The Martlet

A tribute to Michael Cullen

It’s 8:30 in the morning. We’re sitting in another uncomfortable seat in McLauren, waiting for another tedious English class to start: “Technical Communication: Written and Verbal.” It sounds riveting.

In walks another typical English professor: bald, grey, frazzled and late. Slowly making his way up to the front of the class, he turns to us, flashes a grin and says, “I bet you I can get my gum in the garbage can from here.” Not so typical after all.

Thus began our journey to “perfect,” not only in the way we wrote, but in the way we acted and thought of the world. From the evil of “um,” to the power of nothing, he provided the only English class we were always excited to attend. His speeches on topics such as “Twoo Luv,” “Horation-Oration” and “Having a nice day” still ring in our ears as if they were spoken yesterday.

The late professor Michael Cullen had a unique approach to teaching that personally engaged students. Always cheerful, always smiling, always enthusiastic: this is how we remember Michael Cullen. His classes were inspirational and, to those of us for whom English didn’t come naturally, a revelation.

Every class was a new adventure — just the way he wanted. Cullen, as most students called him, really cared about his students’ success. Whether it was applying for scholarships, furthering their education, working on a presentation for work, or just another class project, he was always available and excited to go above and beyond.

A year later, we still find ourselves sharing jokes from his class, discussing our memories of him, and returning to the concepts he taught. We were lucky to have Michael Cullen as a professor, and we send our condolences to all his friends, family and those who undoubtedly miss him. Here’s to you, Professor.

Aidan Elkin, Jake Moffatt and Russell Murray

UVic Students

In the name of diversity

I am becoming discouraged by the aggressive and oppressively liberal attitude of UVic. It seems the only point of view that is accepted is a hard left wing ideology on issues. To voice anything else seems to be right wing, conservative, Bush/Harper loving, privileged, racist, religious fanatical, intolerant, homophobic, white male rhetoric.

It is unsettling how my voice is automatically discounted as I am of an “oppressive bigoted background” being a white heterosexual male. People have this anger towards what I am, as if I have personally mistreated them. I should not have to feel anxious about expressing my ideals in discussion in class. A university is supposed to be a place where one can express themselves and learn from others’ point of views, not a stifling and narrow-minded environment.

I am also trying to understand this venomous anger towards anything other than the left ideological standpoint. It seems if someone wanted to support McCain in the American election, they would have stones thrown at them and their intelligence and humanity questioned.

As an intellectual institute I would hope that we would be mature enough to listen to each other and try to understand each others’ point of view. Plurality of ideas should be celebrated, not extinguished. I’m sure someone will respond to this saying “all we learn is white male propaganda” and “conservative mindsets are oppressive and intolerant and have no place in a university” and that’s fine. I respect your right to voice your opinion and understand your point of view. All I am asking is that same courtesy.

Jeff Lemus

UVic Student

Get back to work, whiners

In response to Craig Ashbourne’s commiserating article for the striking TA’s at York University, CUPE local 3903, I’m wondering where he gets off.

The government is forcing them back to work, and well it should be.

I don’t claim to be all knowing about the situation, but I do know their main complaint is not getting enough money, even though they have the best Collective Agreement in the country. They’re getting paid $30 per hour, while us grad students here at UVic suck a measly $23. They have all sorts of added benefits that we don’t have, namely: sick leave, jury leave, maternity leave, etc.

So I say shut up and get back to work. You’re shitting where you eat.

Christopher K. Rowan

UVic student

Burma situation complicated

The article “Panties Combat Burma Military” leaves the impression that there is a “human rights” or “democracy” problem isolated within the borders of Burma.

In reality, the ethnically diverse peoples living in Burma are utilized as a slave labour resource; this is completely tolerated and accepted by the international community for two reasons; one is economic and the other is political.

Canadian corporations invest in Burmese industries (oil, gas, transport and trade). NGO’s operating there do so under the direction and watch of the SPDC.

Burma’s economic ties to China and India as well as their membership in regional economic partnerships all function to legitimize the SPDC as the rulers of Burma.

Secondly, the situation is tolerated because settler nations like Canada are fully aware of the dangers of calling out other nations for their abuses of indigenous peoples when we still maintain rigid assimilationist policies towards the indigenous peoples here; not to mention an illegal refusal to accept that indigenous peoples in North America have political and economic rights.

We are much more complicit in the problems of both Burma and Canada than anyone cares to admit; for they arise from the racist imperialism of development and liberal democracy.

