Volume 17, Issue 7 – December 6, 2017
The Sputnik, We Orbit Around you News, pg. 4
Features, pg. 6
CONTROVERSY ON CAMPUS
Laurier Brantford has endured intense debates
PETS READY FOR HOLIDAYS
Arts & Culture, pg. 8
HOLIDAY MOVIES
Students were asked to Looking for a seasonal send in photos of their pets movie? Check these out
Sports, pg. 9
2017 SPORTS MOMENTS
Opinion pg. 12
THOUGHTS ON EARLY CLASSES
The top 5 moments in Are 8:30 a.m. classes too sports for men and women early for learning?
The semester has wrapped itself up Happy Holidays Golden Hawks
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ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR AVERY MCISAAC assistantnews@thesputnik.ca
CAMPUS
Laurier TA recieves a formal apology SAFINA HUSEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Wilfrid Laurier University’s responses to the actions of Laurier teaching assistant, Lindsay Shepherd, have gone viral, making national headlines on various media outlets. Shepherd took her story to the media after concerns were raised over her decision to show a Jordan Peterson debate video from a neutral standpoint. It became known last week that Shepherd secretly recorded her 35-minute-long meeting with her supervising professor, Nathan Rambukkana, assistant professor in communication studies at Laurier, Herbert Pimlott, associate professor in communication studies at Laurier and Adria Joel, manager of gendered violence and prevention and support at Laurier’s Diversity and Equity Office. The meeting took place after a student or students — the number of complaints could not be confirmed due to confidentiality purposes — raised concerns over her decision to show a video of Peterson from a neutral standpoint. In the recording, Shepherd is heard defending her decision to show the clip of Jordan Peterson by reiterating the neutral stance she took within the tutorial. “I don’t see how someone would
rationally think it was threatening. I can see how it might challenge their existing ideas but, for me, that’s the spirit of the university, is challenging ideas that you already have,” Shepherd said in the recording. As Shepherd claimed, the three individuals in the meeting condemned her actions. They did this by claiming that her decision to show the clip not only caused harm to the student or students who complained,
but that she also created a toxic climate.
Furthermore, Joel is heard iterating to Shepherd that her actions violated Laurier’s Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy by “causing harm to trans students by [presenting] their identity as invalid or their pronouns as invalid.” “If you’re presenting something like this, you have to think about the kind of teaching climate that you’re creating … these arguments are counter to the Canadian human rights code,” said one of the three individual present at the meeting. Rambukkana is also heard comparing Shepherd’s actions to those of white-supremacists and to “neutrally playing a speech by Hitler.” However, Shepherd continued on by stating that she did not understand how her decision
ultimately reprimands her as transphobic. “In a university, all perspectives are valid,” Shepherd said to the three individuals. “That’s not necessarily true,” one of the individuals replied back to her. “What’s funny is I disagree with Jordan Peterson. I disagree. But you guys think I’m like pro Jordan Peterson,” Shepherd said in the meeting. On Nov. 21, Josh Leibold, firstyear computer science and communications student at Laurier, protested outside of Laurier’s Fred Nichol’s Campus Centre, holding a poster “Lindsay Shepherd deserves an apology.” “I think that the university’s response to Lindsay Shepherd wasn’t acceptable. I think that since she remained neutral to an idea that she shouldn’t be condemned for it,” Leibold said. “I think that because it’s so close to us and Peterson has a large following, it’s not like it’s some niche idea that’s never been supported or is factually incorrect. I think it’s relevant and, for that, bringing up a relevant topic, neutrally, should be something expected of a university.” On Nov. 21, ensuing the public release of the meeting’s recording, both Deborah MacLatchy, president of Laurier, and Rambukkana released public
apologies to Shepherd. As stated in MacLatchy’s apology, Laurier has hired a third independent party to gather and assess facts of the situation in order to review the situation going forward. In addition, MacLatchy has assembled a task-force to further delve into issues surrounding both protection of speech and protection of students. Details of the task-force are said to be announced shortly. “I do appreciate the apology,” Shepherd said. “But with that being said, it was their only option to apologize.” Shepherd said that since the situation was publicized, she has received hundreds of emails from Laurier alumni and other individuals who have allegedly told Shepherd they will be ceasing to provide donations to Laurier and will not be recommending Laurier to potential students. “This university was on a route to self-destruction,” Shepherd said. “The university’s reputation is still permanently damaged I would say … an apology was their only option. It was damage control … they have made no long-term commitment to saying that it’s okay to talk about anything in the classroom.” Although Shepherd explained that the release of the recording comes with its risks, she feels
the risk has been worth the outcome as a result of the quantity of positive support she has apparently received. After Leibold was spotted holding his protest sign in front of Fred Nichol’s Campus Centre, the WLU Rainbow Centre posted a similar sign on their window reading “Trans people deserve an apology.” However, Shepherd said she stands firm in her stance that a university should be able to discuss controversial topics. Even despite the possibility that it might offend an individual or a group of individuals. “So trans people are upset that we can’t debate things in the classroom … that seems a little absurd. “This was not about trans issues — that was what people took out of it — but the primary thing about this is just controversy in general,” Shepherd said. “What they’re doing by [posting that sign] is suggesting that being trans is opposite of wanting to have free speech. “It doesn’t really make any sense … trans people are just normal people who want academic freedom too. Why do you have to have one or the other?” said Shepherd. This article was originally published in The Cord.
