The racial insensitivity Viqar Hussain displayed during his speech at the Student Association Club Awards and e-board Induction Dinner Wednesday night is mind-boggling. The jokes were not only ignorant, but also hurtful. His tactlessness and refusal to acknowledge his mistake is troubling not just for those he offended, but casts doubt on his ability to manage SA fairly and on SA's ability to respect its president. Hussain will give many more speeches as SA's leader - our hope is that he learns his lesson and doesn't let it happen again in front of UB's administration or the community at large.
We highly doubt Hussain is racist. He appears to mean well in most instances, but in joking about African-American slavery and the plight of the Palestinians, he showed an egregious error in judgment. This was his "first impression" as the future head of SA, and he blew it badly. As a result, his administration now begins on a strained note with many of the clubs, particularly within the People of Color council. A sincere apology by Hussain is needed to mend the fences with those he's offended. Unfortunately, until he stops trying to justify his comments by saying they were taken out of context - which they were not - his apology rings hollow.
Our hope is that Hussain learns from this misstep because another mistake along these lines won't be tolerated by the clubs, his coworkers or by the student body. He shouldn't be crucified over this incident, and he still has time to change tack (and tact), but he would be smart to use prepared, approved statements until he is a more practiced public speaker.
Keep the net neutral
The telecommunication industry's transparent Internet grab must be stopped
With talk of the United States going nuclear on Iran, the ongoing White House cabinet carousel and the calamity in Iraq making daily headlines, you might have missed Congress's selling out of the Internet. And that's a shame because it just might have a bigger effect on your daily life than any of the above-mentioned stories.
The "Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006," sponsored by Joe Barton (R - Texas), is the problem. The bill, which is quickly and quietly advancing through Congress, would create a two-tier Internet system that would utilize "toll booths" to charge surfers and those who post alike. It's sponsored by the telecommunication industry giants and would abolish "Network Neutrality," which basically serves as a First Amendment guarantee for the Internet by allowing everyone equal access. That would fundamentally change with the bill's passing.
What's at stake is nothing less than the democratic freedoms the net provides. A "pay to play" system would favor big business interests because they have the most funds available. Furthermore, political and social content deemed inappropriate, i.e. that which goes against corporate interests, would never see the light of day because the telecom giants would control the "tollbooths."
If this legislation isn't stopped, the Internet will come to resemble today's newsprint and television industries where diversity is dependent on who's paying for it. An open resource of blogs, Web sites and forums would be transformed into a business of who can afford freedom of speech, with big businesses controlling the forum. So keep your eyes on this issue, and let your Congressman know how you feel. The Internet as we've come to know it might very well depend on it.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
