Blank Fires a Few Blanks

After reading Diane Hooper's letter in last week's Salient, I realised that perhaps I wasn't the only person sick of Gary Henderson's inane literature. I would add that I find the general tone and accomplishment of much student literature lacking in sense and somewhat shabby. But first to consider the efforts of Gary 'not-yet-sufficiently-maligned' Henderson.

For several weeks now I have been restraining my annoyance about the type of SRC 'report' Mr Henderson is turning in, or perhaps throwing up would be a more appropriate phrase.

In articles that purport to be summaries of SRC goings-on, we might reasonably expect a certain amount of personal comment to appear; but at present Mr Henderson's efforts consist of a scrappy outline of events punctuating an abundance of his own special 'don't-I-write-a-humorous-article' type of wit.

He has a fondness for attacking speakers who cither are not particularly eloquent (ie they don't use the usual SRC 'Stream of Bullshit' technique) or perhaps he just doesn't like the sound of their voice.

His comments in the last issue on what Tom Duggan said were typical of the main point of this paragraph seems to be to draw attention to Tom's manner of speaking, and the point of what was said is buried in Henderson's immitable (thank God!) wit. Please Mr Henderson, stick to shit house walls!

As to student publications in general, the first example, or should I say culprit, must be Salient. I refer more to the quality of individual articles than to the publication as a whole. I think the issue of March 22 would get the raspberry of all time. Here we were treated to two of the most moranic articles I have ever seen printed. Tony Ward's article The Fact. Bias and the Post' starts with a criticism of the 'Post's' bias, and ends with a noble confession that Tony himself might be a teeney-weeney bit biased. I think Tony is suggesting that one bias cancels out the other. In future I'll try and regard Tony's slanted articles in this light.

Page twelve had to suffer 'The Rocky Horror Show' - which told us all sorts of interesting things about Nelson Rockefeller's Grandad and Multi-Zillion dollar rip-offs: I couldn't help but get the impression that Rocky was more of the same Tripe in this week's issue. By the way, did you notice the colour of the cover? A similar type of criticism can be levelled against student politics. I am an average sort of a student and I think I speak for many when I say I'm sick of SRC meetings where the air is thick with cliched rhetoric and pseudo-intellectual clap-trap.

If the meeting hasn't dissolved into a shouting match, we are subjected to long-winded monologues from the old faithfuls. The Special General Meeting about Mrs Goodall was the prime example. I haven't card so much bullshit talked since Richard Nixon told us about his little pet dog.

Well, that's a lot of criticism. So I'd like to make a few constructive suggestions.

Salient would benefit greatly, I think, if more ordinary and average students were actively encouraged to contribute. It's good to see that happening with poetry, though I don't think Martin Doyle can be expected to say it all.

As I've said, I'd like to see Gary Henderson concentrate his efforts at his own convenience - but then, that's just my opinion.

SRG meetings would improve greatly if more attention were paid to the proper running of the show. At the moment speakers are allowed to ramble on until the cows come home - and they're often too bored to bother! If at the beginning of each meeting a raximum speaking time were set down, and if it were rigorously adherred to, many more students would have a chance to say something.

Most meetings I have been to, even if a speaking time has been set, it is almost totally ignored, and usually by those whose life story we've heard a hundred times before. If we want real student participation, any union member, should feel he or she can go to an SRC meeting with a good chance of getting a hearing, and confident that having made their point, they won't be gunned down by smart-dick Henderson in next week's Salient.

Well, thats all this capitalistic, imperialistic and otherwise average old student dog has to say - perhaps some of it has sunk in.