It is very irresponsible journalism to use the corporate flag image for the Coming Out of the Shadows event coverage.

Of all the photos that could have been used to legitimately represent this event — the student-made banner, the crowd, a speaker — the Star decided to focus on one participant and a controversial corporate U.S. flag. It is important to note that, in the past, this image of a corporate U.S. flag has received backlash and numerous claims of un-Americanness — as if this event, designed to empower undocumented students, could benefit from such an association.

This event was the first of its kind at NIU and it was a collective effort of students to educate the public on issues facing undocumented students. Leading up to Coming Out of the Shadows, significant numbers of anti-immigrant sentiment was hurled at this event and now the Star’s coverage and lack of substance has provided a disservice to each individual represented.

The only way I can make sense of this move to incorporate such an image for a portrayal is a cheap quest for readership.

This is neither a fair nor balanced portrayal. Thus the Star needs to be held accountable for distributing more fuel into the fire of an already widespread anti-immigrant sentiment on this campus.

Once again, as a participant at this event I do not approve of the Star’s choice of image to represent Coming out of the Shadows, especially since this newspaper already lacks substantive coverage of undocumented Huskies.