QMessenger by Kaz Gander

MONDAY 22nd October 2012 ISSUE 66

QMESSENGER.CO.UK

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF QUEEN MARY STUDENTS’ UNION

Pig Pens, Weird Bars and Office Blocks, The Price of Student Housing: The new academic year brings with it many things, new students, a newthe Sabb team and higherWorld fees. But for Queen Weird Mary Freshers it also brings an added twist... Full story onof page.5 Student Jobs

£10,770,561.54

Pg 6

NEWS BY-ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCED

COMMENT ARE PROTESTS EFFECTIVE?

and

CULTURE

SATIRE

THEATRE AND CLASS

QMSU FINDS SOME SANITY

SOCIETIES EXPOSING POLITICS EXPOSED

SPORTS SPORTS ROLE MODELS

Monday 22nd October 2012

News

Queen Mary By-Election Results

Editorial Team: Executive Editor Kashmira Gander Managing Editor Sean Richardson Creative Director - Lloyd Ramos Cartoon Editors - Anna Titov and Charlotte Byrne Photography - Bethia Stone Sub Editors - Jasmine Virhia, Sarah Power, Issy Leach and Bethia Stone News - Joseph Flaig and Bethany Moffett Features - Aamna Mohdin and Preston Abell Comment - Stevie Rankin and Ruth Irwin Culture - Belphoebe New and Rhiannon Evans Satire - Benedict Fulford-Brown, Patrick Ford and Lucretia McCarthy Societies - Becky Adkins Sports - Hannah Clarke and Jeremy Baily

Bethany Moffett

O SURPRISES as the results of the Queen Mary Students Union By-Elections have been released. The By-Elections to fill the last remaining places in QMSU have been announced, with the likely candidates taking the victory such as the election of Daniel Holt as Students with Disabilities Officer. Holt won 550 votes out of a total of 578, with the only other candidate being ‘Re-open nominations’.

As part of his manifesto, Holt promised to improve dramatically the access around campus for students with disabilities. Proposals to enact this include fighting for electronic doors and campaigning against measures that may make wheelchair users ask permission to enter the Queen’s Building. Furthermore, his promises also include breaking down boundaries raised against the disabled community on campus by changing

the name of his position to ‘Disabled Students Officer’, in a move to emphasise the social model of disabilities. The candidate was chosen for the position after the exit of Saleem Gopaul, after his transfer to King’s College. Another candidate who won their campaign is Aaron Parr who has become the First Year Representative, by gaining just under one quarter of the votes after standing against two other candi-

dates. The Postgraduate (taught) Representative who was elected for Queen Mary is Ariz Matute. Whilst Barts and the London elected Reetika Suri as their Postgraduate Representative, and Nema HafeziBakhtiari as their First Year Representative. Course Representatives have also been elected this past week, details of which are accessible from the Queen Mary Students’ Union website.

Images by Plaid Flickr CC

Cover image by Lula Flickr CC Special thanks to Tom Sutton, Melissa Snyder and Jannat Hossain Our other media outlets include: QMTV Station Manager: Ozzy Amir (Happy Birthday) www.qmtvchannel.co.uk CUB Magazine Managing Editor: Anna Matheson www.qmessenger.co.uk Quest Radio Station Manager: Chris Smith www.questradio.co.uk

QMessenger is printed at Mortons of Horncastle Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 523 456. Each issue has a print run of 1,000 and costs £445 to print and deliver. Established in 2008, QMessenger is the free weekly newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union. We are proud of our editorial independence and endeavour to always hold the College, Union and external bodies to account and to provide the best news and analysis to the students of Queen Mary, University of London. QMessenger is created entirely by students and the publication retains all copyright of design, text, photographs and graphics, along with the individual contributor.

Education fees and the Lib Dem’s Bethany Moffett

ICK CLEGG recently apologised for not opposing the tuition fee rise when he arrived in Government, despite his false promises before the Coalition formed. Thus, the question of what has the fee rise done has been widely debated. Apart from being around three times more expensive than the previous year, questions have been asked about whether the fee rise has actually made a difference to the pockets of taxpayers

across the UK. Recently published figures by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggest that the taxpayer has saved around £760 million from the policy change. Yet, although this figure may seem great to some, in practice it translates into around 12% in savings. Indeed, the Government decreased the amount of money they have given to Universities, which the institutions now receive from the fee rise enforced

on students. However, the savings figure is not greater than 12% due to the fact that the Government still pays tuition fee and maintenance loans to students. Poorer students now receive on average £4,500 in maintenance loan. This money comes from the Government, and is only paid back after they are earning a certain amount. In terms of paying back loans, the old system was interest-free, loans did not have to be paid

back until the graduate was earning £15,000 per annum, and was written off after 25 years of not paying it. Now, interest rates have been added to the loan package, with the minimum salary, and length of the payment of the loans being increased. Thus, the Government still has to invest in the future of students, and indeed, recent figures have suggested that the taxpayer will actually be worse off from the scheme in the long run.

Monday 22nd October 2012

News

Dirty Money Drug Truth contamination including E. Coli and Staphylococci.’

Urinary tract infections

Although E. Coli is found inside all of us, some virulent strains can cause urinary tract infections and types of meningitis. During the study, participants were also quizzed about their hand washing habits. 91% of people claimed that they washed their hands after going to the toilet, but this would conflict with the high levels of faecal contamination found. Dr Cutler suggested that the discrepancy between the findings could mean that some people were dishonest about their hand washing habits.

SURVEY carried out by the website ‘Student Beans’ has found that students believe their peers to be taking more drugs than they actually are. The survey, which was filled in by 1,903 students from universities around Britain in July, asked participants questions that covered the whole spectrum of legal and illegal recreational drug use. The most interesting finding was that the majority of participants (90%) believed that fellow students had taken illegal drugs, but the survey also showed that 45% of students had never taken drugs. Unsurprisingly, the study showed that cannabis was the most popular drug at university, with 77% of students admitting to smoking it at some point during their degree. Cannabis was followed in popularity by MDMA (39%) and cocaine (24%), although recent studies of

street cocaine purity could suggest that this percentage is slightly smaller in reality. Only 5% of students had taken LSD, and it was only second to ketamine in drugs that students ‘would definitely not try’. The most popular legal high to do at university was nitrous oxide, ie. laughing gas or ‘hippy crack’ as the Daily Mail would have it, with 58% of students admitting that they had tried it. The survey comes in the same week as a new independent report from the UK Drugs Policy Commission (UKDPC) claims that the government should decriminalise drug use. The report is likely to fall on deaf ears however. Previous attempts to change the government’s drug policy, such as the one by Professor David Nutt, were completely ignored and resulted in the professor’s sacking.

