With Concordia’s CSU elections now less than a month off, there’s a new feeling of life among students, apparent from reading the latest version of The Link. For example, this letter is by a disgruntled student:
As if pretending to be left-wing and concerned with social causes isn’t enough, this executive has done nothing but damage the Union, and make us more divided than ever. How are we to unite against the Administration when we are squabbling amongst ourselves? How are we to jointly pursue progressive, student-minded causes when the executive divides Union membership at every chance that it gets?
The constant involvement of the CSU in non-union issues such as the occupation of Palestine is the first nail in the coffin of Concordia student unity. In addition, the CSU executive should remember that Jews at Concordia are just as much students as their Islamic brothers and sisters. Why does it seem as if the executive constantly sides with the Muslim cause? Why is the CSU picking on Hillel? Why did it inflame tensions resulting from Sept. 9? The Union has gone the opposite direction of where it should be over the past two years, and has further divided students along ideological, racial and religious lines.
We need a cooling off period at Concordia. We need a Union that will grow out of this immature shell that it seems to have gotten itself into. We need a CSU that is no longer preoccupied with anarchist vs. capitalist, coloured vs. white and Muslim vs. Jew. The CSU elections are March 25-27. Students of Concordia: make yourself heard!
Ethan Moore, Communications
No longer a student, I can’t do much but watch from the sidelines. But around this time each year, I’m filled with a sort of optimism that maybe – just maybe – this will finally be the year when students wake up and make a positive change at the ballot box.
Maybe students are finally waking up to how damaging the past few CSU executives have been for everyone. If letters like the one above are any indication, it seems students are increasingly aware – or if they’re not, they should be – that their only opportunity to turn things around is by voting.
I hope I’m right.
What “Islamic cause???”
I suggest you ask the author of the letter.
I’m much more pesimistic then you are. The names will change but nothing else will.
The only way to have real change is for a strong conservative movement to emerge on campus. Unfortunately conservatism is out of fashion on campus and fashion is a students primary concern.
“The Union has gone the opposite direction of where it should be over the past two years” –I disagree, see you at the ballot boxes & long live democracy.
bwas1: I don’t know much about this conservatism thing. But as a Concordia grad who’s begun to read through the Link Web site, I can see very clearly that this has nothing to do with right-wing/left-wing — unless there’s some wing of politics which venerates elitist power cliquery, propaganda in place of debate, secrets instead of transparency, and personal agendas ahead of representing its constituency.
The abuses of the CSU seems pretty clear. As someone who’s quite embarrassed and saddened by his alma mater’s reputation as a nest of hatred and intolerance, I’d hope that regardless of political “wing”, some sort of commitment to transparency, accountability, and open debate be a unanimous part of everyone’s platform.
there’s some wing of politics which venerates elitist power cliquery, propaganda in place of debate, secrets instead of transparency, and personal agendas ahead of representing its constituency.
it’s called Likud!
Joe, you’ve lost me. You seem to be trying to make either of two points, and they both sound pretty bizarre.
Either you think that the problem at Concordia is that the Israeli Likud party has taken over the student union.
Or you think that, among the world’s nations, the Likud party of Israel is the leading exponent of corrupt politics.
Is this some bizarre Israel obsession, or is there something I’m missing?