@prefix edm: . @prefix dcterms: . @prefix dc: . @prefix skos: . edm:dataProvider "CONTENTdm"@en ; dcterms:isReferencedBy "http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1211252"@en ; dcterms:isPartOf "University Publications"@en ; dcterms:issued "2015-08-28"@en, "1996-08-22"@en ; edm:aggregatedCHO "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/Ubysseynews/items/1.0127403/source.json"@en ; dc:format "application/pdf"@en ; skos:note """ women Their role under Iran's Islamic government gridiron Preview of the '96 T-Bird football season stoned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from The Orpheum balcony summer Advancing the media since 1982 VOLUME 13 ISSUE 4 THURSDAY AUGUST 22, 1996 Prof resigns as book ignites religious debate by Peter T. Chattaway The resignation of a UBC professor widely criticised by the Sikh community has again raised the issue of academic freedom on campus. Dr. Harjot Oberoi resigned last month from his position as the chair of UBCs Sikh studies program—just before taking a scheduled one year sabbatical. The move comes after he weathered two years of protest over his history book The Construction of Religions Boundaries In the book, Oberoi claimed there was a "religiousdiversity" within Sikhism, and Sikhism drew the Muslim and Hindu traditions for some of its rituals and beliefs. These claims attracted sharp criticism from Sikhs around the world who charged that Oberoi was trying to undermine the unity and uniqueness of the Sikh faith. "It was the equivalent of heresy in Christianity," said treasurer of UBCs Sikh Students Association Jaspreet Singh of the book. "It goes right to the heart of Sikhism." Anne Lowthian, public relations manager for the Ottawa-based World Sikh Organization, agreed there was no room for disagreement within Sikhism on these issues. "[Professors] can say there are sects of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and all the rest. That does not deny that all of those exist. However, in Sikhism that is strictly forbidden. That is not a part of the religion," she said. see religious debate on page 2 Provincial cuts threaten safety by Ian Gunn Student safety at UBC is the latest victim of Victoria's budget-freezing zeal. The NDP government recently instituted a six-month freeze on all campus capital projects under #1 million. UBC called the move a "deep cut" and warned it will put the brakes on its much-heralded Safer Campus improvements. The university claimed the government reduced this year's anticipated budget of #15.1 million for minor capital projects to #7 million. #500,000 of the frozen money was ear-marked for campus safety initiatives. "These programs are all now up in the air," UBC's Personal Security Coordinator Meg Gaily told The Ubyssey. "It is really unclear at this point where this leaves the Safer Campus minor projects." By freezing the funding the university said, the NDP endangered several programs including #650,000 for improved disabled access, a #300,000 program to improve campus lighting and a #25,000 expansion of the brand new blue-light security telephone system that is still being installed around campus. The free standing telephones offer a one-button connection to both campus security and 911. According to Gaily, six of the blue- light telephones will be in place and working by September 1 despite the freeze. "The six phones and various lighting projects were in last year's budget and aren't affected," she said. "But [those improvements] that have been projected but not yet started—we just don't know their status." Some student leaders worry safety is simply being used in UBC's continuing battle with Victoria over funding. "It is certainly a good issue for the university to be pressuring the government with because [campus safety] is so politically sensitive," said long-time Board of Governors student representative Michael Hughes. Pointing to the President's Discretionary Fund which was recently used to cover unexpected expenses, Hughes said "[UBC's administration] found more than two million dollars when a building went over-budget. They certainly could do something similar here." But UBC's Public Affairs Manager Paula Martin doubts that safety money will be found elsewhere. "There is probably little chance that the money could be found," she said. "We are so far into the budgetary process that I don't think many people will be willing to give up funds they have already had allocated to them." Asked what the university would do if partial funding did become available, Martin said the univeristy would then have to prioritise. "This cut affects four areas including cyclical maintenance, minor capital and the safety and access funds. We'd have to see then." But AMS Co-ordinator of External Affairs Alison Dunnet has less trouble deciding where any re-instated funding should go. "The most important...is the money for the safety phones and the lighting upgrades," she wrote this week in a letter to Education Minister Moe Sihota. "This is the money we are most worried about losing." "It's a simple question of priorities," Dunnet told The Ubyssey. "I'd much rather see blue-lights than another crane on campus." EMERGENCY PHONES planned for campus have been limited to six as a result of budget cuts. Students are asked to have their emergencies near existing phones. SCOTT HAYWARD PHOTO ""^'^tSil by Scott Hayward If a simple procedure can go awry, it will—that's Murphy3s Law at the Graduate Student Society. Political Science graduate student David Murphy was reinstated on the GSS council by a close margin last Thursday night He had been removed at the July meeting because a letter he wrote for publication in UBC Reports and the GSS newsletter The Graduate revealed details of a closed session of council. During the July debate on his removal, one councillor questioned whether enough members were present to hold a vote. GSS President Kevin Dwyer council reseats embattled member misidentified quorum as 21, when it was actually 24, and Murphy was subsequently voted out of office. "I apologise to David Murphy and to council," Dwyer said. He then suggested council revisit Murphys unseating under unfinished business because procedure had not been followed in July. But Murphy objected. "Not only is it a diversion away from council business, 1 stand unseated; I accept that, but it amounts to harassment doing it twice," he said. "I don't want to re-fight this battle. I fought and I lost, I don't want to have to do it again." GSS Director of Student Affairs Michael Hughes noted that political sci ence students had reappointed Murphy, so council should let the unseating stand. When the motion to reseat Murphy was moved, several councillors objected to appointing someone who had been removed a month before. "We must remember that the councillor was unseated for being uncooperative and for working against the best interest of the society," Green College rep Mike Adl said. "Theres no reason why that should change." Physics rep Steve Leffler disagreed. "In a democracy, if someone who is unseated or removed but retains the support of their constituents enough to be re-elected by those constituents, I think we owe it to the department to respect their wishes," he said. "To do otherwise would be profoundly disrespectful." Murphy was pleased with his reappointment, but still sees lingering issues between the political science department and the rest of council. "There is still going to be some tension between political science reps and some members of council and the executive," he said. "Theres still a dispute between the bulk of the members in political science who have taken part in the reform process and some members of council who feel that little has changed." 2 THE UBYSSEY, AUGUST 22, 1996 Classifieds For Rent 2 Bedroom basement suite, new & clean. Bus stop in front of UBC. References required. 238 W.41st Ave. $900/month. 325-0450. Room for Rent, $425, to clean quiet female student. Share 2 bedroom condo in Kits. Marty 730- 2778. Are you moving to Edmonton? Retired couple visiting Vancouver would like to swap homes with you for 6 months or so. If interested, call 921-7887. Employment Opportunities Travel Associates required. No experience necessary. Great travel benefits! Call 482-8989 for interview. Flexible hours. news the Ubyssey call 822-1654 Religious debate simmers with Oberois methods in proving his opinions," she added. "It doesn't appear that his methods meet the standards of western academia." Dr. Kenneth Bryant, head of UBC's Asian Studies department, flatly denied that Oberoi was a sub-par professor. "Oberoi has impeccable credentials in Sikh studies from universities in Punjab and Delhi and Australia," he said, "we're not going to allow one group of people to define what 'Sikh' is." However, Singh claimed that the issue was broader than any one small group. "If it was just a small group in the Sikh community that were saying this, I would have reservations about saying anything. I would say this man has academic freedom, and let him do whatever he wants. But because the vast majority — it's like 85 percent of the community — is dead set against what hes saying, then I see a problem. Why offend all these people?" The chair in Sikh studies is now vacant, but Bryant said Oberoi would have gone on Dr. Kenneth Bryant