he otherpress Room 1020 — 700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2 TELEPHONE: 604.525.3542 WEBSITE: theotherpress.ca EMAIL: editor@theotherpress.ca STAFF LIST Eric Wilkins Editor-in-Chief M editor@theotherpress.ca Lauren Kelly Assistant Editor Massistant@theotherpress.ca Angela Ho Business Manager Jacey Gibb Distribution Manager Cara Seccafien Layout Manager Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager Elizabeth Jacob Production Assistant Ed Appleby Ilustrator Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator Mercedes Deutscher News Editor Mi news@theotherpress.ca Now Hiring! Arts Editor M arts@theotherpress.ca Chitwan Khosla Features Editor M features@theotherpress.ca Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca Chandler Walter Humour Editor M humour@theotherpress.ca Staff Reporter Aaron Guillen Sports Reporter Davie Wong Staff Writers Adam Tatelman Cazzy Lewchuk Senior Columnists Lauren Paulsen David Manky Columnists Duncan Fingarson Josh Visser Contributors Ayanda K. Gatsha I has been a tough start to the year for the world’s heartstrings. Seemingly a litany of beloved figures have shuffled off of this mortal coil. David Bowie, Glenn Frey, and Alan Rickman, to name but a few. And each has received a touching outpouring of tributes and fond remembrances. However, just as Rickman’s often villainous characters caused a stir on the screen, his death has kicked up a bit of trouble as well. Emma Watson, who worked with Rickman throughout the Harry Potter movies, has recently : come under fire for her supposed self-serving tribute to the man who played Severus Snape. Watson, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador who helped with the UN Women campaign HeForShe, posted a photo of Rickman on her Twitter account with the quote, “There is nothing wrong with a man being a feminist, I think it is to our mutual advantage.” Rickman was a noted feminist, and the quote—taken directly from an interview—was © Get to know us! © The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We area registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. © The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student : word-for-word from the man : himself. But in spite of everything, : many railed on the talented : actress for her tweet. @ : TheWiseLad: “So the feminist : Emma Watson used the death : of Alan Rickman’s (sic) to : push her agenda. Pathetic. : Disgusting. Another reason why : ’ma meninist...” @Dekashoko: : “@EmWatson oh wow, youre : using someone’s death to push : a completely unrelated agenda. : this is so, so gross.” It’s rather astounding. Not only are the two tweets When someone important : to us dies we usually look to : honour them in some way. It can i bea quote, a picture, a poem, : something. We generally relate : our remembrance to how we : best connected with a person— : what they said or did that truly : resonated. What mattered. : Though ignorant of whatever : the two spoke of away from the newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. And that’s what Watson : is being criticized for? For tweeting a quote from Rickman : about a cause both have interest : in? Continuing in that line of : thinking, the twit who said she : was “using someone’s death to : push a completely unrelated : agenda...” clearly hasn’t done her : research. Though a later tweet, : “gonna take a shot every time : : someone thinks I’m unaware : incredibly off-base but they serve : : somewhat to spit on the grave of : Rickman. of alan rickman’s quote on : feminism. I’ll be dead in an : hour,” seems to indicate her : knowledge of Rickman’s quote— : which shows that she isn’t : uninformed, merely incapable : of understanding the English : language, and that “unrelated : agenda” actually means the : opposite of what she thinks. In : any case, trivializing someone’s : death for attention on social : media is pretty low. A thought in closing here: ra © The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners. : cameras, I don’t think it would be : even if Watson were completely : too much of a stretch to assume : that their shared interest in : feminism often led to thoughtful : know what happens when we : discussion. : : self-centred in her tweet, would : that be so bad? Granted we don’t : die, but death in this world is : hardest not on the one who has : died, but on the loved ones who : survive. Mourning can be, and : often is when you think about it, : not a selfish but a very personal : act. We don’t mourn to make : anyone else feel better—we : mourn because that’s what we : feel like. We mourn for ourselves. : So even if promoting feminism, : not honouring Rickman, was : Watson’s main goal, what’s the : issue? And just for good measure, : Watson’s Facebook post: “I’m : very sad to hear about Alan : today. I feel so lucky to have : worked and spent time with such ba special man and actor. I'll really : miss our conversations. RIP : Alan. We love you.” Danke danke, e Yilhe Editor-in-Chief theotherpress.ca facebook.com/DouglasOtherPress | twitter.com/theotherpress