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mardi, octobre 03, 2006

Back to School


The doors at Tal-Qroqq opened yesterday. Listening to the Bay Radio news I hear an interview with new KSU President David Ciliberti. It would seem that the most important item on his agenda for this new year at University is the visit of President Eddie Fenech Adami who will talk about yesterday's students and tomorrow's students.

Every year the atmosphere at our University looks more like a school and less like an alma mater that allows independent development of thought in a good environment. I cannot see the rebels of our generation - the leftist SDM, the commie Graffiti, the weird anthropologists and the surprisingly activist MKSU are all gone. Instead there is a campus full of apologetic arse-lickers that do not bode well for the future. Even Graffitti tend to sound like they are into radical change just for the fashionable aspect of having El Che wrapped around their neck rather than for the chain around Castille type protest.

I had attended a Graffiti inspired protest at the visit of Li Peng to Malta. I doubt whether any of the current generation would even begin to consider such a manifestation - and be bothered by the great police action we would get. The most hussle and tussle the new generation seems to like is the one at the bar fighting for a drink or head banging infront of some group.

We liked the drinks and the odd rock concert too. But we also had a common feeling that we wanted to change the world. We ran protests that never made the headlines but were effective. Like the spontaneous corner meeting in 1993 by the hundred or so law students against the inadequacies of the BA Legal & Humanistic course that had just opened. Like the ongoing efforts made by the few hundred active students to try to convince the rest that sitting back and accepting all that is thrown at them is not the best way to get a tertiary education.

The new University generations are being accused of being 'softer' all over Europe. Maybe they have been dulled up by their playstations, mp3 players and iPods. Maybe. Maybe it is the failure of our generation to really get things started. The failure of my generation to set a durable mind-set of not allowing intervention by the bigger parties into student politics. We managed to keep them out ourselves (notwithstanding the general perception of the greater public) - unfortunately once we left they crept back in ... finding new volunteers who were prepared to toe the line like those who had come before us.

One final word. Opening day at University carries many memories. I recall the great bonfire bonanza I had helped organize in 1994 with a budding Beangrowers act featuring on the list. It included all organisations (at the time I had to battle with the SDM executive to convince them that Student's Day would be for everyone - the wishy-washy communists at Graffiti included!). I remember the older generation who had still carried on the tradition of the 5th October Sangria-like concoction (I seem to remember Renzo preparing it). The one I remember most at the beginning of my early years at Uni is Julian Manduca - choppy.

My thoughts on Student's Day this year go out to Choppy. A model student activist if ever there was one.

* Student's Day in Malta is officially celebrated on 5th October. Among other things it commemorates the night when thugs attacked University. Don't expect EFA to forget this particular episode when talking about yesterday's students.

16 commentaires:

Peklectrick a dit…

As much as I despise the fact that today's university looks more like a shopping mall than an educational institution, i feel that yours is nothing but an exercise in nostalgia. Don't romanticise your days at Uni, cause the commies are still there, it is just that nowadays you're just too far away to see them...

In fact if you weren't, you would have seen the DIY Graffitti stand with a photo stand full of police scuffles. But since when are scuffles with officers the yardstick for strategic success? The cowboy antics look good, and manifest resistance, but that's about it. They achieve nothing more than cool memories.

Not to mention, as you rightly pointed out, that the context today is completely different. Who knows whether or not you'd be building barracades on campus were you a Uni student today? My bet would be that you'd be on library computer, updating your blog. Be careful when you judge today's generation with yesteryear's eyes. As you rightly implied, today's world is in part the result of yesterday's actions. If 'your' University was as radical, progressive, rebellious as you depict it, there would be no way in hell that it would end up in the state you're saying it is (and i agree) that easily.

Justin Borg Barthet a dit…

Although I wouldn't be too surprised if KSU's president considered his meeting with EFA to be the most important item on his agenda, I think it is also highly likely that the media gave that part of his agenda disproportionate importance because they'd rather talk about EFA than any issue of consequence. Don't you remember how often our statements were chopped up, misrepresented or simply ignored? All too often reporters are obsessed with political celebrity and are not bothered to understand real issues.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

peck: maybe. we were not the ultimate answer to rebellion but we did go against the norm... and for a while it looked like it would work. unfortunately I do not share your optimism that doing things differently is just as effective. besides, knowing myself I would probably have had a blog AND been a pain in the ass to the establishment... even more so with the blog possibility! in my time we had difficulties setting up a web page to keep students informed about immediate changes happening in the stipends debate (number 2 not to be confused with the delia sabotage of the student needs).

neebother: I'd love to agree. Only the interview with Mr Ciliberti seemed to be one of those where they put himn on the line and he says what is going on in the day. he seemed to be so happy aout the possibility of meeting EFA... you forget he is KSU pres and not some idolator of El Heffe!

