OU forum flags

NZSPA Reporter

Dunedln— Forum is failing. Too many of Otago's students are too complacent and well-off, or are simply here to get a degree and a meal ticket," claims Intellectual affairs Rep., Bruce Robertson.

"Where are all the people who avidly support Smith's Rhodesia policy who desperately want to ban the bomb, or who are violently prosegregationist?" Mr. Robertson asked.

"Before Forum started 27 people came to me wanting such an activity to be instigated, but only one or two of these people have got up to speak."

Students who avidly support or vilify certain causes are either putting on a pseudo-intellectual pose or are just plain apathetic," he said,

Forum is working extremely well at Victoria and Canter-bury Universities but not in Dunedin When asked why. Mr. Robertson said there was a large population of Otago people for or against such international topics as Vietnam, as there was anywhere else in New Zealand. He was at a loss to explain why people who genuinely held strong beliefs about such topics did not get up at Forum and speak about them.

"It is intellectually dishonest for a person to hold Strang convictions for or against some topics or idea, and not get up and say what he or she thinks about it."

Only a few speakers have come forward since Forum was started in September last year.

"There is little to be gained in continuing Forum if nobody is prepared to get up and contribute something instead of sitting down and 'throwing stones' at the speakers," said Mr. Robertson.