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esearch led by Queen Mary’s Dr Ron Cutler has revealed the levels of microscopic filth that we carry around on our hands and our money every day. The research was a joint effort between Queen Mary and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and was commissioned for Global Handwashing Day last week. Perhaps the most worrying finding of the study was that microscopic faecal matter was identified on 26% of studied hands, and almost half of those contained levels of bacteria comparable to a dirty toilet bowl. In turn, this contamination was found transferred onto our bank cards and notes. Dr Cutler said that ‘Our analysis revealed that by handling cards and money each day we are coming into contact with some potential pathogens revealing faecal

Get in touch:

Joe Flaig

news@qmessenger.co.uk

Monday 22nd October 2012

Keeping Tabs on Babs

News

Joe Flaig

INCE COMING into office at the start of this semester, Student Union President Babs Williams has attracted a lot of attention both in and around Queen Mary. Before coming into office, he was the Chairman of New Turn, a community organisation that aims to engage young people in politics and to ‘tackle political apathy’. Although he was a well known figure around campus, he wasn’t as engaged in Union politics. When campaigning to be president, Babs’ manifesto focussed on improvement of careers services and invigorating community spirit through the societies structure. QMessenger thought it was about time that we caught up with him to see how things were going at the top. Grilling Babs about how he was progressing with the University careers department; so far so good he said, one of his main achievements had been linking societies with the careers department, in order to simplify the process for students trying to get careers advice through their relevant societies. Additionally, he pushed to move careers week from February to October, to ‘improve employment opportunities’.

Babs believes that the Union has become more proactive in promoting careers, with advertisements and planned bi-weekly visits from members of the careers department to the new student centre. The QM Skills award, which provides students with leadership and organisation training, will also be gaining a lot more focus this year.

Jannat Hossain is wonderful The issue of campus housing has been a contentious one in recent months, after prices were increased an average of 11%. Babs told us how he has written a research paper on the housing situation which he has yet to publish, with University management considering a 1% drop in prices next year. ‘This isn’t for definite yet, and it doesn’t sound like much’, he admits, ‘but it will bring prices below average.’ When asked about how he

thought the Sabbatical Officers had been progressing so far, Babs was positive, claiming ‘The balance that has been established works very well’. ‘Jade Lee’s reasoned and analytical manner combines well with Ellen Kiely’s student perspective and promotion of Welfare issues’, and Babs believes that as a team they have created a ‘well rounded vision.’ He also told how us how supportive Andy Smith had been, as Vice President for BSLA. ‘We’ve had to deal with a few difficult changes, but they were managed well.’ The first student council meeting of the year was held recently, and Babs was outspoken amid some terse debate. He told us how he had agreed with some motions in theory, but they were too often rushed or poorly written. ‘Badly worded policy ties the Union to things it doesn’t want to be tied to.’ Not only this, he often found the debate to be too far removed from the ‘day to day’, filled with ‘grand theorising and political ideologies.’ When it comes to student politics, his conclusion was typically frank: ‘we need policies, not bullshit.’ So far, he has been pleased with his progress as president. ‘I think

that I’ve achieved a lot of things quicker than previous Presidents.’ He’s been pleased with the Union as a whole, especially with the ambition and resolve to take on new challenges. Sabbatical Officers and University staff have also been working more closely with officers on the student council. Babs praised Jannat Hossain in particular for her work organising Black History Month . When asked about student politics outside of the Union and recent events concerning the London Student, he admitted that his working relationships, especially with Jen Izaakson, have been ‘less than positive’. ‘Student politics is within a bubble, we have people who make mistakes and operate in a certain way, and when they are challenged they often respond in a fashion that isn’t constructive.’ Some critics of Babs would surely say that this is a hypocritical statement, and he does accept this. ‘I have the tendency to say what I think too much, but the point is I care about what I’m doing in terms of everyday issues and I’ll push for what I’m doing.’ Next on the agenda was the recent disquiet being heard from left wing groups on campus. ‘Disquiet is a light way of putting it’, Babs

responded. Groups such as Viva Slate were entitled to take issue if he failed to do his job properly, but he believes the changes already enacted are a sign that he has been working properly. However, he believed that their criticisms mainly stemmed from political disagreements, and he didn’t think that he should have to uphold policies that he doesn’t agree with to appease political groups. ‘I believe if I don’t support something, I should stand against it... When it comes to Viva Slate, I sincerely hope that in the long term they will respect me despite my personality.’ Finally, we quickly discussed members of the student council who regularly abstained at the recent meeting. ‘I don’t feel great about the number of abstentions’, Babs said, and his message was clear; councillors should read the motions fully, vote against motions if they are not clarified enough, and to remember the students who they are representing. The next few months will be of key importance to Babs and the rest of the SABB team, and there are many things that still need to be done. Check back every Monday with QMessenger to keep up with all your Union news.

news@qmessenger.co.uk

Monday 22nd October 2012

Features

The Weird World of Student Employment

t this very moment all over the country students are working in part time jobs, we use them to pay our bills, to buy clothes, and to fill our rooms with shit we don’t need. Some jobs however are much weirder than others and our features team has flitted about the university trying to find you the wackiest and the most wonderful of all student jobs.

Luna Goodberry

HILE MOST students have probably felt some degree of cognitive dissonance about the menial jobs they hold or their employers’ practices at some point during their careers, the next case is probably one of the more extreme. Matthew, a former associate student from America, told me he was from a small town in North Carolina called Tar Heel. Originally being from North Carolina myself, I had once driven through Tar Heel, and even though it had blended in with the small, rural towns that I had passed before and after, it had left an indelible footprint in my mind due to the overwhelmingly pungent smell that seemed to engulf my car as I passed through. Matthew told me that was because the main road was directly adjacent to one of the biggest hog farms and pork processing plants in the world, and that in fact, he had worked there for a

summer, as his uncle was a fairly highly ranked manager in the company. Matthew then immediately launched into horror stories about pregnant hogs being confined in tiny cages, injected with hormones and antibiotics, and grown to be over 350 pounds. I frankly told him I couldn’t think of a worse job, and he agreed, conceding that it had been a pretty horrible summer, but that he had been lured by the relatively high salary and the flexible days that his Uncle promised, and that he was forced to stick it out for the whole three months. Suffice to say, even though he came from a long line of rural hog farmers and adamant carnivores, Matthew said he converted to vegetarianism (although he said he did still eat the occasional fish) within about three weeks of starting the job and still looks back with a queasy stomach on his days spent on the farm.

