Right Hand Column up the Pole

Before too many innocent readers of last week's 'Salient' take the suggestion in the "Right Hand Column" that cohorts of Sydney police were waiting at the airport to turn back any "Vic Stirrers" who tried to wreck this year's PBEC conference seriously, they might be glad to know that the very weekend of that conference these same much-feared Vic stirrers were notably absent from a party in their own student union: the official celebration of the 25th aniversary of the Zionist settler-state, Israel. A university which boasts a radical student press and an executive with a radical posture — regardless of its actual composition— can hardly be proud to have sat silently by while the dignitaries from two governments, led as they are by parties of the second International, gloated over the settler-state's "rugged history" in international politics.

Last year's PBEC conference actions, (as notable for those which were not taken as far as those which were) should have been enough to warn the union management committee against renting its facilities to an intergovernmental orgy such as this, especially since that committeee has a (paper) majority of students. The fact that they chose to permit the function to be held indicates that they hold the "radical" posture of the executive in quite justifiable contempt. Their "gamble" was a notable success. Surely students are able to assert their right to determine what functions shall or shall not be permitted in their own building after all these years. And if the PBEC action wasn't precedent enough, at least this should put a hasty end to the belief of some union management functionaries that the buildings is theirs, if the Vic stirrers will only assert themselves.

Which brings me to another item in the same "Right Hand Column", which implied that the decision of the local PSA not to support opposition to the tour was a slap in the face for student pensioner Mike Law and his Hart cronies. The implication is too senseless and esoteric in itself to warrant serious comment, especially since I am loath to find myself defending Law. But in fairness to your readers, and there must be some other Scorpios among them with an eye for truth, let me set the record straight as far as the PSA is concerned. The local PSA has long held a reputation as the most reactionary section in NZ, which it has gone out of its way to defend. When the Wellington section decides to disassociate itself from the strong opposition to the Springbok tour by the National Executive, on the seemingly democratic grounds that individual sections were no consulted on the decision, they are declaring themselves in favour of the tour. When they suggest a postal ballot of all PSA members before any move to affiliate with the FOL, you can detect the same hollow-sounding ring of democracy, barely concealing an almost pathological fear of any strengthening of the labour movement in either its political or industrial wings.

And finally let me congratulate you on perpetuating the tradition of inserting large blank spaces in your articles. Wanganui Chronicle's Garry Mead at least has the sense to recognise whose side he is on, and equally important, whose side you are on, and act in accordance with his class interests, if I can use that word these days. If your Right Hand Columoist was endowed with equal cognitive powers there would be no need for me to write this letter.

Roger Cruickshank