leave uthis year w'th or wi?" • ■ j ■■•««. •-% » * . ■ -* i. out the protests because the Head, UBC Dept Of Asian Studies £42,000 generated annually by the chairls trust fund was not enough to pay for his salary. Oberoils two Punjabi courses have been moved to the night school program, where they will be taught by one of Oberors former teaching assistants. Bryant said the Asian Studies department has not yet decided what to do with Oberoifc former position. Ironically, his absence may allow for an even greater diversity in religious perspectives. "What may be done is to bring in — starting not this year but the next year — visiting professors in Sikh studies for, say, a term at a time. And we could bring in Continued from page 1 Normally in such cases, UBC can wave the flag of "academic freedom" for its professors and dismiss the criticism. But this situation is complicated by the fact that the chair Oberoi occupied was made possible through an endowment fund raised by the Sikh community itself. The endowment fund was established in 1985 when the now-defunct Federation of Sikh Societies (FSS) raised #350,000 to support a chair in Punjabi Language Literature and Sikh Studies that would foster "a better understanding of Canada's pluralistic and multicultural nature and of Sikhs and Sikhism in Canada." A matching grant from the federal government's multiculturalism program raised the fund to #700,000. The contract between the university and the FSS which established the chair gave the "We're not going to allow one group of people to define what 'Sikh' is." university "full autonomy" over the staff and course selection. But a collection of Sikh organizations from across the country represented by Vancouver lawyer Iqbal Sara have accused Oberoi of "misrepresenting" the Sikh community and thereby breaching the contract. Lowthian agreed Oberoiis claims were unsound. "In terms of the traditions, it's quite a Western concept that Sikhism is a combination of Islam and Hinduism, which is a gross misrepresentation of the religion." "I think the biggest problem has been HARJOT OBEROl'S book made controversial claims about the history of Sikhism and protests from the Sikh community have led to his resignation, rick hiebert photo quite a range of them over the years with different points of view." He added, "There is no way in the world that we are going to be bound or even feel greatly pressured by a view like that of Sarals, which is that there is only one way of being a Sikh. It would be like a Protestant group saying that the only Christians are Baptists [so] anybody teaching the Methodist faith is out of luck." Lowthian said the Sikh community would welcome "a wide, varied look at all the issues" but, she asked, "[Will] it [be] done in consultation with the Sikh community who instituted this particular chair to begin with? "Itb a question of who's controlling the speakers who come in. Is it fully transparent and is there a lot of representation there to decide whos going to be leading the way? It can't be just one person making the decisions for an entire cultural community." AMS VOLUNTEER SERVICES IS NOW SEEKING VOLUNTEERS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ADVISING AND REFERRAL VOLUNTEERS - matching students to volunteer opportunities on campus and in the community to their needs and interests. The goal is to fulfill students needs in finding career related volunteer work and/or contributing to their community and/or to the student body. PUBLICITY - develop ideas and carry out projects to promote Volunteerism, Volunteer Fair, Volunteer Services, and Student Leadership Conference . Involves the production of unique posters, designing our web page on the internet, newspaper advertisements, writing articles for publication, doing presentations and correspondence. The goal is to increase awareness that encourages students to volunteer and to inform them of the For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities, please drop by SUB Room 100D or contact Bernice Tsang, Director of Volunteer Services, at 822-9268. The AMS UpDate is published weekly by the Alma Mater ociety, your student union. gratification and the invaluable experience from volunteering both in career development and self growth. VOLUNTEER POLICY AND MANAGEMENT - gain full knowledge and understanding of volunteer management regular and direct interaction with volunteers and volunteer leaders within the AMS in order to understand the present system, research related information by collecting and reading relevant materials, group work to come up with practical recommendations for the content of a management workshop, develop and implement concrete volunteer policy. The goal is to develop a volunteer management workshop, policy on volunteers and systems of volunteer evaluation. STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE - help to coordinate a student attended conference that takes place in the fall. The goal is to organize a conference that is accessible to all interested students, that will build the spirit of leadership, that will students to develop new skills that will not only be useful during their university years but that will serve them throughout their careers. Most importantly the objective is to inspire, to motivate a desire to excel and build confidence amongst the students. VOLUNTEER FAIR - to organize an annual three day event that takes place in the fall whereby non-profit organizations set-up displays on the concourse to promote volunteerism and their agency. The mission is to expose and inform students of the diverse areas that they can gain experience through volunteer work. JOB SHADOW - to develop a program where students will be matched to a volunteer position that relates to their career interests in a company or industry for a predetermined length of time. Volunteers will be responsible for the development of the program including setting guidelines, correspondence with companies and industries and carrying out surveys to evaluate the responsiveness to the program by students and companies. FUNDRAISING - to coordinate fundraising events and develop creative fundraising idea (e.g. sponsorship for special projects or events). The mission is to create revenue to fund the expansion of our services to students. FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR - to coordinate and provide direction for the fundraising working group and to delegate responsibilities to working group members DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 ,1996. AUGUST 22, 1996 features THE UBYSSEY 3 Women cry freedom While women initially supported the Islamic revolution in Iran, many now feel let down by the movement by Tayana Marshall The McGill Daily a law ordering the hijab in all public places, for all women, Muslim or not. The hijab regulations raised concerns among Iranian women. They had donned their veils at the demonstrations against the Shah to make a statement—nobody could stop them from wearing the veil if they wanted—but the Islamic regime reversed their statement and made it impossible for women to choose not to practice the hijab. MONTREAL (CUP) - SHE WALKED INTO A public square in Tehran last year, doused herself with gasoline and set herself aflame. The last words of Dr. Homa Darabi, an Iranian university professor and activist, were: "Death to dictatorship! Long live freedom!" Then she burned to death. Zaria, a member of L'Association des femmes Iraniennes de Montreal, believes Darabi's intention was to raise awareness of the situation of women in Iran. Darabi had tried repeatedlyto leave the country to see her children but was not allowed because her husband would not sign a consent form. "In Iran, women are not allowed to leave unless their husbands give them persmission," Zaria explains, adding that if a woman does not have a husband, it is her father who gives permiss- sion. "It's always the man who is in power." IN 1979, A REVOLUTION IN IRAN SUCCEEDED IN bringing down the monarchy of the Shah. Soon afterwards, the Ayatollah Khomeini, who had led the movement from exile, returned to establish the Islamic Republic of Iran. Inspired by hopes for democracy, economic prosperity for all classes, gender equality and a leadership that would not allow Iranian culture to be swallowed up by Western values, many Iranian women joined the 1978-1979 rebellion against the rule of the Shah. Women came together to protest such sexist attitudes as those expressed by the Shah in 1973: "A woman is important in a man's life only if she is beautiful and charming... You are equal to a man in the eyes of the law. But excuse me for saying so, you are not equal [to a man] in your capabilities." But while the rebellion was successful and the Shah was deposed, some argue it has failed Iranian AT THE START OF THE RULE OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, women had been a central part of revolutionary activities. They used their influence to rally support for Khomeini through women's groups, charity work and propaganda in Iranian women's journals such as Zan-e-Rouz. Inspired by hopes for democracy, and gender equality, many Iranian women joined the 1978-1979 rebellion against the rule of the Shah The government justified its policy with statements such as the one made by the cleric Muteza Mutahhari: "The disgraceful lack of the hijab in Iran before the revolution ... is a product of the corrupt Western capitalist societies. It is one of the results of the worship of money and the pursuance of sexual fulfilment that is prevalent among Western capitalists." However, many women saw the enforcement of hijab as a means to suppress and denigrate their status. After attempts to repeal the law failed, many began to flee the country. • • • tion, corrupting the earth, and "warring against God." New education policies prevented women from enrolling in engineering, agriculture and finance, as these were deemed male professions. They were still encouraged to enter medicine. Daycare centres closed, women were denied the right of divorce and custodial rights to their children if they were already divorced. The age of consent for marriage was lowered from 15 to 13 years old. Contraception and abortion were banned. At the time these policies were being implemented, the constitution of the Islamic Republic enshrined women's right to vote, saying both men and women were equal before the law. It was stipulated, however, that this equality only went so far as the Shar'ia (Islamic law) allowed. This meant many restrictions still applied. One example, says Zaria, is the inability of women to divorce. Another is the lack of weight given to a woman's testimony in a court of law. Whereas a man's testimony is accepted, "it takes two female witnesses to give the same credibility," according to Zaria. HOWEVER, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THINGS are gradually improving. Under the leadership of President Hashemi Rafsanjani, who came to power after the death of the Ayatollah Khomeini in May 1989, moderate reforms have been made. More opportunities for women's education are available and special programs for part- time employment of women with younger children have been created. There are also many reports the modest dress regulations have been relaxed. But Zaria says the situation has not improved at all, claiming the government has "tortured, imprisoned and executed" many women who have tried to rebel. "The civil code and the divorce and custody laws must be changed," she says, adding one of the main problems in Iran is the restrictive nature of Islamic law as it is used by the regime. "The real change will occur for women when they can say, 'I can do what I want. I can dress how I want. I can read what I want. I can work where I want. Study what 1 want. Leave when I want. Divorce when I want and have custody of my children."' , ""^""^""^Undergrads Lease for only $78 / Month* • Intel Pentium 150/166 Processor • 512K Pipeline Burst Cache / EDO RAM • 1.7GB Hard Drive • Soundblaster 32 • 33.6K Data/Fax Modem • 15" SVGA Colour Monitor .28 • Upgrade to Canon BJC-210 $99 mn r\\ i \""""^""^"^[Graduate Lease for only $84 / Month CCL P150 & P166 Offer Receive five free Software titles when paid by Cash,Bank draft I Interac ($350 Retail Value) \\mm%\\ Money '95 Dangerous Creat Golf '95 Encarta '96 MS-Works UBC SURREY COQUITLAM KELOWNA 2162 Western Parkway #408-7380 King George Hwy. #408-100Schoolhouse #6 -1551 Sutherland Ave. FAX 228-8338 FAX 604-501-0338 FAX 517-8383 FAX 862-8083 228-8080 501-0328 517-8080 862-3188 COMPUTERS VICTORIA (604) 920-9828/CALGARY (403) 259-2882/EDMONTON (403) 433-2882 All prices are cash prices - Ltd Qty. Prices & Specifications subject to change without notice. *** Some areas may not be eligible for on-site service. ** All brand names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. "Lease based on 36 month business lease. Options after 36 month lease a) Return equipment b) Trade-up c) 10% Buyout. ( TOLL FREE 1-800-896-8083) AMPUS AUGUST 15, 1996 culture THE UBYSSEY Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan smokes at the Orpheum NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN Aug 19 at the Orpheum by J. Clark As the house lights went up on a cheering crowd it didn't much matter that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan wasn't going to play an encore. His show was one of those spine tingling musical performances that leaves your mind dancing for hours. You don't have to speak Urdu or know anything about Pakistani music (I don't) to enjoy the full, singer. But before any premature musical climax could be reached, there was an intermission, and then the event began. I was quite happy to use the fifteen minut to reflect on what I had heard, but while smoking on the balcony I struck up a conversation with "Indy 500" (that's how he introduced himself) and his friends Assaf and Emmi. They marvelled at my enthusiasm for the music I could not understand, and we all marvelled at the music itself. "Indy" was dressed casually rich Quwwali songs that Ali Khan sings. In fact the performance was all the more powerful given the complete lack of expectations with njnj^njnjnjnjnninnnni which I entered the concert. It was so easy: I just sat, stood and danced, letting layers of harmony on melody on rhythm roll right over me. Monday night's show was an event as much as it was a concert. The audience, made up largely of Indo-Canadians, was so ready to have a good time that even the bouncers were taken aback. For the first half, the audience was relatively subdued. The music built in intensity as Ali Khan called and his vocal ensemble answered. Tension built up slowly as the audience got more involved, clapping and calling out to the Pakistani Smoking pot with Pakistani businessmen is one thing, but doing it on the Orpheum balcony is quite another. But who was I to say no? but his friends wore suits and when Emmi produced a joint from his inside pocket I must admit I was surprised. Smoking pot with Pakstani businessmen is one thing, but doing it on the Orpheum balcony is quite another. But who was I to say no? Needless to say the second half was even better than the first, as Ali Khan took the show to a whole new level. The music intensified, as did the enjoyment of the crowd. Punctuating long crescendos with frantic hand gestures, Ali Khan brought the audience to its feet. The Orpheum staff had obviously not expected a wild night from what was mainly an older crowd, but as people started dancing in the aisles the bouncers began to look nervous. When one middle aged man ran onto the stage waving money and dropping it at Ali Khan's feet they were so confused it took them a minute to react, but when they did they were met with boos from the rest of the audience. When Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was helped offstage and the house lights came up the noise was deafening. The entire hall was on its feet calling for an encore. The Orpheum turned up the radio to indicate he was not coming back, but the audience persisted, refusing to leave. At a time when most bands have MmBBaBBBI their encores rehearsed and ready to go, it took a ten-minute standing ovation to bring Ali Khan back. For the first time that evening he spoke to the audience. After what I assume to be a humble thank you, he launched into one final hypnotic piece. The music pulsed and the crowd danced one last time. I even saw "Indy 500" being carried off stage by the bouncers after throwing his money at Ali Khan. Maybe the encore did matter after all. So I left the Orpheum happy, and a little hungry. The concert had been great and the event had been even better. E E .o TOMMY at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until Aug 18 by Janet Winters If you happen to be a bit late for The Who's Tommy, don't worry about it. And if you find the first act a disappointment, don't leave after the intermission: the show does get better. Keep in mind, too, the reason behind Tommy's "deaf, dumb, and blind" state. Tommy spans the years from World War II to the mid-1960s. As a little boy, Tommy is traumatised after spotting his mother with her extramarital lover, and those around him are left perplexed by his sudden desensi- tisation. Unresponsive to anything around him, he is subjected to one medical exam after another. When placed in front of the mirror, he is faced with his adult version struggling to be released. (This repeated scene foreshadows what is to come). He is also exposed to his cousin's cruel jokes as well as a world of sin courtesy of his pedophiliac Uncle Ernie. Tommy's father even introduces him to a prostitute/gypsy to cure his condition. (With 'Acid Queen,' Natalie Dawn Oliver soulfully delivers one of the show's finest performances.) Tommy's life takes its crucial turn when his cousin Kevin (Jeffrey Kuhn) hauls him along to a local teen hangout. Little Tommy is left at the soda shop's pinball machine and, to everyone's amazement, masters the game. Hence the song 'Pinball Wizard.' Enter a grown up Tommy played by Tim Howar. Though his voice may not be as powerful as Roger Daltrey's, Howar has a certain sweetness that evokes his audience's sympathy. Along with the increased volume and flow of the rock opera, his dominating presence makes the second act more electrifying than the first — typical of many modern musicals. While Pete Townshend's lyrics seem to drag on at times just to fill the music, Tommy's underlying themes and metaphors, rooted in 1960s pop culture, are portrayed more impressively. Tommy's sudden fame — replete with screaming girls, media frenzy, and ridiculous Tommy paraphernalia surrounding the over night sensation — parallels the British rock bands of the psychedelic generation, Of course, a celebrity story is not complete without a fall in stature. (Remember John Lennon's reference to the Beatles being more popular than Jesus Christ?) Perhaps this rise and fall theme reflects on The Who personally. After a career spent smashing one expensive instrument after another, Tommy rescued the Who from financial oblivion and paved the way for their many sold-out stadium concerts. The Who's life story is written all over Tommy, making it a worthwhile event for big production musical lovers and hard-core British rock fans alike. Sublime Combustion Combustible Edison - Schizophonic [SubPop] If Henry Mancini ever rose from his grave to conduct a lounge act performing Bill Frisell arrangements of Cole Porter, the result wouldn't sound too different from the piano-cello-guitar-reverh-whatnot strains of Combustible Edison. As descriptions go, "eclectic" doesn't exactly cut to the heart of the band, but it does curve around them in some sort of orbital warp. The band's influences appear to be from all over the map: I swear 'The Checkered Flag' is some sort of twice- removed cousin of 'Begin the Beguine'. 