ImImImages by C@rljones, Rico-san, J. Stone and Dennis from Atlanta, Flickr CC

Preston Abel

URING THE 2010 midterm elections, the elections in America that decide the seats of the House of Representatives and the Senate, I was working for the largest domestic violence advocacy group and shelter in North Carolina. Because this election was expected to swing to the Right and replace many of the Democratic seats with Republicans, the shelter was asked to disseminate flyers and pamphlets, both in the weeks leading up to the elections as well as at voting stations throughout the area, with the names of North Carolina representatives that had a strong record in supporting women’s issues. Of course, at first this job did not seem strange at all, and circulating the information went surprisingly smoothly in the proceeding weeks. However, when it was time to hand out the pamphlets at the voting stations on the day of the elections, things became a little more

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heated. As is a common occurrence in rural areas in the South, conservative Church groups and fervent Tea Party activists descended upon the voting location. The church groups, though mostly made up of little old ladies, were not slowed down by their age. In fact, in a shameful ploy, they planted little blue and pink flags in the grass beside the voting building, to honor “all of the aborted children in North Carolina that year”, and began distributing their own flyers with graphic, inaccurate, and misleading pictures of dead fetuses to discourage voters from supporting a woman’s right to chose. And if that wasn’t a weird enough sight, one of the older women came over to our booth, took a stack of our flyers off the table, and enthusiastically stomped all over them in front of at least 50 voters standing in line. Being the lone liberal in a hotbed of conservatism and religious fervor is a bizarre and puzzling job experience, to say the very least.

Features Nisha Bargote

WORKED in a call centre for about a year and in that time I’ve seen a lot. Whilst working there I have watched many people come and go, being hired, fired, re-hired then fired again. Employees smoke weed in the office, leave used condoms in plain sight, and harrass customers when they are having a bad day. One minute managers scream at each other, then the next they are giving each other massages. I’ve worked alongside people with tourettes, people who are never sober and people with severe anger issues, but most of all sixteen year old girls for the assistant managers and managers to flirt with. When I’m there I like to block all this out and focus on job which is always a lot easier when we are given the illegal data that we are not allowed to call.

David Kestler

ORKING IN a pub – pulling pints, pouring shots – is about as routine a job as you will land whilst studying through those glory days of your young adulthood. Equally, you will hardly develop significant skills that are perceptibly transposable once you have been ushered from the protective breast of Uni life and nosedive into the humdrum of the real world. Yet, it is an immaculate atmosphere for the keen observer, and critic of society, in which to document and shape your impressions on the herd of the general public. The stale and tired image of the open-eared, parable dropping, ‘everybody knows your name’ barman is as outdated as the TV series that established it. Cheers to that! Cynical, judgmental, contemptuous, these are far more honest measurements of the mentality behind the barkeep. Always ready to cast a disapproving eye over the drone of regulars and that dash of first timers, they who sup the nectar of the bottle and the drip of the

tap, you quickly adapt into a connoisseur of the quickly developed opinion. From Lady A with her three children who whirlwind through the place ransacking anything not fixed to the acreage, to Grumpy Guy B, always alone drink jar after jar to himself, and that couple who must always have the same table, order the same meals, and select the same songs on the jukebox; these are the examples which shape your trajectory in life. There are dozens more, and as we’re taught, something studied and observed is something understood. Naturally they’re not all bad. A few are even quite nice. None the less, as I said to one of my evening companions in the dwindling hours, “If I ever end up like one of them, drinking my life away day in, day out, dulled by routine: find me and kill me.” Should I offer the vast majority of my cliental the same courtesy? Probably. We learn a great many things during our Uni years, not all of them behind academic walls.

Dani Hagan

ITTING IN a local coffee shop with my friend Steve, we naturally fall onto the one of the most common topics of student conversation: “being so skint” and “needing to get a job”. Unfortunately, we both happen to suffer from the well-known condition, “I’m-to-lazy-to-write-a-CV-syndrome”, and so we begin to consider jobs which might not require the writing of said CV. Obviously, the usual suspects are quickly discarded, neither of us particularly wishes to sell our souls and the local McDonald’s is already overstaffed as it is. Steve appears to be a little uncomfortable and an awkward, bashful flush has coloured his cheeks. “My friend sells her dirty knickers” he says. I sit with my mouth gaping, completely taken aback, until my chewing gum falls into my cup of coffee with a resounding “plop”.

“HOW? WHY? WHERE?” The questions are endless, but apparently it’s pretty simple. She simply lists a cringe-worthy and detailed advert on a website (such as adoos. co.uk). In it, she offers such services as to sit in her own underwear for a week. She then sells the sordid pair to one of the many internet creepers who roam the site looking for “dirty panties”. This is probably the only job where having IBS is a lucrative advantage. The worst part is, she doesn’t SEND them by post, she has to meet them in car parks to hand them over with a friend just for authenticity. Nobody wants to buy “dirty knickers” which may or may not have been worn by an obese, sweaty man. Join the competition to sell your dirty underwear, you could make millions; it’s always an option, however I think “an option” is all it will ever be for most of us.

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Monday 22nd October 2012

Comment

Romney’s Magic couple of weeks William Seddon

ELL HE wasn’t Uncle Fluffy. Shrugging of the criticisms of his last debate performance, Barack Obama reminded the American people of both his talent for public speaking and debate. From the get go he was a visibly different person. He smiled more, he rambled less and he spoke with that slightly higher pitch voiced that gives him the impression of a man driven by passion. The main criticisms that Obama faced coming out of the last debate were that he rambled too much and held his republican rival Mitt Romney to account too little. To address the first criticism Obama adopted a clever tactic of surmising his position and then elaborating. This gives the advantage of both creating a perfect sound bite but also demonstrating the candidate’s command of the subject. For the second criticism Obama adopted the tactic of absolutely slamming Romney on every position. Every time Romney gave his position on an issue Obama would use his rebuttal to smack him around for flip-flopping on the issue since the start or for using incorrect figures. And when he was not kicking Romney about the place he was answering questions with thought and passion. Obama would have won hands down had Romney not shown up. While Obama’s poor previous debate performance now looks like an aberration, the strong and earnest performance given by Mitt Romney at the last debate looks to be the norm. Romney

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appeared earnest and equally passionate as Obama, tempering detailed and sometimes statistical answers with touching stories about ordinary Americans he’d met on the campaign. And the governor certainly didn’t shy away for hitting out at Obama’s record, constantly reminding the audience of the failures of the last four years. Neither candidate was perfect. Romney’s attempts at controlling the debate, which made him look strong in the first round, came across this time as petty and almost weak. Obama was certainly wrong footed over any question that dealt with disillusionment amongst democratic voters, at one point resorting to simply giving a list of what he thought he had accomplished. By the end of the debate both candidates had achieved what they had set out to do. Obama had thrown off the image of the previous debate and reminded us what manner of man sits in the oval office. Romney on the other hand demonstrated that his previous performance was no fluke and that he is a force to be reckoned with. But the real question of this debate was ‘would it be enough?’ Obama’s performance was just the sort of thing that he needed to stem the haemorrhaging of support he has suffered in recent polls but a lack of a clear victory over Mitt Romney means that any gains will be slight. With less than three weeks to go until the election the result is still anyone’s guess.

