Today was a pivotal day at the University of Westminster, as this week has been election week and the results were announced today. Unfortunately, Phil wasn't chosen to be our new Vice President of Campaigns and Communications. I feel truly sorry for Phil as that's two years running now that he's run for a position on the Student's Union committee and been unsuccessful. This, despite two years of putting on the best and most successful nights in uni and often going uncredited for such things. The big scandal of the elections today is the rumour doing the rounds that the newly elected President, Omar Hussein, plans to ban the bars at uni from selling alcohol as he is a strict Muslim and therefore doesn't drink and doesn't want to offend other Muslims by continuing to have alcohol served on university premises (If I've got my facts wrong in any way, then please do inform me, and apologies if I'm incorrect and cause offence in anyway). This is, as I say, a rumour, but one that I have on good authority. Or rather, the person who told the person who told me has it on good authority! Now, if I don't handle my 'commentary' on this matter very delicately, then I could probably offend an entire religion, or anyone that isn't White British, and this website could suddenly become a media hotspot, as political commentators and Islamic groups pore across my every word, just to check how racist I've actually been. That is, of course, not my intention, but when discussing an issue of race and religion, it becomes very difficult to say what you want to say, as anything you say can be contentious and be deemed politically incorrect.
My first thought on this issue, and perhaps the most important in terms of how it affects me and the university around me (although, admittedly, I will have left by the time any potential changes come into affect) is that even though this motion is thought to be have been mooted as an idea by our new president, it will never see the light of day (and if I did, I'd give up my radio career, and become a political campaigner camped outside the university 24/7). The reasons for my confidence that this is a non-starter? Well, firstly, the two bars at uni, Inter:Mission and the Undercroft make a lot of money for the Student's Union, and I'm sure that without those revenue streams the SU would struggle for funds even more than it currently does. Secondly, I literally do not think that it would be possible, due to public opinion and, if necessary, action. I cannot see an entire body of students accepting this quietly and moving on. There would be all sorts of trouble if the SU tried to mess with the will of students. Thirdly, and perhaps crucially, I don't think the university would allow this to happen. What 18 year-old would look at his options for university, notice that Westminster doesn't have any bars that sell alcohol and still be interested in attending. Therefore, Westminster wouldn't be getting the numbers of students it requires and wouldn't make enough money. This is a potentially interesting area where the university and the SU could clash, and it would be particularly interesting, because, and this is rare, the student body would be supporting the uni and not the people would exist to make their student life the best it possibly could be.
Now, this is only a university debate, that might not actually be an issue, and might result in nothing happening whatsoever. But it's the wider context that this issue sits in that worries me, and this is where I'm gonna to work very hard to be as PC as possible.
This is England. This is (still) a Christian country. Whatever the actual church attendance is like in this day and age, and whether or not religion is at the heart (or even shoulder) of our community, this is not a Muslim country. We don't practice Sharia law, and our women are treated equally. So why, when elected into a university (that place where kids go for sex and drink, and then maybe a degree if they're lucky) Student's Union as the president -the man responsible for ensuring the entire student body is happy and represented - would the first thing a Muslim man plans to do (not mentioned in his manifesto, of course!) be to ban the bars from selling alcohol. Something that students love and give you most of your income? Well, apparently it's because it's against the Muslim way of life. Okay, that's fine. I can understand that. I'm not gonna criticise individual religions here. But when you are in a foreign country, or if you live in a country that has a majority that you aren't part of, as is the same in any multicultural society, then I believe you should adapt into their culture. After all, why would you move somewhere unless you liked aspects of that country? If you didn't like the country, the way it works, the culture, then why would you move there? For example, I've been thinking about moving to America. I will (hopefully) never begin to say words such as 'sidewalk' and 'sneakers' but, I suppose I will have to tip waiters and taxi drivers. I don't really want to, but it's what happens over there and as an immigrant I should be expected to do as the Americans do, because it is after all their country. I wouldn't go over there and say you can't drink just because me and 100 English people decided we didn't like it. You have to embrace the culture in which you live, and if you don't like it, go somewhere else. Even within cultures we like, there are things we don't like. I don't like Eastenders, but I don't watch it and so it doesn't affect me. It's something that worries me on a large scale about immigrants who come to England and then don't seem to embrace the nation. Our entire national identity as been watered down so much that I'm not sure what being a Briton is all about. And, for some reason, we can't say anything against anyone who isn't white for fear of being called un-PC or a racist, which is pathetic. I may well discuss this in further detail one day, but I think you get my point.
So, if Mr Hussein, if you don't like alcohol and bars, that's fine, don't go to one, don't have a drink, but let those of us who do have the opportunity during the best years of our lives, hey?
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