December 10,1992. - — Other Opinions ‘the Other Press 15 Douglas College Instructors are Dull is to become a ately I’ve been wondering if perhaps I’m just not dull enough. After all, dullness coupled with vagueness seem to bea prerequisite, at least at Douglas Coll My career teacher, but Instructors who lose their train of thought in mid-sentence and stand en like frozen zombies at the of theclass whileeveryone waits in irritated boredom is typical here. Some instructors seem to adore the sound of their own voice and rather than teach the subject, af instead prefer long-winded soliloquies during which half the class falls asleep, or works on other assi ents. Theyaren’‘t ionate, oy wert anima‘ ted oar toy do nothing to challenge anyone’s intellect. — Who needs tranquilizers when there's Douglas College instructors? pay theirsalaries. We pay tobe taught something we don’t know; to be enlightened by these supposed learned and wise old teachers. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and students apathetically put up with it just to get their three little credits. It all comes down to that expensive piece of paper we're all striving for. Why should anyone object? We're definitely not the students of the sixties. We don’t a a a a 0 O00 re protestand wedon’tcomplain. We're products of the Nintendogeneration, content to be ina passivecomplacent stupor where no one rocks the boat. (Except the instructors when they -decide to go on strike) Teaching to meis not just a job; it’s a vocation that public speaking, the gift to be able to capturetheattentionofanentireroom and sustainit. Livelyclassdiscussions should not only be encouraged, but should be entailed as part of the | overall grade. Innearly two yearsat this “facility” ( which is what it is-a cold, drab, concrete holding station) I have had only twoclasses which wereactually enlightening, interesting, and discussion based, and not surprisingly, I did very well because I looked forward to going. The rest have beena drag, where you sit there and listen to this teacher blab and blab and blab. If they were at all sensitive, they would see that everyone's eyes have over, but they don’t because they’re lost in their own little world where the only thing that exists is their droning, monotone voice. It’s like listening to a vacuum cleaner; white noise that tees a afternoon nap. needs tranquilizers when there’s Douglas College instructors? They idrecord themselvesand market the product as an aid for people suffering from chronic insomnia. Going into a classroom at this college is like entering a sensory deprivation tank where the only thing keeping a student awake is a freezing cold air-conditioner that blows down your neck rendering you stn A and stunned, after which you practically piaeger out of the room gasping for om. When I-think of the teachers striking at Langara College while the students lie suspended in academic limbo, I can’t help but marvel at the self-righteousness of it all. If theyre anything like the instructors here, they should just be grateful that they aren’t being monitored by hidden cameras in the room or mandatory student evaluations. If they were, and I often think they should, many of them might find themselves requires the gift of wearing paper hats and flipping burgers in the cafeteria. When teachers go on strike, they are taking a stand. Well I propose envi TONmMe ON ) Snyi_ envi = VM) uh aT, Speaking of UM envi Toner that students take a stand too, by organizing a covert, underground communicationsystem by which we canrecommend, or discourage taking classes with certain instructors. A dull education is a poor education because you never remember any of it. Be a radical hellraising protester and send your instructor evaluations to the Other Press and spare your fellow students froma semester hy from tne? of tedium. Better education is not a pipe- dream and must not be left in the hands of bumbling, over-the-hill politicians. It is up to students; the consumers, the ones who go into huge debt for the sake of higher learning. When are we going to use the power we have? Adrienne Merlo rot Dh sme » STUN, the Hmevhy n } Bored eels BiNiAdes me "If they aren't able to destroy the desire for freedom they won't break you. They won't break me because the desire for freedom, and the freedom of the Irish people is in my Denis J. Leyne The name may not be exactly'a household word for many of you, but to a large group of Irish Canadians and Irish Americans his name is known. In 1989/90 Denis helped to save a Canadian from being wrongfully convicted. The FBI in. their zealousness to convict the man watched him too much. Their own tapes proved their allegations were patently false. That bust mattered to the FBI. It was a sizeable sting operation ted toensnaretheIRA. Out of the four men they tried to convict they only manged to convict two. Many credit this to the public outcry that Denis and others mustered. The FBI began to investigate Denis. They havespentthelasttwoand a half years working with the RCMP(NSIS) watching Denis’ activities. They freely admit it. In 1991 Denis and a group of others formed to produce a film on the Hunger Strikers of Long Kesh. There was a strong rumour that Mickey Rourke wanted a key role. This film would be big and an important political statement about Britain's shameless conduct in Northern Ireland. The British have laws about ‘such films. They don't it them. In July of 1992 Denis spearheaded Action Grosse Ile and this paper, the CBC, Celtic Connections, Saorishe Eireann and a host of other media produced pieces that exposed the Canadian governments plans to build a theme park on top of " the most significant famine site outside of Ireland” and the mass graves of over 200,000 Irish immigrants to Canada. Some callous entrepeneurs. were even suggesting that casinos and health spas be built on Grosse Ile- a name synonomous with Hell for Irish immigrants. Action Grosse Ile united Irish Catholics and Protestantsin Canada, the USA, and Ireland. Francophones united with Anglophonesand people flew in from Ireland to directly and personally state their outrage to Canada's politicians. Many Irish Canadians previously silent spokeupinoutrage. The government changed it's plans and backed off. Victory. It seemed. However, on August 26th 1992 Federal Grand Jury in Tucson indicted Denis for, what else?, arms smuggling. Denis was not present at his indictment hearing. He was busy with Action Grosse Ile and making a film. On November 11th 1992 Denis had a board meeting in New York related to the film. He never madeit. The FBI were waiting for Denis. Denis' business trip had spared them the trouble of an extradition hearing. The FBI admits waiting for Denis to enter the States was bureau strategy. Denis now sits in federal heart'-Bobby Sands, Martyred in Long Kesh Prison, 981 custody-that'sa fancy term fora high security prison. His bail has been set at 1.2 million dollars. If they convict him he faces 55 years in jail. Denis is 56 years old. This means he will, if convicted, diein prison. Healso faces $1, 250, 000 in fines. This means that should he die in prison his family inheritthat little debt. Itis not expected that Denis will make bail. That means Christmas in prison. Did three governments set up Denis to teach others a lesson?! think so. Can I prove it? I'm gonna try. And I won't rest until I find the truth. Despite the fear that what happened to Denis could happen to me. I've got 55 years that Denis doesn't. I've also gota firm belief that the man is innocent and that any government that would sacrifice a man like Denis to prove a point is morally bankrupt, cruel and dangerous. I'm putting Denis on my Christmas list. My gift to him, a card tosee him through the holidays until Ican, with the help of others, prove his innocence and give him his freedom. As for the governments of Canada, the USA and Britain. They aren'ton my Christmas list. They are on my hit list. And I won't need Semtex or detonators or bombs of any kind. I'm taking them out with the truth. - Angus Adair