To the editor:

Recent events on campus concerning Israeli Apartheid Week have been so vehemently opposed, that the notion of freedom of speech has become non-apparent. Not only did Mr. Duffield ignorantly project the stereotype of the Palestine-Israel conflict as being a conflict between individuals of Islam and Judaism, but he also could not have been more wrong in his description of Israel Apartheid Week.

Firstly, you need look no further than the rally held on Concrete Beach on Tuesday to see the fact that supporters of both sides are not necessarily Muslim or Jewish. From the Palestinian side I know that people of all faiths, races, traditions and cultures support the Palestinian people as a humanitarian cause, just like you would support any oppressed and besieged people. The real purpose of Israel Apartheid Week is to protest Israel’s siege of Gaza, occupation of the West Bank and its continuing discriminatory policy towards the Palestinian people.

Mr. Duffield claims that events such as IAW may lead to “a period of increasing polarization and disenchantment between Jewish and Muslim students on campus,” which assumes that the only supporters of the Palestinian cause are Muslim, and those opposing are only Jews. It is imperative to understand the main issue here is that Israel refuses to grant the Palestinians their self-determination, it continues to discriminate between Arab Palestinians and Israeli Jews, and it shows no intention of terminating its policy of settlement expansion in the West Bank.

This is not a week promoting hate towards Israel, or its people, but a week that understands in order to truly achieve peace all people must sincerely put their efforts for the cause and sometimes step outside of their comfort zone.

—Mohammed Alsakka
Political Science II

To the editor:

Israeli Apartheid Week was never intended to spread any hate or intolerance; extremism and intolerance was displayed by the behaviour and views of individuals who cannot accept criticism of the discrimination and racism drafted in Israel’s laws and legislature.

If you want to equate anti-Israel to anti-Semitism, then you are taking part in holding all Jews accountable for Israel’s crimes. And that is not what IAW promotes. Since 2005, IAW has grown to become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar. IAW’s purpose is to raise awareness about Israel’s discrimination, colonialism and racism against its Palestinian and non-Jewish population, all of which equate to the International Criminal Court’s definition of the crime of “Apartheid.”

—Iman Ghazal
Social Science IV

To the editor:

While there are students at Western able to afford the cost of a post-secondary degree without support from our government, there are many, many more who cannot. At least they cannot without facing a future of extraordinarily damaging private debt.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program, which supports 35 per cent of students at Western in managing the cost of higher education, is falling significantly short of addressing the modern realities facing the largest cohort of university students Ontario has ever seen.

The Ontario Undergraduate Students Alliance and the University Students’ Council have fought and will continue to advocate on behalf of students at Western to ensure our government takes a proactive approach at increasing and modernizing financial aid in the province of Ontario.

Our current Food for Thought campaign, covered in Monday’s edition of the Gazette, seeks to draw broad student and public attention to many of the archaic requirements in the OSAP program; ranging from expected contribution from parents, to the $2.50 per meal in food and nutrition allowance.

To suggest the campaign is misguided in its attempt to create consensus for investment in government funded financial aid, and that the true problem is with a small group of students that don’t “budget well,” is an affront to thousands of students at Western who would be unable to attend university without the needed support of the OSAP program. These students, and the countless that are unable to access university at all, need an accessible, affordable and high quality university system.

As students, it is our responsibility to draw attention to the failures of the programs designed to guarantee the accessibility of higher education. We will continue to call for investment in financial aid and the removal of barriers to accessing OSAP.

—Dan Moulton

Vice-President University Affairs

OUSA President

To the editor:

While it is disturbing students would receive threats on Facebook related to any issue, I would like to congratulate the University Students’ Council for fulfilling its role in the promotion of debate on campus.

Not all students may agree with the message of “Israel Apartheid Week,” but the point of the events is not to convince everyone to hold the same views. It is instead to challenge entrenched opinions and raise awareness of the suffering that has been visited upon the Palestinians by decades of land confiscation, racial segregation, abductions, systematic torture and the killing of unarmed civilians by the most advanced military in the Middle East. No matter how these actions are defended or rationalized, it is important that students should at least be aware of the situation. It is equally important for those who believe such actions to be justified to have the opportunity to explain their viewpoint.

I wholeheartedly agree with USC president Emily Rowe and vice-president student events Justin Arcaro in their sentiments: an academic institution should promote debate and the airing of all opinions, rather than stifling expression out of a fear of controversy.

