Volume 40 Issue 12 Meliorist www.themeliorist.com STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE Thursday, November 23, 2006 And OUr dream Candidates... (in order of preference) A Girl! Ceiling Cat Borat 2 Editorial The Meliorist November 16,2006 Meliorist Hide your vegetables kids! meMo'rism (meel'e riz'm, me'le e-), n. the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort TVs, and use the remote control to By Chris Hibbard operate it, because we're too lazy An autonomous body, Editor-in-Chief separate from the U of L Students' Union to get up and push a button. When SU-166, 4401 University Drive West I'm channel surfing and I come Lethbridge, AB T1K3M4 Phone:329-2334 to Channel 4 (The God Channel) One thing that I probably should as I call it, I keep on flipping by The Meliorist is the student newspaper have expected, (but didn't) when of the University of Lethbridge, published I took over this job, was having because I'm not terribly interested. most Thursdays throughout the academic Likewise, when I come to Girls Gone year by The Meliorist Publishing Society, to deal regularly with censorship. an autonomous incorporated body. Please Before I became an editor, my policy Wild, South Park, and anything address all correspondence to The Meliorist with Jennifer Love Hewitt, I just 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta! on censorship would have been a T1K 3M4, or drop it off at room SU-166 loo per cent hands-off policy - an keep on surfing because I'm not Deadline for submissions is Sunday at noon interested, and they offend me. So The Meliorist appreciates and encourages the anything goes philosophy, guided writing of thoughtful, concise, timely letters. by the rule of Free Expression. should the networks censor these However, The Meliorist will only consider for publication those letters which are signed However, I can report to you now shows because I'm offended by by the author (special arrangements may that there's more to it than that them? Shouldn't a predominantly be made for those wishing anonymity, but absolutely no pseudonyms), contain the - I have become that which I once Christian nation be more offended authors legible name, address, telephone abhorred - a censor, however by these programs than by talking number and student identification number (address, ID. and phone number not for reluctant. vegetables that occasionally make publication). Letters may be edited for reference to God? brevity, clarity and legality. The Meliorist Thankfully, we've got a great staff reserves the right to edit submissions and here at the Meliorist with a good mix This can all be related to another will not print libelous material. of beliefs, religions, and passionate people all of the time. This will and harmless little show with network across the world, Al views. So I often find myself running never change. Then why am I storylines that teach about morals Jazeera, which is available in North Editor-in-Chief certain stories, graphics, images etc, writing about censorship this week, and manners. At the end of each America via satellite. Al Jazeera Chris Hibbard episode, a little vegetable character makes headlines often because they past my co-workers, to see how they you may ask? Well, I bring it up now [email protected] respond. As a result, there are three for a number of reasons, which I pops up and says "Remember, kids, show in full, horrendous colour, the 'firm' guidelines that I have put in would like to share with you all. God made you special, and he loves dead bodies of soldiers and citizens Business Manager place for myself, and for this paper. First, the 'slap in the face' that you very much!" or something along who are victims of war. They also Kelly Kennedy These are: was the Pope cover, way back those lines. At least, it used to, receive videotapes of executions [email protected] until it became a Saturday morning and threats from Al Qaeda, and run in September. Whether seen as Advertising Manager l. The James Bond movie/Barbie hilarious, cute, or offensive, I heard cartoon on NBC. those too. Al Jazeera has the closest Maria Berlando Doll code: No nipples and no pubic the feedback. So much so that I was The NBC network is now editing thing to the 'hands-off-policy' that [email protected] hair. pressured into inserting something out any references to God on the I mentioned before, and in many 2. Swear words maybe left in place, of an apology to those offended, an popular and overtly-Christian ways, I admire them for showing the Production Manager Sarah Fulcher apology which I was later confronted series, reportedly to comply with truth - unfiltered, uncensored, and provided that they add something to [email protected] the context. This being said, I prefer about by others who thought it was "network broadcast standards." A unedited - life is not always pretty, to "bleep" out the words in a way, not required. 'Tis truly a fine line spokesperson for NBC has said "Our so why should we make it seem so? I n News Editor inserting symbols in, allowing for this censorship business. I think goal is to reach as broad an audience a society that constantly hits us over Shannon Frank readers to interpret said words in that it's a shame though that people as possible with these positive the head with messages of violence, [email protected] their own mind, such as Fick, Si.ut, generally only write letters when messages while being careful not to fear, noise, sex, blatant marketing, Entertainment Editor and Osshole. When it comes to the they're angry about something advocate any one religious point of (or if you watch The Family Guy, Amy Dewar TLF's, profanity for the sheer sake - happiness is just not a motivating view." This sort of makes sense, in all of the above combined) we find [email protected] of profanity is removed. emotion. a carefully worded cover-our-own- our objection in a cartoon featuring 3. We won't intentionally piss Second, The Meliorist website butts kind of way. Evidently, this talking cucumbers - because there's Sports Editor Ainsley Doty anyone off, won't intentionally print has become an interesting little closing line as delivered by Bob the a religious undertone to it. What's [email protected] things that are untrue, and won't firestorm as of late. There is an open Tomato and Larry the Cucumber is so darn scary about God, god, gods, intentionally slam someone else's forum on the site that allows for deemed as advocating "one religious Allah, Buddha anyway? Are we Features Editor / Office Assistant viewpoint just because we don't any visitors to post what they would point of view." Maybe so, but now it afraid our children might grow up Tabitha Schaub agree. like, have open debate, and ideally is only advocating atheism. When to be nice people who think the Ten [email protected] discourse that is of an intellectual you consider that it's a well-known- Commandments are good rules to fact that we live in a predominantly Photo Editor That is officially our unofficial or otherwise stimulating nature. live by? Aren't they? Heather MacBeath policy. With this being said, This being said, by creating such Christian-nation, atheism is in Anyway, to make what could be [email protected] censorship is a very steep and very an open forum, we have opened a the minority in a way. But before a very long rant shorter, I offer slippery slope. Some readers think doorway wide enough for all types I digress into dangerous territory, up the following definition of Copy Editor Quinn Kuiken there should be more censorship, to slip in their two cents - including I must say that this NBC decision censorship, as found in the Oxford [email protected] while others think there should be some writers that are offensive, makes me angry. dictionary. To censor is to suppress less. Censoring never seemed to be obnoxious, pushy, and ignorant. This is the same NBC that allowed or remove unacceptable parts of a Webmaster an issue in the previous three years, Between myself, our production Janet Jackson's boob to pop out book, film, etc. It all comes down Matt Sletto since all the Editors were religious manager and our webmaster, we during the Super Bowl and has to personalized value judgements [email protected] to one degree or another, and let have been monitoring it closely and hit shows like Las Vegas and Fear of what we can and cannot accept, Distribution Manager their values guide their decisions. I removing certain articles as we see Factor, in which fake boobs and both as individuals and as a society. George Andrews suppose this means that my values fit. Insulting someone with jokes collagen injections are valued So all I can say is, we'll try not to [email protected] are decidedly more flexible, porous, about their mother is one thing, assets. Have they underestimated censor too much out of this paper and dynamic - agnostic if you insulting a race or a religion from a their viewers? Surely, anyone who and our website, and then you can Production Assistant will. Call me a heathen, a pagan, holier-than-thou "I did no research" watches a Bible-oriented cartoon let me know if we've censored too Herleyna AbdulHamid [email protected] insensitive buffoon, call me what pedestal is another.