Images by Gage Sidmore, Micaa and Lipo-Nuna Flickr CC

Monday 22nd October 2012

Comment

What Happened at the Conferences William Seddon

NCE AGAIN the circus has come and gone. In came the clown (Boris Johnson), the contortionist (Ed Miliband), the Ringmaster in his top hat and tails (David Cameron) and the ruthless knife act (George Osborne). One must feel sorry for the poor towns and cities that had to put up with the cavalcade of politicians, spinners, hacks and all the rest. I can guarantee that the circus certainly doesn’t. All they care for are the delegates, the limelight and that unique joy they must feel when they speak in front of an audience that doesn’t hate them for a change. But for us plebs, conference season represents a chance to hear our real, wannabe and would be leaders. Well in terms of policy not very much. Nick Clegg and his rapidly depleting band of loyalists harped on about the need for the rich to pay their fare share, as did Ed Miliband and David Cameron curiously. Who says that you can’t tell the difference between the political parties anymore? Well I for one do struggle differentiating the leaders when they all insist on wearing the same purple tie. At least George Osborne added a splash of darkness and despair

(Not that anybody was watching)

to proceedings with his choice of tie and policy. His announcements were very much in line with the whole ‘Grim Reaper’ look he’s been going for. Perhaps after being booed at the Olympics he’s realised that he can’t be hated much more than he is now so he might as well have some fun in the meantime. Which is why he proclaimed that the poorest people in the country, who have already seen their benefits erased can look forward to a further £10 Billion in welfare cuts after the next election. However it was his new employee shares scheme that cast a particular doom and gloom. the few of us that have a job will be able to receive shares in our employers company in return for handing over our workplace rights. There was even a subtle suggestion that you could hand over more rights for more shares. So presumably pretty soon I won’t have to pay any taxes so long as I withdraw my right to Habeas Corpus. Yet it’s not just George ‘I’m coming to get your children’ Osborne who has decided that the Victorians and their attitudes are particularly in vogue this season. When I tuned in to watch another Ed Miliband train wreck, I was shocked.

For instead of the usual rallying call for the workers of the world to unite I was treated to Ed Miliband’s best Benjamin Disraeli impression. ‘One Nation, where we have a shared destiny, a sense of shared endeavour’. It was a risky strategy trying to pull the Tories favourite rug from underneath their feet and it almost paid off. Pundits and voters alike agree that it was the most Prime-ministerial that they have ever seen Ed. But while stealing the rug Miliband accidentally made off with one of Cameron’s worst traits. It was the Labour leader’s turn to throw of his party political uniform and don the costume of Flashman! For all of his earnest insistence that Labour will bring a about a ‘One Nation’ nation Ed Miliband failed to mention how he would do actually do it. The whole idea smacks a little of the ‘Big Society’ in yet another example of how modern politicians form policy (of the lack thereof) around buzz words and not around sound ideas. There was little mention of the Big Society in this year’s Tory conference, despite the blue-sky thinker Steve Hilton being drafted in to help with David Cameron’s speech. While Ed Miliband did his best si-

multaneous David Cameron, Benjamin Disraeli and Friedrich Engels impression, the Prime Minister instead chose a more austere style. Despite this most pundits agree that while it was solid it was certainly not his finest conference performance. And with his constant assurances that Britain and the Conservative party ‘can deliver’ at certain occasions I found myself wondering whether I was listening to the Prime Minister or a midwife. Cameron’s decision to do a straight-faced performance wasdue to the need to seem more Prime Ministerial than the Tory mega-star Boris Johnson. Boris, who should seriously consider becoming a professional dairy farmer, was milking the Olympics for all it was worth. He was the happy right wing warrior clown, practically coming out with a seltzer bottle in one hand and a bag full of ‘Boris for Leader’ badges in the other. It seems then that his decision to quit mainstream politics to become Mayor of London was by no means a foolish move. Boris is now set to follow the many other politicians who were mayors of capital cities before becoming leaders of their countries, such as Jacques Chirac

and President Ahmadinejad. While the Tory conference may have not been clear on policy it certainly had a clear, though unintentional, message. Boris means business. Speaking of possible threats to party leaders an interesting rumour floating around the Lib Dem conference was picked up. According to various sources that did not wished to be named (because otherwise people would know they were Liberal Democrats) Danny Alexander was sniffing around party bigwigs looking to see who would support him in a leadership challenge when Nick Clegg looses the 2015 general election. I for one believe that Danny Alexander would be the perfect Lib Dem leader. He’s smart, honest and has no hope of becoming Prime Minister which is exactly what the Lib Dems need. Nick Clegg was wrong in his speech. They are not a party of government; they are a party of protest. And the best way to make it clear to the electorate that you’re a protest party is by having a leader who sends out a clear and unambiguous signal. That being ‘It’s ok to vote for me because I’m never going to be Prime Minister anyway!’

Images by Benjii Flickr CC

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Monday 22nd October 2012

Comment

The Great Debate:

Are Demonstrations Effective Political Actions?

Protest action often has mixed results

YES

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Sarah Pinder

able tactics available to those who want to effect political change. They serve as a show of force; build confidence, bring publicity to a cause, and they can help a movement grow by attracting participants and strengthening networks. In all these respects demonstrations serve an important function that cannot be ignored or replaced .Those seeking change ignore this tactic at their own peril. However, political movements have a life beyond demonstrations. They coalesce in organisations. And they take further action using other tactics. It was strike action that toppled both Mubarak and Ben Ali in the Arab Spring. Strikes as a tactic here proved highly effectively. And yet the world eyes were on a demonstration in Tahrir Square. Here, the government trends towards ignoring large demonstrations; but strikes are responded to with a flurry of panicked threats (usually, to put more restrictions on taking strike action). Demonstrations play a huge role in effective political action. They are a useful tactic that performs certain tasks for movements. But they are by no means the only tactic available. If you want to change the world, demonstrate. But petition, lobby, educate, campaign, strike and organise too. Those who want to take political action have a vast arsenal of tactics at their disposal. No avenue should be ignored.