'Mudhead' sounds like it was originally written to be the theme song for some cheesy early-70s TV show. 'Les Yeux Sans Visage' mixes a waltzy carnival tune with mid-'60s proto-surf guitar pickings before wrapping it all in one wriggly Wurlitzer. 'One Eyed Monkey' even tosses in some requisite primate noises—ever so quietly, ever so mysteriously—while a piano plods over the same five keys again and again with the sort of detachment German scientists might have brought to Berlin cabarets in the 1930s. Miss Lily Banquette's lightsome vocals bubble to the surface of this musical stew with the same mirthful spirit she brought to Four Rooms (Combustible Edison's score was one of the few things to survive that disaster), though she only appears on about half of the tracks, and on only a few of those ('Bluebeard' is one highlight) does she sing actual lyrics. Still, even her la-la-la's are more daring and creative than half the songs clogging the airwaves. Combustible Edison will be performing at the Starfish Room on September 3. — Peter T. Chattaway Sublime - Sublime [MCA] Reggae may be one of the most overrated forms ol music, but when it's done just right, or at least with some originality, it can be uplifting and sometimes alluring. The problem with the majority of reggae is quite simple: it tends to sound the same. Three or four songs may be played in a row before one realizes the change. Most of the latter half of Sublime's self-titled album falls into this trap. . The first seven songs combine a silly mix of profane lyrics and upbeat melodies. An unfocused fusion of dance, rock, and reggae, Sublime could be classified as hard core funk. Though not as talented as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the lead singer has the knack of rolling his G's well (think the Peppers' 'Give It Away'). 'Pawn Shop' sounds like a feeble attempt to imitate late-'60s group Santana, but the lead guitarist has nothing on Carlos. The only exception to the albumi? droning last half is its last cut 'Doin' Time,' which has the feel of Beck's 'Where It's At' with a reggae twist. Sublime would have been better off sticking to this formula for the entire CD which—at nearly an hours length- could have easily had 20 to 25 minutes chopped off. — Janet Winters Clegg dances down racial and musical boundries DISCOVER THE BEST COPY CENTRE at UBC Village (2nd floor above UBC Pizza) We only use the best machines in the business - XEROX and KODAK johnny Clegg Aug 11 at the Rage by Jamie Woods Long before the echoes of Peter Gabriel's Realworld performers or the mesmerising incantations of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan hit these shores, Johnny Clegg was being tear- gassed and jailed by the apartheid regime in South Africa. His crime? Crossing the racial divide of Johannesberg, and gigging with a janitor in the shantytowns. Twenty years later, Clegg has crossed borders both political and personal. And on the last stop of a North American tour he arrived in Vancouver, where he put on a tireless display Sunday night at the Rage. As an aspiring young musician, Clegg was challenged to participate in the Zulu street musicians one-on-one competitions. One day a young farmer, having heard of this swaggering suburban upstart, came into town specially to dare Clegg to a guitar "duel." So began a long and successful collaboration between Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. As Juluka, the pair ran into constant problems for the brazen way their collaboration (as the first musical group to bridge the racial divide in South Africa) challenged the legitimacy of apartheid. After thirteen years, Mchunu decided he'd had enough, and retired to a quiet and peaceful life back on the farm. Ten years later, having caught the nostalgia of the nauseating tidal wave of reunions that has plunged through the musical world, Juluka is back. But unlike many bands whose sparks were doused long ago, Juluka has kept the fire burning, if more as a steady glow than as a blaze. Unlike others who seem content to channel their anger at societal injustice into pathetic and confused self-loathing, Juluka pour out their frustration into highly charged dance tunes, fusing elements of Zulu, pop, reggae, and Celtic jigs. But they aren't as righteously political as groups such as Spirit of the West. Although Juluka's lyrics can be as despairing about the political situation as "I'm living in a time of war, and I'm dying to get through to you," Clegg opted for a more humourous and subjective introduction to "Transition," the song of a young man, who, "like the rest of us at sixteen, seeks adventure, food, and lots of sex." Playing with urgency and confidence, the band powered through the first set forcefully, as if seizing on the breakthrough achieved by democracy, and attempting to drive home the necessary idea of building a more progressive future for South Africa. As devoted as the band clearly is to raising consciousness, however, one feels that their best concerts would be before a crowd, in the shantytowns. back in Johannesberg. As tight and entertaining as the show was, it lacked passion at times, as if the group were simply enjoying having to go through the motions. Most of the crowd, who were predominantly 30+ and well- healed, were too frigid to loosen up on the dance floor, which must infuriate a band with roots in such a lively dance tradition. Furthermore some jerk, in a horrifying display of ignorance, drunkenly cheered when Clegg announced that a close friend of his had recently been assassinated. Perhaps as a result, Clegg rarely looked into the crowd. The tone changed when Sipho Mchunu Superb Quality Copies ■ Colour Laser Output ■ Self Serve Computers 1 Fax Service ■ Digital Colour Copies ■ Lamination ■ ...and more! ~ Serving UBC Since 1987 - Discover the Friendly Competition! Mon to Fri 8am-9pm • Sat to Sun 10am-6pm Xerox*Quality Paper Best Quality Outstanding Service Knowledgeable Staff Competitive Prices Open 7 Days UBC a? sipho mchunu and johnny CLEGG break down post-apartheid racial boundries by teaming up to form the energetic new band Juluku. joined the group onstage for the second set. There was still enough vibrance and spontaneity to keep interest high, as he and Clegg explored musical themes from their past through guitar duets and duels, hashing out old favourites such as Jarusalema and Two Humans On The Run. And a reunion concert, like dessert after a good meal, would be incomplete without a healthy portion of cheese. Clegg made sure it wasn't forgotten. The crooning, the reaching of the hand out to the adoring front row, the Julio Iglesias jacket, even strong overtones of rock opera, it was all there. But what can you expect from a guy who showboats as a businessman and a professor? Only one question remains—why do people stick around for autographs? Welcome Back f Prom Canada's Student Travel Experts! Travel CUTS bows student fflfflfflfflfflfflfflffllf travel better than any other fflfflBmfflffiBl] tr8VelW'"«a. Travel CUTS develops and &-«4 promotes student oriented products and services such as student airfares, the Student Work Abroad Programme (SWAP), asses, Buspasses, J^ Adventure Tours and the International Student Identity Card. So when your travel plans take you away, make Travel CUTS your first destination! niRAVELCUIS Owned and Operated by the Canadian Federation of Students JIHl.KI.ire j, Lower Level ...822-6890 UBC Village (above McDonalds) 221-6221 B 8 AUGUST 22, 1996 ^^ * I # M TssL % HP- JL. ^sW THE UBYSSEY Clockwork suffers from poor craftsmanship by John Bolton HOBBLING: Ariadna Gil almost saves Celestial Clockwork. CELESTIAL CLOCKWORK opens Aug 23 at the 5th Avenue cinema Celestial Clockwork follows Ana (Ariadna Gil) as she flees her wedding in Venezuela to a new life in an overcrowded Paris apartment in the hopes of launching a career in opera. There she takes singing lessons from a kooky old heterosexual Russian (Michel Debrane), seeks advice from a kooky homosexual waiter/astrologist (Frederic Longbois), flirts with a kooky bisexual psychoanalyst (Evelyne Didi), and