—Wajid Sayeed
Med IV

To the editor:

I love contradictions, so when Jaela Bernstien began her article with “I’m no elitist, but…” I was overjoyed. I could only have been happier if the argument following “but” was actually correct. It wasn’t.

Supported by a Facebook page and the hypothetical “any professor,” Jaela is pretty sure that Western is full of idiots. The solution to this dire problem: stricter admission requirements. Which is reasonable advice if you also think gyms should only let in fit people. I for one was under the impression that university was not an exclusive club for the intelligent, but a place where people improved themselves. It’s not a place where people know, but a place where people learn. So long as you don’t already know everything, you can be a member. What admissions requirements there are, exist to create the best atmosphere for those attending. Finite resources should be put to the greatest gain.

I don’t really care if Jaela is an elitist or not. I do care, however, when a person wants to restrict the availability of education. The reason of “having to sit through dumb questions” is disproportionate to that kind of response. Even elitism doesn’t justify a complete lack of perspective.

—Jonathan Lee
Math IV

To the editor:

While it appears — and I sincerely hope, that Lauren Pelley was trying to use satirical prose to call to readers to action, her piece was poorly executed and this message was lost in heavy sarcasm.  Instead the piece was offensive, particularly to those affected by the tragedy in Chile. Pelley would have better served the cause by exploring the social and political reasons why many will ignore it, and/or utilized personal stories from within the Western and London community of those with affected family and friends in the region, adding a personal touch that may have better convinced readers to take the time to learn about the situation and help those in need.  I expect better quality writing and delivery of such a piece from a senior editor, particularly since no other mention of the catastrophe can be found in that or following issues of the Gazette.

—Christine Boston

PhD Candidate, Anthropology

To the editor:

Since its inception, Israel Apartheid Week has shown it is nothing but an opportunity to spread hatred and intolerance. Although the government has unanimously condemned it as such, the University Students’ Council has decided that it was still appropriate for our campus despite the atmosphere it creates.

As soon as the Gazette publicized the Facebook group that promoted a safe and tolerant campus for everyone, the wall was inundated with hateful messages.

Let’s keep hate off of our campus and ensure that every student has the right to feel safe. To the Palestinian Student Association, create events that are pro-Palestinian instead of anti-Israel. If not we can look forward to a campus environment where intimidation of students with opposing views is welcome. Intimidation does not equal free speech. This type of hate speech is not good for anyone on this campus, regardless of their political ideology.

If the entire Ontario legislature, that rarely agrees unanimously on anything, can agree on the nature of this event, the USC needs to wake up and realize what kind of environment they are creating by approving this week of hate.

—Jessica Ross
French IV

To the editor:

I have overheard many conversations this week regarding Israel Apartheid Week and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I want to remind students on both sides of the issue of the dangers associated with black-and-white thinking.

Despite the emphasis placed on their differences, many Israelis and Palestinians are actually united by a mutual desire for peace — no one sits wishing for eternal war and conflict. Hence, the disagreement stems predominantly from the proposed route to, rather than the end point of, this shared goal.

When individuals fail to acknowledge the rights of those whose perspectives differ from their own, or to see the shortcomings of the side they support, peace is pushed farther from reach. Extremist views and corresponding actions coming from both sides have only exacerbated the 60-year conflict. Progress has stemmed primarily from mutual negotiation and compromise; recognizing the merit of views counter to one’s own, as well as the imperfections of the side one supports, is evidently a vital step towards ending the violence and conflict.

This week, and always, I hope students on both sides of the issue recognize the futility of closed-minded, uni-dimensional thinking.

—Nicola Goldberg
Psychology IV

To the editor:

I strongly believe people — students in particular — have no idea what they are getting into when they get a puppy. I know it is cute and everything but as written in the Gazette’s column, it is a huge commitment. Puppies grow up to be dogs and if not properly trained can be a lot of work. Just look around an animal shelter and see the number of abandoned dogs.

In my opinion getting a dog when you can’t devote the time and money into it is wrong and unethical. I do, however, as a student have a dog named Spirit — a high energy Golden. But my situation is different as I am disabled and require her help to live independently each day. So as hard as it is to have a Service Dog, it also comes with some ease. I take her everywhere I go so I never have to worry about leaving her alone and some of her vet and food bills are covered.

Fostering a dog for a program that raises and trains future working dogs is a wonderful alternative for those who love puppies. The puppy is free, the food is free, there are no vet bills, and you get to take it everywhere. So you never have to worry about leaving it alone all day. If you want to go out at night, you can because I am sure the puppy will be very tired by the end of the day. Plus there is only about a one-year commitment, so if after one year it turns out that a dog isn’t for you, well the puppy is back at the school or placed in a new home or you can raise another one and start the cycle again.

