More letters to the editor...
In protest of the anti-war protesters
RE: “Student protesters put in cuffs and dragged from Career Fair” and “Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
This letter is in regards to the articles in this week's Interrobang issue about the career fair.
I was in attendance at the fair, and saw the entire protest from start to finish. It isn't what all the protesters and the Social Justice Club make it out to be. The college acted as they should have. The protesters in their “silent” and “peaceful” protest were asked multiple times to leave. They refused. The special constables then went to the next step to remove the protesters.
My issue isn't even about who is right or wrong. If the military should be here or not. If Darius Mirshahi should be arrested or not. It's the issue that a career fair is an inappropriate forum to express such things. You, (Darius), talk in your article that your freedom of speech and freedom of assembly were revoked but you did the same to the military who has a right to be at the fair. Stopping, or attempting to stop students, from speaking with them is impeding their rights.
The military isn't all about being a soldier, there are cooks and other positions available, THAT is why they are here. I believe if you want something done as a protest then pick the appropriate venue and forum and use the right channels to get there. It would go a lot further and you may end up with the right audience.
Lastly, I am quite upset with the Interrobang. Why must a school newspaper stoop this low to get people to read the paper? There is no positive information about the career fair. No interviews from attending students. Maybe put some positive information in there. How about the college fundraiser and the money raised on that night? Or how every college in the region declined hosting the dinner for College's Ontario this year because they couldn't compete with Fanshawe's previous performance?
Aaron Serio
RE:“Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
I understand your perspective on this issue, but can't help but realize how false your first claim is. I count 34..... Yes 34 programs at Fanshawe with direct transferability of technical skills and training that are military related. Therefore, if we choose to do so, we can study at Fanshawe to have a successful career in the military. You are clearly misinformed. Your judgment is so clouded by your desire to be noticed and make a stand that I can't seem to find any reason to believe the validity of your claims and accusations to this date.
Yes, you are correct that the military is sending many young Canadians off to occupy Kandahar, Afghanistan, but this is at their own will. They made a choice to join the military and they were not forced to do so. They knew when they signed on the dotted line that there were risks involved and some may not even come home. If it were not for people like the brave men and women serving in our Canadian Armed Forces, you would not have your ‘‘rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly''.
Next, you say that students have a right to learn in de-militarized, war free school. Nothing is forced upon anyone, and it is someone's personal choice to walk up to a recruitment booth and ask question.
Your actions at the career fair disgusted myself and many others. Next time you consider disrespecting the fallen soldiers, their family and friends with some disgusting charade, try fulfilling your desire to learn in a military-free zone by walking right past the booth and ignore it. Grow up and show who the mature ones are here. Maybe then you won't have to get arrested and ‘‘roughed up'' by some Fanshawe security guards.
‘‘Abuses''? Please...cry me a river. And last time I checked, you didn't need to give consent to be searched after you are arrested, you should know that by now, it's not your first time being arrested.
I ask anyone that reads these articles to take it with a grain of salt, and think twice before you fall for his biased and falsified judgment and opinion. Maybe it would be better suited in the ‘Distorter' section of this paper?
I checked my ignorance at the door.... Only to find the very thing I checked at the door lying in front of me on the floor of J-Gym.
Korey
RE:“Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
There's so much to say about this protest and the article written by Darius Mirshahi. It humours me of his knowledge about the war...in case you didn't catch on, that was sarcasm.
Perhaps he was disorientated at the time when he wrote his article from the so-called “police abuse.” And the fact that the FSU would publish such a biased article humours me even more. I suggest that Mr. Mirshahi should dig a little deeper when it comes to his source of information rather than just picking the front page of every newspaper in Canada. He should turn a few more pages over and read the “the real deal” when it comes to the war and the military.
The Canadian Forces are a great employer. They provide great benefits and great opportunities to work all over the world and by world I don't mean just Afghanistan. There are over 10 operations going around the world in places like Sudan, Haiti and the Artic.
But let's stay on topic.
Mr. Mirshahi feels like the military is recruiting for war, for young students to be sent to Afghanistan. This is obviously not the case. There are other jobs that don't require you to be a solider such as a mechanic, a social worker, nursing, etc. Mr. Mirshahi begs to differ.
Oh, and Mirshahi, depleted uranium ammunition is not a common ammunition. The reason is it costs too much. There usually used for the new 50cal. Berretta Sniper rifle, which is quite the sexy rifle. Perhaps you're watching too many movies.
All those who participated in this protest, you have insulted those who have died by using dead soldiers to support your cause. How do you know they support what you're doing? They volunteered to go and they knew what they were getting into. Regardless if you do support the war or you do not, you should still support them. If you don't stand behind your troops, you're welcome to stand in front.