Ellen Tansey

EMONSTRATING IS meant to be a fundamental democratic right; not because it is enjoyable, but because in a democratic society it is a method of airing grievances and thus changing policy. It is not simply a stand-in for the ballot box in between elections, but fulfils a unique role: showing support or disapproval for a general trend or policy direction that may be common across parties. With all 3 major parties signed up for austerity, demonstrations such as March 26th (and the upcoming October 20th) calling for alternative strategy to deal with the crisis allow us a voice that the ballot box currently does not. They are democracy at its finest – unrestricted by the boundaries of official electoral politics, called at any time any place, participated in by anyone that chooses. As far as real democracy goes, the ballot box makes for a poor comparison. But it appears that no matter the size of the demonstration the government ignores them. In many instances governments have been forced to change course, or have even been overthrown, by mass popular movements. Clearly, demonstrations are not effective political actions by themselves. Critics of demonstrations often attempt to abstract them from the wider political movements that they are a component of but they fulfil an important role as a single tactic. This is part of a wider array of vi-

Image by Frog and Onions Flickr CC

HEN THE suffragettes were demonstrating for the right to vote, many thought their sometimes-violent methods actually hindered their cause. Others maintain that if direct action had not been taken, the movement would have easily been ignored and forgotten. Thankfully whilst most political demonstrations have moved on from throwing oneself in front of a horse, disagreement still continues over whether demonstrations actually work. The recent student protests of 2010 and 2011 have proven ineffectual at best. Thousands of young people marched across Londonmyself included- to protest the raising of tuition fees and cuts to spending in the education sector. My extortionate student loan is proof of the failure of that action. Unfortunately it seems to be a trend in demonstrations that they become hijacked by the extreme (most often those who have simply turned up to cause trouble and not for the cause itself) and descend into violence. The message of such demonstrations is lost and with the occupation and vandalism of 30 Milbank (and the use of a fire extinguisher), 50,000 demonstrators, the majority of who obeyed the law, were vilified by the press as violent yobs. The original and important message was lost and many politicians adopted the stance that to give in to such a demonstration would result in similar behavior being

adopted by other causes to achieve their aims. On the other hand, many argue peaceful demonstrations are resigned to a small segment of the news, if they are lucky, and are soon forgotten. It seems we are locked in a no-win situation. An issue some have with demonstrations is that they don’t see those involved as actually doing something; viewing demonstrations as the out of doors version of sitting at a computer and complaining in the comments section of The Daily Mail: annoying and of little importance. I’m sure many Londoners were far more concerned with the disruption to the tube service than they were about teacher’s pensions. Unlike other direct methods of action, such as strikes, demonstrations seem to rarely have an immediate cause and effect and therefore the public, ever eager for the next big story, soon loses interest. The Gurkha’s only managed to stay in the public eye because they were fronted by Joanna Lumley. It is undeniable to most that demonstrations should be effective and to stop exercising our democratic right to demonstrate would certainly be a step backwards politically. However, democratic governments are simply unreceptive to such action. Demonstrations are just too easy to sweep under the carpet come the next news cycle. Until government is willing to listen, demonstrations will continue to be ineffective.

Monday 22nd October 2012

Images by Floraaaa Flickr CC

Eric Lomax RIP

Lauren Cantillon

NE OF the worst things I have found about growing up is the passing of the generation who fascinate me the most – the generation who sacrificed so much in the early half of the 20th Century, giving the best part of their lives away (and sometimes their actual lives) to secure the world from Empires of Dictatorship. Sadly in the past week, another one of these amazing and inspiring people passed away, Mr Eric Lomax. Born in Edinburgh, shortly after the end of the Great War, Lomax was merely 19 when he joined the Royal Corps of Signals, earning a commission in 1940 to Second Lieutenant. Stationed in Singapore, he was captured along with

80,000 British, Indian and Australian members of the armed forces after the island surrendered to the Japanese in February 1942. After a short residence in Changi Prison, Lomax was taken to Kanchanaburi, Thailand to be part of the force which was to build the infamous Burma railway. This railway was to claim the lives of not only 16,000 Allied POWs, but approximately 90,000 Asian labourers. It was during this period of captivity that Lomax was involved with the forbidden radios which were so important in keeping up the hopes of the Prisoners, who received little or no news from their Japanese captors about the progress of the War. However this was not the main reason why he

attracted attention from his captors. Fascinated by trains and the railways of Scotland since being a small boy, Lomax had created a map of the railways of Burma, which had led the Japanese to suspect him of espionage. The physical torture his captors put him through was of the worst kind; stamped on until his arms broke, ribs cracked with a pickaxe handle, and later put through water torture. And yet Lomax survived it all, to return to Scotland, first to his old Post Office job, but eventually becoming a lecturer at Strathclyde University. The mental scars were unable to fade for many decades, not helped by no one being interested in ‘the unpleasantness’ he had suffered whilst in the Far East.

The post-traumatic stress which he suffered from worsened after his retirement in 1982, but with the help of his second wife Patti through the most extraordinary part of his life (in some aspects) was yet to happen. During his abuse by the Japanese, there had been a Japanese English-speaking interpreter required to interrogate Lomax about the discovered railway map – the Japanese could never understand that very British pastime of trainspotting and so christened him “you are railway mania?” – named Takashi Nagase, whom Lomax always associated the most with this time. After correspondence between Patti and Nagase, it was agreed that the two old soldiers would once again meet.

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Nagase had never forgotten Lomax, and had striven for atonement in the interceding half a century between their meetings. Able to grant complete forgiveness, Lomax then went on to publish his bestselling memoirs ‘The Railway Man’, which is being made into a film due out next year. It is too difficult to compress such an eventful and almost chaotic life into one piece of writing, but it is why the lives of men such as Eric Lomax deserve to be remembered and celebrated – he is an example of the best traits in a person; integrity, courage and determination. Eric Lomax died aged on the 8th October 2012, aged 93 – he is survived by his wife and one daughter.

