Ugly Qld university protests show academics not living in real world

The disturbing scenes of pro-Palestine students storming a Qld campus, forcing a lockdown and disrupting classes show a failure of leadership to provide a safe learning environment for the majority. JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Many years ago, I went to a tertiary institution which marketed itself as the ‘university for the real world’.

For me, at times, it was anything but.

If I didn’t write papers based on the ideologies being rammed down my throat by some liberal arts lecturers, I failed to get the top marks I had achieved through all of high school.

The only time I ‘played by the rules’, writing a paper on how Labor’s style of leadership was superior to the Liberals (my lecturer was former Treasurer Wayne Swan), I got a high distinction. No surprise really.

I didn’t put a lot of effort into university study, instead focusing, as I was advised, on getting as much practical exposure to journalism by doing work experience everywhere I could get it, including doing news via QUT for Queensland’s multicultural radio station.

I landed my first job after getting a rare interview, as a student, with Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen during the white shoe brigade allegations era.

Looking now at the ugly scenes unfolding across campuses across Australia shows again some of our students are not living in the real world.

They don’t know what happened on October 7. They don’t care. They should. They should be haunted by it.

They’ve never been to the Middle East or seen, as I have, how close Israel’s enemies are to its borders.

In the two weeks I was in Israel, there were more than 1100 rocket attacks from Hamas. That was well before October 7.

In Tel Aviv, I saw Israelis enjoying life with Arabs and beaches catering for gays to those with strict religious beliefs which required male and female only days.

Back home, our students don’t know the history of even modern Israel, let alone the ancient civilisation.

They don’t know Jesus was a Jew or that Palestine was a name given to the area by the Romans to wipe the Jews off the map.

They speak of the ‘oppression’ of Palestine while ignoring the war of 1948 started when five Arab nations invaded immediately after the announcement of the independence of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

If they really think socialism and a ‘revolution’ against the oppressors will deliver a better world, they should go to live in Russia, China or any ‘great nations’ built on such simplistic, flawed thinking.

My parents were missionaries and travelled the world. My mum would be happy to tell students how well communism worked in countries they helped the poor in.

Those who volunteer at Holocaust museums around the world would be delighted to share with them what slogans like ‘from the river to the sea’ really mean to them as Jews.

Israel Shalom camp at UQ St Lucia. Picture David Clark

As many of our readers have asked in comments on the protests at the University of Queensland, where is the duty of care by university administrators for the majority of students who are just trying to get an education? How did we allow more than 100 pro-Palestine students to storm the school’s Advanced Engineering Building.

Where is the commitment to safety?

Why are outsiders being allowed to take over campuses, to stop students accessing facilities, to target Jewish students or those who dare to support Israel’s right to go after Hamas after its barbaric attack on men, women and children?

WHAT OUR READERS HAVE BEEN SAYING

Eric

Since when has Camping on the grounds at Universities been allowed? Since when has Occupation of University Buildings been allowed?

This ‘protest,’ has gone on for Far Too Long!

Philip

Ironically, one of the “pro Palestine” signs that are shown states, “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor”.

That sounds exactly like Hamas.

David

I am perplexed that these demonstrations are held under the guise of free speech when they are obviously all about anti-Semitism in the extreme with no regard for the barbaric horror committed against innocent Israeli citizens and others by Palestine’s terrorist governors, Hamas. Apparently pro Palestine demonstrators pay no heed to the fact that Hamas started the current conflict whilst using their own as human shields. It is time our very weak governments stepped in and banned these demonstrators for what they are, terrorist sympathisers who hate the Jewish race. Expel these people from their courses and throw them off Campus. Nothing less will do for the law abiding students who are there for a privileged education.

Pro Palestine students at University of Queensland campus took over the Advanced Engineering building. Picture David Clark

Chris

They should have occupied some of the arts faculty buildings rather than engineering. That way they wouldn’t have prevented any actual gainful learning.

SF

I lost all respect for university administrators when they decided that inclusion was more important than anything else and have determinedly and deliberately obliterated the rights of women to appease a few very vocal and aggressive extreme views

Cameron

Kick the students out, get underprivileged students in … you will be better off now and so will our community now and into the future

Beth

Allow the silent majority to mobilise and see what happens

Tony

Weak weak UQ management continue to encourage this by not ordering them off campus and empowering security and request police to act.

Cathy

More hard line stance needed! Cmon we can do better as a society as educators and as politicians! This is awful behaviour by a minority that’s affecting the majority. Stronger punishments, a higher bar and less tolerance to poor examples of humans such as this

Deirdre

We live in one of the world’s greatest democracies where we have the right to protest, but with every right comes responsibility. If you break the law then expect justice to be enforced.

Pro Palestine students at University of Queensland campus Picture David Clark

Snake

Is the uni going to refund their exorbitant tuition fees for the students not getting the education they paid for? I’d suggest under consumer law there is a case to be made here, with the students not getting the services they paid for. On a side note, this just highlights how useless these vice chancellor’s and academics are when confronted by a real world issue. Imagine paying for a business degree from these fools who can’t even negotiate effectively with kids.

Christine

I am appalled that the University I attended and completed my degree has descended into such chaos. The University Senate should be dismissed as it no longer follows the reason for its existence. All Universities receive considerable taxpayer funding and should not allow a few radical ratbags to disrupt classes. Why the Aboriginal flag is also being displayed by this group shows they are just there to cause disruption, not to support their so called Palestinian cause. If they are so dedicated to this, send them to Palestine to help, but of course they wouldn’t want to do that.

Peter

The engineering department needs to blast Eagle Rock over the loud speakers and watch the protesters scatter when the engineering students drop their pants and start dancing! If you know, you know.

Delphine

Several things need to be done. no more public funds to them until they take proper control. Remove the rabble from university campus and only allow students who are there to learn, to attend. Then concentrate their efforts to teaching subjects that have practical uses to the world. There are far too many useless courses like arts, humanities, and political studies that only breed activists and worse communists. Hubby

Pro Palestine students organiser Ella Gutteridge. Picture David Clark

KJM

Weak leadership in universities has caused this problem. They should have stopped these protests at the outset. Anarchists and other flotsam have been attracted to these protests simply to cause disruption. Identify participants and if on social security suspend their payments. There has to be a penalty for being boofheads.

Angela

Here’s a suggestion – all the homeless living in tents around Brisbane should move into the Great Court as the University of Queensland – they can protest the Government’s failure to provide them with homes – all the students would surely be happy to support such a protest. UQ has plenty of room and amenities and has shown how it welcomes everyone to camp out and protest!

Dylan

What are these protesters trying to achieve ..,anarchy …. the very thing the terrorist Hamas aim for in the Western world where Jews live successfully. Their agenda in Palestine … keep reproducing to replace their terrorists, encourage suicide bombers, hide among facilities such as hospitals, do not worry that their people live in poverty, have thousands accepted into Western countries as “refugees” so that they can spread the hate …. seems they are succeeding as those with nothing better to do and anti authority cause chaos.

Missy

Why does being against the killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians mean that a person is anti-Semitic? Why cant we be pro Palestinian without being anti jew? cant we be sympathetic to the Jewish people but not support the behaviour of the Israeli army?

Leanne

I am all for free speech within reason in our democratic society if people truly believe in what they are protesting about. . However these protesters are only intent on causing mayhem and destruction because the opportunity is there for them to do so without hindrance. I don’t believe they have any understanding of the real issues or history facing both Israel or Palestine. There are protesting just highlights just how ignorant they really are. I hope their parents are proud of them, because no one else is.

Originally published as Ugly Qld university protests show academics not living in real world