The Kony 2012 campaign mounted by Invisible Children has undeniably been a unique cyber and media storm that elevated advocacy to new heights. The “make Joseph Kony famous” campaign slogan is plastered all over countless posters, t-shirts, and banners. With all the hype, this campaign has become the modern-day version of a superhero tale where the global community, led by Captain Invisible Children, are the Avengers and the Ugandans are the people in need of saving from the evil Kony.

The hero/victim narrative is overtly depicted in the 30-minute Kony video in which Jason Russell (filmmaker and co-founder of Invisible Children) asks his young son Gavin to identify the picture of the “bad guy” who needs to be stopped.
It is without question that Kony, leader of the Lord Resistance Army, responsible for the abductions of over 30,000 children in a 26-year civil war, needs to be brought to justice. However, if or when Kony is caught, does the action-packed tale end there? Is everyone, including the Ugandans, going to return to a quiet and blissful life like we see in the movies? The reality is that no, they will not.

Although I commend Invisible Children for their activism, Kony 2012 is extremely shortsighted and purports a quick and simple save-the-world-from-catastrophe (i.e. one man) solution to a very complex problem.
Capturing a war criminal is not an easy feat and much less so capturing Kony by December 31, 2012. Though it is not an impossible task to accomplish, inter-governmental cooperation is a must as the LRA has moved out of Northern Uganda to neighbouring South Sudan, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This alone presents a challenge as the tensions between Uganda and DRC has not subsided since the 1990s when Uganda occupied DRC until 2003. In fact, presently the Ugandan army is not allowed in the DRC, and the African Union has yet to establish a resolution– both of which undermine capturing Kony.

The presence of U.S. advisors to aid the Ugandan army coupled with international pressure may help speed the process of locating him, but do not count on it being a fast process attainable in a short span of nine months.
Invisible Children has virtually excluded the Ugandan government in the Kony affair, and has instead relied on the Ugandan army, which has its own fair share of human rights abuses. Solving the problems in Uganda will not depend solely on removing Kony, but also on rehabilitating a once war-torn country and working with the government to ensure the human security of Ugandans.

Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, in a recent Youtube video response, urged the world to not only focus on the capture of a criminal who has been ousted for the last six years and whose group has been reduced to a mere 100 soldiers, but to regenerate the areas devastated by the war. Infrastructures, social services, and educational system are in disarray, though with some improvements, and the healing process for both the victims and the country is far from over.

If we want to see long lasting peace which includes reclaiming the innocence of children, we need to help the people build up rather than take down one man. Unfortunately, the Superhero Syndrome doesn’t last long enough to ensure that this happens.

The video has sparked considerable controversy. Every new fan of Invisible Children has a pessimistic counterpart accusing the organization of exaggeration and oversimplification. Several criticize the film for showcasing a “white man’s” perspective, which ironically is the whole point of the campaign. In 2003, Russell met Jacob Acaye, a thirteen-year-old child soldier in Uganda. After hearing how the young boy preferred death to life, Russell pledged to stop Joseph Kony, commander of the Lord Resistance Army, responsible for kidnapping Acaye and killing his brother. Kony 2012’s mandate is to motivate the typically apathetic citizens of wealthy, democratic states to care about an issue halfway around the globe that, in spite of its severity, does not personally affect them or their loved ones.

Quite honestly, I am amazed by people’s haste to write off Invisible Children. On Facebook, we spend a huge portion of our lives complaining about exams and sharing memes. For thirty minutes, we watch a video asking celebrities and policy makers to put pressure on the American government to keep troops in Uganda to search for Kony. Instead of lobbying public figures with the knowledge that nobody is perfect, we choose to sit at our computers and point out the faults of a charity whose goal is to end international crimes.
Without Invisible Children, there is no way over 100 million people would be standing up today for Kony’s prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Americans have always followed a realist foreign policy. In 1941, the United States joined a war to prevent Hitler from overtaking Europe only after Japan attacked Hawaii. Although the country didn’t mind “saving” Vietnam and Korea from Communist “brainwashing” during the Cold War, it shrugged its shoulders at Rwanda and East Timor. When 9/11 happened, roughly 3,000 people died. For over ten years, America, the controller of most major international media outlets, never let other nations forget the threat posed by religious fundamentalists and the consequential need to engage in wars in the Middle East. In contrast, the LRA has captured a whopping 30,000 children thus far.

