Don’t be haters
Re: Tear us apart, again?, Feb. 6
I was present at the events for the “Israeli Apartheid Week” last year and did not see anything against the Jewish people; there were actually some Jews in favour of the Palestinian cause. “Israeli Apartheid Week” critiqued the Israeli government’s actions; it was not a generalization of how Jewish people live and act. When reading the title “Israeli Apartheid Week” there is no mention of Judaism or any religion. Last time I checked Israel was a country, not a religion.
On the other hand, “Radical Islam Week” tries to depict Islam (as stated in the title of the event) as a radical religion. This event tries to show that the religion of Islam allows neither human nor civil rights, and that it is served by the media. There is also a section about jihad and Islamic terrorism.
As you can see, all the topics of “Radical Islam Week” concern the religion of Islam, not the political situation in the Middle East. Therefore “Radical Islam Week” is not a response to the ASC’s “Israeli Apartheid Week” but an event on its own. Therefore, I would suggest that The Varsity cover Israeli Apartheid Week and Radical Islam Week independently from one another rather than compare the two.
-Mashal Kara
• I am stunned by the front page as well as the article it promotes. Clearly the writer did extremely little research on the events that The Varsity is apparently against. The Arab Students Collective is a secular group. They do not adhere to any religion. The Muslim groups on campus are not even associated with “Israeli Apartheid Week,” so the very fact that you have created such a dichotomy (a false one) on the cover of your newspaper showing that apparently “Know Radical Islam Week” and “Israeli Apartheid Week” are each attacking the other religion is completely fabricated.
The Varsity editors as well as the writer of the article should be ashamed of assuming that all Arabs are Muslims. Are people to assume that Indians are Hindu, that Canadians are Christian, etc.? The Arab Students Collective does not in any way, shape or form adhere to any religious doctrine. Such association is blatant racism on the part of the Varsity. Batar Tegar is a self-acknowledged religious group, and the ASC is not.
-Navid Anvari
• As far as the Toronto Secular Alliance (TSA) is concerned, “Know Radical Islam” week is about the dangers of extreme politically-inclined religious ideology disrupting media, government and education. This is what the TSA would have told The Varsity had their reporter bothered to ask instead of defining our mandate for us. Apparently, we are now against all religion and hence have no business supporting a Zionist organization.
The TSA’s dual mandate is to promote science while fostering a freethinking community that pushes for the separation of religion from the public sphere. There is nothing contrary to that in working alongside a coalition of like-minded broadly secular groups brought together by a Jewish organization that, through mostly Muslim speakers, is fighting a threat common to the welfare of civilization.
At some point nearly every religion has been guilty of giving rise to extremism. The TSA could support a week condemning the atrocities of Jews, Christians, Hindus, and many others, under the banner of faith. In the current world context, political Islam presents the single greatest ideological danger. Look no further than the Muslim cartoons that have engendered violent reaction out of all proportion.
-Justin Trottier
• The inconsistency of our university’s monitoring hatred on campus is baffling. In 2003, former president Birgeneau shut down a conference hosted by the Arab Students Collective because they required participants to sign a waiver supporting their controversial ideals in the Middle East. Although those actions were contested, it gave the average student a sense of safety that club-sponsored events promoting hatred were not welcomed in our university.
On a frightening note, a Zionist group on campus named ‘Betar Tagar’ is hosting a series of events on campus titled “Know Radical Islam” which seem to be geared towards the dissemination of anti-Islamic rhetoric. Public displays of derogatory jargon against a religion seems overly offensive to me, both as a person who follows Islam and an objective thinker in general. From an elementary viewpoint, establishing a series of events under a banner of hatred will not inspire peace and respect to Muslims on campus; many student Muslims fear the contrary.
Let us hope for the sake of religious respect and freedom that our new university president has the same chutzpah as president Birgeneau in moderating the intensity of events that promote hate on campus.
-Sarah Nasser
Stupid is as stupid draws…
Re: Protecting the Sacred, Feb. 6
Freedom of expression is important in a democratic society. One should be free to express what is on one’s mind without fear of reprisal. This is especially true of the press. We also know that there are certain responsibilities and duties that every individual-as well as the press-has in that regard. You cannot yell “Fire” just because you feel like it. The press can’t publish false things just because they feel like it.
If some cartoonist from any Toronto paper drew a picture of a black man with big lips, a gun in one hand, and made reference to his ignored child, there would be some serious consequences. I, as a black man, would demand that anyone involved with that serious lack of judgment be fired. I doubt anyone would disagree with me on that. I would also doubt that newspapers all over North America would publish that cartoon to “show support” for that paper and freedom of speech.
So why is Mr. Nadler asking that of The Varsity with regards to the Mohammed insult? I’m Christian and even I am offended. Freedom of speech means we tolerate opinions with which we disagree. It does not mean that we go repeating every stupid thing ever said to make sure that the “right” is protected.
-Selam Yohannes
Ah, stuff a wrap in it!
Re: Audience-Ignatieff relations, Feb. 6
I agree with Brianna Goldberg’s comments on audience behaviour. The people who asked questions to Mr. Ignatieff last week obviously think reading a summary of No Logo on Wikipedia grants them the title of “all-knowing prophet,” thus grasping complex international dilemmas far better than those naive intellectuals and UN employees with first-hand experience.
But if Goldberg wants to experience the question period with the highest fuckface ratio, I suggest attending any university event that uses the words “Free Food” in its advertising. Socrates coyly suggested he should be granted free food in exchange for his pestering. Jesus actually acted on this. U of T regulars have made it an art.
-Anthony Furey
Sports writers should stick to laundry
Re: The problem is black and white, Feb. 6
I appreciated your clear piece on the differences in language used to describe black and white NFL quarterbacks. The objectification of black athletes has permeated public opinion and pop culture in North America for decades (just think of the movie title “White men can’t jump”). Matt Ventresca characterized the basis of such descriptions as “embedded in football discourse and not necessarily racist sentiments of individual writers.” He was wrong to shy away from the word “racist” here, since what he describes is the very definition of systemic racism. When a biased and hateful attitude runs so deep that it can be casually expressed without obvious malice, it is called systemic racism. Don’t let sports writers off so easily!
-Marcius Extavour
Chop the Arbor down
Re: Arbor Room to close, Jan. 24
I would like to contribute my voice in support of the recent decision to terminate the Arbor Room. Given the figure cited by Hart House-approximately $500,000 in food services deficit amassed over the last five years-the Save the Arbor Room petition’s call to protect “good union jobs” is hardly a compelling reason to keep the Arbor Room open in its current format. Furthermore, the petition’s claim that union jobs will be eliminated is incorrect. The union agreement means that the staff will simply be transferred to other posts, or that new jobs will be created for them.
I liked the food at the Arbor Room, although I always found it expensive, and the service staff to be indifferent and slow. Hopefully, a new food joint will help Hart House staunch the bleeding and re-direct money to its many other worthy programs.
-Nicholas Bentley
