Good ol’ Joel has done it again. In this weeks president’s column he has once again refused to defend his free intertr0nz policy to the masses at large. Instead he has circulated a petition asking students to support the move… what the fuck…
Wasn’t that why we held an ELECTION Joel? Didn’t you run on a PLATFORM of free net and printing — within reasonable limits (oh its nice to see that final qualification inserted in print after all). You won the election, probably because students liked your ideas. Congrats, well done.
But why circle a petition which wastes a page of your best tool for communication with students! More people read Salient then attend SRCs — and why would you circle a petition of an issue which you already have support. When the Labour party won the 2002 election on interest free loans, it didn’t ask for a public referendum or petition to validate the policy AFTER it was elected did it. No, it just got on the with bloody job. And Crucially it spent its time working out solutions and consensus to see that its legislation got passed.
That’s what you should be doing Joel. Instead of leading a campaign against the film school (which could perhaps be left primarily to your campaigns officer) you should be working on issues relation to ALL your constituents. That being said, I do appreciate the leadership you have shown in that campaign. I’m not being sanctimonious (if any other exec member was acting like you are I would as critical of them) it was good to see you working for students. But now I want you to do the job you were elected to do and get ALL students what you promised them. Hiding behind petitions which prove nothing, and are useless in the face of an establishment that wants good arguments rather than activism – is not going to do anyone, any good.
For Joel’s benefit go get a copy from any Salient on hand. But you’re just doing Joel’s job for him. And I doubt the petition is going to be worth the paper you paid for it to be printed on.