CIMN

The management of CIMN would like to express its views on the Nov. 7 editorial regarding the policies of CIMN. Instead of maligning the management of the X-Press to somehow improve our image, we would instead like to explain a few facts that Mr. Large seems to have over looked in writing this editorial.

CIMN is asub-organization of the Student Union, as is the X-Press. We do not feel it appropriate that the X-Press use its editorial space as a medium to berate other S.U. organizations. Especially when the edito- rial in question 1s based almost wholly on the opinion of one person.

In writing this editorial, Mr. Large did not consult with the management of CIMN to get a balanced view of the situation. Ifhe had, he likely could have gained an understanding of the complexities of run- ning an organization that must be responsible not only to the students of UPEI, but a government body called the Canadian Radio, Television, and Telecommunica- tions Committee.

The CRTC requires radio stations to have a certain format and in college and university stations, that format tends to be alternative music- a niche that is

rarely filled by commercial stations.

Without this alternative format, groups such as REM Red Hot Chili Peppers, Look People, the Crash Test Dummies, Extreme, or even Men without Hats would not have recieved the exposure that later allowed then to become commercially acceptable. In fact, The Barenaked Ladies, an alternative band from Canada, has entered the retail sales chart without the support of amajor label! This is due almost entirely to the © alternative format of university stations.

If UPEI students wish to discover the bands that will become Top-40 in the future- bands that could not

exist without the support of alternative stations- they can tune into their own station-runby DJ’sthat instead of regurgitating music thathasbeenover- — exposed, are challenged to search out and expose new music. Music that often can be found in the Top-40_ charts at a later date. Reading the alternative charts 0 the past proves this very point.

If the editorial columnist would like, in the future, to consult CIMN’s management to question the alterna- tive policy, we invite him or her to do so. The resul would produce a more balanced and faireditorial. —

R. St-Pierre M. Hanus C. Cheverie G. Genge

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To the indigenous peoples of Latin America, and for that matter those of Canada and the rest of the world, the planned festivities marking the discovery of their lands are viewed with frustration and anger.

Juan de la Cruz, a Blivian peasant union leader asks: ‘*Why would we celebrate five hundred years of oppression, humiliation and degradation?’’ Handy agrees. ‘‘Itis not useful to celebrate the arrival of Columbus, it is something that should be mourned.’’ But celebrate is what Canada and many nations of the world will do. An estimated forty million dollars will be spent of the Canada pavilion for the ‘‘Age of Discovery’’ Expo 92 in Seville Spain. Canada will participate because it makes good business sense. As the Government’s promotional material explains: ‘*Canadians have always excelled in using expositions as amedium to communicate the significance of their

UPEI X-P RESS

November 14, 1991

country and their achievements in many areas of endeavour.”’

So the party will go on, celebrated by some and | mourned by others. At this point it is difficult to tell whether my brother’s children will grow up admirin{ Columbus. Somehow I feel they will be more inter- ested in Schwarzkopf and friends Gulf War paraphanalia.

NA WAVE KICKED IT