I used to lament the fact that I was a Sydney Uni student who wasn't on Camperdown campus. I missed out on Theatersports at Manning on Thursdays and the food from Ralph’s café. I used to think that Cumberland was a small campus where nothing very much would happen outside the lecture theatre. But I am beginning to realise that this can also be a good thing!
Last week I walked on to Camperdown campus and was confronted by student politics.
On every public notice board there were huge yellow posters for Israel out of Lebanon and Gaza. There were newspapers being distributed indicating that Israel is the actual terrorist state and there was a protest (after the cease fire was in place) about Israel’s killing of innocent civilians.
Everyone is entitled to their own view, and I am not denying anyone their right to protest against wrong doings against civilians.
But I ask these people who were protesting Israel’s actions, where was the protest about Hezbollah rockets killing civilians in North Israel? Where was the protest about Hezbollah firing rockets from the basement of civilian apartments and hiding amongst civilians? Why is it ok for Hezbollah to go into Israel and kidnap soldiers off Israeli territory?
The Middle East conflict is one which I have studied a little bit and the phrase ‘the more you know, the more you know you don’t know’ can not be more apt. I am no expert, but I do know the politics are just so complex. How can the protestors think that it is so easy to condemn one side and completely neglect context? This works both ways as well – do not think that I blindly support Israel in every action that it takes.
There was no other side being represented that I could see. (Having said that, I’m not often on Camperdown campus and I may just have missed it). If there was, it was drowned out by the anti-Israel rhetoric. Yet there is nothing more important than being exposed to both sides of the story, especially at university.
Student politics is an important aspect of campus life, but I feel that some people jump onto a political band wagon without really understanding the issue at hand. Being involved is better than being apathetic – just as long as the actions taken are peaceful and that they do not isolate certain population groups on campus.
In retrospect, Cumberland is a great little campus. We study how to help human beings (being a health science campus) and then we sit on the lawn together and eat lunch. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise!
Comments
I think the student protests were balanced out by the coverage from, say, The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and other outposts of News Corp etc etc ...
Pro-Israel groups, too, have their say on campus and AUJS has a very vocal presence.
Posted by: Sikeli | August 28, 2006 11:45 AM
Dear Sikeli,
You made the comment: 'Pro-Israel groups, too, have their say on campus and AUJS has a very vocal presence.' I have not seen one poster from any of these said groups on campus yet I have been confronted daily by a barrage of Anti Israel propoganda that does not take into consideration any of the attacks by Hezbollah on the ordinary citizens of Israel, whether they be Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze or Bedouin. Also, the newspapers that you mention, News Corp take a decidedly anti-Israel approach (not necessarily the Australian). So sure, maybe AUJS has a really vocal opinion but the problem is that a lot of people on campus are going to look at the propaganda that is not researched and doesn't take into account the fact that there are two sides to the situation and that Hezbollah attacked Israel with over 3000 missiles with ball bearings in them so that they would kill or maim as many innocent people as possible.
Posted by: Rebecca Gaida | August 30, 2006 06:11 PM
I was merely making sure that prospective students know that the University of Sydney is not a hotbed of anti-Israeli (and, to the extent that it follows thence, anti-Semitic) anger. Alternative views are on offer on the campus, should one whish to engage with them.
On a related point, the ‘pro-Hezbollah’ campaign (to the extent that a series of posters and public addresses can be called a campaign) was run by student-based groups on the campus. Regardless of whether or not one applauds of condemns them, the fact that these groups might have been louder than others testifies to the dedication of those groups’ members.
After all, the absence of posters and addresses supporting a competing agenda cannot be blamed on the members of those ‘pro-Hezbollah’ groups, but must fall (if fall it must) on the decisions that clearly must have been made by other groups not to engage in the public debate on the campus.
Posted by: Sikeli | September 10, 2006 10:52 PM
the worrying trend judging from first impression was the prevalence of leftist politics, bias and ignorance of the main campus. Socialist posters in every corner of the quad as well as students rather rudely asserting their agenda during enrollment day! of all days! is just ridiculous!
Posted by: sam | February 5, 2007 11:51 PM