Brendon
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
RE: “Student protesters put in cuffs and dragged from Career Fair” and “Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
This letter is in regards to the articles in this week's Interrobang issue about the career fair.
I was in attendance at the fair, and saw the entire protest from start to finish. It isn't what all the protesters and the Social Justice Club make it out to be. The college acted as they should have. The protesters in their “silent” and “peaceful” protest were asked multiple times to leave. They refused. The special constables then went to the next step to remove the protesters.
My issue isn't even about who is right or wrong. If the military should be here or not. If Darius Mirshahi should be arrested or not. It's the issue that a career fair is an inappropriate forum to express such things. You, (Darius), talk in your article that your freedom of speech and freedom of assembly were revoked but you did the same to the military who has a right to be at the fair. Stopping, or attempting to stop students, from speaking with them is impeding their rights.
The military isn't all about being a soldier, there are cooks and other positions available, THAT is why they are here. I believe if you want something done as a protest then pick the appropriate venue and forum and use the right channels to get there. It would go a lot further and you may end up with the right audience.
Lastly, I am quite upset with the Interrobang. Why must a school newspaper stoop this low to get people to read the paper? There is no positive information about the career fair. No interviews from attending students. Maybe put some positive information in there. How about the college fundraiser and the money raised on that night? Or how every college in the region declined hosting the dinner for College's Ontario this year because they couldn't compete with Fanshawe's previous performance?
Aaron Serio
RE:“Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
I understand your perspective on this issue, but can't help but realize how false your first claim is. I count 34..... Yes 34 programs at Fanshawe with direct transferability of technical skills and training that are military related. Therefore, if we choose to do so, we can study at Fanshawe to have a successful career in the military. You are clearly misinformed. Your judgment is so clouded by your desire to be noticed and make a stand that I can't seem to find any reason to believe the validity of your claims and accusations to this date.
Yes, you are correct that the military is sending many young Canadians off to occupy Kandahar, Afghanistan, but this is at their own will. They made a choice to join the military and they were not forced to do so. They knew when they signed on the dotted line that there were risks involved and some may not even come home. If it were not for people like the brave men and women serving in our Canadian Armed Forces, you would not have your ‘‘rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly''.
Next, you say that students have a right to learn in de-militarized, war free school. Nothing is forced upon anyone, and it is someone's personal choice to walk up to a recruitment booth and ask question.
Your actions at the career fair disgusted myself and many others. Next time you consider disrespecting the fallen soldiers, their family and friends with some disgusting charade, try fulfilling your desire to learn in a military-free zone by walking right past the booth and ignore it. Grow up and show who the mature ones are here. Maybe then you won't have to get arrested and ‘‘roughed up'' by some Fanshawe security guards.
‘‘Abuses''? Please...cry me a river. And last time I checked, you didn't need to give consent to be searched after you are arrested, you should know that by now, it's not your first time being arrested.
I ask anyone that reads these articles to take it with a grain of salt, and think twice before you fall for his biased and falsified judgment and opinion. Maybe it would be better suited in the ‘Distorter' section of this paper?
I checked my ignorance at the door.... Only to find the very thing I checked at the door lying in front of me on the floor of J-Gym.
Korey
RE:“Die-in casualties hauled out of Career Fair,” February 18, 2008.
There's so much to say about this protest and the article written by Darius Mirshahi. It humours me of his knowledge about the war...in case you didn't catch on, that was sarcasm.
Perhaps he was disorientated at the time when he wrote his article from the so-called “police abuse.” And the fact that the FSU would publish such a biased article humours me even more. I suggest that Mr. Mirshahi should dig a little deeper when it comes to his source of information rather than just picking the front page of every newspaper in Canada. He should turn a few more pages over and read the “the real deal” when it comes to the war and the military.
The Canadian Forces are a great employer. They provide great benefits and great opportunities to work all over the world and by world I don't mean just Afghanistan. There are over 10 operations going around the world in places like Sudan, Haiti and the Artic.
But let's stay on topic.
Mr. Mirshahi feels like the military is recruiting for war, for young students to be sent to Afghanistan. This is obviously not the case. There are other jobs that don't require you to be a solider such as a mechanic, a social worker, nursing, etc. Mr. Mirshahi begs to differ.
Oh, and Mirshahi, depleted uranium ammunition is not a common ammunition. The reason is it costs too much. There usually used for the new 50cal. Berretta Sniper rifle, which is quite the sexy rifle. Perhaps you're watching too many movies.
All those who participated in this protest, you have insulted those who have died by using dead soldiers to support your cause. How do you know they support what you're doing? They volunteered to go and they knew what they were getting into. Regardless if you do support the war or you do not, you should still support them. If you don't stand behind your troops, you're welcome to stand in front.
Brendon
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
