Consider Yourself Bludgeoned

It is not difficult to find reasons for student apathy for after reading your publication for some months I am bored stiff with [unclear: the] topics you put forward. Your policy of protest for protest's sake has left me with en acute attack of mental indigestion and not even the use of four letter words can avoid the accusation that your paper is deadly dull. Your self-righteous attitude emotionally presented in biased articles has done as much to create the student apathy you try and challenge. Perhaps you should try and follow the truth expressed in the adage "the pen is mightier than the sword" and stop trying to bludgeon your readers into submission.

Your issue of July 12 illustrates my argument. Page after page of woe and misery leads me to the impression that you actually enjoy it. In the nineteen pages of written matter there were only three flashes of humour, two in letters to the Editor, and the bitter humour of the cartoonist Ron Cobb, and these three are the most memorable aspects of the whole issue. Certainly Citizen Pollard's attack on the American policy in Vietnam was thought provoking because his facts and opinion were clearly defined, but what research went into Peter Franks' article on our foreign policy? With a heading more suitable to a 1957 Playboy joke, he weighs into the papers presented with a bias highlighted by the tenor of the sub-headings e.g. Good Old War! Paranoic Fools, Wool Over Our Eyes etc., How he can expect any reader to believe in the accuracy of his report is beyond me, and it is obvious that he is writing not to convince but to add to a present policy of denigrating everything military without knowing exactly why. Cliche ridden articles such as this are not a substitute for accurate reporting.

Finally, why not try and follow the example of Ron Cobb and try and write constructively enough to "leave a trail of very perplexed people with the potential to be humbled by reality". Why not try a little bit of subtlety for a change, yea even satire, for you are killing any enthusiasm for student politics by your dismal outlook.

R.J.Martin

Subvert International Capital - Cut Your Own

Thank you for letting us know I.T.T. is behind the food we buy in the caf. I suggest that all those who dislike capitalism in this form stop patronizing it. Cut lunches are cheaper and tastier than caf sandwiches and it takes less time to make them than it does to stand in the queue for caf food.

Beth Doull

Pick the Prick

Doubtless Mr Franks will label me a patronizing comfortable Liberal, but may I suggest that he has yet to crawl out of the cocoon of pubescent righteousness that most of us turned in with our P.Y.M. badges.

My basic complaint is against his tendency to write as if the world fell neatly into black and white compartments. While this might make him feel better, one must keep an element of reason in discussing any topic. Emotionally I agree with much of what he says, but he misuses the medium of the printed word. This does Not mean he is called upon to be a hypocrite; it merely requires that he stir in a modicum of Augustan reason now and again, and occasionally admit the possibility of his own fallibility. Okay so McKinley is a prick as his recent fascist manoeuvres have amply shown, but to convince others (which presumably is Mr Franks' intention in writing articles) he must attack McKinley's ideas and not his person. When you confront your reader with labels you close his mind to the thought behind it.

May I recommend that Mr Franks take up the politics of laughter and leave his bitterness behind. There is no saner man in the country than Shadbolt, simply because he knows how to laugh at human stupidity.

Many campus radicals have great capacity for back biting, but lose sight of their original goal and consequently they achieve nothing.

What I ask of Mr Franks is a leavening of humanity, and I don't mean ali that Christian love-thy-neighbour crap either! His stereotypes are too bleak, and his wit is too easy.

Tony King.

Tear US Apart

Could you please explain to me why you have decided to discontinue the sports section in Salient. I was about to write a strong criticism about such action when I realised that I was not certain exactly why such action was taken. I have read a few letters in Salient on the topic but I have not read your reasons and so I feel I should enable you to justify yourself and your actions before I attempt to tear them apart!

G.M.K.

So we Avoid Detention, but we Have to Go on Writing Lines.

After receiving several copies of Salient I must congratulate you on providing me with the only regular contact with that part of our Society that is not existing in a mist of apathy, indifference, rationalisation, delusions, hypocrisies and self-gratification.

It is elating and stimulating to know of one paper that is at least trying to provoke our mindless fat-arsed society into thinking for themselves instead of being manipulated.

It is refreshing to compare your paper with the immature self-conciously liberal and "enlightened" productions of other campuses.