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Monday 22nd October 2012

Culture

Bedford and Strand Rhiannon Evans

HE NIGHTS are closing in, we’ve finally given in to sticking the heating on (our flat have no staying power – I know many of you will be stoically wrapping up in extra jumpers and blankets until at least December…) and, let’s be honest, when it’s chucking it down with freezing rain, leaving

Tom Roberts

he opening week of Tom Cairn’s revival of Scenes from an Execution goes to show that even now playwright Howard Barker possesses the ability to rally indignation in more conservative members of the audience. A number of people left during the first Act and this was apparently not singular to that evening’s performance, as the National openly commented on how many seats are not returned to after the interval. Yet it is only to be expected with a play that demands increasingly experimental reprisals, something that Tom Cairn is fully aware of, delivering a fresh production with an innovative set design. Following the Venetian Republic’s victory at the Battle of Lepanto, the artist Galactia is commissioned by the Doge (the chief-statesmen) to paint an epic in celebration. However, despite specific orders, she becomes determined to create

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the East End of an evening can seem a step too far. However, while we’re still on the better side of reading week loan-wise, I’d like to encourage you to grab a coat and jump on a tube next time you fancy a couple of drinks. No-one here is going to argue with the ever-tempting proximity and pricing offered by our beloved Drapers, but there are

undoubtedly some nights when it just doesn’t cut it. Bedford and Strand (located on the corner of Bedford Street and, well, the Strand…) is a great example of a bustling bar in central London with that rare ‘locals’ vibe; this is no tourist trap, nor is it one of those ‘achingly cool’ bars you tend to find in this postcode, where you’re likely to spend the evening awkwardly tugging

at your outfit, desperately hoping no-one knows that you got it from H&M. Bedford and Strand prides itself on honest, well-cooked British and French food, an amazing cocktail menu (definitely pricey, but worth it) and an extensive wine list (glasses start at £4.25, so much more affordable). Located underground, with well thought-out décor providing

a great wine bar or bistro atmosphere, the venue is busy every evening, making for a great place to start a night out, or grab something to eat - their early evening Menu Rapide starts at £14.50 for two courses. It’s definitely worth the twelve minute tube ride from Mile End… Drapers will still be there waiting for you next week when you get back.

Executed Perfectly a piece that illustrates the horrific reality of warfare. But things aren’t as black and white as freedom of speech vs. oppressive government, woman vs. man, good vs. bad. The play does not operate on a spectrum of extremes on which at one end is placed the State representative and the other the artist. The Doge is not a philistine with purely political objectives; he openly admits fetishism for art and is so torn between duty and heart that it brings him to the brink of despair (a scene where Tim McInnery shines, delivering a perfectly energetic and comical hopelessness). Galactia is not an embodiment of human sympathy and virtue, but instead arrogant and unaware of the bigger political picture. Cairn does his utmost to convey the uncontainable spirit of the artist. Shaw really delivers herself into the role of the aging bohemian; breasts

bare, legs uncrossed, she loafs about stage in what would appear – if it were not for a well-poised delivery by the Statesmen actors – in some cases in want of better direction. This stylistic freedom is given to any whom at some point become slave to the passions, bringing to mind a multitude of McInnery’s scenes, as well as Robert Hands’ commendable performance as Admiral Suffini, stomping repeatedly on and off stage, infuriated by his portrayal in the painting. This being said, there is a forcefulness in attempting to portray the script’s nonconformist elements that has a negating effect. Shaw appears to be set a very demanding rota for how many times she should bare herself in a transparent effort to convey the character’s unconventional manner, becoming frightfully close to creating a caricature of avant-garde artists. Unfortunately, line rehearsals do

not appear to have been given due attention: although slips of the tongue are always unavoidable, there counted a few too many blatant mistakes for the level of quality one expects from a National Theatre production. But for what is let down by overly relaxed directing is more than made up for by the spectacular set designed by Hildegard Bechtler. The giant geometric boards that dominate the stage add an element of modern abstract art to the performance (finally a play that benefits from a theatre that looks like the seventies threw-up on it), playing on the perpetual conflict between art and establishment. A Renaissance event acted out in a modern space disallows suspended belief and instead forces you to observe the play as if it were hanging in an art gallery; Gerrard McArthur plays Barker’s sort-of museum plaque, delivering pas-

sionate speeches on the paintings history. The fact that he does so whilst floating mid-air in a whitewashed cube creeps precariously along the edge of pretentiousness, but positively adds to the museum effect and, consequently, the audiences forced recognition of themselves in Barker’s philosophy on Art criticism: ‘those that can’t read, gasp; and those that can, look at the booklet and go “hmmm”’. Those strapped for cash needn’t miss out as there are many tickets still available for £12.50, money worth forking out for what proves to be a refreshingly alternative NT production. Until December 9th, Tickets £12.50 - £47.00,

Monday 22nd October 2012

Culture

Theatre: Luxury or Necessity? Joel Wood

“S

O JOEL, tell me, is theatre a luxury or a necessity?”. By this time I had done so many auditions for drama schools that I was well rehearsed at answering all the pretentious, banal, interview questions, but this...? This one I was not prepared for. At the time I answered it as best I could (and consequently got offered a place) but recently that question keeps coming back to Images by J Smith Flickr CC

haunt me. Do we really need theatre in our society or is it a complete waste of time, money and other valuable resources? I often get pitiful and sometimes disdainful looks when I tell people I want to be an actor. I presume it’s because they don’t see acting as a real, viable career or maybe it’s because they don’t think actors contribute anything to society and that we’re just selfish, self –absorbed, attention

seekers. Well, yes we are. But that doesn’t mean that acting is superfluous. Entertainment is devoured by billions of people every day; theatre, film, television, stand-up, art, music... yet The Arts are still considered a luxury. Yes, maybe entertainment isn’t vital to our existence and if push came to shove we could survive without watching the next episode of Downton Abbey. But if all art forms were to be

banned like theatre was back in the 1600’s by Oliver Cromwell, then I’m pretty sure there’d be pandemonium. Theatre provides audiences with an experience. You can’t get an ‘experience’ from watching something on a screen. Earlier this week I saw ‘The Last of the Haussmans’ at the National Theatre. I was second row from the front watching Julie Walters, Helen McCrory and Rory Kin-

near create this whole new world in front of my eyes. 3D films are becoming more and more popular, but you can’t get any more 3D than actually being in the same room as the characters! These ‘experiences’ are why people go to the theatre, night after night. It provides escapism, a break from the harsh realities of our lives, and transports us into somebody else’s life.

Culture Clash: Is it justifiable to deface pieces of art for the sake of art?

YES

existent. This is why we cannot truly say that the act of defacing someone else’s work is not art, because there is no true definition anyway. Umanet’s actions act as a comment on the inaccessibility of art, in other words, his own way of ‘engaging’. The media uproar surrounding the case focused on the priceless nature of the work rather than the semantic damage that Umanet’s doodling created, further emphasising the focus on price tags. Modern art is instilled in a ‘look but don’t touch’ culture, works of art may as well be virtual pound signs. Defacing art is an extreme reaction to a society that alienates us from art, something we couldn’t possibly understand, or afford.