In Kony 2012, Russell brings up the sad truth that “if this happened one night in America it’d be on the cover of Newsweek.” If newspapers and magazines can extensively cover fashion trends at the Oscars and pay $14 million for the first baby photos of the Jolie-Pitt twins, they can afford to raise a few dollars for the underprivileged and the overlooked.

Russell’s use of his son Gavin, though commonly regarded as a ploy, successfully emphasizes a child’s innocence. Given that Hitler established a league for Aryan girls and Kim Il-sung incorporated his achievements into North Korean grade school curricula, Kony is not the first leader to take advantage of young people’s impressionability. If African children grow up in fear, the continent will experience increased political and social unrest. Deprivation of love during youth leads to hardened adults who have grown accustomed to rape and murder.

Invisible Children’s campaign never claims to offer foolproof strategies. Money spent on bracelets included in the Action Kit could help build schools for Ugandans and provide psychological support for freed child soldiers. Furthermore, illegally papering streets across America might not be the most effective way to raise awareness for child soldiers.

In the end, though, if people put aside their condemnation and started coming up with alternative methods of improving the plight of children in war-torn countries, the future would appear brighter and social media might gain a reputation as more than a self-aggrandizement tool for the narcissistic.

Apathy: lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern (citation: my computer’s dictionary).  I’m not interested, enthusiastic, or all that concerned with being called apathetic.  Well, I guess bothering to write this means I’m mildly concerned, after several years of not bothering to argue about it.

Being judged as apathetic bores and further alienates me, instead of inspiring me to “get involved” – and was that really the goal?  Couched in discourses of apathy, a lack of involvement in activities such as voting in official popularity contests (i.e. student elections) is looked down upon.

The word apathy is used to tell us that our interests are not valuable, that we should be doing something else – something others think we should be doing.  Who gets to decide the best ways to spend time?
As we explore our own interests and values, there is a tendency to see others in terms of how they are similar or different from us.  If one person finds value in participating in various clubs and SRC-sponsored events, that’s great.  If another finds value in maintaining an active social life (read: party all the time), that’s also great.  Many activities are not mutually exclusive – you can like going to events, but also enjoy hanging out at home, far, far away from all the madness.

It becomes a problem when someone decides that their preferred activities are inherently more valuable than someone else’s.  For example, an “active” person might see more value in participation than in a quieter existence.  This active person might have more of public voice, and greater opportunity to have their opinions heard about how great their choices are.

But if you’re shy, if you hang out with “community members” (that rare and mysterious breed whose life does not revolve around the BU campus), if your interests take you away from areas visible to the Bishop’s community, there is less of a chance that your voice will be heard.
For some, campus life is not all that it’s cracked up to be. For some, lack of interest or enthusiasm in campus life might mean that they have found fulfillment elsewhere.  If we were completely unfulfilled though, we would probably leave.  Maybe some apathetic students need help to become engaged.  Maybe they’re waiting for something to matter.  Or, maybe we are just fine doing our own thing, and you just don’t see it.  Maybe you’re too busy planning things that we don’t want to go to.