I just hope that your paper is reaching those that really need it, "Civilisation is in a race between education and catastrophe."

M.J.Sutton

(Staff, Waikeria Prison Officer)

Tit for Tet.

True to Malaysian spirit I will endorse TET or anyone who wants to run the organisations MSA or MSSA or an alternative that is democratic, and will efficiently cater for the needs of students and foster good relations with our Kiwi hosts.

TET - Won't you come forward? Be at any Malaysian gathering or meeting - we will ensure a concerned soul like you will be noted. Justice is done to democracy. Surely, this is a good chance for you to show your genuine concern and accompany it with deeds. We will give you the essential support — and do whatever we can to help. No fear mate—you can count on us—if you care to be around when you see us in a mob. Of course you know good Malaysians do not simply talk- but do something. (I do my bit by voting for you- if you do not require anymore help from me).

Come forward fellow citizens. Isn't is Malaysian to facilitate changes and improvement Give TET (whoever he is) a chance. Best of luck from,

Talib b Zulpilip.

Not Paul After All

Permit me to use your columns to dissociate myself from an article appearing in last weeks Salient (Wed 19 July).

As far as I know I am the only Paul Burns on Campus if not in Wellington. I am not the Paul Burns who is supposed to have writ "Deviating For a Moment".

Anyone who knows my style of writing (Pseudo-Gothic) will know it bears no resemblance to this article. If you Don't know my style of writing, ask Peter Fletcher of Waikato University, he wrote a very critical interesting study of it.

Love and Peace.

Paul Burns.

[Sorry Paul, — Ed.]

Mac the Hype

I strongly support Peter Franks and Gil Peterson's accusation of Mike McKinley (Salient. Vo. 35 No. 17) being a hypocrite.

I am glad I did not vote for him as man-vice-president.

N. Liew.

Illegitimate

This Vietnam Medical Aid question should not be legitimized in a word called 'democracy'.

I feel that it is an issue of individual conscience rather than one of collective morality, super-imposed by a rather doubtful student organisation. Regardless of whether the decision is based on majoritarian principles or otherwise.

R.J.Green.

Right to Speak

In the "Evening Post" of 18 July, 1972, it was reported that I did not speak at the S.G.M. called to discuss the donation of $2,000 to the Vietnam Aid Fund. Although this is substantially correct I would like to see the implication that I did not attempt to speak clarified. As the seconder of the motion I reserved my right to speak till a later stage of the meeting. This was accepted by the Chairman of the meeting, Mr Cullen. Several times during the discussion I sought recognition from the Chair but this was not forthcoming. When the call to put the motion was made I called upon the Chairman to recognize my right to speak as the seconder of the motion. Mr Cullen ruled against this declaring that only the mover (Mr Stubbs) could speak at that stage. As I understand it Mr Cullen's ruling was wrong and as I had reserved the right to speak at a later stage this right should have been fulfilled.

Both Mr Stubbs and myself accept that the decision at the meeting was a majority one representative of student opinion. Although we regret the decision we wish to affirm that we will abide by it and strongly deny the rumours circulating around the University that we intend taking legal action. We do not feel that this course of action is an appropriate one in these circumstances. As far as we are concerned the matter has been finally decided.

J. F. Timmins.

Public Jerked Off

A comedy, a verbal orgasm or an S.G.M.! which? It took some working out for a member of an ignorant public but I finally got the idea.

It was amazing that so many could be led by so few. It is also amazing that the so-called intellectual elite of young N.Z. could display such complete lack of all rational thought and control.

If anyone can tell me that any rational decision could have been made or majority opinion expressed I should laugh in their face. The only acheivement was mayhem! and utter pandemonium.

I would suggest that students take a cold bath and a good long look at themselves before voicing any opinion on any other matter at all.

I would suggest that some form of control be exercised over persistent interjectors of such important meetings as an S.G.M. When a dog gets that excited he usually gets shot.

You can't hope for a public hearing or any support at all in your aims, when you can't even agree among yourselves, and after all, in public opinion lies the only weight you carry. As you en masse could be our mind, so we are your only voice.

A disgusted public member.