8 Planet of the Arts / December 1996 | feel disappointment after having read Ling’s article. | have assumed that | am one of “those people” referred to in the article. |am also having some difficulty responding in that | feel that it is inappropriate to engage in what seems to be a personal dialogue within a public forum. It is, and will always be my belief, that personal differences can and should be resolved inter-personally. | remain open to these personal dialogues, however uncomfortable they may be to experience. Illustration by P. Roch Smith Linda Szasz Betrayal Continued ..continued from previous page student status? Should students then disregard their differences of opinion? The CFS party line of conformi- ty tends to lump all students into one big melting pot. For the record, | believe the lobbying of govern- ment on behalf of students - whether by CFS or anyone else — is important to support. It is crucial that students have a voice in lobbying the government at a national and provincial level. But | also believe that without self-evaluation (something that | find the CFS lacks), the CFS is susceptible to the same corruption that can plague any political organization. To the CFS hard-liners, to disagree with the CFS organization or policies deems you to be a traitor to the student movement, an obstacle in their fight for student rights. The CFS hard-line attitude of condemning student members who may disagree with some of their policies shows their incapacity to accept differences. If the CFS hard-liners aren’t tolerant of differences of opinion, within their own organization or with the students they “represent”, then how can they set a good example in accepting differences of race and culture? CFS’ authoritarian assumption is that they know how the world should be changed. Like any political organization, their use of political rhetoric in discussions plays on the insecurities of those who are not accustomed to such a style of banter. It doesn’t student delegation at the CFS national general meeting, a huge banner with the slogan “Strength in Numbers” hung above the heads of the CFS national executives. Labelled as their enemy, | looked around the room full of CFS hard-liners and wondered what that slogan meant for me. | shuddered. Having been alienated and treated like a traitor to “their” student movement, | felt threatened in such a hostile environment, so | left. To the CFS hard-liners, my voice had no merit because | didn’t blindly embrace their political dogma. What would it take for me to redeem myself to CFS? | would have to use their rhetorical language to either preach to students the quality of the CFS orga- nization or intimidate them into silence if they dis- agreed. | would have to condemn Emily Carr’s administra- tive body and treat them as the enemy. | would have to stop publicly evaluating any ques- tionable activities of the CFS. And at the CFS national general meeting, every night | would have to party and drink lots of beer. It wasn’t by accident that the CFS organization has developed such a hard attitude in dealing with differ- ing opinions. Choices were made to foster and develop such a political strategy. CFS is very efficient at appear that they care what CFS sho wers excluding and silencing people tactics they use to win their point. Winning the day is whose views don’t meet the f pre- . what counts because it’s all co n te mp t oO n PPR ci beige for the “greater good.” And of course the assumption is that CFS knows what's best j ts r. rj ti cs = for all students. But does the CFS’ defini- tion of “good” actually benefit Emily Carr? — Of course the issue of tuition fees is important and lobbying the government must be done. In this regard, | feel paying CFS is money well spent. The Emily Carr community is small, thus good rela- tions and communication between students and administration is possible. | believe that the adminis- trative body at Emily Carr is open and wants to work with students in order to enrich the life at our school. | realize that such a dynamic between students and administration rarely exists elsewhere. Emily Carr is unique and | don’t believe CFS wants to acknowledge that. Some of my fellow students have expressed to me their criticisms of the CFS but they don’t want to get involved. They've witnessed the contempt that showers down upon CFS critics and they don’t want it directed towards them. | don’t blame these students, because it’s no fun and sometimes it’s scary. Is it good that they have to silence themselves and sit on fences? Is this what politics is about? Should everyone who disagrees be silenced? Is this an inherent strategy of the CFS? Sitting in the main meeting room with the entire any problems in taking mem- bership fees from those they don’t want to hear. If | were in an executive position with the CFS, | would welcome students to question our organization. That would show the CFS to have genuine concern about their members’ needs and interests. | would talk to people without using political rhetoric as a weapon to silence their voice. This, | feel, would allow for productive conversations to occur. In an organization in which | had no say in joining - you're automatically a member and pay membership fees when you pay your tuition to Emily Carr - | cer- tainly would want to have my voice be heard and acknowledged. If, to not taking things at face value, wanting to be able to agree to disagree, or questionning in general, are actions defined as “bad” in the CFS organization — I'd rather be bad. LINDA, YOU WERE RIGHT Linda Szasz has requested (directly to me) to view my article prior to its publication in order to provide a written response in the same issue of the paper. Initially, | felt no obligation to fulfill the request, but upon further