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NEWS
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CAMPUS
Controversy on campus starts debate TAYLOR BURT EDITOR IN CHIEF SHREYA SHAH NEWS EDITOR AVERY MCISAAC ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
The Brantford-Norfolk-Haldimand Proud Boys chapter has become far more active since taking on the free speech debate started by Lindsay Shepherd, a TA at Laurier Waterloo who showed controversial clips in a tutorial. Before the events on the Waterloo campus the Proud Boys were not very interactive on campus, other than having their own meetings. However more recently they’ve turned their sights onto the CAN group at Laurier Brantford. According to the Proud Boys Canadian Chapter’s Facebook page, “The Proud Boys are a fraternal organization of Western Chauvinists who will no longer apologize for creating the modern world. Our values center on the following tenets: minimal government (libertarianism), closed borders (allowing lawful immigration only), reinstating a spirit of western chauvinism (this means exaggerated patriotism for all 35 western world countries, not male chauvinism), glorifying the entrepreneur (free market), maximum freedom, venerating the housewife (we support the choice of women to choose their own destiny, housewifery being the most venerated professions of all to choose from), pro-free speech (Charter of Rights, Section 2), pro-gun privileges, pro-gay, pro-Israel, anti-political correctness, anti-drug war, antimasturbation (we are by no means prudish Victorians. We merely believe that this energy is better spent going out, meeting women, getting married, and having children), anti-racial guilt, anti-racism, anti alt-right, ending the drug war (decriminalization), ending prison culture, ending the welfare state. We do not discriminate based upon race or sexuality. We are not an “ism”, “ist”, or “phobic”. We truly believe that the West Is the Best and welcome those who believe in the same tenets as us.” Chris Kimbo, Laurier Brantford student and the president of the Proud Boys Brantford Chapter held a recruitment night on Sept. 24, 2017. The Brantford chapter currently has eight members and four prospects, including students and community members. Previous to the events on both Laurier campuses, students on the Brantford campus, started a Campus Anti-Fascism Network (CAN). “Our goal was really to provide a safe space on campus for students that are racialized, part of visible minorities, for people of all genders, sexuality, orientations. We wanted to create a safe space and fight some of the fascist events that have been going on, on our campus,” said Emilee Kloostra, CAN organizer. The Proud Boys have publicly claimed their disagreement with CAN’s political views. CAN held their first meeting on Tuesday Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., after a few months of planning. The meeting was called in order to assess the student body interest and support for a CAN campus group. CAN has been well established on the York university campus, as well as several colleges in the United States. The meeting was put on hold when members of the Proud Boys Brantford Chapter entered the room. Both parties started video recording the interaction. While
ALEX VIALETTE/VIDEO EDITOR
PROTESTORS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH VICTORIA PARK AS PART OF THE COUNTER PROTEST AGAINST THE PROUD BOYS FREEDOM OF SPEECH RALLY
CAN members state that their decision to record the interaction was for their own safety, the Proud Boys have publicly released the video which can be found on member, Tim Kelly’s, Facebook page. Laurier students and community members have expressed their discomfort with the contents of the video. According to Kimbo, the Proud Boys showed up to the meeting 10 minutes late, despite the clock on the wall, in the video, reading 7:23 p.m. at the time of their entrance, “This wasn’t intentional at all,” said Kimbo. “We intended to show up. But we had a couple beers at Rocklings.” When questioned about the sobriety of the Proud Boys at the CAN meeting, Kimbo claims everyone was sober. Another CAN organizer, Laura Favacho, explained the meeting was wrapping up when five individuals were seen standing outside of the room. “They burst through [the door] all together. Five of them. Four of them were evidently students, I’d say, and one of them was a middleaged man who was a local. At least three of them were in Proud Boys shirts, like identifiable Proud Boys shirts, which left a lot of us kind of worried because we are aware of their initiation process,” said Favacho.
Showing up the way they did was very a aggressive manner. It was an [intentional] attack on us... the way they approached us was not for conversation. -Laura Favacho, CAN Organizer
The initiation process that Favacho is referring to is explained in an interview with the Huffington Post, where Gavin McInnes, founder of Proud Boys, stated the fourth degree for Proud Boy initiation is “getting into a major fight for the cause.” The other degrees of initiation consist of stating, ‘I’m a Western chauvinist who refuses to apologize for creating the modern world’, being punched by fellow Proud boys until the new recruit can name five breakfast cereals and getting a Proud Boys tattoo. Despite this, according to Kimbo, Proud Boys is a non-violent organization.
“The fourth degree is basically just about defending yourself,” said Kimbo. “We never start the fights, we never start the violence… But we do finish them.” CAN members in attendance felt the Proud Boys came in with the intent of being aggressive and disruptive, however the Proud Boys state they simply intended to have a civil discussion. “They were prepared to stand around us for the majority of the meeting and they had walked into a room of a [majority] of trans or feminine folk, so that’s not a safe environment for us. The only reason they ever took a seat was because one member of our community actually just turned around and was like[AP4] , ‘I’m not comfortable with this. You guys need to sit down.’ And they ended up taking a seat,” said Favacho. Kimbo explained the Proud Boys, and non-Proud Boys affiliated students, were concerned about the anti-fascist group starting on campus and their assumption that CAN was affiliated with Antifa, a US based anti-fascist movement focused on direct action. “I was worried, and I was talking to the other Proud Boys, because we were baffled at the fact that Brantford had Antifa here. We didn’t think they’d be supported by the university or anything so we just wanted to check it out,” said Kimbo. In the video recording of Tuesday’s meeting, a Proud Boy individual behind the camera asks, “We just want to know why you are starting a violent terrorist sect, on the campus.” CAN member, Kloostra, can later be heard in the video stating, “This is not Antifa.” When questioned why he thought the CAN meeting was an Antifa meeting, Kimbo pulled out photos of CAN’s promotional flyers advertising the meeting. “We just [saw] anti-fascist network, and we [had] a few questions, now, we didn’t really think they’d be Antifa, [but] we did have our concerns. What if these guys are Antifa, what if these guys are the guys who wear masks and start stomping on our speech, start punching us for being Nazis, right, stuff like that,” said Kimbo. Favacho further expanded on CAN members distress about the Proud Boys’ presence at the meeting, “Our problem would have been with the fact that they showed up in those uniforms at any given time. Just to be completely clear on that. Showing up the way they did was a very aggressive manner. It was an [intentional] attack on us… the way
they approached us was not for conversation,” said Favacho. “Often not actually giving [CAN] a chance to respond, though [Proud Boys] claiming they wanted discussion.” Kimbo disagrees, “If people watched [the video], we were being pretty courteous, of course, the ones who were at the anti-fascist
We never start the fights, we never start the violence... But we do finish them. -Chris Kimbo, President of the Proud Boys Brantford Chapter
