This week, our Editor-in-Chief, Jacob Christensen, was featured in videos posted by the Black Menaces. Once again, they brought their deceptive tactics to BYU by filming on campus without permission from the school, continuing to humiliate and exploit BYU students on their social media.
After a BYU faculty member initially confronted the Black Menaces and threatened to call the police, Jacob was encouraged by the faculty member to interrupt their videos to prevent the continuing harassment of BYU students.
Jacob, his pregnant wife, and his fellow classmates have been repeatedly exploited, ridiculed, and physically threatened by the Black Menaces and their followers.
BYU’s Filming and Photography policy states:
“The university does not allow people or businesses to film or photograph on campus and use that media for promotional, marketing, commercial, advocacy, or similar purposes. This prohibition includes individuals whose work on YouTube or other digital platforms is aimed at generating income through advertising, music sales, lead generation, or other means.”
The Black Menaces actively break this policy, along with the other filming policies, and advocate teachings contrary to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on their social media. It is uncommon to find a post from the Black Menaces that does not include clickbait videos with comments ridiculing and threatening BYU students. The Black Menaces have a history of this behavior that has been unaddressed for far too long. As such, we find it necessary to push back against their activism.
For the reader, we invite you to read the comments posted on the following slides and underneath other videos found on their account. These comments, often liked by the head of the Black Menaces, are only a few examples.
From The Cougar Chronicle
The Cougar Chronicle is an independent student-run newspaper and is not affiliated with Brigham Young University or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Pingback: A member of BYU's Black Menaces was threatened by an employee and followed by a student. Then it got even stranger. – Salt Lake Tribune - Indian Cyber Defender
So, rather than remaining a neutral party to the news, The Cougar Chronicle instead has its editor insert itself into the issue, not in a news gathering capacity, and possibly at the behest of an administrator.
The Chronicle holds itself out to be an “independently run student newspaper at BYU.” So the question is whether this is truly an independently run news outlet or part of the enforcement arm of the BYU administration with which it claims to be unaffiliated. It seems strange that a newspaper would focus on whether people are getting interviewed on campus by another publication that left rather than taking the time to interview students on campus using the same policy that would allow the rival advocacy group (Black Menaces) to interview students. In essence, the Chronicle seems to be advocating for less freedom to cover news.
While this would seem to feed into common tropes about neo-conservative groups trying to quash or limit press freedoms, it also seems counterintuitive and certainly taking the time to deride another outlet’s journalism hardly one that one could expect as seen “through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Of course, it’s quite possible that reporting the news is an act antithetical to the Gospel anyway.
Oh, hi Ann Editor, do you work for the Tribune? (Noticed someone shared a link.) If so, I’m sure you’re busy editing. But, I’m so mad cause they’ve disabled my account and removed all my comments so many times…I’ve been kind and open to all ideas (I suppose it was a bit much when I thoughtfully asked why they only allowed promoting violence, extermination, etc. against one particular minority group (not that I support any violence, but it seemed a bit biased, thought i might point it out)…this wasn’t Jews or anything, so don’t worry (that still might undermine credibility, for a bit, and can’t have that 🙂)…anyways, any way you could put in a word for me and free speech over there? I mean, even for us people of faith? 🙂, thanx bunches; and hugs 🤗
One reason I hope my Black family members (as well as white) will continue to avoid menaces, is that these particular ones seem to harm faithful Black Saints more than anyone else. I know there’s money in that, but there are other ways to make a living. 🙂