dodges the authorities while trying to land a role in kooky Italian director Italo Medici's (Lluis Holmar) production of Puccini's Cinderella. The imagery is as bogged down as the plot (and just as kooky!). Writer-director Fina Torres has resolved to imbue her self-consciously arty work with every "unconventional" cinematic trick in the book. The Almodovarish fluorescent colour schemes round out the films' visual and narrative excesses. Yet Torres, in celebrating everything, has made a film about nothing at all. If there's one thing I've gathered over my career as a filmgoer, it's that the more determinedly kooky a movie is, the more boring the end result will be. Gil's luminous screen presence and manifest talents ground Celestial Clockwork, and her performance is a welcome crutch with which one might hobble through the film. But her professionalism only calls attention to the superficiality of whole picture, and none of the supporting characters are nearly as sharply acted or drawn. This is just as well, as Celestial Clockwork ends up as a study in contrasts— garishness vs. beauty, artistic integrity in the face of compromise, European techno alongside Schubert lei- der—almost by default. Yet these contrasts aren't explored, merely shoved alongside each other on screen, the resultant friction being enough to drive one out of the theatre. ■ Perhaps I'm shirking my responsibilities, but there's not much to write about or reflect upon in this space as Torres' work is typical of a whole new breed of filmmakers including, recently, Todd Solenz (Welcome to the Dollhouse) and Danny Boyle (Trainspotting). There's a certain abandon to these films that can be exhilirating and inspiring, but they demonstrate a complete lack of discipline with regard to form and content and any gauge of the overall, lasting effect. I suppose this is inevitable with the collapse of the craft system; for better or for worse, nowadays every goon with a handycam gets their own movie set. Celestial Clockwork is nothing more than a glorified student-made rock video, yet its pretensions to serious art make it almost unwatchable. Blame it on the growing self-consciousness of the new auteurs and their determination to be different (and, yes, kooky). Call it post-post-modernist cinema. Call it whatever you want. I'll call it a mess. A lot of people are going to love Celestial Clockwork simply because it's an independent, foreign "art" film playing at a local "art" theatre. Go ahead and revoke my critic's license, but if craftsmanship, attention to detail, and formal consistency are still a filmmaker's ideals, I'll take Hollywood "crap" like Independance Day over Celestial Clockwork any time. The end is noir by Peter T. Chattaway FILM NOIR SERIES at the Pacific Cinematheque until Aug 31 Like a slow-burning fuse ready to explode, the Pacific Cinematheque's film noir series is finally moving out of the shadows and onto the screen. And although it is not officially connected to the Cinematheque's program, a pair of Vancouver authors have cobbled together some of the genre's best images and soundbites and released an enticing book that makes a nifty noir souvenir. The retrospective began three weeks ago, but an Italian film series and the Out on Screen festival have so far kept the bulk of these films at bay. However, beginning tonight with the Humphrey Bogart flick Dead Reckoning and the necrophilic Laura, it'll be noir for breakfast, noir for tea, and noir for dinner 'til the end of the month. This is the fourth series of this sort to play the Cinematheque in a little over two years. The first, in the spring of '94, was such a hit they slapped together an instant sequel, and it's been a seasonal fixture ever since. "It's a challenge to program the Cinematheque in the summer," says executive director -Jim Sinclair. "Noir is really interesting, but it also has a fun element that lent itself nicely to summer programming." Much of that fun comes from the dialogue, a strange but carefree mix. of crusty cynicism and overworked metaphors. "It was always stylized," says Sinclair, "but there's also an element that seems campy now that wouldn't have seemed campy in the '40s." Not all the humour was unintentional. Noir films often skirted the edge of Hollywood's restrictive Hays Code, and writers peppered their scripts with double entendres so obvious you have to wonder how they got past the censors. One particular gem in The Big Sleep features some nudge-nudge-wink-wink chitchat about racehorses — all "covering ground" and "stretching" — between Bogart and Lauren Bacall. (That film, together with Sweet Smell of Success, comes to the Cinematheque this Friday and Saturday.) Saeko Usukawa, a Vancouver writer and co-author of the slick noir compendium Hard-Boiled: Great Lines from Classic Noir Films (Raincoast), savs that humorous element has kept noir alive. "I like these lines because they arc quick-witted, and I think people arc- coming back to that. Action films are all very well for their special effects, but then you want dialogue, you want something witty, you want something profound, you want something that sounds profound but is actually pretty stupid! "Some of the fake philosophizing in these films is pretty hilarious, [but] a lot of film noir has quite serious undertones. The effect can be funny, but it's kind of a nervous laugh." This tension between different moods is a large part of noir's success, says fellow Hard-Boiled compiler and UBC Creative Writing instructor Peggy Thompson. "We were working with a quote from Umberto Eco" — Eco's medieval thriller The Name of the Rose became a 1986 film that was not without its own noirish elements — "where he said, in order for a work of art to become truly cult, it must be the kind of piece you can break apart. And with these movies, you can really do that. You can take them apart and look at them in a whole range of ways." The genre certainly incorporates no small number of influences. Mark Harris, one of The Georgia Straight's film crit- . ics and a doctoral candidate at UBC (his thesis covers American, French, and Italian crime fiction and film), cites the influence of German directors who passed through France while fleeing the Nazis. ("It was traditional to stop in Paris and make one film," he says.) German expressionism met French poetic realism met American "tough- guy" fiction and — with a dash of Italian neo-realism and post-war pessimism to Hard-Boiled is a stylish collection of noir quotes and images. keep things interesting in the late '40s — noir was born. With the waning interest in black & white films, noir more or less died following the release of Orson Welles' Touch of Evil in 1958. (That film joins Pushover at the 'theque this Sunday and Monday.) A decade or more passed before filmmakers were ready to revive the genre. "They needed to develop a new colour palette that would actually be able to reflect a noirish feeling," says Harris. "The first film that maybe came close to that was John Boorman's Point Blankin 1967, and then in 1974 Roman Polanski's Chinatown definitely evolved the palette further. The palette was complete by 1976, when Taxi Driver came out and Martin Scorsese used these very hard flourescent neon reds and blues to recapture some of the atmospheric tones that used to be rendered exclusively in black & white." Thompson notes that noir has also inspired some of the bigger hits of more recent years. "Noir is back. It's transformed and it's different, but films like Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects are neo-noir. It's in the spirit of our times." Noir can also be an inspiration in other, perhaps less expected, ways, at least according to Usukawa, who cites a favorite line from Detour. "Life's like a ballgame. You've got to take a swing at whatever comes along before you wake up and find it's the ninth inning." "It's my favorite quote," she says, "because you just have to go for it sometimes. A lot of people say, I could have done the book, but hey, you have to do the work, you have to watch the films and find those images. There are a lot of dinner party ideas that are great, and if the next morning two people just wake up and say, 'Let's do it,' that's all you have to do!" AUGUST 22, 1996 culture THE UBYSSEY 9 Mr. X returns to Radiant by Charlie Cho Mister X written by Deborah Marks, pencilled by Gene Gonzales, inked by David Rowe [Caliber Comics] Welcome to Radiant City, the planned future city of dreams. Mister X designed it using the principles of psychetecture— his theory that architecture can alter a personls mood or neurosis. It was supposed to improve people, to make them happy. But something went wrong. The city is slowly killing its population. Mr. X is trying to figure out how to repair it. "So much to do, so little time," says the bald man with the round sunglasses. Mr. X doesn't sleep, he works—experimenting with urban environments. But who is he, and what does he do with his extra time? Mercedes, his closest companion, is as much in the dark as we are. She knows him as Santos, but he's scheduled to make a public appearance as Robert Kurtzwinkle, avant-garde novelist. "So many sick minds...So much dough!!" muses Dr. Mendoza, the wealthy dial-a- shrink as he looks down from his office tower. This is the hypocrisy the comic explores. On the