It is with heavy hearts and uncertain futures that many senior Gaiters will walk the Convocation stage this May.  While some go on to grad school, others to jobs, and some to travel, the one constant is this: they are leaving Lennoxville.  They may be excited, they may be hopeful, they—in all likelihood—will find happiness elsewhere; but I defy you to find one who has regretted calling this small borough “home.”
Living in Lennoxville has more advantages than we typically take into account, so here are my top reasons why living in Lennoxville was the best decision for my studies, my social life, and my growth as a person.
No wasted time.  Living within short walking distance to classes, the gym, and the grocery store means you don’t waste time or money commuting.  It is not a time-consuming journey to get food, to check out a book at the library, or to drop in on a friend.  Being close means you can get more done, even with a hectic schedule.
Community spirit.  Like Bishop’s, everyone in Lennoxville usually recognizes each other.  People are courteous and friendly.  The best part of my day is chatting with the friendly gentleman at Provigo who helps me pack my bags, or waving to the conductor of a passing train.  Sometimes I feel like my life in Lennoxville is right out of that opening scene of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
Plain old good looks.  You might take Lennoxville for granted now, but when you look at it through a graduate’s lenses, you’ll see that it really is a beautiful town.  Bishop’s alone is a stunning campus, but the pretty churches, green walking trails, wide river, and the adorable houses are all scenic, and that has a calming, pleasing effect on residents.  Don’t believe me?  Walk up in the quaint suburbia in the neighbourhood above Queen Street and you’ll see cute and quirky houses, lovely old trees, several parks, as well as the stately Lennoxville museum.
Easy living.  You’re a student.  Your landlord knows that.  Student housing is simpler than “grown up” housing, where you’re actually expected to pay a damage deposit, and you’re not allowed to paint the walls with the words of Raise a Toast.  Landlords in Lennoxville can be wily (wouldn’t you be too?) but in general they’re exactly what we, as first-time tenants, need.  And just wait ‘til you see what “real world” rent costs.
Safe and sound.  I feel safe in Lennoxville.  Not only is it well-lit, and patrolled on party nights by Student Safety, but I also trust the community members, and have plenty of options for getting home.  What’s safer?  A five-minute stumble home from the Lion on Saturday night, or an hour-plus walking/bussing combo to get yourself back to Sherbrooke?  And what happens when the buses stop and you don’t have cab fare?
At the heart of it all.  Distancing yourself from Lennoxville takes you away from the action.  Who wants to miss out on last-minute invites to Acoustic Tuesday, or a game of catch that just sort of sprung up on Optimist?  If it’s the rowdiness you’re worried about, just stay out of the ghetto.  Fearing a little party racket is no reason to cut yourself off from all the fun.  People think that just because Lennoxville is a small town, that they will be bored.  I’d argue that there’s just as much—if not more—going on in Lennoxville than in the big city.  There are countless free events, teams, clubs, screenings, and activities all within walking distance.  We take them for granted now, but one day we’ll look back and think “Gee, I miss the good old days when I could see Rev. Jesse Jackson speak for free!  Or when I could pay just $8 to see an amazing play.”  Don’t miss out by being stuck in the Sherb!

Sometimes it’s worth leaving the Bubble. Whether to live, or just to take a nice break from the sometimes claustrophobic-feel of a small town. It’s with pride I call Sherbrooke home, and as much as I love the feeling of the small town charm of Lennoxville, city living has its benefits, moreso than many might expect.

Beauty in Brick

Some may see it as the remnants of an industry town, but there’s something elegant about the number of brick buildings in downtown. Brick comprises most of the downtown streets of Wellington and King West, and onwards up the road. The architecture in general can be pretty hit or miss without question, but the downtown has a nice comfortable feeling to it. I’ve also never seen a town that honours their war dead with a memorial smack dab in the middle of downtown. The angel is classy and timeless. Big fan.

