Balliol gossip sheet accused of anti-semitism
An anti-semitic joke printed in a Balliol gossip sheet has been condemned by religious and welfare representatives across the University. The satirical publication, which was printed last term, caused offence when an article referred to a member of Balliol JCR using racist slurs. The gossip sheet, John de Balliol, is distributed around college and displayed in the toilets.
Commenting on the JCR elections, the gossip sheet referred to the male student saying, “We’re glad the dirty Jew isn’t treasurer.” The paper also refers to a ‘cage club’, a parody of the 1999 film ‘Fight Club’, and asserts that the “Sixth rule of Cage Club” is that “No ethnics and no disabled” are allowed. Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) Welfare rep Jamie Frew said, “Everyone in a college knows that a college rag is meant to be funny and taken in good humour.
“But just because people know that, doesn’t mean that this is not extremely offensive.” The OUSU Welfare rep said that he was concerned that racist slurs were being increasingly dismissed as humorous. He said, “I’m told that this is not necessarily an isolated incident and that students push the boundaries as to what is acceptable - the banter becomes increasingly offensive year upon year. “It becomes more and more outrageous because it’s an easy way to be funny”.
Frew added, “People are becoming more complacent about the offence that can be caused when you use someone’s religious or ethnic identity for a quick gag.” The gossip sheet has sparked anger amongst the University’s religious community. President of Oxford’s Jewish Society (JSoc), Avital Sterngold said, “It obviously wasn’t a very good joke to make. Sometimes, jokes seen by the wrong people make situations worse.
“I think, based on what I have heard, that it is a good idea to take the gossip sheet out of circulation. “Even though I have not come across it myself, JSoc believes antisemitism should be seriously condemned by all groups, if ever encountered by anyone, anywhere.” Other students have claimed that the issue has been exaggerated: Tom Welsh, a first year history student at Queen’s College said, “I think the issue is overblown, it’s clearly a joke gone wrong.
“The writers were obviously trying to be funny but failed and though the joke was in bad taste, I don’t think it was intentional. Perhaps it was exacerbated because the wrong people saw it.” President of the Oxford Hindu Society (HUM), Anuvrat Rao, said, “This is just not on at Oxford. You expect people to be of a certain intellectual level and even if it was meant to be a joke, one must be sensitive - there are people here at Oxford from all over the world.
Ian Bergson, acting JCR President said, “The JCR would like to apologise for any offence caused.” He declined to comment further on the issue.
3rd May 2007