surface, Radiant City is an amusement park—complete with flying cars and robots—for the wealthy and the fashionable. Meanwhile, people lie ignored in the alleys and stairwells of the poorer districts, possibly drunk or dead. Graffiti, garbage, and bloodstains mar decrepit, cheaply-built buildings. The interplay of loosely connected characters and interesting cameos resembles a Robert Altman film. Harmony s — g — friend Vivienne, who some- ■f ■ f^# times feels like shes fading ^* B • W from existence, turns to psychic advisor Maman Vendredi for help. Kiki and Chartres, a fan of Kurtzwinkles new book, dish out a disturbing drug to clubbers like Patty, who disappears through a mirror. The kaleidoscope of characters provides a diverse cross-section of a high-tech metropolis. Marks, Gonzales and Rowe have revitalised the compelling world created by Dean Motter and Paul Rivoche over ten years ago. Billed as "the most original comic of the decade," Mister X was published sporadically by Ontario-based Vortex Comics between 1984 and 1990. While alumni artists such as the Hernandez brothers (Love and Rockets) and Seth (Palookaville) have come and gone, Deborah Marks has lettered every issue of Mister X since December '85. As she weaves together several story threads, a meaningful pattern emerges. Optimistically, I look forward to seeing how everything fits together into a meaningful story. Mister X deals with identity, conformity, addiction, class and jaded reactions to death, destruction and despair. What may frustrate some readers is the lack of dramatic conflict. Whoever he is, Mr. X is generally a thin, tie-wearing gentleman. While I am glad he's not a superhero on steroids or a gun-toting soldier of fortune, frankly, he doesn't seem to do much. He makes notes and measurements and formulates theories. He occasionally gets chased around, but I would not hold my breath for Mr. X to resort t fisticuffs. This is a refreshing aspect to what is primarily a psychological drama. Gene Gonzales and David Rowe combine cinematic realism with a creative approach to layout. Conventions are broken in such a way that the very arrangement of panels, word bubbles and empty space becomes a significant part of the story. Itfc difficult to describe how it works, but Gonzales is as conscious of his art as Mr. X is of his architecture. Writing about comics is difficult for two reasons. Reviews about comics tend to focus on plot or artistic realism, not innovations in the narrative. Secondly, I can't make references to other comics. They're not as popular as film or TV, nor accepted in the literary canon While many comic books are as deserving of recognition as other forms of literature, most libraries only shelve collections of newspaper strips. Mister X is an intelligent, well-crafted comic worthy of thoughtful attention. Issue two is still on the stands, so catch the next train to Radiant City. Through the looking glass shapely by E. Yeung Shape and Figure in Glass at the Canadian Craft Museum until Sep 2 When we think of glass, we usually think of windows and wine bottles, test tubes, flasks and children's marbles. The pieces currently on display at the Canadian Craft Museum are different because they serve artistic rather than functional purposes, and each of the four local artists represented here has a distinct style. Many of Louise Duthies pieces are earthy and reminiscent of sketches you might discover on the yellowing pages of an artistls coil-bound notepad (one is even subtitled Notes/rom a Sketchbook). In a covered part of the gallery, shielded from sunlight, is a series of four large, charcoal-like nude studies painted on parchment- coloured glass. More nude figures, this time much smaller, can be found in Deadlines, where they are confined to small cells and further compressed by the black space within the frames, with only black wires leading away like paths, stems, or balloon strings. The incandescent lighting of these and Duthies other works gives warmth and intimacy to otherwise two-dimensional panes. Brian Baxter, by contrast, makes extensive use of cool, blue, frosty glass. Much of his work also depicts nude figures, but unlike Duthiefc sensuality, Baxterls pieces exude sexuality, as evident in Untitled where sandblasted glass fills in the shadows of a male lower torso and legs. The sexual theme appears again, with different meaning, in Basher/Bashed, made up of a drawing of a thin, red-eyed man; a spiked and spiny, burnt and broken baseball bat; and the words "hate fear ignorance" written repeatedly in the background. Lutz Haufschild also incorporates figurative elements into some of his works, and Hostage Cross-Silent Terror might even have some ideas in common with Basher/Bashed. A man in pain is depicted within a cross, but the rest of the panel is sprinkled with large, colourful, crayon-like hearts, Xis and Ok The Three Wise Men of the Colour Empire are represented by rectangles of colour, iridescence, and texture. Markian Olynyk has created both large and small items. Earth Series, three large panels of glass covered in quasi-landscape-like images, is representative of the first. Grotto is much smaller, and its form is more inviting than its name would suggest, even with the serpentine figure coiled around one side of the portal. Shape and figure in glass definitely warrants a trip to the Canadian Craft Museum. It is unlikely that you will walk away without first pondering the stories suggested by the "shapes and figures" found in the exhibit. You will also likely develop a new appreciation for the versatility and aesthetic beauty of glass. I 1 WW ' dturr ana CIS IsJf ^mm 29t ySSf Stop by The Ubyssey office in SUB 241K for details. Contact Culture Editor Pierre Parle-beaucoup, or Assistant Culture Editor Peter Chattaway. All students welcome, no experience necessary. How does a... BRAND NEW, FULLY LOADED LAPTOP COMPUTER sound to you?... Are you dreading those long line-ups at the Bookstore this fall?... INTRODUCING the 1996 London Drugs USmJ Back-to-Sehool Bonanza... featuring ffltmnl nutritional shakes and bars from Mead Johnson Canada. DROP BY the Bookstore Sept. 3rt-6th & 9,h (11am-1pm) for a free UZEMi bar AND important information on how that LAPTOP COMPUTER COULD BE YOURS! .HAVE YOU HAD YOUR BOOST TODAY? MeaiUin OWN* At CIBC we know the challenges facing University students. That's why we have created services just for you! • CIBC can have your student loans in your accounts within 3 business days • CIBC Student Visa cards • 50% off service charges for our CIBC MenuPlus accounts • Pay tuition and bills through Telephone Banking Come in and see us, we've got the solutions for you! We are located at 5796 University Boulevard, in the UBC Village, 224-4301. 10 AUGUST 22, 1996 op/fed THE UBYSSEY summer 1 ubyssey August 22, 1996 ■ volume 13 bsue 4 Editorial Board Coordinating Editor: Scott Hayward News : Ian Gunn and Sarah O'Donnell Culture : Peter T. Chattaway Sports: Wolf Depner National/Features: Federico Barahona Photo : Richard Lam Production: Joe Clark The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press. The Summer Ubyssey is published Thursdays by The Ubyssey Publications Society at the University of British Columbia. Editorial opinions expressed art +hoc.e ofthe newspaper and not necessarily those of the university administration or the Alma Mater Society. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey, otherwise verification will be done by phone. "Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. "Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time senstitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. Editorial Office Room 241K, Student Union Building, 6138 Student Union Boulevard, Vancouver, BC. V6T1Z1 tel: (604) 822-2301 fax:822-9279 Business Office Room 245, Student Union Building advertising: (604) 822-1654 business office: (604) 822-6681 Business Manager Fernie Pereira Advertising Manager: James Rowan Scott Hayward didn't know what hit him. Was it the smack or was it Jamie Woods' fist? "Gimme me back my bath duckie, you filthy bastardf' Struggling off the Guinness-soiled floor, Clark replied: "I don't have your bloody duckie, that Wolf Depner character has it." Bursting out of the door, Clark ran into his room and rang up John Bolton: "Hey, Johnny, how are ya, you smaghead ? Hey, do you do want to beat the crap out of Wolf?" "Absolutely," replied Bolton, who grabbed his leather-jacket and headed out. On the way over to Woods' place he ran into Joe Clark and Janet Winters, who were standing on the corner smoking up with a trio of well-dressed starngers. They waved to Sarah O'Donnell, who was on her way to a Def Leppard concert with James Rowley. "I wanna rock and roll all night, and party everydayf sang Ben Koh. "Oh, man, you are my God," said Ian Gunn, looking up at Ben with awe. "Oh yeah? Well, listen to this," said Isabelle Cote, who sang the multi-octave-Whitney- Houston thing. This caused the lenses in Federico Barahona^ glasses to break, and he fell face-first into the gazpacho that Peter Chattaway had so proudly made from scratch. James Rowley said, "Oh, too bad I don't have my video camera." "Yeah," Nina Greco said, "you could have won #10,000 on America's Funniest Home Videos." Rick Hiebert said, "It would probably make a better Loonie Toons cartoon." Lori Lam