Culture

Don’t get me wrong. The Lennoxville library does some great work and has an incredibly kind staff. Beyond the library however, the only other real cultural institution outside of the university itself is Uplands. While the language barrier so often irks many visitors, I don’t have anything to say in opposition to downtown Sherbrooke’s Maison du Cinema, other than sometimes they go a tad too blockbuster in their English selections. Aside from the theatre, the art gallery up the road is in a breathtaking building with equally great rotating exhibitions that feature artists here and abroad. Aside from that, huge murals that show the history of the city adorn old buildings throughout downtown. Sure, some of them are a bit corny, but they’re just as equally endearing. Waking up to a parade of student protestors or celebrating Christmas is also pretty nifty, and going to bed while watching fireworks is pretty cozy.

Accessibility

The first excuse most people have for failing to venture out of Lennoxville is the bus system. If not for that, it’s the concern of getting home of a night of drinking, after the bus stops running at the ridiculous hour of 11pm. Yes, the bus is overpriced and not completely efficient. But in terms of a night on the town, a taxi ride for four people from downtown Sherbrooke would cost about the same as bus fare. Or, simply take the bike and walking trail across the BCS bridge for a nice riverside jaunt into town. It’s only seven kilometres; suck it up. A night at the Lion has rarely prevented me from getting home safe and soundly.

Services

The whole notion of one overpriced and limited selection grocery store –“the Prov”- to do all of my grocery shopping disturbs me. While Maxi certainly isn’t the most high-end, the fact that a grocery store with a moderate selection is still in the center of a city is extremely useful.  For specialty spirits, the IGA up by the Lac-Des-Nations has a great selection of local wines and ciders, and a great vegetarian section to boot. The added fact that the downtown contains a number of bakeries within walking distance is pretty neat, and the random Coaticook cheese outlet store up the road. You learn to embrace pretty quickly a warehouse price on bulk cheese curds. It fits well with the close proximity of an SAQ, as Lennoxville residents would probably agree with…

Lakeside Luxury

It’s rare to get a city that not only has numerous lakes running through it, but a river that also produces a large lake in the middle of town. The Lac des Nations provides a beautiful walk any time of year, or a good skate along the mile-long skating promenade that opens each winter. The Marché de la Gare also is situated just off the lakeside pathway and has some incredible –though expensive- local delicacies, including sauces, pates, and more cheese.

Our community here at Bishop’s is a close one. Our relatively small village helps to foster a culture where people are generally civil with one another and actively want to contribute to a better life for all those who live in “The Bubble.”  We are known for our close-knit community and the friendliness that we have for each other, even if we do not quite know each other. This aspect of Bishop’s is a tool that we have actively used for recruiting new students, because community is one of the best qualities of our school. It’s what sets us apart from schools like Queen’s, McGill, University of Sherbrooke, and the University of Ottawa.

We are all here the same reasons: to get an education and to have a good time. We’re paying for the privilege. The fact that we’re a small school promotes these goals in many ways, but one of the most important is the feeling of comfort and safety. We can feel, in a small campus like this where everyone either knows or recognizes everyone else, that we are safe. You would probably recognize my face, and we might have had a class together, or maybe even a conversation once while waiting in line at Tim Horton’s. This familiarity however, can make things all the more disturbing when a member of our community comes under attack, especially when that attack comes from within our own ranks.

About three weeks ago, on a Thursday night, approximately seven men broke into a Bishop’s student home and assaulted him after he tried to defend his residence. Yes, stuff like this happens right in the heart of Lennoxville, to Bishop’s students, perpetrated against, and likely by, people that you know. This student was minding his own business, had no recent altercations with anyone in the community and did not recognize any of his assailants. Whoever these criminals are, they clearly have no boundaries, or limits. If you think that this doesn’t affect you, think again.  Anyone can be a target of this kind of random, unprovoked violence, and (at the very least) you are indirectly affected because they are giving you and your school a bad name.

The fact that he didn’t recognize any of his attackers does not mean that they are not members of the Bishop’s community. There’s a pattern of criminal activity going back more than two decades at Bishop’s, perpetrated by the same group each and every time towards the end of the Winter Semester.