meeting, we felt that they were pretty hostile towards us.” “I think, the video, in some ways at least, illuminated for folks who may not understand, sort of, the specifics of the Proud Boys and what this debate was about, what the kinds of things [Proud Boys] believe in actually look like in practice,” stated CAN organizer, Dominique Bendetti. When questioned by the Sputnik on the Proud Boys political beliefs, Kimbo repeatedly stated that the Proud Boys are not a political group. “The whole reason why the Proud Boys was created, why Gavin believed The Proud Boys should be made, is because he wanted to bring back those old drinking clubs, like men’s clubs back in the day. When men could just hang out, drink a few beers, drink a few whiskeys with the boys and get away from the families,” said Kimbo. However, in an interview with Huffington Post, McInnes explicitly states that the organization does have a political stance, “We’re 99 percent Trump supporters.” Despite this, Kimbo insists that the Proud Boys presence at the anti-fascist meeting was not politically driven. This is in direct contrast to his next statement, “Yes, we showed up in our Fred Perry’s, three of us, because we are Proud Boys and we are gonna represent who we are and what we believe.” “I believe that Trump is kind of an idiot. Do I like him better than Hillary? Yes,” said Kimbo Kimbo’s explanation of the Proud Boys Brantford Chapter is that they are simply a drinking club for men, but he admits, “As President of the Proud Boys, our beliefs are not really for everyone.” Kimbo further explains that
the Proud Boys don’t have misogynistic beliefs, however they venerate the housewife above all, because they believe her sacrifices allowed the western nuclear families to exist. “I just want to clear that up, we are not misogynistic. We don’t believe that every woman should be a housewife. That’s kind of ridiculous, right? We appreciate the ones who are, you know, who do make that sacrifice. And it’s just that there are a few studies that there are a lot of women who try to pursue those higher fields, who do try to pursue, you know, being a lawyer or being a neurosurgeon and then they eventually drop out, they get married and eventually just take care of the kids. And then pursue a career that’s less demanding or just become fully housewives in general. There are studies of that. According to these studies, women are happier when they are, you know, taking care of the family instead of trying to pursue these jobs that are very high demanding and all that stuff. It’s mainly just better for the family,” said Kimbo. “Every man wants their woman to be successful, but at the same time, they also want the woman in their lives to be very happy… But while I’m at work, I want someone to, like, while I’m gone, I want someone to take care of the house and kids,” Kimbo. “And, of course, housewives can do that, but I also want them to get a job for sure.” When asked by the Sputnik if Kimbo believes women should work the double shift - a theory in feminist frameworks that explains that women are responsible for the double burden in which they are expected to have jobs and earn money, while also being responsible for household and childrearing work - Kimbo said, “Yeah, something like that.” The Proud Boys held a rally on Nov. 24 to support freedom of expression at Laurier. This spiraled from clips shown by Shepherd. When the Sputnik asked Kimbo if Shepherd has been in touch with the Proud Boys about the Brantford rally, Kimbo responded, “She has.” When Shepherd was asked if she had been in touch with the Proud Boys, she said, “I have not talked to any Proud Boy, I don’t even know what their contact information would be. I’m kind of concerned that they are saying I’ve talked to them. Chris Kimbo has tweeted at me, but I did not reply. I did not follow or reply to him...I’m not really willing to endorse that group, and I was not working with them.”
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 , 2017
NEWS
05
FUNDRAISING
CT407 Class runs hilarity fur charity HYRRA CHUGHTAI STAFF WRITER
Hilarity Fur Charity, an event held on Nov 29 in the RCW Lobby, raised money for the Brant County SPCA. The event included a silent auction, a pug kissing booth, a pet photo booth and much more. Dr. Peter Farrugia was the coordinator for the event and wanted to make this experience as
Dr. Peter Farrugia was the coordinator for the event and wanted to make this experience as experimenal learning.
experimental learning. “The fundraiser was summative assignment in our CT407 class. Dr. Peter Farrugia is a firm believer in experiential learning. This fundraiser was created from start to finish by everyone in CT407 to demonstrate our ability to apply the course themes of CT407 through running a comedy
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
event fundraiser for faculty and the surrounding Brantford Community” said Brittany Wilson, a Concurrent Education student at Laurier. CT407, the humour class, explores the various contexts of history of the joke. This can include how one laughs, the different types of humour, gender and humour and wordplay. The event held was to raise money for the Brant County SPCA and included students in CT407 to bring their dog as well. Maddi Woodburn brought her Great Pyrenees to the event. “I walked my dog Kodiak around campus with the Golden Hawk
mascot, while he was wearing a shirt that promoted the event. We walked around and told the public and students about the event and what to expect at the event. He was also collecting donations, which was attached to the shirt he was wearing” said Woodburn. The fundraiser was advertised throughout campus with multiple events occurring throughout the day. “Donations were collected through a variety of different activities that were run throughout the day. We had a critter corner, donations were collected in exchange for cuddles and kisses from dogs onsite. We also had
a silent auction with a variety of generous donations from businesses in the surrounding area. There was a Pie the Professor event where professors were put up on auction and the winners got to pie them in the face. There was also a photo booth where people could take silly photos in exchange for donations” said Wilson. One of the events, the silent auction, consisted of a lot of items available to the public and was a huge success, items given by various businesses in Brantford and the surrounding area. “The silent auction consisted of a multitude of things, with quite the variety. We had a few baskets
from the Stedman Bookstore, Pet Valu, and Farm Boy. We also had London Lightning basketball tickets, Sony headphones, multiple gift cards for both food and things to do such as escape rooms and board game cafe’s” said Woodburn. Along with the fundraisers involving students the humour class had got a comedian to perform as well. “Comedian Ed House graciously donated his time to run two separate sets during the fundraising event. Ed’s performances were very successful, drawing in many students on their way to class, looking for a good laugh” said Wilson. Although this event may not be annual Dr. Peter Farrugia has hosted similar events in the past. “Dr. Peter Farrugia alternates between teaching the CT401 Food class and the CT407 humour class annually. Both classes have a similar culminating fundraiser project. Compared to the past CT407 fundraiser event I can say with confidence that our class has definitely raised the bar. “ Even though we had lighter attendance than previous years we still managed to raise the most amount of money which has made this learning experience extremely rewarding” said Wilson.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Slave trade in Libya shocks the world
behalf of Canadians. “Canada will not stay silent in the face of such inhumane atrocities. While it is clear that the Libyan Government is investigating this horrific injustice, and humanitarian organizations have launched efforts to help the victims, more must be done to address the situation,” said Justin Trudeau, according to pm.gc.ca.
