4NEWS
Tuesday December 9th, 2008
student
press STUDENT: MY DANGER OF DEATHBY MARTIN WILLIAMS
We read them...
...so you don't
have to
COCK-TALE
After a long night of perhaps too
many cocktails, two sports cap-
tains at the University of Cam-
bridge decided that they both had
a longing for the joy of closing a
sweaty scrum. The merry pair
returned to the pitch and finding
the centre circle, formed a tight-
knit ruck, reports Varsity.
The activities then became
a little too rambunctious and a
penalty was called for inappro-
priate grabbing. However, the
referee, not being present, was
unable to assert his authority.
The sport descended into chaos
with shirts being ripped and the
illegal pulling of certain parts.
The situation got so bad that it
had to be physically broken up
by the groundsman.
BNP-D OFF!
The discovery of the names of
three Oxford University mem-
bers on a BNP membership list
posted on the internet has pro-
voked controversy, reports Cher-
well.
The scandalous trio is made
up of a member of the Uni Maths
Faculty, a member of the Envi-
ronmental Change Institute and
a St John’s College student. One
of the named has denied ever
having membership and another
has condemned the BNP as "a
lot of damned fools." However,
this has not prevented students
voicing concern. One worried
second-year said "the idea that
I might be coming into contact
with members of the BNP, par-
ticularly as I'm not from an Eng-
lish background is really upset-
ting.” She continued: “I wonder
whether it is appropriate for
those who have been revealed as
BNP supporters to remain as fac-
ulty members.”
FISH FINGER FIRE
An Exeter University student’s
craving for the nationally-cher-
ished snack of a fish-finger
sandwich ended very badly, re-
ports Expose. The hungry first
year made the careless mistake
of forgetting to the turn the hob
off, resulting in a nearby plastic
chopping board catching fire.
The entire building then had to
be evacuated, and the fish-finger
fan’s embarrassment was wors-
ened by the arrival of Estate Pa-
trol, three fire engines and the
Ariel Platform from Exeter.
NAKED AMBITION
At Royal Holloway, students
participated in a naked photo
shoot with nothing but a cap
protecting their modesty, re-
ports The Founder.
The nude display was the
launch to the SURHUL cam-
paign, You Can Keep Your Cap
On (part of the NUS battle to
prevent top-up fees reaching the
sky-high figure of £10,000 each
year.) Students felt so strongly
about Parliament’s review of
the current cap on top-up fees
at around £3,000 next year, that
they were willing to abandon
their clothes in
protest. Ruth Gallie
YORK VISION
YORK STUDENT FEARS FOR LIFE ABROAD
AND EMILY FAIRBAIRN
A YORK STUDENT who re-
turned to his home country
earlier this year is at risk
of a jail term and possible
death penalty if the authori-
ties find out that he is gay.
In Luke’s* home country,
homosexuality is illegal under
federal law and the practice of
sodomy potentially punishable
by death by stoning or a severe
14 year jail sentence. Further-
more, there is no legal protec-
tion for homosexuals meaning
that he is vulnerable to perse-
cution and attack from others.
Speaking exclusively to Vi-
sion, Luke said: “One cannot
help but worry… it’s still hard
to comprehend the fact that
I’m at a standstill and wak-
ing up everyday not been able
to look forward to anything is
a very depressing thought.”
Luke’s parents only recently
discovered that he is gay, when
his father read his emails and
found evidence of his homo-
sexuality. Although the fam-
ily were reportedly angry and
upset at first, Luke says “my
parents are pretty silent when
it comes to anything that re-
gards me - scary thought!”
He is also newly wary of
the dangers of publicising too
much of his personal life on
Facebook: “I made a big naive
mistake of actually putting so
much of myself on there that
I didn’t realize how much my
parents had seen right in the
comfort of their living room.”
Despite his extremely vul-
nerable position, Luke’s fam-
ily unexpectedly took him back
home soon after finding out
the truth about his sexuality.
A close friend of the student which wouldn’t be pretty.” with the NUS, next term. This in the UK, Luke says: “[They]
told Vision that “not return- Ben Humphrys, YUSU aims to identify LGBT students really came through for me
ing would have put Luke in a LGBT representative, has also who are at risk in their home in my most vulnerable state
position at odds with his fam- criticised the asylum system countries because of the sexu- and they really stood strong
ily.” The insider confesses that as being “particularly opaque” ality and keep them in Britain for me.” Whilst there is hope
his friend was so scared about and risky for LGBT people to through the asylum process. in the fact that nothing has
his return that he almost re- undergo. Claiming asylum on Luke says that he defiantly happened to Luke so far, no
fused to get on the plane back the grounds of being gay alerts intends to return to the UK when doubt these friends will re-
to the African country, but family, friends and the author- he can. He describes his experi- main concerned until Luke
knew he had no choice given ities back home of your sexu- ence here as an “eye-opener.” is safely back in Britain.
family pressures and the re- ality, meaning that if you are “It has taught me to ap-
quirements of his student visa.
Luke admits that he had
unsuccessful in seeking asy-
lum you are at even more risk.
preciate many things, what I
am and what I am not. No one
If any of the issues dis-
cussed affect you, please
considered applying for asy- Humphrys told Vision: “we can take that away from me.” don’t hesitate to contact
lum here because of the dan- are worried for Luke’s welfare With his future uncertain, the YUSU LGBT Offic-
gers he faced at home, but and hope that he may come Luke says he is using the op- ers (lgbt@yusu.org) or the
decided in the end that be- back to the country soon to en- portunity to reflect on his Academic & Welfare Of-
cause of the “uncertainty and sure his rights and freedoms.” experiences. “I am in a proc- ficer (acwelf@yusu.ac.uk).
unrealistic thought of getting Humphrys admits that ess of re-evaluating choices I
asylum,” he could not risk it. there may be many other stu- have made in the past some
“I found out they only han- dents in Luke’s situation who of which were good and some *Luke’s name has been
dled high profile cases,” he have “fallen below the radar.” bad… [I am trying to] find changed to protect his iden-
says. “It wasn’t guaranteed and This has prompted LGBT to run out what my purpose is and tity. We cannot name his coun-
should I fail in getting asylum, a Love Without Borders cam- the things I want from life.” try in case it identifies him.
I would still have to return paign, in conjunction Talking of his friends back
O SE
Y
XUALIT H IN:
HO M T
A BL E BY DEA HOMOSEX
UA
PUNISH PUNISHAB LITY
h,
des
"If I'm killed, let
Banglaitania, LE that bullet
10 YEARS+ BY
Maur eria, IN: destroy every
Nig abia,
r
Saudi Adan, 33 closet door."
Su a, Countries
SomaliEmirates, (Harvey Milk, the first openly
Arab homosexual man elected to
United Yemen
US public office)