Tony Kevin: Knowledge of the Unfolding Tragedy
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Semper acknowieedges that the University of Queenslanti stands on indigenous land. We hope all who walk across it show it the sanae respect as the traditional owners. Qwi kP@m ffllTOBS: Vm HmW, M^m Bm^im w Tr« telly Oaodte ¥kmv Pim^ piiAisfed fey p^f UQ yo3@p LfPi 4 {MM M&^ Blmm Halteri) MA Mm^B St Lysin Q.LO 40i hbmSmn Mnu »te!ts Fii 33?? 2237 ¥m 33?? 2220 Tim Ctendter W^mmm }^M[m '^'^ D'BMMB: r15 Septambr ttUt-toTs: ey mm^m Im mt tiMnq py mt f@r mmh m @yr bAday, Erie Itoessainniibaoi 7my Kmh SmSi's ibfsegils arid Mlnre f@ir A© rdreslbmerts. mm Okj>%F s*'fe cmm t Dofj; fHkyy (N/f Anri'pw). He'io Semoer Fonbase. I have been reading Semper Floreat - on S off - for over twenty I've been instructed by o Semper editor to write a congratulatory years. It has changed a great deal from the Eighties version of letter to Semper's editorial section re Sempers last edition, which the magazine, where I 'irst mode an acquaintance with Semper I'll do so willingly: Some of these changes have been all for good, I see the It's because I said to the editor in question any number of the overall magazine has a much improved physical quality: better following: fonts, more colours, shny cover etc. I can only express un (a) kudos for getting a little bit ballsier; animal lib was a good qualified approval for the animal rights stance, done in a fresh direction manner while still getting the point across, though maybe it was (b) the Tony Abbott bit made me very jolly too heavy-handed: - you can drive people in the wrong direction (c) even/ self-respecting student publication needs to be when you repeatedly beat them over the head with a topic. Still, 'broken in', I'm sure we'll agree by having a controversy and recall I never have a problem with wearing my heart on my sleeve, so debacle about something (like a bawdy image) that would, for the why shouldn't you^ self-respecting everyday viewer, be otherwise completely farcical. And now I'm going to innocently buy into the argument, because Some things have remained the same over the years. The thankfully I have long since ejected myself from the arbitrary general level of writing is still high, li's still cutting edge -1 power flaunting that goes on in the UQ student union (it's my particularly enpyed 'more than a bear in there' by Tim Hasted own kind of elitism and snobbery: reactionary yes). I empathise There are still the intervews with fascinating people, with the Semper editors, however, because over in the English Media Studies and Art Histroy (EMSAH) department I also have BuL.and it's a huge but.. to deal with semioticians who seek to present arguments that can't be argued against because they take place in the world Where are the actual articles to help students^ The closest you of semiotics, a world wNch has bearing only it seems, on other come in the July 23rd issue was the "On the Buses" by Sam semioticians, Perfected academe, it shuts out the larger amount Hussey-Smith selling Translink as a good alternative to cars. of people who are not familiar with its methods of communica And where is the large component of fiction^ I don't count the tion (under the guise that complex thoughts require complex political satire in the same vein as a well-written short story. descriptions - honestly the amount of academic faff is painfully Have all the Arts student given up on literature? disproportionate to the amount of ideas therein, if not the quality of those ideas, which con more often than not still be explained It IS still a great magazine. in language effectively understood by more than a hand-ul of people - this is the product of neuroses and a very sad mixture Lynne Green of inferiority and superiority complexes) ...so it can take place in its own time-space contiunuum, and pretend it has sometNng to do with our lives yet which we cannot argue against because Tc Whc'n ll May Concei'~i its language is its own, its rationality is its own. its methods of oppression ore its own. STAND UP AND FIGHT AGAINST THIS I am a young student studying Literature and Religious Studies ROUNDABOUT FORM OF OPPRESSION I've always wanted to at University through coTespondence. At the moment it is hard say that in all honesty and now I do say it. And soy did anyone to find relevant and sometimes contemporary information con read that Emma Tom article a while