Laurier’s Brantford campus is currently welcoming a member of the Yes Men, a radical journalist group who has been accused of falsifying stories, as their “activist-in-residence,” which leaves us with one simple question: why?
Perhaps the Brantford campus just wanted to show a different aspect of journalism. After all, not all journalism students will go on to write for the National Post or the Globe and Mail. Not everyone wants to.
Opening doors to other aspects of modern journalism is a respectable feat. However, there are many of these outlets that also base their stories entirely on fact, rather than making up stories as they go.
The Yes Men have conned reputable sources such as the Washington Post and the L.A. Times. These aren’t just satires. They’re fabricated stories.
Students at the Brantford campus aren’t taking fiction writing, they’re taking journalism.
From an activist point of view, they’re clearly able to get their message heard. But are these great mentors to journalism students?
Did the students have any choice in their mentor at all?
With all the money Laurier is spending, perhaps they could have been a bit wiser in their choice of role model and teacher.
This issue was also picked up by the National Post, calling it one of the stupidest decisions of all time. Though this might be exaggerated, it’s showing the lack of credibility and respect that comes from the Yes Men, who are now associated with Laurier.
This isn’t just an issue of Laurier journalism students. It is shining Laurier in a negative light all around.
Though this may seem like a Brantford issue, we are all connected through administration and we all fall under the same name, even if we attend different campuses.
Waterloo students need to be critical of what’s happening at the Brantford campus because their issues are not divorced from our own.
Brantford’s campus reflects our own. We are all Golden Hawks through the multi-campus experience.