page 6 Over the Edge Dec 6, 1995

LETTERS TO
ToE EDIriTonR

Letters Policy: Over the Edge has an open letter policy and will undertake to print every letter received from the University and
local community. Letters must be typewritten, and should include your name, student number and phone number (for verifica-
tion purposes only). Letters should be no more the 200 to 400 words. Editors reserve the right to edit ruthlessly for length and
libelous content. Only one submission per person per issue. Letters will not be edited for spelling or grammar.

‘Dear Editor:

I am writing in regard’s to Ian
Lorenz’s editorial on the allocation
of funds at UNBC: I hate to bust your
bubble little boy but you’re not the
only person at this school who could
have gotten into ANY(aren’t we
priviledged to have you among us!)
school in B.C, some of us are actu-
ally here out of interest. I’m so glad
to hear that you can “handle” the
women’s center getting money, hav-
ing a first Nations wing and all the
lesbian feminist propaganda. I know
I’m sick of listening to my profs, es-
pecially considering they’ve never
been farther north than P.G. (??7),
lament about feminist bullshit, and
walking by the First Nations wing
sure does slow me down on the way
to the gym! And the Women’s Cen-
ter? God, don’t even get me started.
As a fellow smoker I think your anal-
ogy is crap. If you’re willing to kill
yourself you can certainly stand out-
side for a few minute while you do
it. Sounds to me like you’re a whinny
jock who wants to have his “too vio-
lent” (imagine that!) hockey games
funded. Ever think that the “loser”
who pulled your funding had legiti-
mate reasons? Last time I looked on
the testosterone billboard this school
had a Football team, funny they
weren’t too violent, hmm.... Do you
honestly believe any student in their
right mind would write the president
a letter saying unless he funded the
hockey team they wouldn’t return
next year? Gimme a break. “And I’m
sorry to hear that the school has yet
to put on a function that interests you,
but look at it this way, at least you
can stay home and play with your
hockey stick........ Unfortunately for
you your article did not offend me, it
just wasted my time.

Jennifer Lodato

Editor,

I would like to respond to the
article “The Poison Pen” written by
Ian Lorenz in The November 22,
1995 édition of Over the Edge. First
of all Ian, if we have a First Nations
wing, I would appreciate you
showing it to me. My emotions

wanted to retaliate when I first
read the article but I know this
will only alienate you more to
women, First Nations people,
and the First Nations Centre.

It is a very sad day when we
have to put down others in order
to elevate ourselves. You are
angry with UNBC for not
sponsoring your hockey team so
you retaliate by putting down
women and minorities. This is
your only justification for your
comments.

Being in the workforce for
many years before returning to
school I learned one lesson. The
ones who whine the most about
injustices done to them by
others are usually the ones left
without a job. Employers will
not tolerate you putting a co-
worker down to get what you
want. An employer will expect
you to utilize your creativity
when faced with a problem not
criticize others and blame them.

Being a member of the First
Nations student society, I know
that we have to rely on our own
contacts and creativity to raise
money for our club if we want
to have any activities or events.
We initially received a start up
fund from NUGGS but if we
want to implement any further
plans we have to come up with
our own funds. If people believe
the club can be of benefit then
they are willing to work to see
it operate, not sit in the ashes and
moan,

Frieda Prince

In Response...

In response to the article
written by Ian Lorenz under the
title “From the Poison Pen”,
who is obviously not a supporter
of feminism and is not a First
Nations person.

To open up, I would like to say
that I feel so sorry for you and
anyone who thinks like you.

It seems perfectly under-
standable for you to be pissed
off at not getting the support for

your hockey team. But does this
personal let down give you the
right to use, as it seems, the two
most high profile of the top ten
scapegoats; at your convenience to
vent your frustrations? But believe
me, when things go wrong, as they
sometimes do—it is universally
expected to be blamed for who or
what we are. Pretty sad hey?!

Since you were so liberally
allowed to vent your frustrations
and given the freedom to voice
your opinion, I too shall indulge
in the latter.

First of all, I could have gone to
_any_ University in B.C. on my
own merit, so don’t make it sound
like UNBC is some Mickey
Mouse, last ditch, last stop
institution just because you didn’t
get what you wanted.

UNBC has only been in full
operation for a little over a year.
Do you think UBC, SFU, Trent,
McGill, U of A, or any other
University in the world developed
a sound concrete foundation in less
than 365 days? If so, please
provide us with proof and maybe
you will gain support.

If you really want us to know
what is happening as far as the
academics are concerned—
educate yourself. This is what
University is all about. All
University does is provide us with
the tools and WE decide what to
do with it. Take on some initiative
and see what happens.

UNBC is presently working at
full capacity to iron out the crinks,
and make things work well for
everybody and not just the
feminists or the First Nations
people.

You really should ask questions
before lashing out. Try being
friendly or polite, conduct yourself
professionally—an old concept
called etiquette.

If there has been all of this so
called money being funneled into
native and feminist and resource
based causes it is probably because
we have pooled our resources
together which is more
economically feasible given what

we have to work with.

Our two groups have been
singled out as usual, and yet we
have done no harm to anyone. But
somehow we continue to be
pigeon holed and scrutinized.
(Just another friendly, humanly,
unracist reminder).

In my opinion, the two groups
being discussed, have both done
everything on our own initiative
and manpower. Is it our fault that
there are resources available to be
tapped into? And is it our fault that
we were just that much more
smarter and quicker to get right
down to business professjonally?
Come on give your head a shake.

In response to your stats on 70%
student enrollment being from the
lower mainland—there isn’t a
University in the world that can
say who can or can’t make
admission in regards to their
geographic location.

And I think the fact that UNBC
has a unique and diverse spread of
nationalities in our professors is
great. What a good invitation to
share and learn about each others
cultures.

About the whole entire “wing”
supposedly devoted to just First
Nations people—where is it? Or
is it that you have grossly mistaken
the one office and one small room
to be equivalent to an entire wing?

As an active member of the
FNSA (which was formed on our
own initiative and done within
UNBC’s policy and guidelines),
and as delegated Treasurer of our
club, I know for a fact that we got
what every other club got from
NUGSS and that was it. We even
had to lobby for that quite hard.

UNBC does not yet support a
woman’s basketball team—have
you heard anyone proclaiming
public outcry? I love basketball
and have played since grade 4.
There are other leagues in Prince
George to play for in the time
being. But once UNBC does
establish a women’s basketball
team I will be there in full support
and ready to help make it reputable
and in full promotion of the sport.

After all isn’t that what a good
sports person is supposed to do?
Also, I too indulge in the number
one cause of cancer—tt is a filthy,
expensive habit. I don’t even
smoke in my own house because
I’m polluting my own lungs, and

have absolutely NO RIGHT to —

pollute my children’s lungs or
anyone else’s. This concept is not
new—it’s called RESPECT. Sc
this only means one thing—cold
or not I smoke outside. And to
push it even further—I don’t even
butt out on the ground—it’s no
good for our already poor
environment. This concept is also,

old—it’s called being KIND. _« _-

So with all of this in mind, I’de
like to think that with a little co-
operation, patience, honesty and
an open mind; we’ll go further
than a negative outburst and ill-
will.

In conclusion, if I’ve managed
to positively reinforce all that is
good and kind and maybe make
one person think twice, then allow
me to say—GOOD.

Ms. Laurel A. Lattie
Gitksan Native of Gitanmaax
and Supporter of Feminist Views.

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