OverThe Edge Page 4 CCC OW OO RWPINION September 28, 1998 A Spice Girl/Clinton/Diana Free Editorial By Paul Berard Welcome back, all. Some people actually noticed the absence of my editorial from the first issue of this year and, to those who expressed their desire for my opinion so that they might glean vast quantities of joy by tear- ing it apart, here it is. Today’s topic of dis- cussion is Organization. For this we will require a topic of discussion - say the Northern Undergraduate Student Society's (NUGSS) Extra Ordinary General Meeting which, it just so happens, will be occur- ring next Wednesday, September 30th. Now, for those who have immediately cried out, “WHAT! | didn’t know that,” you may note that Over The Edge has carried out its obligation and pub- lished info about it in the last issue and this one, the NUGSS have posted posters on boards around campus and in their office win- dows and the members themselves have been attempting to let people know when they come into their office. Why all the hub-bub? Well, it’s pretty simple. Under the NUGSS Constitution they are required to notify stu- dents (also known as members) by a mail-out of the proposed Constitutional Amendments two weeks before the arrival of an Annual General Meeting. Unfortunately, due to some internal machinations of the Student Association, this has not occurred. So, why should you come out to vote on Wednesday? Here's a couple of good rea- sons. Firstly, you pay thirty dollars to NUGSS each and every semester. For those playing the home game, that adds up given the 3000 or so students attending UNBC. Secondly, good solid plans are required for NUGSS Constitution. This means that any or all changes to the Constitution need to be done in a way that all students can have a chance to give their own views. Many of the existing clauses of the document are too open and weak for the NUGSS -to be a widely functioning body. Thirdly, if you don’t cur- rently have an idea of how things work around UNBC, this is an excel- lent chance to spend some time and find out. NUGSS can always use the extra help if you turn out to be interested in the proceedings. While | have been one to criticize NUGSS, | also realize the impor- tance of their existence to the student body. NUGSS has suffered yearly from student apathy on the UNBC campus. It’s time to take the initiative on issues that we have been complaining about - lack of space for student clubs, Corporate monopoliza- tion of education dol- lars, the lack of a stu- dent union building and pub - and make them a reality. NUGSS needs the extra help if any of our concerns are ever to become more than just passing conversa- tion. Hele L'ma student loo ing for 9 0u want ee, aun cant You mean me te se te gota. | a i oy our protes and it you Wiugy I den” Spon | a. really should go. ee re t you Want #7 mee = Ahyes, please be seated. at'scaRy sia rc believe your bed; ly orgens aren't 4 important bu Hi wa Not necessarily, We alse ace books that. He Looks an 1 hing =o here and here and once mere there. © 4 tae rss ae ar UAL... not ream on! Hello, Scary Spice , pleare’ gy ome 4 ‘ 4 Gest of ile to isande this Loan Season’ Welcome to SCARY Bank! The wait in this line soulsa yen * tore, LETTERS APEC Protesters, What Happened? Have we lost all sense of perspective and rationali- ty? It seems like many in the career-student intelli- gentsia are manufactur- ing the argument that the APEC conference in Vancouver last year is a grand scandal whose root is the Prime Minister's wish to stifle free speech. Good lord. Before every- one breaks out into a clin- ical hissy fit over this, lets Civic Center Protest To the Editor: THIS LETTER IS IN REF- ERENCE TO THE “UNITE THE RIGHT” RALLY HELD AUGUST 11, 1998, AT THE CIVIC CENTER, PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA .— tetas OF SPEECH ” Over The Edge.whicomes all letters to the. oe ane Or ey Bere, make sure we absorb some facts so as to sort out some of the clutter. Nobody denied the rights of students to picket, erect posters, sign peti- tions or write editorial pieces denouncing any or all of the government leaders who assembled in Vancouver. No one grant- ed foreign bodyguards permission to use force against protesters. All that | have a question for all the organizers and the persons who attended the “Unite the Right” rally. Were the organizers and the people who attended the rally concerned that they might end up in jail that night and be charged with mischief and obstruction of justice? was mandated was that the protesters make their nuisance over there, rather than over here. Quite simple. So what happened that was so scandalous? Courts in this country routinely arrest environmental activists when the protest in areas where they are asked not to. They rou- tinely order anti-abortion protesters to protest out You would laugh and say: “That's impossible, this is a free country and | am entitled to free speech and to disagree with my government.” It has come to my atten- tion that on Thursday night, tvo. women, who used washable chalk and posters to express a dif- ferent point of view from the rally at the Civic Center were arrested by RCMP officers and have been charged with crimi- nal charges of mischief and obstruction. One woman was arrested at of eyeshot and earshot of abortion clinics - and send protesters who violate those orders to prison. Canadians do have a constitutional right to protest, but not anywhere they please. Particularly when we have an obliga- tion to protect the safety of foreign leaders when we invite them onto our soil. Let's not forget that a good spot from which to the site, spent the night in jail and was not permitted to call her family until 3:00 a.m. The other woman was arrested and hand- cuffed at approximately 4:00 am. at the University of Northern British Columbia, trans- ported downtown and charged. Since when does putting up posters and chalk writ- ing constitute a criminal offense? What about the logging truck drivers’ demonstration, Friday afternoon as reported by PG News? Does this protest can also be seen as a good spot from which to fire a bullet. So why all the fuss over APEC by the student careerists at UBC? Time. Too much of it, that is, in the hands of those who wish to make mountains out of brittle molehills. But for those seeking to analyze and understand what hap- pened at the APEC con- ference last year, those mean that opposition to the “right” agenda, will not be permitted? If 2000 individuals in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia, or the past regime in South Africa had participated in a similar anti-government rally, they would not only be arrested, but beaten, tortured, or killed. They would be in fear of their lives. These two women, both UNBC students, exer- cised their democratic right to disagree with the rally’s agenda. | suggest who have lives beyond placards, protests, and pepper spray, remember to intuitively wield “Ockham’s razor,” also called the principle of par- simony. The principle is: When seeking to explain phenomena, start with the simplest theory. James Moore Political Science that the organizers of the rally and the 2000 people who attended consider why they were able to express opposition to the duly elected government, while these two women were not allowed to express opposition to the rally. For this expression, the two women will now spend their fall semester having to deal with the implications and trauma of being charged with two serious criminal offenses. Elizabeth Lee