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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 35 No. 3. 15th March 1972

Editorial

Editorial

No, there aren't any long and detailed news stories about the 'fuck and bullshit' demonstrations. Nor are there any liberal mouthings about free speech and police tyranny. It takes little courage to join a crowd that seeks something as uncomplicated as the legalisation of two old Anglo-Saxon words.

The daily press, with its bold headlines and less than smart euphemisms has shown a real sense of disproportion in handling the affair. In the noise about those words the message of Germaine Greer took second place.

And barely 150 people bothered to attend a meeting on the responsible society in New Zealand, the day after Germaine Greer spoke.

In the light of Jack Marshall's recent statement on sporting contacts with South Africa we can be sure that NZ under his leadership will make a determined attempt to attain mediocrity in all things.

Our attachment to the United Nations will be halfhearted as will our alliance with South Africa. The apartheid despisers among us will see to that. Mr Marshall's claim to 'building bridges' is redolent of political euphemism for compromise. Compromising on an individual relationship level is the surest way to an unexciting life. And Mr Marshall's aim, at international level, is to ensure public feeling in NZ is opiated to the extent that we will remain in that state of uneasy apathy which is part of most New Zealanders. New Zealand's independence is severely limited by its compromising follow-the-leader foreign policy. New Zealanders themselves have forgotten their pioneering ancestors.

As an analogy we now consider travel another way to one-up-manship. But metaphorical travel can be part of mind adventure. In order to gather prestige while travelling overseas one must try to go to the most exotic, out-of-the-way places, so in mind travel the most is gained by those who venture furthest out. The most distinct are those with the most to offer.

New Zealand's only claim in responsible politics is the abject claim describing mediocrity - that is always at its best.