Editor, the Gauntlet:
First, your recent editorial on Stroumboulopoulos [“Recipients should be more relevant,” editorial, Oct. 25 Gauntlet] got it half-right. He shouldn’t get a University of Calgary honorary degree now, but his getting it later is not a given. In any case, George got it right with his remark: “bizarre.” Add oilman Gwyn Morgan into the mix and it’s like giving away prizes from a Cracker Jack box. How about Harvey the Hound?
Back to Strombo. In my research I’ve seen comments from young people, mostly young girls, and mostly about how much they “love” him, but nothing about how much he’s influenced their interest in politics. To the gush and unrequited, let’s place your “boyfriend” next to former recipients of a similar degree. There’s Peter Gzowski of CBC radio fame, aboriginal film and TV actor Tom Jackson from North of 60 and Preston Manning who, whether you agree with him or not, was pretty remarkable. Then there’s Art Jenkyns, who started Operation Eyesight from a church basement in Calgary and went on to help 30 million people in 11 different countries.
Then there’s George. Give me a freaking break-and a nomination paper for Harvey.
The other issue regards your decent effort on the Friends of Science article [“Science, education, funds,” Jon Roe, Nov. 1 Gauntlet], but don’t go all ego-tripping. The article and your newspaper were twice lauded in a recent speech by media critic Normal Solomon, pretty high praise. Furthermore, a speaker (a Gauntlet reporter, I believe) mentioned it again during the later question period.
But before you get too proud, let me say the article on mayoralty candidate Sandy Jenkins and his “sneaking”
into a concert was blatant sensationalism. The first paragraph announces his guilt as a fact, no attribution at all. The next five paragraphs cement his guilt, even though there’s no eyewitness that saw him “sneaking” in. Jenkins’ defence that he “just walked in the front door” wasn’t until paragraph nine. Unqualified remarks such as “[Jenkins] wasn’t welcome” also set the tone.
So, good work for the most part, but keep trying.