Racism in UCD?

The Agogo · 28-10-2009 5:02pm #1

I have never really experienced racism on campus, but it is awful that a student has to go through with this:

http://www.universityobserver.ie/2009/10/27/phd-student%e2%80%99s-house-set-ablaze-in-attack/

http://www.universityobserver.ie/2009/10/27/love-ucd-hate-racism/

On that note, has anyone seen or experienced racism on campus?

WeeBushy · 28-10-2009 5:21pm

That's awful...

Thankfully I have never seen any racism on campus, and I don't think I would stand by if I did either, its disgraceful.

Signpost · 28-10-2009 5:24pm

A) This wasnt on campus

With the % of non Irish (Not sure what the PC way to phrase that is) people in UCD and Dublin I might suspect this tale to having two sides to the story...

Piriz · 28-10-2009 5:34pm

I agree this is awful, however i feel the title is somewhat misleading...it suggests this racism is occurring on campus..
Racists are pathetic!!

The Agogo · 28-10-2009 5:34pm

Just out of interest, is this topic banned in the charter?

Don't wanna get a ban or anything...

fillmore jive · 28-10-2009 6:34pm

I really don't understand why this was published in the Observer, what does it have to do with Ucd other than the fact that the victim is a Ucd student? I'm not having a go or anything: racism is wrong and fair enough if they published the story to highlight the fact that something should be done about it in this country, but I think the observer are just jumping on the bandwagon with this article. I mean, if a Ucd student/staff member was a victim of a drink-driving accident, would the Observer run an article on the dangers of our roads?

hidinginthebush · 28-10-2009 7:36pm

fillmore jive wrote: »

I really don't understand why this was published in the Observer, what does it have to do with Ucd other than the fact that the victim is a Ucd student? I'm not having a go or anything: racism is wrong and fair enough if they published the story to highlight the fact that something should be done about it in this country, but I think the observer are just jumping on the bandwagon with this article. I mean, if a Ucd student/staff member was a victim of a drink-driving accident, would the Observer run an article on the dangers of our roads?

i don't have it in front of me, but if i remember correctly, there was a story in the latest observer about a UCD student nearly knocking down some fine gael TD. It was even on page 3! I think the lesson we can learn here is that the observer is going down the tubes

IndigoStarr · 28-10-2009 8:19pm

hidinginthebush wrote: »

i don't have it in front of me, but if i remember correctly, there was a story in the latest observer about a UCD student nearly knocking down some fine gael TD. It was even on page 3! I think the lesson we can learn here is that the observer is going down the tubes

That was the Tribune.

I think that it's an interesting topic for debate. While the majority have no problem with non-nationals, I think that there'll always be that minority ruining the Irish reputation overseas. I guess it's up to the rest of us to not let that happen.

ohjustbegood · 28-10-2009 8:43pm

I have lived in many places all over the world and that small minorty are everywhere believe me.

But saying that I think UCD is quite calm and friendly to new peoples.

(also, Pity about the Tribune)

El Siglo · 28-10-2009 9:03pm

I've been at ucd for three years and never witnessed racism in any form. I know that there's loads of knackers (i.e. skangers now) near by the college but I'd never expect to see racist students, unless of course they're completely retarded that is. Yeh, that's pretty awful what happened to that poor chap, imagine coming to this country for education and this is the kind of shit ya have to put up with.

The_Minister · 28-10-2009 9:44pm

The Agogo wrote: »

Just out of interest, is this topic banned in the charter?

Don't wanna get a ban or anything...

You aren't allowed BE racist. You are allowed discuss racism and bigotry and minorities, except travellers.

WeeBushy · 28-10-2009 10:05pm

I dunno how anyone could be racist against non-nationals in UCD, I mean most of them are hawt

There's one of dem foreigners in one of my courses and I swear she's the reason I'm going to fail

The Agogo · 29-10-2009 12:19am

WeeBushy wrote: »

I dunno how anyone could be racist against non-nationals in UCD, I mean most of them are hawt There's one of dem foreigners in one of my courses and I swear she's the reason I'm going to fail

I'm not giving out about this by any means...but this opens up a debate about 'positive' racism. As in, prejudging a race as 'hawt'. Funny stuff.

29-10-2009 11:05am

Signpost wrote: »

With the % of non Irish (Not sure what the PC way to phrase that is) people in UCD and Dublin I might suspect this tale to having two sides to the story...

Are you in someway trying to insinuate that this PhD student brought it upon him/her self to have their family house fire bombed?

Ajfunky · 29-10-2009 11:30am

I hate racism, but this is out of context to the university observer, and makes it seem like there is racism in UCD specifically. A story like this could deterr future international students from this college. I see no reason why they didnt say a "college student doing his phd" and then say that " universities such as UCD are becoming proactive.. "etc. As he said himself, stuff like this is going to drive him from this country. That headline will read "UCD student leaves due to racist attacks". How bad does that look on the college?

AlanSparrowhawk · 29-10-2009 2:00pm

I'm not sure why this article made the front page. Yes, firebombing someone's house is absolute thuggery and the Gardaí should definitely do something (more) about it. Firebombing someones house purely for petty racist reasons is worse again. But all the article said was this student (PhD I presume) who is apparently foreign was victim of a crime and gave some token academic opinions. Not great journalism in my opinion.

Is it really newsworthy that ireland is a racist country?