reflection | realized that Linda’s proposal would prove to be beneficial in fostering constructive dialogue on issues of significance to student life at Emily Carr. <@ 8 Planet of the Arts / December 1996 | feel disappointment after having read Ling’s article. | have assumed that | am one of “those people” referred to in the article. | am also having some difficulty responding in that | feel that it is inappropriate to engage in what seems to be a personal dialogue within a public forum. It is, and will always be my belief, that personal differences can and should be resolved inter-personally. | remain open to these personal dialogues, however uncomfortable they may be to experience. Linda Szasz » Betrayal Continued ‘Student status? Should students then disregard their differences of opinion? The CFS party line of conform: ty tends to lump all students into one big melting pot. For the record, | believe the labbying of govern- iment on behalf of students - whether by CFS or anyone else~is important to support. Its crucial that students have a voice in lobbying the government at a ‘ational and provincial level But | also believe that ‘without self-evaluation (something that | find the CFS lacks), the CFS is susceptible to the same corruption that can plague any politcal organization. To the CFS hard-liners, to disagree withthe CFS ‘organization or policies deems you to be a traitor to ‘the student movement, an obstace in ther fight for student rights. ‘The CFS hard-line attitude of condemning student members who may disagree with some of their polices shows their incapacity to accept itferences. Ifthe CFS differences of opinion, tion of with the students, ‘accepting differences of race and culture? ‘CFS authoritarian assumption is that they know how the world should be changed. Like any political organization, their use of political rhetoric in discussions plays on the insecurities of those who are not accustomed to such a Style of banter. It doesn’t student delegation atthe CFS national general meeting, a huge banner with the slogan “Strength in Numbers" hung above the heads of the CFS national ‘Labelled as their enemy, I ooked around the room {ull of CFS hardliners and wondered what that slogan meant for me. | shuddered. Having been alienated and treated lke a traitor to “their” student movement, | felt threatened in such 2 hostile environment, so let. To the CFS hard-liners, my voice had no merit because I didn't blindly embrace thei political dogma. 'What would it take for me to redeem myself to cs? | would have to use their rhetorical language to ‘either preach to students the quality ofthe CFS orga- nization or intimidate them into silence if they di agreed. T would have to condemn Emily Carrs adminstra- ‘ve body and treat them asthe enemy. | would have to stop publicly evaluating any ques- tionable activities of the CFS. ‘And atthe CFS national general meeting, every, night | would have to party and drink lots of beer. R wasn’t by accident that the CFS organization has veloped such a hard attitude in dealing with differ. ing opinions. Choices were made to foster and develop Such a political strategy. (CSIs very efficient at este cette CES SROWESS scien or {tactics they use to win their point. Winning the day is whose views don’t meet the irromoeesest, CONCtEMpPt ON “irersonieer’choe forthe “greater good.” And cof course the assumption is Srcsioomese tS Critics. for all students But does the CFS’ defini- tion of “good” actually benefit Emily Carr? ‘Of course the issue of tition fees is important and lobbying the government must be done. In this regard, eel paying CFS is money well spent. ‘The Emily Carr community is small, thus good rela- tions and communication between students and administration is possible. believe thatthe adminis- trative body at Emily Car is open and wants to work with students in order to enrich the life at our schoo! realize that such a dynamic between students and administration rarely exists elsewhere, Emily Car is ‘Unique and I don't Believe CFS wants to acknowledge that ‘Some of my fellow students have expressed to me their criticisms of the CFS but they don’t want to get involved. They've witnessed the contempt that showers down upon CFS critics and they don’t want it directed towards them. | don’t blame these students, because it’s no fun and sometimes it's scary. Isit good that they have to silence themselves and siton fences? 's this what politics is about? Should everyone who lsagrees be silenced? ls this an inherent strategy of the Cs? Sitting in the main meeting room with the entire any problems in taking mem- bership fees from those they don't want to hear If | were in an executive position withthe CFS, | would Welcome students to question, ‘our organization. That would show the CFS to have ‘genuine concern about their members’ needs and would talk to people without using political thetoric as a weapon to silence thelr voice. This | fee, ‘would allow for productive conversations to occur nan organization in which had no sa in joining you're automatically a member and pay membership fees when you pay your tuition to Emily Car cer- tainly would want to have my voice be heard and acknowledged. Hf, t0 not taking things at face value, wanting to be able to agree to disagree, or questionning in general, fare actions defined at "bad" in the CFS organization — {rd rather be bad. LINDA, YOU WERE RIGHT Linda Szasz has requested (directly to me) to view ‘ny article prior to its publication in order to provide a ‘writen response in the same isue of the paper. Initially, | fet no obligation to fulfil the request, but ‘upon further reflection I realized that Lindas proposal ‘would prove to be beneficial in fostering constructive dialogue on issues of significance to student life at Emily Care “®