Canada will not stay silent in the face of such inhumane atrocities. -Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
JOSH ADESINA LAURIER ALUMNI
Disturbing news of a slave trade currently taking place in Libya shook the world when a video of African migrants being auctioned as slaves surfaced to the internet. It did not take long for the video to spark national outrage. The video footage showed auctioneers discussing the sale of African men for $400 each. “Does anybody need a digger? This is a digger, a big strong man, he’ll dig,” said a man in the video, according to CNN. The Libyan slave trade was established as a result of migrants and refugees migrating to Europe. Migrants travelling by sea had to reach Libya in order to travel to
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Europe. The journey was dangerous, and played a big part in 3,000 migrants losing their lives in each of the last four years during their voyage, according to the International Agency of Migration and Time. An overpopulation of migrants in Libya in search of better living has led to them being sold into slave and sex labour by smugglers. African men are forced into hard labour while the women are forced into prostitution. According to Al Jazeera, many migrants end up being murdered in the desert by smugglers or left to die from malnutrition. Furthermore, African women have been ordered to work as prostitutes. Some women work in private night clubs and are sexually
exploited by members of the community.
There they become comoditied to be bought, sold, and discarded when they have no more value, -Lenard Doyle, IOM Director of Media and Communication
“There they become commodities to be bought, sold and discarded when they have
no more value,” said Lenard Doyle, IOM Director of Media and Communications, according to Time. Graphic photos showing the horrific living conditions endured by African men and women have been released and published across several media publications such as CNN and the Independent. Libya has been perceived as a lawless state since the death of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. After affects of the Libyan civil war and a lack of law enforcement in the state have led to gang warfare and the Libyan slave trade. The slave trade is looked upon as big business in Libya, according to Time. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau displayed sympathy towards the issue on
Although the Libyan slave trade is still ongoing it has convinced world leaders to take immediate action. A summit has been held in Ivory Coast where leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron were present. According to Al Jazeera, a deal was agreed upon between African and European leaders to help evacuate up to 15,000 migrants in Libya. The foreign ministry of Rwanda and the International Agency of Migration are also helping to rescue migrants in Libya. Citizens from across the world have displayed their grief on social networks such as Facebook and Instagram. A British petition has been created to persuade the UK government to discuss the issue in Parliament. The petition required 100,000 signatures and has received roughly 257,775 signatures to date.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ALEXANDRIA CLEMENT arts@thesputnik.ca
HOLIDAY MOVIES
Classic holiday movies to binge this break!
Sad to be away from your pals this holiday break? Stressed from exams? Check out these holiday films! ALEXANDRIA CLEMENT ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Holiday films have been a staple in family homes for years. The first holiday film was produced in 1898 by George Albert Smith, though it was considerably shorter than films we know now. Take a look at some of these classic holiday films, grab some gingerbread and start your holiday binge-watch early! Elf (2003) Dir. John Favreau If you’re looking for a holiday classic amongst millennials, look no further than Elf. Will Ferrell plays one of Santa’s elves (albeit slightly overgrown) who travels to New York City to find his real father. He has to convince his father to give him the time of day, and helps instill renewed faith in Santa Claus and Christmas for the people of New York. This movie is well known for its plethora of funny scenes, including Buddy the Elf’s candy and maple-syrup spaghetti! Die Hard (1988) Dir. John McTiernan If you’re looking for something a little less funny and heartwarming, watch Bruce Willis save hostages from a group of terrorists in New York City. It is highly debated as to whether Die Hard should be considered a Christmas film, but it does take place over Christmas, and if you’re looking for action (something seldom seen in holiday
films!), you’ll take what you can get. Check out this classic this season, and say “Yippee ki-yay…” Home Alone (1990) Dir. Chris Columbus If you like the sound of the action, but you’re looking for something a little more family friendly, you’ll know Home Alone very well. Kevin McCallister gets a kids’ dream – the house to himself, and no parents’ rules to follow! – but is interrupted by two men attempting to rob the family home. He alone must protect the home and himself, and does so in a series of infamous tricks and antics. Not to mention, Home Alone is perhaps the easiest film to nail in charades. 8 Crazy Nights (2002) Dir. Seth Kearsley If you’re looking for something a little more adult, check out Adam Sandler’s 8 Crazy Nights. This Hanukkah film is animated in the style of classic holiday animations, but is certainly not for kids – much of it is about crime, alcoholism and depression. It’s still a funny ride if you’re searching for something different. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Dir. Henry Selick Nightmare Before Christmas is a spooky holiday classic. If you’re missing Halloween already, no
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
worries – jump back in with this Tim Burton classic. In this stopmotion fantasy, Jack Skellington wants to bring Christmas, a fanciful holiday he visited by mistake, to Halloween Town, but not all the townspeople are thrilled. Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) dir. Bill Melendez Settle in for one of the ultimate holiday classics with this one. This timeless classic has Charlie Brown and his friends experience, essentially, the commercialism of Christmas. Charlie starts off the family film by wondering why,
