Ontario university mocks GWB in ad campaign

[Kathy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5294690.stm



A small Canadian university has sparked controversy with its recruitment drive by using posters and a website mocking US President George W Bush.
Lakehead University in northern Ontario set up www.yaleshmale.com in a bid to attract potential new students.

It shows a picture of Yale graduate Mr Bush with the caption: "Graduating from an Ivy League university doesn't necessarily mean you're smart."

The president of Lakehead's student union called the campaign "repugnant".

...

Thoughts?

[Random Name]

My thoughts:



HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. Good on 'em.

[think_about_it]

A comment: Who HASN'T made fun of this guy? seriously.

[Lando]

That's what I was going to say... There's actually controversy over this?

It should be the opposite, If someone neglected to make fun of this jerk, now that should be controversial!

[Sonya]

i think it's brilliant, actually.

[ihatethunderbay]

yay hometown university!

...seriously though, LU sucks. like... jeez, you should be getting students to attend because your courses are good and not because you went all "HAY LOOK AT US WE MAKE FUN OF JORGE BUSH LOLOLOL"

...nonetheless, bush bashing ftw

[Rusty]

I have no problem with it. It's just a campaign to get people to come to their university, unfortunatley for Yale, Bush went to them and they can use that against them. It's not much different from U of T's "York Shmork" or "Friends don't let friend's go to York"

[superrgirll]

if you can use a fork, you can go to york.

[Rusty]

Yes, yes..that too. You know what is truly disgusting? The fact that I paid $6.19 for this sub and I'm almost sure the bread is near stale and it kinda sucks.

[Random Name]

I....what???

[Rusty]

I went to subway, got a ham and cheese 12" inch and it cost me $6.19, that's without tax even. It's not even that good. That is what is truly disgusting not this campaign ad for the university.

[Random Name]

Yeah subway is so much better here. ; )

[Rusty]

I want good subway

[Henrietta]

It is different than the York ad because it uses a specific person. I don't know about how international things work, but if that was in the US they would be sued for slander (or whatever the phrase is) so fast their heads would spin. I honestly would be annoyed if my school pulled a stunt like that attacking ANYONE who went to another school.

[xjsb125]

I don't see how you can say that someone would sue for slander over that billboard being posted in the US. If that were the case, what about those who parody the president on tv? Do we choose to sue them also for slander? It's also probably a sad commentary on our society and it's litigation happy inhabitants that we could find nothing better to take care of than a silly billboard ad.

[Henrietta]

I think you'd be surprised about how many things get legal attention that we don't hear about. Maybe if they post a disclaimer or something.... saying it is a parody. I still think it's dumb. Maybe I'd think it was funnier if it was John Kerry or something, I don't know.

[Rusty]

Doesn't Bush have an IQ that is like just barely below average or the lowest IQ of a president ever or something? If so, maybe they can claim that "smartness" is based on IQ and therefore not slander.

[Kathy]

As my best friend said... an insult isn't slander if it's true.

[Henrietta]

Ah, but it is. Because you can't prove someone is stupid. That's a matter of opinion. Truth is something like, Cassie lives in Utah. Cassie has blonde hair...etc.

How do you know his IQ?

[Rusty]

Because it's been told.