walked around doing her Pepe LePew imitation: "Oh, cherie, you are ze one and only love in zis sad skunks lahf." Charlie Cho, who had been watching this spectacle sitting silently in the corner, jumped up and began doing calisthenics, all the while singing the old Olivia Newton-John classic, "Leti Get Physical." Canada Post Publications Sales Agreement Number 0732141 Academic freedom at issue as Sikh studies chair resigns No one likes to get involved too deeply in someone else's fight, but when an internal dispute spills over into the public sphere, we can't help but respond. Such is the case with UBC Sikh studies chair Dr. Oberoi's resignation. While some may prefer to write off the protests surrounding his book as an internal dispute within Sikhism, the fact that he has abandoned the chair of UBC's Sikh studies program, leaving the Asian Studies department scratching its head over how best to serve the interests of its students, does have far-reaching implications beyond the Sikh community. In many ways, it goes right to the heart of some of the most pressing issues facing this campus. The university administration has been strangely quiet about this whole affair despite the fact the university's Policy and Procedure Handbook, as recently published in UBC Reports, states that "behaviour which obstructs free and full discussion, not only of ideas which are safe and accepted, but of those which may be unpopular or even abhorrent, vitally threatens the integrity of the University's forum. Such behaviour cannot be tolerated." It's ironic, really. There was much sound and fury last year over "academic freedom" when the PoliSci department's old boys' club was charged with creating a racist and sexist climate. "Academic freedom" was used to defend the status quo, but it goes right out the window when a professor needs that freedom to challenge a status quo of a different kind. This issue also emphasizes the dangers of outside—including corporate—sponsorship. According to the contract signed by the university and the Federation of Sikh Societies, which raised the money for the Sikh studies trust fund in the first place, the university is supposed to have "full autonomy" over course selection, the hiring of professors, and the disbursement of the trust fund. However, as we have seen, such contractual precautions are not much help when aggrieved sponsors decide to apply some pressure. There is a way around this problem—two ways, in fact—but neither seems likely to occur. The university could decide to forego the trust fund altogether and just hire a professor, no strings attached, with a specialty in Sikh studies, just as it keeps specialists in its Religious Studies department without being foresworn to any particular faith. Of course, that would require money, and in an age of widespread cuts, it's doubtful the university would make a priority of this. An alternative might be for the Sikh community to build a theological college of its own that would be autonomous but still retain an affiliation with the university, with seats on the Senate and full AMS member ship privileges for its students. Such an arrangement exists right now for Regent College and the Vancouver School of Theology and there's no reason to assume that such institutions must be Christian in nature. This is also unlikely because the local Sikh community is just not that big. Which means, if it is to receive any sort of profile in Canadian culture, it must rely on uneasy partnerships with organizations such as UBC that are committed to looking at the totality of Sikhism, and not just one view of it, even if it is the majority view. (The World Sikh Organization may claim that there is no diversity within Sikhism, but the fact that they can take issue with a Sikh professor such as Oberoi suggests otherwise.) The one group most people seem to have forgotten in this whole affair are the students who sign up for the Punjabi and history courses in the first place. It would be foolish to assume that all of Oberoi's students were Sikhs themselves. In fact, the chair in Sikh studies was created to promote multicultural "understanding"—a goal that is only possible when people from different cultures meet together in a spirit of openness and tolerance. We would like to understand the current debate better ourselves. But it's difficult, if not impossible, to understand something properly when voices are being silenced. letters AMS Prez responds to UBC Prez As a general practice, I have refrained from responding to items which appear in The Ubyssey. However, I feel compelled to comment on Dr. David Strangway's letter in the summer issue. 1. Contrary to the President^ letter, the university did try to increase tuition fees counter to the provincial freeze on tuition. I'm flattered that we've been given all the credit for saving students over #3,000,000 collectively. In truth, however, the Ministry of Education thwarted the increase, because they agreed that it violated the freeze on tuition. 2. Since the President has raised the issue, I will take this opportunity to clarify councils decisions pursuant to the Coke funds. Contrary to the President's letter, the current fiscal crunch that the AMS finds itself in has not simply been caused by overspending in previous years. There have been many changes to the AMS budget over the last year that have created the need for hard choices to be made by the budget committee, not the least of which is the new IPF (Innovative Projects Fund) through which the AMS funds new projects every year. These changes placed the AMS council in an awkward position. Either slash existing services and leave the Coke money to initiate new programs or use some of the Coke money, on a one time basis, to ensure that existing services are protected and that some new programs can be funded. Council chose the latter. By no means has the Coke money been used to 'compensate for errors in budgeting'. On the contrary, it has been used to: ensure the effectiveness of our services are not compromised; to create a dynamic new student magazine; and to create the new AMS website to more effectively serve and inform students. Students should be aware that there is over #175,000 available for innovative new projects this year. 3. Consultations on the official community plan process and UBC's land use plan have been underway for several years, and although the AMS has had many opportunities for input, we have focused our attention on just one concern: will the plan directly serve the needs of students? The Board of Governors have had ample opportunity to respond to this concern. Yet they have offered no guarantee whatsoever that the #1,000,000,000 endowment, that will be created from developing about 30% of UBC's land endowment for market housing, will be used to directly serve the needs of students. Until such a guarantee is offered, the AMS will continue to withhold support for the plan. The real issue here, which ought to be the administration's main concern, is the problem of funding for the University. This is a real problem, one which affects the quality of education students receive here. On this issue, the AMS sympathizes with Dr. Strangway and the administration. In the Third Great Trek, the AMS, the faculty, and the administration worked together to lobby the government for improved funding for UBC. We would like to revive the spirit of that Trek in order to ensure that UBC receives sufficient funding to provide a high quality education to its students. To this end, I would like to welcome and encourage a more cooperative relationship between the administration and the AMS in the future. David Borins AMS President See letters on page 11 AUGUST 15, 1996 op/fed THE UBYSSEY 11 letters Continued from page 10 Olympic similarities acknowledged While generally not agreeing with any of Rodney C. Remington's critical letter that bemoaned last issue's article by Sports Editor Wolf Depner on American Olympic TV coverage, one comment in particular seemed to catch my notice. Noting a civic-backed program to drive homeless people from the city center in-the months preceding the Games, Depner drew a potential comparison here to Berlin in 1936, when like attempts were made to 'sanitize' the landscape and image of the host city before an international audience. Though state-institutionalized anti-Semitism is nonetheless not an order of the (extreme) poverty of some American inner-cities, still the Sports Editoris comments can be seen as well-founded and instructive, for ultimately it is his intent to focus the reader^ attention on the important fact that the image of reality the public is given access to, can often be skillfully manipulated. Though I understand that comparisons with the Third Reich and the Holocaust have recently come in vogue for some to use as a cheap ploy to provide quick sensationalism or emphasis: as perhaps linguistically used by Jerry Seinfeld, "soup Nazi," or in California, both "salad Nazi" and "surf Nazi"—still I think the comparison between 1996 and 1936 does not demean the terrible experiences under- FREESTYLE went by the Jews and other minorities at this time, and is certainly not "down-right insulting to the Jewish community" as Remington alleges. If one were to explicitly call the Atlanta Olympic committee an adjunct arm of the National