The Students Association at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON has cancelled Shinerama, a national fundraiser that runs on college and university campuses all across Canada to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis.
Reason: The misconception that CF affects only white men, and Carleton University Students Association (CUSA) doesn't want to discriminate. In actual fact, CF is the most common, fatal, hereditary disease affecting young people in Canada. While it is true that it does predominantly affect Caucasians - but Caucasian doesn't necessarily mean 'white'. It affects boys and girls equally, and is generally affects children, not men. And it does PRIMARILY affect Caucasians, it has been known to affect people of all races.
CUSA is now doing a little backpedaling, saying that they may reconsider the decision - but their primary reason for making it was because they want to focus on other fundraising efforts.
Now, I personally am not directly affected by CF (although a very good friend has two cousins with CF and I am sure this situation has been very trying for her family), but I do have Multiple Sclerosis, and while there are no real comparisons as far as the actual disease - MS is not life threatening - the implications of halting fundraising is very real.
MS is most commonly found in women between the ages of 20 and 35...how does that translate to inclusivity and political correctness according to CUSA standards?
Reason: The misconception that CF affects only white men, and Carleton University Students Association (CUSA) doesn't want to discriminate. In actual fact, CF is the most common, fatal, hereditary disease affecting young people in Canada. While it is true that it does predominantly affect Caucasians - but Caucasian doesn't necessarily mean 'white'. It affects boys and girls equally, and is generally affects children, not men. And it does PRIMARILY affect Caucasians, it has been known to affect people of all races.
CUSA is now doing a little backpedaling, saying that they may reconsider the decision - but their primary reason for making it was because they want to focus on other fundraising efforts.
Now, I personally am not directly affected by CF (although a very good friend has two cousins with CF and I am sure this situation has been very trying for her family), but I do have Multiple Sclerosis, and while there are no real comparisons as far as the actual disease - MS is not life threatening - the implications of halting fundraising is very real.
MS is most commonly found in women between the ages of 20 and 35...how does that translate to inclusivity and political correctness according to CUSA standards?
1 comment:
Shannon,
your blog is always a good read. I'm so jealous about your Dylan experience. I wanted to go see him either in Ktown or in Oshawa but I had to work both nights.
I was going to comment on your John Lennon post, I went on youtube, found all these videos of these peace-promoting songs, I had a comment all written up, I clicked "publish" but embedded videos aren't allowed in comments. Pooh.
Anyways to use a Dylan lyric: "Keep on Keepin' on!" with your blog, it's a good read.
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