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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 33, Number 7. 27 May, 1970

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

From L'Inferno

Sir,

There is supposed to be an ancient curse: "May you live in interesting times." Since coming back to the States, I have been feeling that this curse is being fulfilled. I thought I would summarize a little of the interesting times for you here, as a contribution, perhaps, to lessening New Zealand's brain drain.

Let's start with April 30. After the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate had been holding hearings critically examining the Vietnam war, the deceptions of the former President in promoting large-scale US intervention, after Secretary of State Rogers had testified that the Senate would be properly consulted in future—after all that, Nixon threw negotiation out the window, invaded Cambodia, bombed Northern Vietnam, and has acted with an arrogance more criminal than even that of LBJ.

There are people in this country opposed to these events, some university students for example. Strikes have been called at most, or at least most well-known, colleges and universities. For reasons which I will get to later, I am not sure that this is the best tactic, though I support the strike at the University of Minnesota. These strikes range from the completely 'effective' at Kent State—where four students were murdered by National Guard and the campus is now completely closed—to partial strikes with perhaps half the students continuing to attend classes, but with teach-ins and community education programs under way, and with widespread and sympathetically received picketing.

I said that I am not sure the student strike is a good idea, because the fear, the hatred, and the consequent viciousness found amongst the United States' ordinary citizenry are widespread beyond belief. One recognizes that it is hard for a brainwashed citizenry to direct its fear and hatred at the proper target-the lies and malfeasance of our officials—but it is still surprising that 'middle Americans' so hate those who protest the war and its incessant escalation, and are content to follow the criminals and bunglers responsible for the war.

I have just now come from ringing doorbells in a middle class neighbourhood, and—here I should add that I was dressed very 'straight' and was not at all provocative—and heard good people spontaneously say that "those student bastards should be stood up against the wall and shot."

Full-fledged Nazusm is not in power here, yet. However, there can be little doubt that repression and domestic butchery will increase unless the war can be stopped. I for one am not going to shut up about how the US has destroyed and is destroying Vietnam (etc) all because we do not like the way its civil war is turning out. It's your world too, even you in God's own backwater where you have to cultivate your state police at second-hand. If you don't want to see your world destroyed in a never-ending war, or in the repression needed to keep the War never-ending, I suggest you get to work. Get your 500 soldiers who prostitute New Zealand's good name for an American pat on the back out of Vietnam. Let the US Embassy know your opinions. Write directly to American newspapers and magazines. Express yourselves to American tourists. Boycott. If you would have said No! to the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia, the German invasion of Poland, the Japanese invasion of Singapore—then say No! to the American invasion and destruction of Vietnam.

E.L. Heuer

Newspaper exchange scheme

Sir,

As President of the Auckland University Students' Association, it is with deep regret that I note in your last issue that the Victoria Executive has decided to withdraw from the student newspaper exchange scheme. This scheme was initiated by your President, Margaret Bryson, and has proved to be most successful. I feel that Executives have an obligation to ensure that students are as fully informed as possible about events that are occurring on other campuses. For this reason Auckland has consistently supported exchange schemes.

In spite of this decision of your Executive, I propose to urge the Auckland Executive to continue sending Craccum-which is a weekly, of course-to Victoria. I would be most disappointed if Auckland was to act in the bad faith which has been demonstrated by Victoria.

Michael G. Law

John and Yoko

Sir,

Could you please tell me how the suggestive picture and wording on the back of your, April 7 edition is meant to encourage your students to build their lives on high and clean ideals? I thought students had a real concern for the high incidence of VD and illegitimacy but to turn young people's thoughts to sex and suggestive writing is surely gutter filth. Why not major on the sacredness and beauty of sex?

B.J. Finch

Desegregation & the boycott

Sir,

Doubtless our Students' Association works hard for the welfare of the students at large, the Executive no doubt has a somewhat thankless job. To my mind it is made no easier by the propensity of its members to dabble in irrelevant and trivial affairs. I had thought that when the issues of reduction of fees for part-time students and the contribution of the year's work to finals marks was brought up for consideration that at last we had an Executive concerned with student matters. My hopes have been dashed firstly by the ill-advised decision to integrate the toilets (surely there are more pressing needs on the agenda) and secondly the decision to boycott lecturers on the last day of the first term.

I say the toilet issue was ill-advised as it appears to rest on a number of untenable assumptions. Firstly that this decision was acceptable to all and that the minority would coalesce. The Executive apparently overlooked the fact that the sharing of toilets with strangers of the opposite sex is personally offensive to some. The argument that that merely follows what is done at home is really irrelevant. Ones conduct at home is not the same as that at University nor is it governed by the same set of norms, mores or whatever. Nor does the decision take cognisance of the few who may abuse the privilege of using the toilet of their choice. There is a minority who deviate from the Executive's high principles of moral conduct.

The other issue of the boycott of lectures appeared to hurt only one group of the population-the students who did not attend lectures. The issue involved had my sympathy but it was hardly a matter to disrupt the internal running of this University. If students wish to protest against the unfortunate occurrences overseas then let them by all means but I would suggest that the role of the Students' Association in any university is to look to the welfare and rights of its members. When the Association restricts itself to these aims then I feel it will be doing the job it was formed to do and will achieve its aims more readily. The political clubs and weekly forum provide a platform for the dissidents. Let's keep the Students' Association oriented to affairs directly affecting the students at this university. When they do this in a responsible manner then they will have my support. Until then I claim the right to have my name dissociated from the afore-mentioned decisions of the Association.