despite all the Christmas cheer, he still ends up feeling depressed. Not to mention, of course, that this film is the origin of the infamous “Charlie Brown tree - i.e. any Christmas tree that looks a little limp in the leaves, or isn’t so pretty and robust as the others, which is used in various media to contrast the commercialism of Christmas, and to express the humility of spending Christmas with friends rather than gifts. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) dir. Frank Capra This ancient Christmas classic has some lessons for all of us -
be aware and thankful for what you have. George Bailey wishes he were never born, but when an angel comes and shows him how impactful his presence has truly been in peoples’ lives, he changes his tune and realizes how important life is. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Dir. Ron Howard If you’re not feeling so sentimental or sweet this holiday season (or if, like me, your friends call you the Grinch for being grumpy during the holiday season), tune in for Jim Carrey’s finest performance as the
CHRISTMAS MUSIC
Which Christmas song is the very best? BECKY ROTCHILL STAFF WRITER
Baby It’s Cold Outside Bad. Very bad. Did I mention it’s bad? Why do they still play this every year? -17/10 Santa Clause is Coming to Town One word: horrifying. Slow the song down and deepen your voice and you immediately have a short horror story about an old, bearded man who watches children sleep. It also makes it sound like if you’re naughty he might murder you. I’ll pass on that one. 1/10 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus While this one has its merits, there is not a soul out there who didn’t originally think it was a song about their mother and Santa Claus engaging in a torrid love affair. Who among us didn’t shed a tear, thinking of Mrs Claus waiting patiently for her husband to return from his around the world trip, blissfully but naively unaware of her husband’s infidelity? Overall very confusing. However, if Santa is just dad in a costume... wait, does that mean Santa isn’t real? 7/10 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer This song wouldn’t have made the list if it wasn’t for the additional lyrics we all throw in (“like a light bulb”, “like monopoly”, “like George
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Washington”, etc.) Maybe they lay dormant in our heads, only for it to reveal itself in elementary school when you and your friends are listening to this classic. I believe
that this is the one thing that unites us all in this topsy turvy world. Thank you Rudolph for using your bright nose to guide us all into friendship. 8/10
All I Want For Christmas Is You We all knew this list would end with this absolute classic. Mariah
Carey could hit me in the head with a frying pan and I’d thank her. We don’t deserve this song, but we also need it. Thank you Mariah. 100/10
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
09 SPORTS EDITOR JESSA BRAUN sports@thesputnik.ca
PROFESSIONAL
ADREINNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Ten memorable sports events of 2017 With the year coming to an end, we take a look back on some of the biggest sporting moments in 2017 JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR
WOMEN Isobel Cup (National Women’s Hockey League) The Buffalo Beauts won the National Women’s Hockey League championship in March. The Beauts took the title from defending NWHL champions, Boston Pride, in Lowell, Massachusetts. Goaltender Brianne McLaughlin finished the game with 58saves and Corinne Buie, the only player to win the Isobel Cup in both seasons of the NWHL’s two-year existence, scored to secure the 3-0 lead. The championship is a single-game elimination process because of financial reasons. The league is only in its second year of existence. When it builds its reputation it hopes to be able to host full seven-game series during playoffs. Cowles Cup (National Pro Fastpitch) The Scrap Yard Dawgs won their first Cowles Cup in franchise history in August. Rookie Kasey Cooper’s two-run home run won the Dawgs the league title. The Dawgs took the 5-2 victory in the third and final game over the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) Pride at Tiger Park at Louisiana State University. During the game Cooper hit a total of three runs batted in, securing the Dawgs’ lead. Monica Abbott also contributed, who was named most valuable player of the championship series, kept the Pride to 15 hits and 56 strikeouts over the course of the 29 innings. The final game recorded a total time of 1:56, and 1086 fans were in attendance. Women’s National Basketball Association Championship On Oct. 4 the Minnesota Lynx won their
fourth WNBA championship in seven seasons. The Lynx defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 85-76 in Game Five of the finals to claim the title. The Lynx are now tied with the Houston Comets, who won the first four WNBA titles, for most championship wins in WNBA history. The Lynx were originally down in the series 1-0 and then 2-1. Sylvia Fowles was named MVP of the series after setting a series finals record-breaking 20 rebounds and 17 points. National Women’s Soccer League Championship The Portland Thorns won their second NWSL championship this year on Oct. 14. in Orlando, Flo. Lindsey Horan, a midfielder for the Thorns, is the main reason the Thorns clinched the NWSL 2017 championship title. Volleying in the game-winning goal in the 50th minute, she led the Thorns to a 1-0 victory over North Carolina Courage. It was with tremendous precision that Horan finished a long ball kicked to her from the Thorns’end of the field. Not only did she score the game-winner, she was also named most valuable player of the match. Vanke Rays (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) The brand new addition to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League has won eight out of the nine games they played so far. The Rays, who were established just this year, are ranked second in the league. On Oct. 28, they won their first ever game against the Toronto Furies, who were established in 2011. The Furies took the win against the Rays the next day, which is the only game the Rays have lost at this point in the season. The Rays’ next game is on Dec. 8 against the other brand new team in the league, the Kunlun Red Star.