Joshua J. Smith

UVic student

Update on the UVSS

I would like to clarify some misinformation, in regards to Kyle Bienvenue’s letter (Shame on UVSS, Feb.12).

When we learned that Caitlin Meggs had missed a meeting, we contacted the City of Victoria and found out there had been a clerical error, as she was scheduled to appear at a later date.

The UVSS met with the Victoria City Council on Feb. 18 and received continued support for our WE RIDE Transit campaign.

The UVSS met with the Esquimalt Council, Saanich Transportation Committee, Mayor of Victoria Dean Fortin and Mayor of Oak Bay Chris Causten to talk about transit issues. We are in the process of booking meetings with the Oak Bay and Saanich City Councils. We are scheduled to meet with the Victoria Regional Transit Commission on March 10 to present our proposal.

The UVSS works tirelessly to advocate for an accessible post secondary education system.

It is unfortunate that the Martlet doesn’t regularly cover the work of the UVSS so that students like Kyle can be more informed.

I encourage students to contact your elected directors if you have questions or about campaigns that we are working on. Get involved with these campaigns by stopping by the SUB, e-mailing us directly or going to our new website www.uvss.uvic.ca.

Tracy Ho

Director of Finance

UVSS

I am not a bigot

Mohamed Ghilan persists in claiming he is motivated by strictly humanitarian motives in his concern for innocent women and children killed in the Gaza conflict, but only Palestinian women and children. Those who want to talk about Palestinian provocations in the form of badly aimed missiles falling on Israel, he dismisses for talking politics when the innocent are dying.

Whatever Hamas has done in the way of provocation can’t be counted, says Ghilan, because “what else was expected from a people being subjected to the most humiliating conditions?”

Well, they could try to live in peace with their neighbours, for starters. It’s surely the Palestinian leadership and the Arab world who have kept the Palestinians in this state. What Ghilan keeps dismissing is also called international law. Under it, if Hamas bombs Israel from Gaza, Israel is entitled to bomb back. Ghilan calls Israel’s bombing disproportionate. Perhaps he would suggest what would be a proportionate amount of bombing. In fact, the proper amount of bombing is the amount that gets Hamas to stop with the missiles.

Another letter writer recently called me a bigot. I notice he didn’t dispute anything I said, just called me names. So does he deny that Hamas, if it possessed the capacity to bomb Israel more accurately, would hesitate for a second?

Steve Weatherbe

UVic alumni

Well done, Martlet

Regarding the “Big banks funding dirty project,” article in Feb. 4 issue, thank you to the Martlet for publishing this article as well as to the Dogwood Initiative and the Raincoast Action Network for revealing the truth about the environmentally degrading projects our major banks are funding.

I am now planning on switching from RBC to a bank such as Vancity, though I would be quicker to do so if UVic had a Vancity ATM somewhere on campus so I could easily take out cash to buy produce at the SUB farmers’ market.

It is also worth noting that along with RBC, another company listed as one of the “Global 100: Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” and which is also on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, is Enbridge. These rankings are laughable when considering that Enbridge is one of the companies vying to build the Edmonton-Kitimat pipeline which will bring near-daily oil tankers through our fragile northern coastline.

Ivan Marko

UVic student

YPY’s funding is restored

We applaud the recent decision by the clubs council to restore funding to Youth Protecting Youth (YPY).

The decision coincided with a letter sent out by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) to student unions across the country condemning the move to disqualify pro-life clubs through suppression of freedom of speech and association. A few student governments are explicitly mentioned as having acted in such a manner, including the one at the University of Victoria. The CCLA calls on these governments to grant equal rights to pro-life clubs and to petition the Canadian Federation of Students to rescind its resolution of support for the denial of such rights. They warn that universities and student governments should not take an ideological position on matters such as abortion as “the moment [they] depart from the principle of institutional neutrality on such questions, they incur a considerable risk that raw power will determine the scope of permissible campus speech.`

As many in general society are unwilling to discuss a life-changing decision that can suddenly and unexpectedly confront them, universities should take the lead in promoting and generating rational discourse on abortion by including all viewpoints within the debate.

By giving a voice to the view that life at all stages of development is valued equally, students can make a better-informed choice on this fundamental issue of human rights.

Joel Culina

YPY Vice-President

Editor’s note: at a UVSS board meeting on Feb. 23, the board voted to recognize YPY as a club but chose not to grant it funding.