Tegen Hager-Suart

Belphoebe New

RT IS a word almost impossible to define. Vladimir Umanets, the man who calmly defaced a priceless work by the artist Rothko whilst visiting his exhibition at the Tate Modern Gallery, attempts to define it as allowing us to: ‘take what someone’s done and put a new message on it.” This is a seemingly negative portrayal of the creation of art work, yet reveals the rather troubled state of the art world today. In a society where everything has been done, where all shock tactics have been employed, where art works are snapped up by millionaire business moguls who couldn’t care less about the ‘artistic message’, the idea of art is not only completely fluid but almost non-

HE EFFECTIVE development of art movements is built on respect. You must learn a discipline before you challenge it. Picasso learnt how to work classically before he experimented with Cubism and other movements. The problem with contemporary art is that it has become so conceptual, that you now get, “artists”, whxo no longer feel the need to understand practically the work they’re critiquing. Note Vladimir Umarets, a relatively obscure artist, who defaced Rothko’s Black on Maroon, simply to gain exposure for his so-called Yellowism movement. That this has been effective, and to some accept-

able, shows an underlying issue with the modern relationship to art. If this trend is allowed to continue, skilful art will be obscured by anyone who has a concept or criticism around it. We have listed buildings, for the same reason, as the obscuring of original art should be unacceptable; society requires the protection of heritage and culture. Nobody wants a world where the collection of art is made up of erased masterpieces and the buildings are only steel and glass. Original art should not be defaced because it not only shows a lack of respect within the art world, but also the degeneration of art as a whole.

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Monday 22nd October 2012

Satire

Thomas Sankara

Said one terrified onlooker, who appeared visibly shaken when QMessenger Satire interviewed her, “At first everything was fine at the Student Council meeting. But then suddenly this guy stood up. He who was wearing normal blue jeans, a smart casual shirt and had no piercings or tattoos or hair dye. He started talking really eloquently about democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. He even refused to condone the upcoming strikes and

protests. It was then that we knew something was wrong, because none of us have really heard about any of these things before”.

Visibly hysterical Medical officials were dispatched to the Blomeley Cen-

tre and found the individual sitting down with a cup of tea. One paramedic described the scene as “deeply alarming”, because it is normal for people at the Union to be “foaming at the mouth” and “visibly hysterical”. A spokesperson for QMSU said: “We don’t comment on individual cases, but in this particular case I am delighted that the outbreak has been contained and that insanity rules once again here at QMSU”.

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N OUTBREAK OF SANITY has been confirmed at the offices of Queen Mary Students’ Union, specialist doctors have confirmed. Sources at the Department of Health said that there had only been one confirmed case and that the infected individual had been placed in quarantine, prior to a four-month “reintegration process” designed to help ease the sick patient back in to normal life at the Union.

Get in touch:

Patrick Ford

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Outbreak of Sanity at QMSU

Politics and the Crazies

HE LOONY left on campus have really outdone themselves at this weeks Student Council meeting by putting forward a motion to join with Unite Against Fascism whilst also attempting to implement a “No Platform” policy to anything they wish to call Fascism. In a rare moment of rationality by the SU, the motion was defeated but only by a few votes. Quite how as a university we have got to a stage where it is totally acceptable to suggest a formal alliance with a group which our own President described as “undemocratic and a front for

revolutionary socialism” is an absolute farce. But perhaps we really are facing the threat of a Fascist takeover on campus. So, where next for the loony Left? As ardent supporters of the revolution, QMessenger Satire would like to make some suggestions that might aid the bonkers Bolsheviks: 1) No platform for the Conservative Society - these pesky right-wing extremists have been overheard making anti-trade union jokes and comments at meetings. Despite the greed and hypocrisy shown by union bosses such as Bob Crow, we as a uni-

versity take a zero-tolerance approach to trade-union bashing. Under-cover reporters have also reported that there is disturbing number of Thatcherites at these meetings. Extremism of this kind is a threat to the revolution and will not be tolerated. 2) Block internet access on campus to speeches and interviews with Boris Johnson - Boris’ recent popularity is a real problem for the revolution. His highly inﬂammatory material has turned even the most proud comrades into BoJo fans. This is wholly unacceptable and needs to be stopped. Al-

though we claim to be working for the common man and woman it appears they cannot be trusted to view material that may prevent or delay the revolution. 3) History lecturers criticizing Marxist historical material - It has been brought to our attention that some lecturers are not only claiming Marxist history is “ just one way of interpreting events” but also it has been reported that some establishment-defending extremists have called it “outdated”. This cannot be tolerated and we propose that any criticism of this kind will result in immediate stripping of his/ her/ prefer not

to say (delete as appropriate) position. 4) Inﬁltrate QMessenger - it has come to our attention that there is a section within Qmessenger called “ The Great Debate”.The great conspiracy of liberal democracy has claimed that debate and the exchange of ideas and concepts is the backbone of any decent and functioning society. This is wrong; debate and freedom of speech must be quashed. Any criticism of the SU party or the left-wing groups on campus will also result in immediate exile to Intercollegiate Halls in central London.

Newness Creeping in Chukwuma Nzeogwu

OUSEHOLDERS OF the world rejoice! The Government is to introduce legislation meaning that people who defend their property against burglars will not be prosecuted unless they use “grossly disproportionate” force. The announcement has drawn heavy criticism from the Burglars’ Union Movement but was greeted with happiness from ordinary folk from up and down the country. The Ministry of Justice conﬁrmed that householders WILL now be able to bash, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, clip, clout, cuff, dig, jab, jog, knife, knock, lol-

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Lucretia McCarthy lop, nudge, one-two, plug, plunk, poke, prod, pummel, rap, shot, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, strike, stroke, thrust, thump and wallop burglars, but in a move that will disappoint some of the Conservative Party faithful, citizens will not yet be allowed to will castrate, murder or molest burglars. A spokesperson for the BUM said that it was “outrageous that our members’ termsand conditions are going down the plughole at what is already a difficult time for us”. The spokesperson vowed to “ﬁght this Fascist legislation all the way” and did not rule out a strike in the near future.

N THE wake of the emperor’s new clothes, it seems that everyone in the world of art and performance is jumping on the bandwagon to become the next big thing in madcap stunts. Notorious lobotomy victim David Blain has recently wowed spectators at his latest event ‘Electrified: One Million Vaults Always On’ where everyone claimed to completely identify with his motives for the performance and the ways in which it is “an eloquent and telling visual image of our time”, clearly performed by a genius. It appears that since the recession, many more artists are

emerging with similar attention seeking acts in an attempt to outdo one another and potentially put their lives at risk in feats which will inevitably thrust them into fame or death, whichever comes first being irrelevant as both move them out of the credit crunch.

Despite rave reviews

Despite rave reviews from all who encountered Blain’s stunt, some where a little misled by the

title which implied that the show would never end, as such they will be demanding refunds on the grounds of false advertising – not of course, that they did not understand the work. When quizzed on the latest in the performance art world, spectators at several events were eager to make clear that they were not philistines, continuously shouting “it’s great! It’s all just great!” Others were keen to highlight the fact that they would be turned off to art and performance if there wasn’t a strong possibility of death, particularly due to the personalities of those involved.

