, he unintentionally rescued an intoxicated former childhood friend from frostbite and a torn ACL and in the process had his backpack stolen.  Sounds unfortunately familiar, in disturbing trends towards student apathy, violence, vandalism and alcoholism.  I feel terrible that Lusted’s experience was so negative, and hope that others too recognize its significance.  Paulina Cummings’ letter was equally as inflammatory, blasting the University’s Better Planet Project for failing to provide adequate food to its own needy and increasingly financially stressed students.  In my experience, much of what Cummings says resonates; I, too, often could not afford the food at the various cafes on campus, and have seen the personal benefit of food bank provisions.  In neglecting the CSA Food Bank for projects outside the Guelph community, the Better Planet Project is indeed negating its claim that it is a “global leader” in “Food (among other things)”.

However, in pondering these two letters, I see a connection: where students cannot afford to eat, they often can (somehow) afford to consume alcoholic beverages to the point of poisoning, imprisonment or any number of other disastrous consequences.  As a former student at the University who has been living in the downtown core for five years, I have seen changes in the levels of student disrespect, and childlike behaviour while intoxicated, escalate to the point at which I avoid the downtown in the evening.  I have to address my own failures in this area, as I am equally as guilty as anyone else for occasionally making bad spending choices which result in negative consequences.  But the experience of blowing through a year’s worth of OSAP in three months is not a unique one, and most often the culprit is alcohol.  While intoxicated, any individual can become more aggressive, prone to bad judgment, and generally less coordinated.  This absolutely affects things like community participation, respect, theft, injury, assault or abandonment, and the ability to make positive judgments about food consumption.  Students have to be aware that there are more positive outlets for their energy!

I’m sure Ms. Cummings and Mr. Muller would say I’m missing their points, but I am looking towards a larger theme: student health.  While the Better Planet Project is indeed an  over-budgeted P.R. campaign, and while Movember is an over-budgeted cancer campaign, they both have a perceived impact on student vitality, which has many areas of application.  If the rugby players wish to make a positive impact, they should discuss their cancer screenings and how important it is to get one, not how much they are scoring and how mustaches are cool.  If the CSA spent more time addressing student alcoholism, and how it affects your budget and your life, there may be a decline in the amount of students who require services from the Food Bank (though I wil reiterate it will not solve the problem Ms. Cummings pointed out, that many of the new Food Bank clients are international students and those with families to support).

I will end by calling on the person who had a momentary lapse of judgment when they took Mr. Lusted’s backpack to please do the right thing and return it, with all its contents undisturbed.  It is sad to think that the University that I loved so much when I began my studies is becoming less and less accountable for its students behaviour and well-being.  Something needs to change!

On another note, I would like to commend the Ontarion staff and editorial team for continually putting out interesting and informative content this past semester, beginning with the Frosh Guide I wish I had gotten in my first week on campus.  Thanks for the awesome reads!

Sincerely,

Zoe Annemieke

This is cutting in my Skyrim time but has to be addressed: why do people insist on using the Comic Sans font? The Ontarion is a great looking paper this year and it’s being crapified with ads containing Comic Sans. It’s not a “fun” font people. It’s ugly, clunky and soul destroying.  A feature needs to be installed along with spell-check that will automatically detect Comic Sans and delete it completely from the user’s computer. Next time the urge hits to use it, don’t. You’ll be amazed how much better your ad will look without it.

Meredith Craig 

For years upon years Canada has maltreated their Aboriginals. The government has manipulated, undermined and abused its First Nations, simply brushing their cruel acts under the carpet for decades. It was only in the last 30 years, that Canada began providing these people with an ounce of respect. But, this will never heal the deep scars of the trauma they were, and still are, forced to encounter on a daily basis.

The Aboriginal Reservation system has been described to have just as horrid living conditions as some of the poorest areas in India. After all the pain these people have been subjected to, the government still insists on providing them with horrifying living conditions. Sure, status Indians receive benefits that include money for ammunition, hunting and fishing rights, tax free statuses and free post-secondary education, but, can this justify the emotional scars Canada has instilled in them? No, it cannot. With the first residential school opening in the 1840s, and the last closing in 1996, the Aboriginals suffered abuse for over 150 years. In 2005 and 2008 Steven Harper said he would provide relatives of Aboriginals subjected to harm with a sum of money. Is this enough? After all these years, in 2009, June was named National Aboriginal History Month. However, despite the government’s slight attempt at healing, this was barely publicized.

After the Canadian government has hid the significance of Aboriginal issues, their recovery is nearly unattainable. The only way to somewhat apologize for the immorality that has occurred is to continue respecting Aboriginals and maybe, just maybe, their scars will heal with time.

Katherine McLachlan

Dear Editor-in-chief,

As it is nearing the end of November, I have seen increasingly more advertisements for “Movember”. I have extremely conflicting opinion on this. On the one hand, I am all for supporting donations to research for cancer of any kind, so I think “Movember” is a unique way to go about spreading awareness of it. On the other hand though, I find it is quite unfortunate just how many people have forgotten the really goal behind “Movember”. This is wrong; while growing a moustache for the month of November will ultimately help to further the spread of awareness on men’s health, it is sad to think that “Movember” has become nothing more than a fad. This is just the case. Numerous men and boys have begun to grow moustaches and yet very few of them actively care about men’s health. Are they doing this to try and help a good cause or just to make a statement or seem cool? In my opinion, despite the benefits that could still potentially be achieved through this, the fad of “Movember” has gone sadly astray from its original and true mean. This is nothing less than a travesty.

Charlotte Graham 

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