back in The Oz about aca cerning the above named topes as I live on an isolated property demic discourse and how contrary it is to its own aspirations? It I would be extremely grateful if I could subscnbe to your publica should have been posted all over uni! Why was it not? Probably tion, OS it mioy help with finding information. we forgot. Because we see the potential, and we so very much want the ivory tower to be good, and we're so compassionate we Yours Gratefully don't want to stomp on its toes. Mr Dean Fennell free love to all (ifs the traditional thing you know), Bathurst NSW Wyatt N.B. I confess to a lopsided account of Alfs story, but I think I've heard enough not to want to know too much more. Just as in ancient timss the Olympics have seen hostili ties brought to a halt within the union building. The jjeace has allowed some wonderfully positive creative energy to be gen erated vv'ithin tho Semper office. This issue, I ihink vve al! agree, is close to the best Semper all year. With ivvo editions left in 2004, Semper is lookirig to go in an entirely different artistic direction vvitl. 'Tlie Soft Edition', I'm excited and I ho|.;e all t:uj art ists, poets and creative writers v\/il! leave their cork-lined bedrooms to share their thounhis or' life, love, trutli and beauty witii us a!!. -Andrew Boasssssi^sinsAi We're a cynical huncli aren'! we? ^"i;oro was almost noth ing tiial wasi^'t opoii to attack 'm tiiis ediiion. Advertising ciy fitaSIBlSSBIESSS^ marketing, the Olympics, poiiticiai^s, now age chailatans, mascots- it seems thee is no one we trust anyrr^,ore. But jus; as ciuick'y as we pounce on things that are incongruous willi IBB WMMIMIIf^^.UlJJt.*.!U our own agenda, how many lies do vve nurture because they fit nicely with our established prejudices? Or the lies that we are iiappy with because v-jc are not physically confronted vvith them; what vvou'd happen if there v^'as a detention cen tre in the Great Court? Or a factory farm on Ihe v/vay to the Citycat? Or David Grisman in your lounge- room? Would we be moved lo initiate change? I guess that's the point of media - to keep bringing those other worlds into our own and forcing us to confront them. You know you can trust Semper to bring you the truth... -Merali I've finished the Harry Potter books now and am coping witli the loss by becoming a round-the-clock Olympics junkie. It's nice to see the world coming together without bombs and a thirst for oil. I love all the sports, but most of all I love armchair judging the diving and gymnastics the best - its funny how much of an expert you become after 3 dives: "Oooh, bit of a rnessy entry there. She'll lose a couple of tenths for ihat one". I love the ads too - the Smitn's ad where the fat workmen are eating chips and then spans out to the runners on the unfinnished track: Magic! I'm not so keen on the LG ads though. You know the ones where they announce they are Official Sponsors of the Olympics, Official Spon sors of Freedom, Official Sponsors of the Next Generation? I'm sorry, but you can't brand freedom or a generation. It is this kind of ridikulus bullshit that has been our focus for weeks now with this edition.. I hope you enjoy it. -Tim PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS: semper's censorstiip shock! If you picked up the last edition of Semper you might have noticed a sticker proclaiming "No Problem" plastered across the Alf centrefold. The sticker wasn't really telling the truth because accord ing to the Union President, Margot Balch and the Resident Women's Organiser, Gillian Brannigan there were problems with the image. It turns out that if you link the phrase "Liberate your Animal" with an erect male penis, even if that penis is attached to a puppet who Is wearing a pair of white sweatpants, then you are crossing the line between what is and isn't acceptable in our politically correct society. Because Semper is published by the President of the UQ Union, every edition must first be subject to approval by Margot Balch with advice from UQU lawyers. When the approval for the last edition was given, the caption ran... 'Alf makes his 2004 TV comeback in "Queer Eye for the Well Hung Puppet Guy"'. However, giving we were making a Free Range edition, the caption 'Liberate your Animal' seemed more appropriate and in any event less offensive. In error, we did not show Margot these changes before we took the edition to the printer.