Monday 22nd October 2012

Societies

Quick Chat with: Politics Exposed Jasmine Virhia

HIS WEEK we catch up with the newest Political society on campus, however they aren’t your regular bunch of wannabe MP’s, they’re attempting to bust all the political myth and fancy that surrounds us everyday. Name: Yigit Zarbun Subject: International Relations Year of Study: First Position: President Fun fact: Until the age of 10, I thought that we lived inside the earth, not on it. 1.What is Politics Exposed? Politics exposed is a brand new society to 2012.

We aim to explore the hidden agendas of politics; reading between the lines of political articles and newspapers. Regarding current international affairs, we try and view them from various perspectives and investigate “who’s behind the scenes” and who is actually benefitting and who is being inhibited by these international conflicts. 2.What made you create this society? Basically because we couldn’t find a society which addressed the undercover issues of politics, and one that covered the politi-

cal spectrum as many of the societies here at QM are specifically focussed eg. Marxist Society, Labour Society. 3. Who can join your society and how much is membership? Absolutely anyone can join, our society is not just aimed at Politics students. Membership is £5 and comes with it a lot of lectures and other exciting things to involve yourself in. 4. What do you have coming up this year? So far, we have 5 lectures planned with guest lecturers.

Our first lecture will be on Tuesday 23rd October at 6pm in the Bancroft building with a lecturer from the University of Connecticut ; Poppy Kyriakopoulou. This event will be collaborated with QM Debate Soc and QM Labour Soc. The lecture will be addressing the European Crisis and the far right, with the rise of racism. Following this we will be generating debate on conspiracies, it should be quite a good evening! When we have confirmed numbers of our membership our social and informal weekly meetings will be on a Monday (most probably ending up at Monday’s

calling). 6. Is there anything else you would like to add? Firstly, I’d like to thank the administration of the International Foundation Programme in helping us set this up. Secondly, I want to repeat that we welcome absolutely anyone that may be interested and is willing to learn. We believe that politics is now based on relations rather than the pre-20th century attitudes of ideologies and look to explore this in depth. As a new society, we’re still looking for committee members, if you’re interested in getting involved get in touch!

Image by BisGov Uk Flickr CC

NeuroSoci Anushka Engineer

M AND BARTS and the London Neuroscience society (QMBL Neurosoc) was first set up in 2009, it is a society that aims to encourage and inspire students who find Neuroscience interesting and challenging. The society is open to students of all subjects from Anthropology to Zoology and at all levels, from undergraduate to PhD. Our friendly, welcoming members are here for you to provide you with their perspective on university life so far

(and some infamous do’s and don’ts!!). We host a number of events throughout the year; our popular monthly Journal clubs provide and encourage an informal dialogue among students on the content and quality of literature. These student-led journal clubs are where students can present their review of a paper to their peers, whilst others are encouraged to partici pate in discussion and debate. Occasionally, journal clubs are attended by QM and Barts Professors, creating a wonderful out of class learn-

ing environment for critically appraising papers. All our members are incredibly supportive and willing to help at any opportunity, and it is through Neurosoc I have felt that I have gained the confidence to formulate and express my opinions to present to my colleagues! We also welcome a number of exciting guest speakers with years of experience to share whether it is about getting that first foot on the careers ladder or controversial research, our speakers

value this time to speak to students who are really interested in their subject and for students it provides those rare opportunities to network with people at the top of their field. At times we host more specialist events, such as teaching workshops for medical students’ clinical skills and revision sessions later on in the academic year.Our biggest upcoming event is the Symposium on Wednesday the 16th of January. It will be a full day of poster presentations from QM and Barts students as well as speeches

from 4 world renowned leading experts in their respective fields. This is an excellent opportunity for professors and students alike to appreciate the sheer magnitude of the research of QM and Barts (for students this is also the chance to showcase their excellent on-going research. The symposium is shaping up to be one of the most exciting academic events in the QM and Barts Calendar so please register for tickets so you don’t miss out!

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Monday 22nd October 2012

Anthony Tipping

Sporting Role Models

ESSICA ENNIS. What does the name say to you? Perhaps you think of a great personality, an exceptionally talented athlete and quite a nice physique to top it off. What about Mario Balotelli? ‘Why always me?’ The playboy with an attitude who everyone either hates to love or loves to hate. Do we need these lavishly paid men and women in our lives? Do they define who we are? Without getting philosophical, let us just say that they are there, and in one way or another they are influencing us. In the humdrum life of the average person, we look to sportspeople for inspiration. The success stories of countless athletes give us belief

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in not only ourselves, but humankind. Just look to the Paralympics. Oscar Pistorius, double-amputee after being born with congenital absence of the fibula, has defied the odds and become “the fastest man on no legs”. Tell me you don’t feel heartened at the thought. Yes, he was exceedingly ungracious in defeat when beaten by Oliveira in the 200 metres in London 2012, claiming “we are not running in a fair race”. But hey, overlook it as a gaffe. This is an extraordinary athlete, and one we can admire as (typically) extremely humble. Just contemplate for a second what he has achieved. It makes some of our own complaints in life

look trivial. But then, every once in a while comes an Andy Murray. For tennis, he is the only prospect Britain has. But why should that be such a defining factor? Do we really want people aspiring to an individual so devoid of charisma and emotion? He is a talent on the pitch, but nothing more. For role models we should look to personality, above whatever flair they possess with a racket. I cannot pass up this opportunity to probe Balotelli. I touched on the importance of personality and the football man has plenty of it. His morals are a bit disjointed. But whose aren’t? Brian Marwood,

sporting director at Manchester City, suggests that this Super Mario should not be looked upon as a role model, I disagree. Inspired by Balotelli’s antics, you decide to set fire to your house, what do you do? Blaming a role model for your own senseless antics is... well, senseless. A sporting role model is made earnest by a compelling and true story. This instils us with the belief and hope which drives us to be better and more accomplished individuals. Take Usain Bolt, he crashed onto the Olympic scene in 2008, clinching three gold medals in one lunge. Now look at the tale behind the man. From poverty, he came from

the smallest of Jamaican towns, in which his parents owned nothing more than a small grocery store. If from such humble origins he could envision such greatness, what can the rest of us be inspired to achieve? By having such role models, we can perhaps flatter ourselves. “If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it”. Michael Jordan, providing us with an inspirational quote. My opinion? Make a role model of yourself. Do something brilliant. Be brilliant. At least try. Ok, I love a cliché.