Spirit, like any service dog, was raised by a family in Barrie. If it wasn’t for their love and support I may not even be alive today. That family gave me my independence back.

—Jen Francis and Spirit
Engineering IV

To the editor:

While it is true that nobody with a science background ran in this year’s University Students’ Council presidential election, I have to dispute the implication that science/engineering students don’t seek leadership positions on campus. This year’s USC executive features two people from the faculty of science — including myself — and there are numerous USC commissioners and councillors with science/engineering backgrounds who are tremendous leaders.

But if we insist on only considering the singular “campus leader,” we need only look back three years to remember USC president Tom Stevenson — a former science student whose competitors also included a candidate from engineering. We can also look back two years to remember Christan Mariyanayagam, another candidate from science.

And of course, we don’t need to look back very far to remember a scientist in another campus leader position — our current university president Amit Chakma. I agree whole-heartedly there is a general lack of scientific literacy in public office, but I certainly don’t think our campus is a “microcosm” of the same issue.

—Will Bortolin

USC Vice-President ­­Campus Issues

To the editor:

I’m writing in response to the article concerning the intimidation felt by students participating in Israeli Apartheid Week and those opposing it.

The Gazette failed to mention that the event was approved by the University Students’ Council, while the counter-protest involving the waving Israeli flags was clearly an unapproved and pre-planned event in clear violation of USC rules. The campus police repeatedly asked the counter-protesters to leave but they refused.

If anyone was intimidated it was the demonstrators who had booked the space. There has been a sustained campaign to silence those who criticize Israel, and the empty accusation that the threats came from the Palestinian Students’ Association are unfounded and offensive.

—Peige Desjarlais

Political Science III

To the editor:

The Palestinian Students’ Association’s “Israel Apartheid Week” is a part of an internationally co-ordinated week of action that protests Israel’s existence. My fear is that this event will mark the beginning of a period of increasing polarization and disenchantment between Jewish and Muslim students on campus.

Western’s campus will be turned into another battleground for little more than screaming matches. Caught in between these two camps of self-righteous activists will be the moderates whose delicate approach to complex issues will not be heard. Instead, mere abstractions of the conflict’s reality will be used as propaganda to make one side a racist barbarian and the other a terroristic murderer.

Between these dichotomies of good and evil, the Israeli peace activist will be turned into a Zionist conspirator; the Arab who gladly and peacefully lives as a citizen of Israel will be turned into a traitor; and the soldier who mourns being used as an instrument of war will be turned into a heartless killer. It is this single-minded thinking that universities are supposed to liberate us from.

With that said, I am a supporter of the Palestinian state, but I do not believe it make me an enemy of the state of Israel, no matter what the organizers of Israel Apartheid Week want me to think.

I respect the Palestinian Students’ Association and understand their desire to mobilize support for their people, but I do not respect this form of protest and hope that in the future Israel Apartheid Week will be substituted for Israel-Palestine Peace Week. Co-existence should be its message and I hope Western’s campus can set a good example for inter-community dialogue and exchange going forward.

—Andrew Duffield
Political Science Year IV

To the editor:

I have spent many an hour enjoying the in-depth journalism offered by the Gazette — and by that, I mean doing the crossword. However, what I saw today appalled me.

Normally when an athlete brings home an Ontario University Athletics silver medal, it is something to be celebrated by the school. Instead, I saw the caption “Shoulda stuck with badminton,” beneath a photo of one of the finest athletes representing the Mustang name.

Sure, let’s ignore the fact she has been a dominant force, with her few losses coming against fellow national champions. Let’s ignore the fact she has represented Canada at the World Championships.

Clearly, the best option is to ridicule her performance in your publication, stripping the Gazette of any form of integrity it may have had. If only those at the Gazette spent as much time improving their so-called journalism as they do coming up with offensive captions mocking those who sacrifice their bodies and time to uphold the reputation of the school.

By all means, if you think bringing home OUA wrestling medals is easy, feel free to give it a shot.

—Andrew Ross
Social Science and Education Alumnus

Ed. Note

We agree Andrew. Characterizing Jennifer’s stellar OUA wrestling career with a single caption making a joke at a precarious situation she found herself in during a match would be wrong. That’s why her accomplishments have been recorded in no fewer than 20 articles in the Gazette, including last week’s piece. Congratulations on making it past p.2, focusing on five words and making a generalization of four years of wrestling coverage. Good luck with today’s crossword.