This group, called the “Brotherhood” has been a cancer on our community for far too long already. One alumni who was in her first year in 2004 recalled how in her spring semester all the campus residences were broken into, and electronics were stolen. The earliest recorded example of their violence and vandalism that I could find was in a 1990 article in the Stanstead Journal.

Principal Goldbloom and members of the faculty such as Prof. Jenn Cianca talk about changing the Bishop’s image; the Brotherhood is the embodiment of all the bad things that have been associated with Bishop’s over the years. We can no longer stand by and tolerate this sort of violence.  The Brotherhood is not a part of our community, and not the way we Gaiters wish to define ourselves.  Shame on them for tarnishing all of us, and shame on us for letting it happen for so long.

It’s one of the best nights of your life, right up there with your wedding day. It’s a day that is long anticipated by your friends and family. You’ve spent more money for this night than you care to think about. You know what I’m talking about: prom.

Is prom still an important night? Should it continue as a life-long high school, CEGEP and university tradition? Let’s not forget, it can either be the best night of your life… or if something goes wrong, one of your worst.

Short for promenade, “prom,” as it is typically known, is a formal black-tie dance celebrating the end of a high school or post-secondary education. Called “Leavers’ Do” in theUKand “Debs” (a derivation of “débutante”) by the Irish, prom has universal appeal. However, that is probably where the definition ends, and where the true diversity of prom is revealed. For some, it is a popularity contest. For others, it is simply a formal dance and a dinner.

Prom nights have been known to stir up some controversy- and even make history. In 2002, Marc Hall sued his school when he was prohibited from taking his male date to prom. He won. In 2009, Tyler Frost ignored his headmaster and went to his girlfriend’s prom, even though his Christian school forbade dancing and threatened to suspend him.

Some of you may have heard of anti-prom, or “morp,” staged by students protesting prom night. The common arguments run as follows: prom is too expensive, excludes the “un-cool” kids, and can lead to some dangerous after-party drinking, drugs and intoxicated driving. So should prom night be wiped off the chart?

There is no denying the fact that prom is responsible for making your wallet leaner. The average amount spent on a prom dress goes up to $250. The average couple usually spend from $800 to $1000 for prom. It’s important to keep in mind that most students are in a financially unsteady position- some work at McDonald’s, and yet they still manage to go to prom.

As for danger, prom nights have proven to be nefarious in that regard. There is a reason why April is Alcohol Awareness Month. During prom season, 676 students in 2005 under the age of 21 were killed in alcohol-related accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator. Schools have been raising awareness and setting up “Safe after Prom” projects throughout the world.

That being said, prom can be a magical night. If anything, it is a celebratory means of moving on. Students can dress up as “stars” for one night, and look their best. Friends tell each other how much they mean to each other, and crushes are revealed. If we abolish prom, don’t we rule out any possibility of “partying it up” as we graduate?

Personally, I would abolish the Prom Queen and King positions. Although they may not be so popular in Canada, they are notorious in the U.S. Competing for such positions only solidifies boundaries between “popular” kids and “losers” (anyone who does not fall in the latter category).  Prom Queen positions are satirized to a delicious extent in the chick flick “Mean Girls” starring Lindsay Lohan. Doing her best to fit in, Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) morphs herself into a popular girl, and quite the nasty piece of work. When she is called up on stage to receive her crown, she breaks it into tiny pieces in front of a horrified audience, remarking: “After all, it’s just plastic.”

So let’s ban the prom queen. Not prom.

What do the Jersey Shore, Bad Girls Club, Real Housewives and the Basketball Wives series have in common? They are reality shows that highlight the vanity of women. These shows feature ‘grown’ women excessively fighting, drinking, partying, gossiping, being highly promiscuous and obsessing over their appearance. In other words, showcasing nothing of real positive value.

