bubblebobble
Chronic Pothead
Joined: Jul 04, 2006
Posts: 426
Location: Dunedin
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 Write to the Otago proctor! Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:22 pm |
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Hi all.
As I said in the other thread, Abe was trespassed today from only the part of the Otago campus where 4:20 takes place, and other members of the 4:20 crew are soon to come.
If you think this is wrong, join me in writing to the Otago proctor and/or vice-chancellor (preferably both, a simple CC will do).
Normally I'd be the last to get involved, but I genuinely feel a line has been crossed by the proctor, and opinions need to be heard on this. Fancy being excluded from going some place your own fees are paying for. Not on.
Anyway, I wrote the following letter.
| Quote: | Dear Proctor,
I write to express my bewilderment and disappointment at the document that I saw today, effectively banning Mr. Abraham Gray from setting foot in a particular area within the University of Otago campus.
Before you disregard my message, I wish to inform that I do not write to you as a drug user who is angry about having no place to smoke cannabis. I do not smoke cannabis at all, nor do I have any membership affiliation with Otago NORML. I write to you as a student who believed that Otago fostered, or at the very least sought not to destroy, politically minded activist groups.
The arrests which took place recently seem to have lead to a trespass notice being served on Mr Gray. I find it ludicrous that the University would have an intelligent MSc candidate trespassed from parts of its own campus. Even more questionable is the fact that this is summary punishment. There is no legal finding that Mr Gray smoked or possessed any illegal substance, after an ill-executed search and a fair share of brutality (for which I hope the police are held accountable). There was no verdict or judgment of guilt prior to this trespass notice. As such, it is ridiculously premature at the very least.
I find myself hypothesizing that this is some sort of divide and conquer technique aimed at keeping Mr Gray away from his associates at the twice-weekly protests. I can only hope this is not the case, because as a student, privy to the oh-so-unpredictable student mindset, I see a backfire in the works.
I humbly submit that the solidarity of Otago NORML has been underestimated, and the consequences of this are anybody's guess. Volatile students who go out of their way to break unjust laws are not a University's greatest asset (although they could be in other circumstances) when they feel backed into a corner. Who knows what they could do to get their point across? If only they were typical good old kiwi alcoholic scarfies. Then we could have a nice, innocent drunken riot on our hands. But alas, they are outlaw terrorists, so they will probably do something extreme like continue to meet and pester nobody by smoking cannabis innocently.
I now wish to direct your attention to the University of Otago Charter. Specifically sections 3.1 and 4.3.3, which make reference to the University's wish to question and test conventional wisdom, and encourage participation and achievement in under-represented groups, respectively. As a forward thinking university who loves the idea of questioning the status quo, I feel Otago is making a mistake in punishing Mr Gray, who does his best to speak out for an under-represented group, and test conventional wisdom. I feel compelled to point out the blatant hypocrisy here. If I can see it, I'd wager that I'm not the only one.
Mr Gray was participating innocently in an information booth. He was brutalized and arrested arbitrarily after an ill-executed search. The police felt the need to confiscate his money, which they allege came from drug dealing, in order to save face. Mr Gray has been through a great ordeal, including unjust imprisonment, for his cause. My humble submission is that he need not be punished additionally. Definitely not to an extent that would see him in court for setting foot on the union lawn.
Quite frankly I feel the Police and University are lucky that Mr. Gray does not pursue legal action. Having said that, he and his friends are likely to take this to the usual media contacts they go to every time something like this happens. Who knows how the media will spin the fact that the University is having its own Masters students and Lab teachers trespassed from its own campus? I'm willing to bet it's what could be referred to as a "field day."
I must formally insist that the University make every effort to have the trespass notice rescinded. The consequences could make the "victory" over the 4:20 protest group somewhat pyrrhic, if the trespass order stays in effect.
Yours sincerely,
xxxxxxx xxxxx
Student of Otago University. |
I encourage you all to follow suit. Even if you're not students there, the public should still have its say.
The proctor can be reached in the following ways:
Simon Thompson
Tel 64 3 479 4888
Fax 64 3 479 4881
Email proctor@otago.ac.nz |
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