Letters Page
I found it quite interesting that you prefaced your feature on 'Keeping the Faith' with an article on tolerance. Both writers on religion displayed a bone-crunching narrowmindedness and ignorance of the issues.
Poor old Helen Defty seems to have fallen victim to the media's sensationalist definition of 'cult' and 'fundamentalism'.
Bible bashers, on the other hand, still participate in society, but choose not to accept the norms of Western secular culture. Just because Josh Hornden thinks he knows "the whole truth about reality" and can, as a result, stick a big two fingers up at all Muslims, doesn't mean he is unusual or even abnormal.
Society is wracked by such intolerance as people seek to justify the particular chip on their shoulder. It's just a pity that the Oxford Student has to give prejudice a platform.
Yours as ever, Rob Hoyle, St Peter's College
Helen Defty goes too far in likening student-based Churches to cults and extremist groups. As a committed Christian I found the derogatory references to St Ebbe's and CUs, along with the suggestion that mission weekends are the equivalent of Bin Laden's training camps, deeply offensive.
Christ's message was one of love and forgiveness, and the suggestion that mainstream Christian Churches like St Ebbe's and St Aldate's use co-ercive methods is one that I and all the Christians I know find absurd.
Christians certainly share the message of the gospel, but only to the same degree that Ms Defty shares her atheistic views in your feature.
Yours faithfully Michael Stacey
Nick Ashley's letter identifies one of the more complex issues in a truly tolerant, and indeed democratic, society: at what point do an individual's actions or beliefs become subject to censure? But the direction in which he extends that argument is disingenuous. I am not prejudiced when I condemn the actions of a racist - I am making a rational defence of diversity and of human rights. Moreover a racist is not a member of an all too often victimised minority whom a truly diverse society should seek to embrace.
While work toward genuine equality of opportunity necessitates the need to seek out and confront (through education) ignorance and prejudice, in doing so we need not accept, nor suggest, that bigoted beliefs are valid.
Yours truly, James Rowlands Vice-President (Welfare), OUSU
I was at Oxford many years ago - so many years in fact, that I knew Sheridan Westlake, the source you cited in your leader last week, "Comin' Atcha Cash".
Sheridan Westlake, real name Nick but changed it to get more 'recognition', has been commenting on the Union since before probably either of you were doing 11+. While he must be nearing 30, you should take it as a form of public service to ignore his comments and meet them with a resounding "get a life, Nick".
OxStu, you are great, even the Guardian says so, but please stop the cruelty and put Sheridan to sleep.
Yours, Claire Chicky
Last week, when walking back from a random lecture, I went into some random shop and after buying a couple of random CDs I walked out and bumped into this random chap I used to know and we had a really random conversation. Then I went back to college and a friend asked me what sort of day I was having. "Random" I replied.
Across Oxford, thousands of students are telling stories very much like this one, and slowly but surely the great cuckoo known as "Random" is pushing any meaningful vocabulary out of their heads.
SNOR! - "Say NO to Random - is a new student task-force, formed to tackle this very problem. A new dawn lies ahead - the blight of the word "random" will be banished - with your help. Join us, and make Oxford a better place.
Simon Heafield and Peter Langdon Merton College
We decided that we didn't like the fact that you are printing our emails in the paper, so we got together over the phone and had a good chat about it.
To be honest, we don't understand why you didn't want us to get in touch - it's fantastic. Ces's mum is always looking for nice white t-shirts, and Joseph's mum couldn't believe how cheap those Wallis suits were. We both agree that you're not getting enough sleep, though.
Love Joseph and Christina's mothers xxx
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7th Feb 2002