M.L. Cooper

(Editor's note: The decision to desegregate the toilets was made by the SRC—not the Executive.)

Sir,

Pursuant to the desegregation of toilets in the Student Union Building, could I presume that, if a woman were to stray among the club which meets around the urinal, she would, to forestall potential embarrassment, be granted honorary membership?

M.J. Robb

Capping

Sir,

I have only seen three VUW proceshes. In 1966 I took the day off school just to watch it and I must admit I was impressed and amused by the fashions, floats and flour bombs. Last year's contents were not very much different but at least there was the excitement of participating for the first time. This year's efforts, after it was all over, after the after-effects, just did not seem worthwhile. 1970 Procesh was the same motley collection of men's and women's underwear, nightwear and City Mission fashions. With the exception of Embryo, there was nothing really new in the way of Capping festivities. Piano-smashing is as old as modern art; pie eating and beer drinking competitions are older than pianos; and hijackings older than Fidel Castro. I am not saying that because something is old you cannot enjoy it. But surely its age can suggest that it is time to review the whole Capping scene?

Do we need an excuse to enjoy ourselves? No, but we certainly need one for a week of excessive and disruptive behaviour. Why the graduates have taken the blame for so long I do not know. They support the actual Capping (that is, degree conferring) ceremony, the balls and the dinners but very few show much enthusiasm for the more vulgar festivities. Of these, Cappicade alone offered a place of honour. But as one graduate told me, "you can hardly send it to your maiden aunt to let her know you've made it".

Capping festivities relieve a lot of student tensions but they do not do any good at all for the improving of relations between the public and the universities. Spreading the "Capping festivities" over the whole year to prevent the build up of tensions requiring a week of excesses to relieve, seems far more practical. It might just have the added advantage of being more acceptable to public. I am thinking in terms of a stunt a month though I would much prefer to see spontaneous reactions to particular events. Possibly these sponta neous stunts could be used rather than the already overworked demonstrations to satirize political matters.

I have tried to complement my criticisms with suggestions. There are more I would like to make. Sunday after Sunday the Student Union Building is deserted. How about a monthly happening for students and public alike? Perhaps some way of defraying expenses or even making a profit can be worked out.

And how about a single, national Capping magazine, without the graduates' list-twice as much in it, twice as good, half the price sort of thing.

Anyway, let's have a special Forum to hear opinions on Capping as it is and ideas from those who would like to see it improved.

Paul Burns

More marijuana

Sir,

Thank you for sending me the copy of Salient in which my letter is printed.

I have perused the whys and wherefores of the AGM and SRC with regard to marijuana, and wonder how students who think it right to legalise it reconcile their assertions that it is not in the same class as hard drugs with the desire to see its "controlled use". Also I do not believe that any law will deter any blackmail, because it is always up to the individual victim concerned to prove himself non-cowardly in the final analysis. But I also take this opportunity of expressing my admiration for the individual stand of the NZU representative Bob Burgess in refusing to join the 1970 All Black tour to South Africa. That is character.

V.M. Downey (Mrs)

Free to students, stolen by staff

Sir,

I see from the 6 May issue of Salient that you intend to continue your "Free to Students, Stolen by Staff" headings on the paper, but don't particularly want staff to pay. In fact, there is no easy way for a staff member to pay for an occasional copy. So Salient is to continue to label the whole university staff 'thieves'—and all staff, whether they 'steal' copies of Salient or not, are at least "suspected thieves" to Salient readers as long as it carries that heading. I can see that the great thing from your point of view is the fact that staff are quite powerless to protect themselves from this (to put it mildly) insult. It would be difficult for staff to prove that not one of their number had taken a copy when the paper is so freely available.

From your leader in Salient of 6 May it would seem that Salient philosophy is "We'd like staff to read Salient, but they must steal their copies, and we intend to keep reminding staff that they are thieves in order to encourage them to do more for students". It does seem a bit nasty and illogical, and I think the majority of students, especially those who have benefitted from the concern for their progress and individual acts of kindliness and generosity by members of staff, would be glad to have your continuing insult to staff dropped from Salient.

Joan Muir

(Editor's note: Damn! Since I was proposing to drop "Free to students, stolen by staff" this issue—having made the point fairly thoroughly, I thought, that students expect members of the staff to contribute a little more to this community than the daily lesson—it'll now look like an admission of defeat. The dear lady above—in referring to "the concern for their (students') progress and individual acts of kindliness and generosity by members of staff"—puts her finger on precisely the kind of contribution which the editorial in the last issue was intended to suggest).

Theft

Sir,

May I register my disgust at the thieving bastard who stole a rug from inside the top of a rucksack in the library foyer. The theft occurred in the first week of vacation and the rug, should it prick the conscience of anyone who has seen it since, has large red, orange and yellow checks.

Ian Swinton

3 Cowie Street Parnell Auckland I

Vile ravings

Sir,

Following the Vile Ravings flung around in such sadistic fashion by Truth, may I suggest to the Student Body (that is, everyone) that we could resort to violence, but I'll leave that to more able characters to organise.

I suggest that if each of the 5000 of us send a little parcel full of stinking rubbish (literally) to both Truth and old mother Dominion, they will be suitably pissed off—and even more so if we forget to put sufficient (or any) postage on the parcel, (of course one doesn't put a return address!)

E.P. Winton