Watching these shows has become a new pastime for many people, including myself, night after night. Yes, shame on me!  We have mindlessly come to enjoy the very things we would most likely be ashamed to do. Nonetheless, the most intriguing question that needs to be asked is why? Why do we enjoy watching Snooki and Deena from Jersey Shore get so intoxicated that they end up fighting each other without realizing it? Why do we watch ‘grown’ women throw drinks at each other? Lastly, has the portrayal of vain women on reality television perpetuated a gender stereotype?

These shows attract many viewers: Jersey Shore with 4.8 million, the Real Housewives 3.7 million and the Bad Girls Club with 2 million. Some people argue that these shows are popular because of their entertainment value. I somewhat concur. There is nothing like coming home from a stressful day to sit down and watch a group of ladies act foolish. Nevertheless, I often do find myself dumbfounded by the behaviours of some of these women that I start to question my own intelligence; either what they did lacked meaning or am I not clever enough to understand? However, I believe that the displays of ditsy, sloppy, foul-mouthed, and vain women have a deeper influence on our psyche and culture.

Though according to my sister watching Jersey Shore, can actually make you feel better about herself. If some women are evaluating their self-esteem based on the women on these reality shows, the standard of excellence has been significantly lowered. These reality television women are part of the new trend of modern-day celebrities who become famous and rich despite having no artistic talent. Thus, the standard of success in Hollywood has indeed been lowered. These women’s vanity has landed them with stardom, features in movies, and shows like “Barbara Walter’s Ten Most Interesting People.”

Some reality stars have even tried to use their newfound fame to develop their talent, or lack thereof, to enter the world of movies and music. With this fame, comes a slew of adoring fans and continued consumption of the star’s product. Consequently, it is safe to assume that many women are influenced, for better or for worse, by these reality stars.

Despite the great strides in the last few decades to show women’s equal competence to men, the image of women being vain is prominent and promoted in the media. This portrayal perpetuates the gender bias where women are either sexualized, deemed incompetent, or both. Not only does sex sell, but so does vanity.

Many believe that the struggle for gender equality is over, but they are actually neglecting to see the gender stereotypes that are presented in the media. Of course, watching these women fight, for no substantial reason, cannot be that serious. Nonetheless, when these women become the spokesperson for your favourite products, and it then becomes profitable, we have to start questioning what kind of representation of women we want to encourage.

Unfortunately, vanity seems to be the answer in popular media. Carly Simon said it best: “You’re so vain; I bet you think this [article] is about you, don’t you.” Well, it probably is.

I’m sorry that you were dissatisfied with my recent article.  I want to be clear that I was not attacking the SRC or anyone personally. The information I was putting forward, as I am sure you noticed, had nothing to do with this year’s SRC. I never mention this year’s SRC operations, or this year’s SRC personnel, or even this year’s SRC.

What I did talk about was what I know, and that is how the SRC has conducted itself and its elections in the recent past, something that I am intimately familiar with because of all the SRC and Senate meetings I attended after sitting for a full term as the Humanities Senator 2010-2011. Student apathy is still unfortunately a problem this year; despite all the efforts that you mentioned, the Humanities Senator position went unfilled, as did the position of Education Senator, and less than a third of all students voted.

I am not interested in mudslinging or personal attacks. I am interested in addressing and resolving a real and persistent problem in the political culture of the Bishop’s student body, and that was the overarching theme of my article.

You wrote about some of the ways that your SRC has worked over the past year to address these problems. I think it would be helpful to put some solid numbers out there in regards to cost cutting strategies and student participation. At the very least the SRC is responsible for its own PR, and if you feel that I went so wrong then please publicize your accomplishments better and you’ll prove me wrong, because many students who I’ve talked to do not see these positive aspects of the SRC.  We also need to be realistic about the problems that still persist; not as a personal attack against anyone, but as a challenge we as a community must face.

Finally, on the numbers I published about the Gait and Doolittle’s, I do have a reliable source for those, one who wishes to remain anonymous.

Yours,

Nick Seebruch
Staff Writer