Socialist German Worker's Party on this basis, the letter's criticism would probably be quite valid. Nonetheless this sort of sordid hyperbole is not what Depner engages in, as I and those of last week's readers, who had somewhat carefully read the text, would easily have been able to surmise. To repeat one final time then, while the events of the Holocaust and what happened in 1933-1945 in Germany represent a horrible tragedy in the history of the world, they are not items to be held up as holy relics, impossible to be touched, considered, or mentioned. Keeping in mind a certain amount of tact and restraint, intelligent reference can and should be used in connection with this time period, and to his credit, Wolf Depner's article lives up to these lofty requirements. Benjamin Ellison Germanic Studies, Masters Koerner's staff are not under suspicion Recent events in the Graduate Student Centre have attracted a great deal of attention and speculation. Unfortunately, given that discussions with the Society's former Food and Beverage Manager, Dale Read, are ongoing, Council- and the Executive Committee have been unable to release detailed information per taining to Council's decision to end Mr. Read's employment on June 25,1996. While the specific reasons for the dismissal of Dale Read have not been disclosed, much speculation has occurred. Among the rumors currently circulating on campus are some that cast suspicion upon the staff of Koerner's, the Society's Pub. Pub staff have expressed, and rightly so, their anxiety, frustration and anger regarding these rumors. In order to allay staff concerns, as well as check damaging and irresponsible rumors, the Executive Committee states unequivocally that no staff member employed in its Food and Beverage operations is- under suspicion of any wrongdoing whatsoever. The Executive Committee requests that all parties work together to avoid such harmful speculation in the future. Kevin Dwyer GSS President Those who teach can't learn I am a mental health therapist with Greater Vancouver Mental Health who has been studying with the Department of Counselling Psychology for three years. I hold a BA in psychology from the University of Alberta, and though I am employed as a "Master's equivalency," I recognized the limitations of such a position years ago and researched graduate options across the country. I have been professionally employed supervising UBC's Department of Counselling Psychology graduate students in their practicum placements at my office. Also in my professional capacity, I have Living on campus-an incestuous life by Jamie Woods An incestuous life threatens students living on campus. Consider it. Most of the students living in UBCfc student digs are from upper or middle- class backgrounds. They have conformed to the demands of a rigidly-defined and dull high school curriculum, are seeking careers requiring brains (not brawn) and thus a place in society's upper strata. They are of North American, Asian, or buffered by the monetary wealth of the West Side. Beyond, high school dropouts drywall a Vancouver Special on the Eastside, aging Italians chat demonstratively over espresso on Commercial Drive, an exhausted mother separates her squabbling children in the Wal- Mart toy section, an Ethiopian immigrant shares a joke with his Vietnamese co-workers in the back of a Granville Island bakery. Out here on Point Grey, we European background, and are between 18 and 25 years old. We generally have similar interests and aspirations, and will one day have similar opportunities. In other words, we aren't living in a real community. An expanse of second-growth forest lies between us and the real world, and even then we're rarely see such people, much less have to relate to them. And even if we want to venture that far, a tiresome 45 minute bus journey separates us from the downtown core. If we have the willpower to go that much further into the Downtown Eastside, will we have the social skills necessary to begin to relate to those down and out—anaesthetised as we've been by a steady diet of the golden liquid which pours forth at bzzr gardens? And the very nature of committing ourselves to studying within the parameters of a limited discipline prevents us from daring to venture much beyond the campus. After all, those best rewarded by the academic system are those who devote the most time to understanding it. Thus we produce psychologists who understand Freud better than the people who visit them for help. And who can blame those psychologists; they have lived far removed from distressed areas and situations throughout the course of their studies, and been shaped by analysing the symptoms of hangover, pre-exam neurosis, and the dysfunctional teaching skills of their professors. The more students cloister themselves on campus, the more incestuous they will become. If the criticism that professors are unable to function in the outside world is valid, can the same not be said of students? Indeed, as those in training to be the social leaders of the next century, should we not be taking the time to immerse ourselves in the society we intend to lead? presented lectures on suicide, bereavement and trauma in the Department's classrooms, and offered clinical consultations to their teaching staff, students and graduates. I have offered these lectures in other departments both on and off campus. Three years ago, I consulted with the Department's academic advisors Dr. Larry Cochran, Dr. Judith Daniluk and Dr. Bill Borgen about pursuing graduate studies. I was advised that I was the type of candidate the Department of Counselling Psychology wished to attract due to my extensive work history, and was encouraged to take classes in order to bring up my mediocre GPA from years ago. Upon completing the Diploma in Guidance Studies program this year with a first-class standing, I was flatly rejected from the MA program. I have pursued the matter through the appropriate channels but have recently decided that the personal cost of this process has been too much to my health, my career and my relationships. I am abandoning the process. This letter is not an appeal. I am writing to make you aware of a disturbing irony with respect to my case. You may already be familiar with the manner in which the Department of Counselling Psychology conducts its advising and admissions. Of course, they may admit and reject graduate applicants as they please. I've grown weary of the Department's inconsistencies and wash my hands of the whole process. However, I would like to publicly acknowledge one central point that I have tirelessly made, and that has never been addressed by any appeals administrator. I wish to prevail upon your common sense. Even if all the claims and contentions I have made are the ill-founded prattle of a rejected and wounded ego, please consider this one point Is there not something desperately wrong with an admissions system that rejects from its graduate program, one of its own graduate supervisors? On one level, how can graduate students be sent to a supervisor who is not up to the programs standards even as a student? On the other level, how can the Department say that I am good enough to supervise their students, but not good enough to be admitted as a student? I find this hypocrisy gravely disconcerting and patently unfair. If the University continues to evade this issue, so be it. However, it would be an interesting topic for public discussion. I am overwhelmingly frustrated, tired, and disillusioned. Thank you for considering this matter; 1 remain available to meet with you, the public media, or anyone else to discuss this further. Again let me be clear, this is not an appeal. I have no desire to pursue an appeal further as I have lost all respect for the Department and its faculty. I do not want to learn from them how to treat people the way they have treated me. My only wish at this point is to reduce the chances of this type of injustice from happening again. It is common knowledge that I have not been the only one thus treated, but just because it recurs does not make it right. Rowland Johnson The Diner & We put our Sole into our Fish & Chips • Steak & Kidney Pie • Shepherd's Pie • Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding (Sunday] Breakfast served all day! This is Just a Few Items from our Menu 4556W.10th 224-1912 Weekdays 8:30am - 8:30pm. Sundays Noon-7pm. • Prices to Fit Students Pocket • Phone for Take-Out Orders • Just 1 Block East of UBC Gate **■*»_ VANCOUVER'S LOWEST NEW TEXTBOOK PRICES Our Guarantee 'WJe guarantee the lowest price W in the City of Vancouver on new textbooks. Our guarantee applies to both required and optional textbooks listed for UBC credit courses in the current term. Sorry, books on suggested reading lists are not included. Found a iow*r-pri«ed textbook? ► Please contact any of our book staff. Tell us where you found it at a lower price. We will confirm the price and lower our price on all stock of that title, in most cases within 24 hours. ► We will reward you for helping us meet our guarantee. The first person reporting a lower price elsewhere will receive a $10 gift certificate from the Bookstore. SEE IN-STORE DISPLAY FOR COMPLETE DETAILS UBC BOOKSTORE 6200 University Blvd. Vancouver B.C. 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