March 5, 1990

Other Press -

 

Yea, Verily,
the Clubs Are
Sexist

I HATE CASABLANCA’S!!!
arion Drakos’s editorial concern-
ng the failure of the. college’s
andbook to mention that two clubs
have strippers raises another ques-
ion: WHY WOULD ANYONE
QO TO CASABLANCA’S
AYS? Casablanca’s
popular with Douglas College
tudents.On weekends there is a
ineup of young people willing to
pend $4.00 in order to cram them-
elves inside. And for what? The
asteful swimsuit collage on the
ntrance staircase’s ceiling? The
i.j.’s witticism at calling out,"any

 

hard-ons out there?" Even the show

 

aS

has no redeeming qualities, in my
opinion. For example, our pleas for
something alternative newave/lis-
tenable were underhandedly dis-
regarded. At any rate, the initial
response to them implied that my
friend’s and my request was likely
to be granted. We later were told
that the music was _ pre-
programmed

_ But back to sexism! On his
way out, a happy Casablanca’s
patron of about twenty asked
us,"Do you have the time, girls?"
The last word of his simple request
hung in the air like fifty year’s
worth of stale cigarette smoke.

I SCREAM OF YOUR
APATHY AND OPPRESSION:
Welcome to the nineties, students
of Douglas College.

Michelle Lavallee

"Sievipede of
Wild Condos
Mowing
Down
Heritage in
New West

Affordable housing in New
West.? Don’t kid yourself. All of it
will soon go the way of the buffalo.
If you take a look around, nearly
every old apartment house or build-
ing is left to deteriorate in order that
it may be bulldozed to make a quick
buck.

 

Along Carnarvon Street two
huge old houses that were used as
half way houses are empty, ready
for demolition. Further down the
next block, the whole block is
slated for the wrecker’s ball in
order to make way for more un-
sightly high rises or condo’s.

In this one area three beautiful
old turn-of-the-century homes that
were converted into apartments
are ready for destruction, along
with a duplex and an entire apart-
ment block.

This insane mutilation of not

 

Bogle’s B

 

poe affordable housing but his-

toric homes is a tragedy. Students,
young couples, and singles with
children are all put in a no-win
position as they pull down any hope
these groups had of finding the af-
fordable rent that these accom-
modations once boasted. ~

New West City council wants
to revitalize "Old New West". Does
this revitalization mean that lower
income groups are no longer
wanted within the city limits? And
further, does it mean all the old

 

houses that give the city character
are to be eradicated to make way
for glass and stucco monstrosities?
There seems to be a slight paradox
here. If the city continues to destroy
its heritage houses and the people
that make up the fabric of the city
then, in effect, they are no longer
revitalising but building an entirely

new city. There is no "Old New °

West", only a mass of unaffordable
glass shelters to house the rich and
force out the lower income people.
We the public should seriously
question the motive of city council
in regards to the continual decline
of affordable rental accommoda-
tions and further the idea behind
letting its heritage be bulldozed

 

Ombudsperson Thrown to Parking Lot Attendants

In ancient societies it was
ommon practice to kill the mes-
enger of bad news. Thus spanning
e generations through to our
odern age, the custom continues.

e only difference seen is the
odern bearer of bad tidings
eceives a more modest punish-
ent usually affecting their reputa-
on or employment status in the
ommunity. This modified custom
5 a most fortuitous reality for our
rent ombudsperson. In ancient
ome he most likely would have
een thrown to the lions, consigned
) a galley or invited to pursue a
areer as a gladiator in the local
oliseum. Instead the DCSS rep
ommittee has labelled him as a
indictive, sexist, redneck rightist
ith a personal axe to grind.

Having read the
ombudsperson’s report and being
familiar with DCSS documents, I
am inclined to believe the report
has some factual basis. the society
should at least examine it in a more
detailed light and perhaps with a
measure of co-operation. I the Om-
budsperson has a sexist attitude he
should receive counsel, correction
and education. Do we not attempt
in our society, to rehabilitate those
who err?

I suspect the societies reaction
to the report is overly dramatic and
is clouding the real topic of the
report. Their current attitude
smacks of fear and self-preserva-
tion. In all honesty, I am growing
weary of discussing the endless
problems of the DCSS. A person

can only observe the antics of
children squabbling in the sandbox
for a fixed length of time before it
becomes tedious to behold. Sadly I
am beginning to believe the educa-
tion minister’s secretary rightly
discerned the maturity level of our
representatives when remarking
that the minister does not talk with
children. (This happened during
the strike). Some day the execu-
tives of our society will have to
grow up and face a real world that
requires mature, reasoned thought
in addressing controversial topics.

Enough said of this topic. I
have another issue I would like to
address. On several occasions I
have noticed transient business
types, emerging from expensive
automobiles. Briefcase in hand

they waltz out of the parking garage
confident in the knowledge they
have acquired a secure stall at a
cheap rate. Early one morning one
of these stall poachers blatantly ex-
plained to me that he was in no way
connected with the college. He
found parking at Douglas was very
handy, being located near his place
of employment. On his way out he
waved to the parking attendant and
was off to work. I find this example
to be a real dis-service to the needs
of Douglas College students. When
a student has a late class or is
delayed, the lot is usually full. Part-
timers are often forced to park off
campus. How hard can it be for the
powers that be to issue stickers and
implement some controls? Get it
together parking staff!!

Ross Bogle

The Other Publications Society

hereby announces its intention to hold its

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, March 28th, 1990. (Room to be announced)
Allcurrent members of the Society are urged to attend.

 

into oblivion.

A postscript to this editorial
is in order. A week after it was
written a note was posted on the
windows and doors of one of the
houses on Carnarvon stating that it
is going to be moved. The house
next door, though, has no such
notice. Perhaps there is still a glim-
mer of hope....

Rachael Burnett

 

This is a "house ad." Ideally, it
should be neat and witty, designed
to draw you down to the Other
press to check things out. Graphics
usually help too. But this space is
rather small, and it’s late and there
will be at least one typo in every
story in this issue(a marked im-
provement)no matter how many
times we run spell-check. Do you
pe _well?? Room 1602

The Other Press

The Other Press is a democrati-
cally run, autonomous
newspaper serving Douglas Col-
lege since 1976. It publishes
throughout the year under the
auspices of the Other Publica- |
tions Society. Our funding
comes from a direct student levy
paid every semester at registra-
tion and through local and na-

The Other Press is amember of
Canadian University Press and
subscribes to its Statement of

inciples. We reserve the right
to refuse to publish any article
regarded as | rocket, mania,