HANNAH KASTEIN STAFF WRITER
MEN Super Bowl LI On February 5th the New England Patriots defeated the Atlantic Falcons in one of the most exciting Super Bowl games ever played. The game broke, set or tied over 30 Super Bowl records including the largest comeback by a team to win the Super Bowl and first ever overtime in a Super Bowl. The Patriots were down 21-3 after the half but then scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game and win in overtime for their fifth ever Super Bowl championship. Every year the Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event in the US and this year 111.3 million people tuned in to watch. Stanley Cup Finals The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators faced off in the NHL Stanley Cup finals, a best out of seven-game series with game one starting on May 29th. The series went six games before the Penguins won on June 11, winning the Stanley Cup in back to back years. They are the first team to do this since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-1998. Almost eight million people watched game six. The US average viewership for all the games was 4.762 million, a 19% increase from 2016 and the most ever for two nonoriginal six teams playing in the finals. “The Money Fight” On August 26th one of the biggest fights ever took place between Floyd Mayweather J., an undefeated eleven-time five-division boxing world champion, and Conor McGregor, twodivision mixed martial arts world champion and, at the time, UFC Lightweight champion. After 10 rounds the referee called the fight in favour of Mayweather after landing some hits the head on McGregor. It was estimated
that over 50 million people tuned in to watch the fight and that Mayweather reportedly earned 300,000,000 dollars. Anthem Protests Since 2016, some US professional athletes have silently protested police brutality and racial inequality during the US national anthem. However, on September 24, 2017 the NFL protests became more widespread when over 200 players sat or kneeled in response to the president, Donald Trump calling for owners to fire the protesting players. This had a huge impact in the sports world and soon athletes from other leagues in the US started protesting as well. This was such a controversial story because some Americans believe the anthem is for honoring the fallen military soldiers and police officers and therefore not standing for it is considered disrespectful to those people. However, other Americans see the anthem as honoring the entirety of the American experience and therefore a platform to show that you are not happy with some things happening in the US likepolice brutality and racial inequality. The World Series The 2017 MLB World Series had the LA Dodgers versus the Houston Astros in a best of seven-game series, which took place from October 24th to November 1st. The series went to seven games with the Astros coming out on top to win their first ever World Series championship. Both teams set many World Series records including a combined total of 25 home runs throughout the series. It was one of the closest and most exciting series in a long time with two of the games going into extra innings. It was also the third highest watched series since 2005. Over 28 million people in the US tuned in for game seven.
EXTRAMURALS
Volleyball misses semis LAURA BANNIER STAFF WRITER
Laurier Brantford’s extramural volleyball team took part in its second tournament of the year on Nov. 24. It took place at Centennial College. The Golden Hawks’ first game was against Humber Lakeshore. They lost their game aftergoing to a third set. Each of the tournament’s games were two sets of 25 points, but a third set was played as a tiebreaker
if needed. The team’s second game was against Durham College. The game went into three sets as well but this time the Golden Hawks were successful and claimed the overall victory. Laurier Brantford missed the semi finals by one point in their third game against Centennial Colts. It didn’t prevent the captain Ed Hollingworth from remaining optimistic. “We improved a lot from our last tournament,” he said. “We’re competitive with every team we
played and were a few points away from moving on.” During this tournament the team didn’t loose as many points off serves as they did in their last tournament. Their main problem this time was hitting the ball inside the court. “As the captain I’m incredibly proud of our team. We have an inexperienced team, and our growth this season has been incredible. I’m excited to see what our next tournament brings,” said Hollingworth. The next and final tournament of the season for the
volleyball team is on Jan. 26 at
SHARYNE WILLIAMS/CONTRIBUTOR Humber Lakeshore.
THE SPUTNIK
10
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
HOLIDAYS
Holiday season gift ideas for sports lovers JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR
they’re bound to appreciate anything you buy them that brands their favourite logo.
Let’s face it: as happy of a time as the holidays can be, it can be stressful. Hustling around the malls trying to find the perfect gifts for the people you love isn’t necessarily a leisurely activity. So, this year, we’re ready to help. Have a sports lover in your life and still need a gift for them? Look no further than these eight, fun gift ideas. Whether you’re willing to spend money, want to keep it cheap, have a lot of time on your hands or are too busy to even think straight, this list is geared towards everyone.
Hustling around the malls trying to find the perfect gifts for the people you love isn’t necessarily a leisurly activity.
1. Apparel This is basic but let’s be real . . . receiving free sweaters, toques and t-shirts is exciting, especially when they’re sporting your favourite team. If you have a person in your life who is loyal to their team,
2. Local Sports Game Tickets You don’t have to go to an expensive Maple Leafs or Blue Jays game to get a fun, live sporting experience. There are many good, local teams who sell regular season tickets for $20-30. Teams such as the Hamilton Ticats or Kitchener Rangers play at a high, entertaining level that won’t fail to give you a fun night out. Don’t stress, you can still get the beer, popcorn and hot dogs that you can at Air Canada Centre andRogers Stadium. 3. Blanket What sports fan doesn’t like to curl up in the evening to watch their favourite team? Why not make their experience a little comfier with non other than a blanket branded with their team’s logo? To find them, your best bet is to poke around for some deals online. Walmart, and Bed, Bath and Beyond are also reliable options. If you don’t want to buy one, you’re in luck because with a bit of time and creativity, you can make a blanket that’s just as cool. Hit up the local thrift store to find some t-shirts and jerseys that have team logos on them. Cut out the logos and sew them all together to create the ultimate blanket for your hipster sports lover.
4. Athletes’ Snack Pack Is your sports lover an athlete? They might appreciate a customized snack pack with yummy, nutritious supplements like Gatorade, Cliff bars, bananas and protein powder. If you’re feeling extra friendly, write some motivational messages on each product with a sharpie. 5. Posters Nothing spices up the man or woman cave quite like the faces or logos of your favourite team. Get your sports lover a nicelooking poster for the wall and watch them have fun setting up the new décor. 6. Video Game These are usually pricier, especially if you get the games with the upto-date rosters. But, if you’re willing to spend a little more this Christmas, video games usually excite sports fans. There are usually a variety of different types of sports games for every console, such as Fifa and NHL. 7. The Ultimate Thrift Store Gift Basket Chicken Soup for the Runner’s Soul, a professional sports team jersey, a football, a stuffed animal in a Toronto Maple Leafs shirt . . . it can all be found in a thrift store, and together it can make a cute gift basket that any sports fan will appreciate. Lots of stuff for a cheap cost!
