Felix Issue 758, 1987
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The Newspaper Of Imperial College Union Founded 1949 Rose Hyde Park revisited romps Only six IC students took part in yesterday's march protesting Vicky Phillips told FELIX that this against the proposed 50% ULU cuts. About 250 in all marched was the first stage of a long battle. She home from ULU in Malet Street to the offices of the University Grants added "6.2 million students, who the government have upset and ignored, Commission (UGC). will be voting for the first time. For Alan Rose of DOC will be next year's The march began at midday Union Hon Sec Dave Collev. who every one person on the demostration ICU Deputy President. Mr Rose was yesterday, when the protestors were commented afterwards that "they hundreds could not afford to attend, the only candidate standing for the addressed by representatives of ULU, didn't know any good songs." but if the government dare to post when papers came down at the Association of University introduce student loans then we will 5.30pm on Wednesday, and has been Teachers (AUT) and NUS National all fight together." returned unopposed. There are two President Vicky Phillips. They then NUS inaction ICU president Christine Taig, when candidates contesting each of the set off stopping traffic on Tottenham asked about the demonstration said other posts. Bill Goodwin and Ian Court Road and Euston Road on the The National Union of Students held she thought the NUS was naive. She Howgate are standing for ICU way. a demonstration on Saturday against was too busy to go on the President and Symon Corns and Chas Once at the UGC. ULU President falling student grants, student loans demonstration, but when asked said Jackson are standing for ICU Hon Jane Cannon personally presented a and the Tory government's education she was not impressed with Vicky Sec. The two candidates for FELIX petition of 12.500 signatures policy. The demonstration, which Phillips' comments on radio and Editor are Chris Edwards and Judith protesting about the cuts, while the was held in Hyde Park, attracted television. She advised all students Hackney. The ICU Hustings UGM demonstrators chanted outside in the between twenty and twenty five concerned about grants and loans to will be next Thursday at 1.00pm in rain. thousand students from colleges vote for the Labour candidates in the the Great Hall. Voting takes place on Representing Imperial was IC around the country. NUS president forthcoming general election. Monday March 9th and Tuesday March 10th. There will be ballot boxes in all departments. A special manifesto's issue of FELIX will be published next Friday, and there will be a results FELIX on Wednesday Mr Politician March 11th. "It's democracy they're afraid of" Weeks according to Mr Tony Benn MP. who spoke to a packed Great Hall on Monday. Mr Benn addressed nearly 400 students, at a meeting organised give way by IC Socialist Society. The theme of Mr Benn's talk was was that Capitalism has its power base The Weeks Hall rent strike has been in the Press and financial institutions. averted. A resident's meeting on He said that the media divided society Wednesday was told by Student by setting up groups against each Accommodation Officer Lesley other, citing those in work and the Gillingham that all the residents unemployed, black and white, and demands had been acceded to. Catholic and Protestant as examples. The meeting was told that all "We need", he said, "something as residents would be given an £8 rebate strong as Capitalism" in order to for the two weeks the hall was without rebuild anything worth living for in heat and water, and that the repairs Britain. Just as Capitalism has power which had been demanded would be outside Parliament, he added, the Beam me up Scottie carried out immediately. The heating power of Socialism must be outside system will be renovated over the the Labour party. The Labour party's a non-nuclear Britain, and a destabilising the Soviet Union through summer, five years overdue, and the problems, he continued, had been consequent withdrawal from NATO, arms supplies to Islamic kitchens would be upgraded, the caused by forgetting that democracy brought about by US pressure. fundamentalists in Iran and details depending on demand for "is not what someone else does on Britain's ultimate fate, he believed, Afghanistan were, he said, rooms next year. our behalf". was to become a leading light "extremely dangerous". Dave Colley. ICU Hon Sec. said Much of the questioning directed at amongst the non-aligned states. When it was pointed out that a that a Union holding account was Mr Benn was devoted to the subject Mr Benn went on to say that the Soviet invasion had sparked off the ready in case of a rent strike as had of defence. Emphasising that his United States was now an imperialist war in Afghanistan, he retorted that been the case in 1974. A vote decided views were disimilar to Labour Party state, mirroring the British Empire he Britain had invaded Afghanistan at to cancel the rent strike, 39 to 0 with policy, he continued that he envisaged had grown up in. Its attempts at least four times last century. two abstentions. Free Friday February 27th 1987 No. 765 Letters FELIX, Friday February 27th 1987 2 messenger. People like him seem to it be because the majority of Zulus want to reduce God to a series of rules accept peaceful change and reform? On with the Smug and mainly about what not to do with Indeed perhaps most of the population one's genitals. If that is not the case, favour reform, currently more black why did he mention gays at all, as I people are joining the police force pointless self-righteous fail to see otherwise the connection than ever. There is no right way to of his opening paragraph with the rest end apartheid, just a best way by of his letter. which the least people are hurt. grind Dear Dave, The Christ one reads of in the Thirdly, comparison with the Sorry to hog the letters page again, gospels has little time for those whose Second World War is ridiculous. The but I'd like to set Rob Brown straight religion is merely preaching arbitary ANC are not waging war, if they on a few points he raised in his letter rules, or picking out bits of scripture were they would not be burning of last week, under the heading of 'In to reinforce their own prejudices. His civilians and leaving land mines for God he trusts.' message is one of social justice: how innocent people to stumble across. Dear Dave, I do not wish to stamp my ethics one wishes some of the self-righteous They do not consistently attack the On the subject of UGM attendance, on society, and it is not true to say 'evangelical' Christians who abound armed forces, who expect the may I note the following: that I have no time to listen to anyone at IC turned their attention to this possibility of being killed, but instead i) Poor attendance is intimately else. Most of all. I am not merely major theme and left off their intimidate the defenceless. This is my connected with the general climate of insisting that my way is right, full obsession with sex. objection to the terrorism of the ANC apathy that reigns in IC. stop. My ethics, as he terms them, are Yours sincerely, and terrorism everywhere, so ii) People tend to be more apathetic my own; not everyone would wish to Matthew Huntbach, Dept. of hopefully this also answers Andrew in the subjects that require their follow them, and why should they? Computing. Partington's letter also in FELIX 764. contribution towards a goal that All I want people to concede is that I would like to point out that the serves the 'common good.' my way is right for me, and for people issue is being clouded by specific iii) These subjects may be related like me. and that this doesn't need to reference to South Africa, my first to Union or other student activities, affect anyone else. Is that so difficult? letter was an attempt to disregard the decisions on political matters and Apparently, at Imperial College it is: Of terrorists morality of apartheid and concentrate especially humanitarian work (eg to moderate this attitude must be the on the fight against terrorism. At least Amnesty, Third World.) most compelling raison d'etre of the Andrew Partington understood this The whole structure of studies is gay and lesbian officer. and the ANC and wrote a relevant letter. As I have such that after three years far too I would also like to say that I, and already said I do not have a low, but many people feel sick and tired of I am sure many others, found Mr on the contrary a high, regard for their courses. As a third year I find Brown's quote from New Society Dear Sir, human life, otherwise I would not myself under enormous work smug and self-righteous in the With reference to Y Mponella's want to see it protected from pressure. I think that for most of us extreme. There are lots of reasons letter (FELIX 764) I believe it is terrorists. there's no question of trying to get a why London's down-and-outs are unfair to imply ignorance purely on Almost everyone can envisage a good degree and spending time for what they are, and not all of these the grounds of holding an unpopular situation in which they would kill, other activities as well.