Peklectrick a dit…

Jacques,

I didn't say that doing things differently is just as effective. But some issues require street activities while others do not. Thinking that a protest/sit in will be effective in all circumstances is just naive. Becoming a rent-a-protest movement crushes any chances of credibility. When Graffitti (notice the double T) protest nobody gives a toss, because it's just what they do.

Anyways I think we're looking at the issue from different perspectives. I was speaking re. Graffitti as a national movement and not merely a student presence. In their defence, Graffitti's presence at Uni level has shrunk in terms of activists who are also students.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

I think you got me wrong Peck. I am not a crazy "rush to the street" activist. I just do not see organisations with clear programmes. Over the three years I was in SDM we had a clear plan. Representation and Participation was the slogan - getting people involved and aware that their decisions count. We did have sme very memorable debates and even attracted people who deep down were not christian democrat - Karl Schembri comes to mind. The importance was having a political inspiration and working on it. Sadly I do not read much about it these days.

david a dit…

I'm not sure you can compare today's situation with the past, even the recent past. During our stint at Uni, there was one big tangible battle which (in my eyes) outshone all the rest - Europe (and mobilising folks for that was already fairly hard). In the 70s there was a threat to the university and education themselves. In the 1980s, party politics was everything.

The real issue now, I think, is that young people (apart from the usual sycophants looking for a career sotto AS o LG) are bored to death with local politics and local 'issues'. And can you really blame them? Life is simply elsewhere. Which is probably the main reason we voted for Europe in the first place.

Another thing - Besides the cave analogy I mentioned last week, I also think that we're essentially a nation of pragmatists. In response to the Archbishop's words, for instance, you might expect some sort of angry reaction in the letters pages of the papers, debate, satirical sketch. But most young people (women in particular) would simply say "U hallih jghid!" I think you know what I mean.

Peklectrick a dit…

Ok. I did get you wrong then. But it was kind of implied in your reply. Yes today the situation is very pathetic. Mainly the student organisations/individuals in the KSU are gripped by the market mentality and they want to brand themselves (one of their ehm proposals) and provide what the students want. And even though most students are no Beastie Boys all they seem to want to do is party. Most wanna earn not learn. That is why they couldn't give a toss about University. It's a mere means to an end...

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

30th rule of J'accuse

Thou shalt not mention the Beastie Boys in vain.

Now go out and protest! :)

Peklectrick a dit…

The beasties are at their best when they're not singing...

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

Right. That does it. One more word for you and I will have to ask for an official apology.

Peklectrick a dit…

I'm serious. Their instrumental stuff is in my opinion the best. Sabotage excluded of course.

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

Well. We shall let that pass shall we? Let's just say that I have a much wider appreciation of all things beastie. probably related to the fact that my first ever cassette purchase was licensed to ill.

Peklectrick a dit…

u le, I like the Beasties, but can only take them in smallish doses. Can't manage to listen to a whole album in one sitting. And I have great admiration for them as musicians.

Fausto Majistral a dit…

Like the spontaneous corner meeting in 1993 by the hundred or so law students against the inadequacies of the BA Legal & Humanistic course that had just opened.

Now there's an example of altruistic, selfless, "let's change the world", "feed the world's poor" kind of student activism.

How many of hundred showed up at the Li Peng demo (which was KSU not Graffitti organised) two years later?

Jacques René Zammit a dit…

Myself, Fausto.

Glad to see you corrected the slip. Did you enjoy the protest?

It's not only about selfless protest. It's about standing up and learning how to use your voice. It's about not letting the people in power pull your leg and make believe they are taking care of you.

Kenneth a dit…

I can't understand why you bothered to write the following...

"besides, knowing myself I would probably have had a blog AND been a pain in the ass to the establishment... even more so with the blog possibility!"

...when you already know the answer:

"Instead there is a campus full of apologetic arse-lickers that do not bode well for the future."

Does it make sense for someone to protest and be a drop in the ocean?

No. "All your companions don't seem to be having any problem with the system, unlike you. If you have any problems and are so unhappy about the situation, you're free to drop out to your heart's content."

Let's be honest, isn't that how things are at this time? You all should probably know more than me on this.