The Agogo · 29-10-2009 5:18pm

Sparrwohawk, of course racism isn't news (everyone knows about it).

But constant racist attacks are. The proof is that a large number of nationals and radio stations also reported it.

Are you willing to attack the integrity of most journalistic outlets in this country?

Colin1986 · 30-10-2009 12:51am

fillmore jive wrote: »

I really don't understand why this was published in the Observer, what does it have to do with Ucd other than the fact that the victim is a Ucd student?

It was published in the Observer because the victim being a UCD student makes it UCD news. You've obviously never seen how a regional newspaper is supposed to operate. If something like this happens to a member of the community that the newspaper serves, then there is no better story than that. It's called human interest.

dyl10 · 30-10-2009 1:35am

To be fair, it's an odd article to make the front page.
It's not big college news, it's something unfortunate that happened to a UCD student off campus.

We'd have a university newspaper the size of a textbook if we start reporting the average students off campus woes.

ohjustbegood · 30-10-2009 1:44am

Yes that is true, it should not have made the front page. By the very least I would have put the Dublin bus story on the front, merely coz it concerned more students.

Still having said that, I think the observer does good most of the time. Its better than the other one about campus...they don evn look like they can spell proper!

Colin1986 · 30-10-2009 1:51am

dyl10 wrote: »

To be fair, it's an odd article to make the front page.
It's not big college news, it's something unfortunate that happened to a UCD student off campus.

We'd have a university newspaper the size of a textbook if we start reporting the average students off campus woes.

The average student's off campus woes? A student's house was was fire-bombed!! And the attack was racially motivated! It's a good story..

And why are you suggesting that this amounts to "average off-campus woes" - You know many people that this kind of thing happens to?

It's a cheap shot you just took trying to insinuate that this story amounts to anything "average" or that the newspaper running this story is out looking to report every crappy little thing that happens to students - there's no evidence to support that..

RandolphEsq · 30-10-2009 2:27am

Was this story reported in the national newspapers as well?

WeeBushy · 30-10-2009 2:48am

ohjustbegood wrote: »

Yes that is true, it should not have made the front page. By the very least I would have put the Dublin bus story on the front, merely coz it concerned more students.

Still having said that, I think the observer does good most of the time. Its better than the other one about campus...they don evn look like they can spell proper!

It's very rich of you to comment on other people's spelling. Pot calling the kettle black much? :rolleyes:

The_Minister · 30-10-2009 10:40am

WeeBushy wrote: »

It's very rich of you to comment on other people's spelling. Pot calling the kettle black much? :rolleyes:

He is pretending to be a newspaper.

WeeBushy · 30-10-2009 11:26am

The_Minister wrote: »

He is pretending to be a newspaper.

I was very drunk (now I'm very ill). Apologies for that post.

The Agogo · 30-10-2009 12:24pm

WeeBushy wrote: »

It's very rich of you to comment on other people's spelling. Pot calling the kettle black much? :rolleyes:

There is a huge difference between typos and spelling mistakes...

WeeBushy · 30-10-2009 12:25pm

The Agogo wrote: »

There is a huge difference between typos and spelling mistakes...

I know, I was drunk when posting that. I apologised for it already

The Agogo · 30-10-2009 12:29pm

WeeBushy wrote: »

I know, I was drunk when posting that. I apologised for it already

no, i know. I'm just want to put that out there

dyl10 · 30-10-2009 12:53pm

Colin1986 wrote: »

The average student's off campus woes? A student's house was was fire-bombed!! And the attack was racially motivated! It's a good story..

And why are you suggesting that this amounts to "average off-campus woes" - You know many people that this kind of thing happens to?

It's a cheap shot you just took trying to insinuate that this story amounts to anything "average" or that the newspaper running this story is out looking to report every crappy little thing that happens to students - there's no evidence to support that..

Oh, don't get so upset. I'm not condeming your precious newspaper.
Would you happen to be the journalist in question?

The article had nothing to do with UCD. There was a racist attack and the victim happened to be a student.
If a UCD student committed a racist attack off campus and someone wrote an article about it, we'd up in arms claiming it had nothing to do with us.

It was out of place on the front of the paper in my opinion and several people made the same suggestion to me.

WeeBushy · 30-10-2009 12:54pm

The Agogo wrote: »

no, i know. I'm just want to put that out there

I remember at the time thinking it was a shoe in for post of the day

Anyway, back OT

Does anyone know if there's an update on who actually did it or motives etc?

Colin1986 · 31-10-2009 8:09pm

dyl10 wrote: »

Oh, don't get so upset. I'm not condeming your precious newspaper.
Would you happen to be the journalist in question?

The article had nothing to do with UCD. There was a racist attack and the victim happened to be a student.
If a UCD student committed a racist attack off campus and someone wrote an article about it, we'd up in arms claiming it had nothing to do with us.

It was out of place on the front of the paper in my opinion and several people made the same suggestion to me.

No it's not my precious newspaper. I don't go to UCD anymore, and when I did, I edited the College Tribune, so I'm the last person in this discussion who might have a pro-observer agenda.

I'm not getting into this anymore, suffice to say that I've already covered the points you've made. The article WAS related to UCD because he was a student here.

And no, there is absolutely no way that if a UCD student committed a racist attack that newspapers in the college wouldn't report on it, so I don't know what point you're trying to make here.

And I don't care what your mates said, I'm just giving you my opinion.

Racism in UCD?

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