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College Tribune | November 12th 2008
News News
Shari’ law debate turns chaotic ■ Evan O’Leary UCD lecturer and political analyst Susan Philips has slammed a recent debate in the college on Shari’ law as ‘a party political broadcast for Islam.’ She also dismissed as ‘distorted’ claims by speaker Muhammed Shamsuddin that only 60 rapes took place over 1,400 years under Islam. The debate was hosted by the Law Society on the campus last week, with the motion being that Shari Law had a place in 21st century Ireland. Prior to the debate, the invited Muslim speakers had refused to shake Philips hand claiming “Twenty five percent of Britain’s women have faecal bacteria on their hands and that’s why we didn’t shake hands with you Susan.” Despite this, Philips concluded that LawSoc performed “excellent in inviting three prominent Muslim scholars”. The turbulent debate began in a quiet fashion, before Umar Javed, a well known British Muslim began speaking against Capitalism and Irish society. Attacking materialism and the sexualisation of women, he also strongly espoused the death of homosexuals. “Under the rule of law in an Islamic state homosexuals would be put to death” he empathically stated. Javed also claimed that “Israel is the most corrupt and evil state in the world today”, which was met with scattered agreement amongst large parts of the audience. Following this the motion appeared to have been forgotten in a favour of an argument between Eastern and Western society. Auditor Niall Ó hUiginn was forced to make repeated requests for silence and order after many members of the audience continued to vocally dissent. Anjem Choudary was the concluding speaker, who condemned those who had “truthphobia” after any adverse reactions to his views.
Students sleep in cardboard boxes for homelessness ■ Cathy Buckmaster UCD SVP Society and Students’ Union have organised over night sleep-outs from 9pm to 9am for Homeless Week in order to raise money and awareness for the cause in Ireland. Students faced the winter weather by settling into the designated set up just outside the library where the event is taking place. They are armed only with warm clothes, sleeping bags and cardboard boxes to sleep in. Rachel McKinney, vice-auditor of the SVP Society and Maelíosa Ní Almhain, ethos officer of the UCD SVP society spoke to the College
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Jennifer Bray Simon Ward Karen O’Connell Bryan Devlin Cathy Buckmaster Sebastian Clare Aoife Ryan Karina Brackenh
Tribune from their cardboard boxes, about the organised sleep-outs. “We’re sleeping out for four nights on campus to raise awareness about homelessness in Ireland and to collect money and warm clothes.” “We have trolleys for collecting clothes, sleeping bags, shoes and everything people might be willing to donate. We also have a board displaying 9,000 unhappy faces which represent the 9,000 homeless people there are in Ireland at the moment. Every time someone donates a euro, we put a happy-face over the sadface.” Concerning the difficulties they are dealing with, McKinney explains
that is not the weather they are worried about. “The cold isn’t so much a problem as people’s reactions. Earlier, I was lying here in the sleeping bag and people were walking past and a lot of them would look out of curiosity.” “However some would also come closer and keep looking and they didn’t get how staring so obviously would bother homeless people. Also, some of us are also staying out until Friday without going home for the week.” They also explained the reasons they chose to do something so drastic for Homeless Week. “Even though we’re raising money and collect-
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Contributors Steven West, Eoghan Brophy, Jordan Daly, Colman Hanley, Steve Tuohy, Fiona Redmond, Heather Landy, Ruth O’Neill, Maximilliam Harding, Faustus, Tadgh Moriarty, Evan O’Leary, Chris Bond, Sam McGrath, Jason Timmons, Ben McCormack, Rachel Boyle, Diarmuid Laffan, Jessica Whyte, Nicholas Broadstock, Orla Kenny, Katie Godwin, Jessica Egan, Philip Connolly, Niamh Bhreathanach, Orna Mulhern, Eoghan Glynn, Roe McDermott, Conor McKenna, Aoife Smyth, Cian Taaffe
Special thanks to... Huw Jones and Frank Flynn at NWN, Karen from DEAF, everyone at MCD, Chantal at Universal, Alan and Beryl Ward, Sharon and Joseph Bray, 60 Cents Mochas, Eilish O’Brien and Dominic Martella at the UCD Communications Office, Caitrina & Colin, Hilper’s Scones, Jack.
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ing clothes, the main aim is raising awareness.” McKinney and Ní Almhain discuss what they hope will come from the sleep-outs “It will hopefully raise awareness as a lot of people think that there are no homeless people in Ireland and its only getting worse, especially with the recession. Also, all the money raised is being used for our soup runs and will hopefully fund them for a year.” Any spare warm clothes and donations are hugely appreciated and all proceeds will go to funding the UCD SVP soup runs, social housing and a Christmas party in the homeless shelter they hope to have.
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