This editorial comes as clarification for SRC President Jordan Tracey’s Letter to the Editor titled “We are making a difference”. That letter was a response to another letter published last week by former Editor-in-Chief of the Baron and current student Steve Hildebrand titled “What the SRC doesn’t want you to know.”
To begin, I want to express how thrilled I am to see the SRC utilize on-campus student-run media. It is so important for students to engage in a public dialogue on the issues that face them and to take advantage of the opportunity to have their voices heard.
Unfortunately, the author of the piece in question, SRC President Jordan Tracey, has used this opportunity to attack the paper itself rather than the letter it claimed to be addressing, and appears to be unclear of the role of the Baron at UNB Saint John.
It must be clarified: letters submitted to the Baron do not represent the editorial position of the press. In fact, the editorial staff often disagree with the content of letters, but opt to publish them anyway as opinion and dissent is essential to constructive dialogue.
The reason the Baron exists is to provide a platform for students to discuss topics that they feel are important to them. We encourage any and all students to submit to our publication. If one finds this “reprehensible” then that person is doing nothing less than attacking the liberty of expression at UNB Saint John.
As for Tracey’s accusations of “haranguing” and “misquoting,” the student volunteers and staff will be the first to admit that we are not perfect and strive to improve as both journalists and editors. I urge anyone who has issues with alleged false information or false reporting in any published piece to present specific instances of this to myself as soon as possible in order for us to rectify any mistakes.
And finally, in response to Tracey’s vague accusations of slander, we strongly encourage the SRC to consult legal counsel before making such statements in the future.
Liam Floyd
Editor-in-Chief, The Baron