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
8. Sports Ball Cookies Shape your cookie dough into spheres and then once they’re baked, decorate them likebaseballs, basketballs and soccer balls. A sugar cookie recipe is probably your best bet. Just a little food colouring, icing sugar and water can give you the perfect frosting for some yummy
cookies that your sports fan is bound to love . . . if you don’t accidentally eat them all, of course. And there you have it. Overall, just remember to not stress too much about your giftbuying this season. Have fun with it, get creative and remember that it’s the thought that counts. Happy holidays!
CFL
Quick recap of the Grey Cup JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR
Happy Holidays From WLU Student Publications & The Sputnik
The Toronto Argonauts took the 2017 Grey Cup victory in a last minute game-winning play against the Calgary Stampeders last Sunday. The final score was 27-24at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa, Ont. It was Lirim Hajrullahu’s 32-yard field goal that earned the team the winning three points in the final 49 seconds of the game. Matt Black secured the win with an interception in the end zone. The Argonauts were down for most of the game but finalized a comeback in the fourth quarter. Cassius Vaughn tied the game after
completing a 109-yard fumble return touchdown. After receiving a catch from Ricky Ray and getting a 100-yard touchdown, DeVier Posey was named the game’s most valuable player. The last time the Argonauts beat the Stampeders in the Grey Cup was in 2012 at Rogers Centre. This is the second year in a row the Stampeders dominated the season and then lost in their most meaningful game of the year. In 2016 the Stampeders’ record was 15-2-1 and then were defeated in a 39-33 Grey Cup loss to the Ottawa Redblacks. The Redblacks carried a 8-9-1 record going into the game.
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
11 OPINION EDITOR MEGHAN GAUVIN opinion@thesputnik.ca
Do you know what Antifa stands for? JAYDENE LAVALLIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Antifa is a word thrown around with abandon. It is short form for anti-fascist, or one that opposes fascists and the rise of authoritarianism. Too often, however, the concept is confused and it is used to imply a sort of mob violence. As students and members of a political community, it is our collective responsibility to have conversations that are both competent and accountable. That means taking the time to understand a position before filling this technological universe with more nonsense or creating false equivalencies between anti-
racist Leftists and violent far-Right extremists. It means that before I openly discuss the reasons the Proud Boys should be pushed out of every space on this campus, I have to understand their politic of western chauvinism and misogyny and position myself squarely in opposition to it. It means that if a video of transphobic Alt-Right millionaire Jordan Peterson is going to be shown in a class, it has to be contextualized firmly within the framework of liberatory Trans politics that demand no person’s existence is up for debate. That is, very unfortunately, an important point to state and restate and restate again in these
times where neo-Nazism has become normalized to the point of inclusion in popular culture and fashion. It also means that when you use the word “antifa” you have to understand it is not as an organization, but as the complex set of organizing principles under which Anarchists,
Communists and Leftists act to combat violent threats in our communities. Antifa activists
believe that the time to act to stop white supremacy and the slow slide into authoritarianism is now, and that we can’t ask the police or the state to do it for us. They spend the majority of their time monitoring hate groups – like the Proud Boys,as well as the Sons
of Odin and the Heritage Front – and trying to limit the amount of public space these groups are allowed to use. But sometimes, when supremacists and misogynists decide to march down the street or hold a public rally, Antifa will come out to put their bodies on the line to stop those groups from gaining ground. You don’t have to be out on the front lines to call yourself an anti-fascist. We should all be antifascist, all the time. When you do so, you are including yourself in a rich tradition. This stems all the way back to resistance against Hitler in Nazi Germany.
It’s a statement to your community that you won’t stand for opportunistic TAs ,like
Lindsay Shepherd, who think it’s okay to foment the dehumanization of Trans folks in our community in order to catapult herself into minor celebritydom.
I believe in a person’s right to express themselves without fear of state punishment, but it is not a person’s right to say whatever they want free from the opposition of their peers. So, go ahead and be oppositional. Stop Proud Boys from organizing on your campus. Take lead from Trans folks in your community and fight for their recognition and respect.
Volunteering can still be for self gain CHRISTOPHER KUNKEL STAFF WRITER
During an age of arm-chair activism where people merely retweet or post to raise awareness of issues in the world, is money-bag activism worse? The co-curricular-record system has disenabled altruism. The purpose of a record such as this is to help students record their volunteer contributions - while
in school - in order to come off as appealing to future employers. Too often, events around campus or groups have to mention whether they can be included in one’s CCR in order to garner further attention and participation. This leads to a climate in universities where students prioritize opportunities that benefit themselves over those that can genuinely benefit others.
The individuals who created the co-curricular record likely meant well; students would be encouragedto become more involved in their community and would be rewarded for their dedication with monetary or career opportunities. However, this system only serves to discourage activism. When the main motivation for volunteering is personal
incentives, individuals are less likely to continue when said rewards are removed, and this is exactly what happens once students graduate. You will not be paid for volunteering in the future because that, simply, is not what volunteering entails. Instead, universities should develop initiatives that allow students to see the impact of their
involvement. Thus, generating a lasting sense of purpose that will remain with them following graduation. Society depends on our hard working volunteers in detremental facilities such as hospitals and fire halls as well as non-profit organizations such as UNICEF, United Way and the Salvation Army.
THE SPUTNIK
12
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
Freedom of speech: who is it protecting? JAY RIDEOUT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched an endless stream of articles be published claiming that “freedom of speech” is being attacked at Wilfrid Laurier University. Countless articles written from the perspective of individuals who
“Freedom of speech” is an interesting thing. See, it only works for those who already have a voice and a platform.
have claimed that they are being silenced by the university and the community. A situation that seems to be filled with irony, to say the least. Throughout that process, I have sat down many times and attempted to write a response. But here’s the thing. It becomes harder to weight into a conversation when that conversation is about your right to safety and security. It be comes harder to remain calm and articulate yourself when that conversation is about if you (and everyone like you) are legitimate and worthy of care and support.
