Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 35 no. 4. 22 March 1972

Letters to the editor

page 2

Letters to the editor

Sir,

After the N.Z. Government's highly predictable statement to the effect that everything within its power would be done to make the Springbok tour a success, the scene is now set for the greatest upsurge of antagonism ever to have been directed within this country's confines. Because I know that love and acceptance cannot be pressurised, into existence; that love begets love end can only be bred by love, I find myself in sympathy with Mr Marshall's decision not to obstruct those people who went to play garnet with mutually feeling people over here. So far as the appropriateness of action affecting others is concerned, there must be only one issue and this concerns whether or not the repercussions of that action will help dissipate, the ignorance which is the natural destruction to universal love, brotherhood and understanding. I would presume that a society which feels the need for apartheid is rather more darkened by the shades of ignorance than most. Oppression end ignorance have a rather vicious reinforcing effect on each other and it is good therefore that the African apartheid systems have been so well exposed and that they should continue to be well exposed. To still be in favour of apartheid one would indeed need to be blind. But blindness affects most of us to some extent or other. We live to eliminate it.

The anti-apartheid demonstrators, apart from my statement of sympathy for Mr Marshall, would I think, implicitly or explicitly profess to agree with me thus far, for it is the force of love which dispels ignorance and surely love of the South African blacks and coloureds can be the only valid motive for acting in the hope of effecting their liberation. I use the word "motive" not because I really believe that love can be a motive but is in fact rather a basis for action, but because I believe that the ant-apartheid factions use the word in this way. When "love" denotes [unclear: a] motive, then "hate" can coexistently "denote" [unclear: a] motive. Yet when love simply is, ie. when "love" denotes a basis, then hate cannot coexist. The loving of one group and the hating of another simultaneously is only possible when the word "love" is used as a purely emotional term. Emotionalism can be equated with ignorance and is certainly not conducive to satisfactory social revolution, ie that whereby the result is increased opportunity for enlightment (notwithstanding the prevalent feeling that it is appropriate enough in the personal sphere). Yes we all try to be "clear headed" in the big "social issues." So to love some is to love all. For this is what brotherly love must mean. Inconsistent with such feeling is the act of telling 30-odd ball-game players that they are a pack of shits for not being able to help themselves and that their shiftiness is such that they had better get out of this country until they manifest certain "changes" or else "we'll stop your ball games." To come right to the point this is a strong, urgent hopeful plea to all those New Zealanders who really want to act in the general interest of the people of South Africa for you to greet the Boks with open hearts and open minds. Realise that love within you and act upon it. Forget your tragi-comic hate fantasy, your highly neurotic attachment to factions and dissension and fly high with Mr Marshall (which will no doubt give him a lift as well). Let the light stream into the crannies of your minds becoming one with social consciousness shining and flowing, constantly penetrating, consuming - The Boks are no more! - meeting and merging - we are no moral - dissolution around the world - radiating - a throbbing glowing cosmic dance at last and laugh.

Let compassion rule your hearts and sorrow anticipate the inevitable bummer which will be experienced unless all individuals concerned through a bit more self-searching realise she possibilities of awakening this latent omnipresent, omnipotent love trip singing good good good vibrations and disolving into transparency...

Peter Simpson.

Sir,

Far be it from me to rush into print echoing those hysterical denunciations, salutations and echortations generally, in fact universally, known as 'Letters to the Editor'. I would not, even if I could tax my pen to such a pitch of obsenity, and blasphemy as may tend to confuse end discompose those pure end young minds shortly to be blighted by the perusal of your publication - if they persist. No Hotspur I, my muse tends to gentler tones. Be this as it may, it is not my present intention - nor will it be, I hasten to assure you- to cast unwarranted aspersions on the columns in which, I am sanguine, my modest epistle may well appear, nor is it my wish to add to certain controversies concerning the scope of what one would call 'the press'. My purpose is to avoid such pitfalls end be brief and to the point as possible.

It has been my privileged pleasure for some time now to walk within these hells of scholarship. I have found, on the whole, its students to be as pleasant, interesting, well-informed and well-groomed a group of young people as one might wish to meet. - one does not of course entertain unreasonably high expectations of young people these days. One sector unfortunately has come to my notice, however, as deserving of some disapprobation. I am referring to that group of people who, through their insipidity, arrogance, abhorrent vulgarity and general onanism, tend to debase the Christian religion which they profess to espouse. Allow me, sir, to register my strong protest to these people - they know only too well who they are.

Confused and bewildered.

Dear Sir,

The cliche-ridden declaration of "The Instigators" will no doubt have "certain individuals" shaking in their apparently not so leftist boots. We have been informed with great sincerity that ell bourgeoisie traits within the fashionable Left will be exposed but that the matter will not end there One wonders whether 'The Instigators' should ascend straight to heaven rather than taint their souls with the day to day contact with people who actually have the typically capitalistic aim of attaining a degree.

What these anonymous gentlemen (or ladies) don't seem to realise is that we've heard their line a thousand times before and it is frankly becoming boring. As they pointed out themselves the Left is not above the petty squabbles that are rife among the establishment, but neither is it above "a prissy parade of tired phrases" to quote Peter Giles from last weeks Salient (not to mention pomposity.) They too, it appears, want to "build bridges", because as any fascist pig knows that is the only way they will be able to solve the differences of the Left. All I can say is Right on (and on).

J.D. McClymont

Dear Sir,

I would like to propose a capping day stunt with a purpose.

It consists of completely disrupting one of the city's biggest department stores.

There is this cafeteria I know where a very justified and legal action would win its business for a day and perhaps give it enough of a stink to affect it for some time. The managements attitude to it's average consumer is clearly indicated by the showy and revolting food for this reason, I would like to see the place pecked with students filling all available seats and all buying the cheapest bit of food possible. They could then all spend two hours eating it while the long queue of idiots piles up to get into the place.

The purpose of the exercise might be best seen by a student ass. organised appeal for some worthy charity, round ell department stores shops etc...

yours I.

Dear Sir,

I am pissed off with the so called revolutionaries in Vic. In Forum last week Vic's revolutionaries were suggesting things to combat racialistic tours of NZ, and also suggesting the idea of a sit in in the Staff club room, mouthing again. The shit stirrers were most surprised when the apathetic audience decided to do it now, what happened to our revolutionaries. One pointed to possible illegality, a feature which should never bother an ardent revolutionary, the other decided he was not ready, and finally decided it would be held next week. Talk about the fucking apathetic students, what else does Vic. expect with the useless revolutionaries it has who having the support of Forum cannot even lead the bloody mob up the hill to fight for library space but that's not an international issue so why should they bother.

Member of 1970 apathetic students club.