And, frankly, it’s harder to have a conversation when the vast majority of public discourse is saying that a debate about your existence is just “freedom of speech” and should be celebrated. I am speaking now as a nonbinary staff member, and I (as well as other trans and non-binary folks on campus) are saying that our voices are the ones that are actively being silenced. And when we vocalize this, we are met with great backlash. We are told that we are not being silenced. That we are just too sensitive. That we’re over reacting. That the real issue here is how we are wanting to take other student’s and staff ’s free speech away. But if I ask anything from the Laurier community (and others) right now, it is to acknowledge whose voices they are hearing the most. Who has articles written by most major news sources? Who is getting endless time to explain their perspective on this story? And who is not? “Freedom of Speech” is an interesting thing. See, it only works for those who already have a voice and a platform. If you are not given the space to speak (or if you are harassed and attacked when you do) then socalled “freedom of speech” doesn’t actually matter. And it is being made clear that those who have the platform to share their perspectives are not concerning themselves with the fact that those who they are
viewing themselves to be up against have little to no ability to do the same thing. We have talked a lot about “freedom of speech” throughout these past weeks. But we have given almost no time to address how trans and non-binary students (as well as staff and communality members) have been impacted by the growing amounts of transphobia on the Wilfrid Laurier campuses. We need to be giving space to trans and non-binary folks who have been, since day one, asking for their voices to be heard. We need to acknowledge that “debates” that invalidate the existence oftrans and nonbinary people or dehumanize us based on gender is both a form of transphobia and a form of gendered violence. And we need to acknowledge that there is no “neutral” way to demand that someone defend their existence and their right to a safe school and work environment. These past few years, we have seen conversations around trans and non-binary individuals and experiences take the world at storm. We have seen actresses and writers (such as Laverne Cox and Janet Mock) carve out spaces for themselves in industries that actively resist such advances. We have seen increased push for awareness around trans specific issues. But we have also seen increases in public conversation made to dehumanize and to
demonize us. Our desire to use bathrooms that we feel most comfortable in has become an international debate. Our lack of access to resources such as health care and housing have been ignored. And, on Nov. 20th (while this ongoing media coverage was taking place) we mourned the deaths of the highest rates of tans women of color murdered across North America and the world. When we speak out, we are often reminded that “the world is
Your survival is resistance. Your survival is resiliance. And I support you
hard and you just need to toughen up” or that “we would never make it in the real world.” Believe me, we know the real world is tough. We live and die in it every day. With trans and non-binary folks of color (particularly trans women of color) facing some of the harshest backlash. But this, far from proving our invalidity, proves that we are resilient.
That we have not, and will not, ever stop fighting for our right to safety and security. Both inside the university and out. For these reasons (and many more) I stand in solidarity with the trans and non-binary students on campus and in the community who are continuing to make their voices heard despite brutal and harsh opposition. I stand in solidarity with the trans and non-binary students who are not making their voices heard. Who are keeping to themselves or staying silent out of fear, intimidation, exhaustion, or a range of other valid justifications. I stand in solidarity with every trans and non-binary person who has been keeping up with this whirlwind of media that is consistently telling them that they are not important or worthy of having a voice in this discussion. I stand in solidarity with every faculty member who has defended trans and non-binary students over the past weeks and have faced backlash themselves. And I stand in solidarity with the staff working in the fields of gendered violence and diversity – who have been supporting students while also facing great backlash for doing so. If any of you are reading this, you are amazing. Your survival is resistance. Your survival is resilience. And I support you. Article originally published in The Cord.
Early morning classes bad for students DHRUVI MODI STAFF WRITER
How many times have you walked into your 8:30 class and noticed that half the students aren’t even there. How many times have you fallen asleep in that class?
After all, I think our professors would like to teach students and not zombies with coffee in their hands.
How many times have you asked the person next toyou for their notes? The reason is probably because you’re a night owl like a lot of us are. What an interesting term ”the night owl”. But it’s true. Like an owl, we all stay up late every night. You may say, “I never fall asleep in class”. So to you my question is, how attentively do you take notes? And how are you able to stay up after pulling an ‘all nighter’? I honestly don’t understand. Yes, there are those rare days when I don’t sleep in class but I just can’t seem to focus or actively take notes. Once again I blame this habbit on that fcat that I am a night owl and my schedule is set up to reflect this. However, I do physically attend
all my 8:30 a.m. classes. I can’t guarantee that I’m mentally all there but at least I’m there. And the amount of times, I’ve shown up late is crazy. I know this is kind of over used but, if I had a penny for every time I showed up late to a class I could probably pay this semesters entire tuition fee. After classes I usually go and take a nap because of how tired I am. It used to be much easier to wake up early in high school but now, I’m just not motivated enough.
Attendance isn’t taken and other than my friends, no one really knows or even cares if I attend my morning class. I don’t know if it’s just me but everything seems to happen at night. If you want to go to a party it’s not happening in the afternoon. Want to join a club? Well, almost all the meetings are starting at 10 p.m. as to not get in the way of students classes. Have a mandatory floor meeting for those of us in residence? You guessed it, that’s at night as well. No wonder I can’t wake up early when everything I am
involved in takes place so late. Sometimes, you might feel unmotivated and find it hard to get up and get to class, especially if it’s so early in the morning. I once heard that your brain doesn’t even begin to function at a normal rate until at least 10AM. To me, this makes complete sense. I tend to do much better in my afternoon classes than in my morning classes. I am able to feel more engaged and soemtimes, I can even participate! After all I think our professors would like to teach students and not zombies with coffee in their hands. Educational professionals, for
years have forced school boards to push back their starting times for teens and young children, so why can’t this be the case for college or university students? Our bodies are not biologically built to wake up early. Like many of you, my mother told me that the early bird always gets the worm. And yet, I’ve been waking up early every day for years now and I have yet to get this so called worm. I just don’t know how muc longer i can do it. I think it’s safe to say that as students all we want is a bit more time to sleep so that we can get the most out of our educations.
ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR