vol 50 issue 13 wednesday, november 11, 2015 online www.excal.on.ca @excaliburyu /excalweb @excalphotos /excalweb @excalphotos

in memoriam

Remembering John Gallagher, a Canadian soldier and York graduate killed fi ghting ISIS

Departed cites reasons for fi ghting in essay, Why the War in Kurdistan Matters

BEHZAD MOHAMMADIcontributor

AYork alumnus was killed fighting against ISIS in Syria last week. John Gallaghers death has shocked and saddened the York community, his friends, and his former classmates.

Professor Saeed Rahnema, who tried to stop Gallagher from going to Syria, said he was a brilliant and bright student and he could have made a sig-nificant contribution to social justice in Canada.

We live in a neoliberal society which constantly reproduces and reinforces a sense of individual-ism, he further states, and the alienation of individuals from their communities, their work places, and their immediate envi-ronment, leaves very little space for open-minded and progressive students to materialize their pas-sions and political convictions.

Gallagher, who received his MA in political science, joined the Kurdish peshmerga forces in Syria known as YPG, or Peoples Protection Units, to fight the re-ligious fundamentalism of ISIS.

If today I have any intellec-tual or spiritual existence worth fighting for, it is because it was

impossible for the religious forces in my life to have their way and shield me from the as-saults of reason and conscience, writes Gallagher, shortly before

his departure last spring. Months later, Gallagher posted

on Facebook, Things are going swimmingly, were winning and were going to continue winning,

and being part of it is an amaz-ing privilege. Hope to see you all again soon.

Unfortunately, a short while after, he was killed by a suicide

bomber, leaving behind his mother and two sisters.

Gallaghers family and friends remember him as a kind, passion-ate, and opinionated person and praise him for his political convic-tion and strong commitment to human rights and social justice.

He thought this was such an important fi ght and he has always been a man of principle, who believed very strongly in human rights and justice, said Valerie Carder, Johns mother, referring to his trip to the Kurdish region in Syria to fi ght ISIS.

A review of Gallaghers candid essay reveals the strong conviction he had for the protection of human rights, justice, and freedom, a conviction so strong that he risked his life.

Although he was conflicted about interventions in the Middle East, he was also very uneasy with the idea of watching things unfold from a distant computer screen. Above all, Gallagher was troubled by the idea of watching yet another war unravel in the Middle East, a war that has threatened human emancipation, justice, and freedom, all of which were important principles to him.

More to follow.

John Gallaghers mother says he truly believed in this fi ght and had strong beliefs in human rights and social justice.

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MAKING HISTORY ONCE AGAIN

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excalibur2 news november 11, 2015

newsmental health

SCLD organizes mental health awareness week to destroy social stigmas York responds to questions regarding the national standard for workplace mental health and safety

viCtoria goLDbergarts editor

if youre feeling the post-midterm blues, youre likely not alone. De-spite the ongoing mental aware-ness campaigns on campus, stigma is still alive and thriving.

Often times, the stigma of having mental health challenges can be more disabling than the ill-nesses themselves.

November 4 marked the Na-tional Stress Awareness Day, and to celebrate, the Student Community and Leadership Development team hosted a mental health awareness fair in Vari Hall.

Various organizations tabled, including Counselling and Disability Services, York University Psychology Clinic, Jack.org, and the crowd pleas-ing St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program, among others.

I think York is doing a great job in trying to destigmatize mental health and help people feel that its okay to go and talk to someone, says Dr. Louise Hartley, YUPC director.

York has yet to adopt the Canadian Mental Health Commissions National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

Donna Smith, interim assistant vice-president, human resources, says the standard is voluntary and is in-tended to provide organizations with a framework to develop and continu-ously improve psychologically safe and healthy work environments for their employees.

The statement that York has yet to adopt the standard is mistaken. York has made mental health a priority and continues to implement several initiatives with that goal in mind, says Smith.

The standard is not designed to have a checklist of things to do and then youre done. Its set up to foster continual improvement.

York is committed to fostering a psychologically safe and healthy environment and continues to work toward identifying priorities and ini-tiatives toward this goal, adds Smith.

The Mental Health Steering Com-mittee is currently conducting con-sultations with the community and working toward meeting the standard which has been identified as one of the actions from the consultations.

The standard does not discount the value of the work that organiza-tions are already undertaking to guard the psychological health and safety of their employees, but instead provides a comprehensive frame-

crime

armed robberies escalating at York could suggest new wave

of crime on campus Cell phone bandits circle campus with hoodies and

handguns as more bulletins are released

rYan Moorenews editor

Police are looking for four suspects after a commu-nity member was robbed at gunpoint near Assiniboine Road early Friday evening.

This is the fourth armed robbery bulletin issued in two months, three of which have been on Assiniboine Road.

All four suspects in this alleged armed robbery are described as male, late teens to early 20s, with one suspect wearing a grey hoodie.

The victim was approached by the suspects in the Passy Crescent reserved parking lot. One of the suspects used a handgun to demand personal property, in which a cell phone and a wallet was obtained. Similar to previous robberies over the past few weeks, the suspects fled in the southbound direction.

No injuries were reported in the robbery. An increase of both static and extra security patrols of the area have been initiated, according to York media.

York security is collaborating with Toronto Police Service 31 Divi-sion Criminal Investigations and Major Crime Unit on these incidents and are working with them in their investigation, says Aldo Altomare, director, York Security Services.

York has provided TPS with closed circuit television evidence. York also redeployed its residence watch officials from internal duties to more visible patrols to augment its security officials in impacted priority areas.

York security has also engaged the assistance of TPS 31 Division Community Response Unit to assist in offering special attention to the campus in relation to these incidents, says Altomare.

York security has also brought in additional security officials to increase staffing to impacted areas and offer an increased visible pres-ence, he adds.

The occurrence of armed rob-beries in and around campus this semester has been larger than previous years.

work to direct current and future efforts that provide the best return on investment.

Discussions of de-stigmatization and acceptance were common throughout the fair, with the recently formed Jack.orgs mission statement matching the theme.

The Health Education and Promotion sector of SCLD was present at the fair, with the mental health team being the driving force behind the event.

Through awareness and educa-tion, the student-run team aims to remove barriers to access resources and change the language and opinion

regarding mental health. I think theres people who are still

not aware of the sensitivity of their words and the issue. Being more aware [and asking] why is my friend acting that way? instead of jump-ing to conclusions is something we can still work on, says David J. Kim, mental health team.

We want to promote proaction and intellectual empowerment. We want people to know more about mental health and break down the myths of mental health. We, as a soci-ety, are still working on that.

Twenty per cent of Canadians will experience mental illness in their

lifetime, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Almost half of those who feel they suffer from depression or anxiety never seek professional help.

A big problem in Ontario is that psychological services are costly. Were lucky that student fees supplement CDS so that people do have some resources, adds Hartley.

Currently, YUPC aims to raise funds to provide subsidized services to students and community members in financial need.

With files from Ryan Moore

National Stress Awareness Day complemented by the mental health awareness fair in Vari Hall inspires discussion about national mental health standard.

photo by michael zusev

excalibur

homelessness

York students protest against the alleged social cleansing of homeless shelters

City councillors vote on a plan to remove 634 shelter beds from George Street corridor

Shahtaj Khawarcontributor

York students joined the protests at city hall last week to show their disap-proval for the city remov-ing hundreds of shelter beds from the downtown core.

Toronto City Council was sup-posed to meet for two days to vote on a motion that would close 634 shelter beds in the downtown east to relocate them to the suburbs.

Students should care about poverty for the same reason everyone should, says Hillary Di-Menna, a second-year gender and women's studies student.

The haves are outnumbered by the have-nots. It should terrify everybody that the oppressed are the majority. Something has to change. People need to survive, we need to organize.

The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty rallied against the board-ing up of the mens shelter.

OCAP organizer John Clarke invited people to protest at city hall around noon to make their concerns known. Hundreds of people moved to the second-floor rotunda and the area in front of Mayor John Tory's office.

The city is engaging in a devel-opment-driven agenda that I think will be described as social cleans-ing, says Clarke. They're seeking to remove people from the centre of the city and they are failing to provide the basic necessity of shelter. We're challenging that by demanding the city act and meet

the needs of homeless people. Activists handed out food and

T-shirts reading, we will not be pushed out.

Later on, when city councillors were on break, the rally moved from outside into city hall. Activ-ists blew whistles, shouted slogans, and clapped their hands in an attempt to garner attention from city councillors.

However, no one came out to address the crowd.

OCAP sent a letter in early October to city councillors, asking them to open shelters in their respective wards. Moreover, coun-cillors were asked about transpor-tation and services for relocated persons without reply.

Janet Cee, a social services worker who finds housing for homeless clients, says she knows that many of her clients die on the streets.

Could you imagine, she says, someone sleeping on the side-walk or behind a building. There's no sleeping bag, no blanket. Just imagine what that's like. Their whole worldly possessions [are] in a grocery cart.

The current occupancy level in shelters is above the policy aim of 90 per cent, coming in at approxi-mately 98-99 per cent, according to the daily shelter census.

By mid-afternoon, city council decided to develop a transition plan for clients during demolition and construction," but did not specify further details.

City council approved the George Street redevelopment plan.

Demonstrations at city hall see York students showing deep compassion for the homeless people in Toronto.

kurdistan

York students join international day in support of Kobani The fight against ISIS and the struggle for independent Kurdistan is taken to the streets of Toronto

COLOUR PAGE

november 11, 2015 news 3excalibur

Behzad MohaMMadicontributor

thousands of people across the world gathered to express their sympathy, support, and solidarity with the Kurdish people of Kobani, the city located in Syrian Kurdistan known as the Rojava, for their resistance against the brutal forces of ISIS in Syria.

The Toronto Kurdish Commu-nity Centre organized a large peace rally in downtown Toronto to commemorate the first anniversa-ry of Kobanis symbolic resistance against ISIS.

The world has watched the Kurdish town of Kobani on the Turkish-Syrian border where the Jihadi Wahabi terrorists of the so-called ISIS encircled to conquer from Kurdish people, reads the TKCC statement.

Yorks Kurdish Students As-sociation also endorsed the event and invited all of its members and allies to attend the rally.

It is the duty of all human rights activists to commemo-rate and celebrate the historic resistance of the brave people of Kobani against the brutal ISIS ter-rorists who attempted to siege the city and failed, says Alan Joseph, KSA president.

Nonetheless, not everyone agrees with this assessment of the Kurdish forces in Syria. The YPG/YPJ forces are linked with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the largest Kurdish party in Syria. Furthermore, the Turkish govern-ment of Erdogan continuously

accuses the PYD and its forces as inherently linked and a front to the Kurdistan Worker Party (PKK), a Kurdish rebel party involved in armed conflict with the Turkish state to achieve autonomy for Kurds in Turkey.

The alleged links between the YPG and PKK has allowed the Turkish state to initiate a military campaign against the Kurds in Syria, despite the PKK declaring ceasefire.

Turkey reacted with pointing their guns at Kurds rather than any direction, said Hadi Elis, TKCC.

In fact, on the same day Turkey announced it would help the international coalition against ISIS, Turkeys air force bombed the PKK, not ISIS, and blocked the Kurds from Turkey and Iraq to join the ranks of the resistance forces, the YPG and YPJ, he adds.

Turkeys military attacks against the Syrian Kurds were largely criticized in the West too, since the coalition fighting ISIS sees the Kurdish YPG forces as ISISs most effective enemy. While both the European Union and the United States affirmed that Turkey had a right to defend its sovereignty, they warned Turkey for its attacks against the Syrian Kurds.

EU's enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, said the Turkish response must be proportion-ate, targeted, and by no means endanger the democratic political dialog, while the United States Department of State urged the Turkish military to act propor-tionately in its air campaign in the face of perceived threats.

However, Turkey fears that any attempts to establish an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria will inspire Kurds in Turkey to do the same.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, defied his West-ern allies and sent out a message to Kurds in Turkey that this

was a warning. Pull yourself together. If you try to do this elsewhere, Turkey doesn't need permission from anyone, we will do what is necessary.

Despite the long and hard-fought battles, the victory over ISIS in Kobani have united the Kurds and have further inspired

photo by shahtaj khawar

them to call for greater politi-cal autonomy and independent statehood.

The TKCC calls on the inter-national community to help the people of Kobani in its city re-construction projects and aid the Kurdish people in their struggle for peace and democracy.

Kurdish Students Association endorses Toronto peace rally organized by Toronto Kurdish Community Centre.

photo by behzad mohammadi

accessibility

Student Centre plagued with accessibility hurdles and

barriers after release of audit Report only included the Student Centre and did not

include other student spaces on campus

Alex KvASKovassistant news editor

Poor signage, lack of braille, air purifiers, and auto-matic doors are the main problems sabotaging the Student Centres quest for acces-sibility for all genders, body types, and disabilities.

In a bid to address concerns, the York Federation of Students Access Centre has released their accessibility audit report on the Student Centre at Keele campus, identifying accessibility challenges and strategies to deal with them.

Strategies include creating a committee for accessibility issues, lobbying York administration for more accessible spaces, limiting the creation of future accessibility barri-ers, and increasing awareness of acces-sibility issues.

Findings are sorted into six categories including vision, hearing, scent and chemical sensitivity, wheel-chair and limited mobility, and bathroom access.

Vision related barriers in par-ticular remain considerable.

Third-floor meeting and confer-ence rooms present a formidable barrier to blind and low-vision individuals, lacking braille and tactile signage. Suggested remedies include increased font sizes, matte lettering, and braille signs.

Fluorescent lighting were identi-fied as problematic for its abil-ity to cause migraines and other symptoms for individuals sensitive to light.

In contrast, hearing barriers were fewer, with the main concern being a deaf persons inability to identify audio alarms. The report suggests pairing visual and audio alarms together.

Further, the most common issue is the lack of air purifiers, with nothing to arrest the spread of allergens, mold, and other con-taminants.

Installing purifiers and imple-menting a scent-free policy for stu-dent space are touted as solutions to this concern.

Other concerns regarding the meeting rooms and Community Service Group spaces include a widespread lack of automatic doors. Conference and meeting room doors swing inwards, which further restricts access for mobili-ty-limited people.

The other category included prominently displaying evacuation plans and stocking student spaces with first aid kits as well as alarm

buttons in washrooms. Drinking fountains were also singled out for inadequate water pressure.

According to the report, two categories of

checklists were used to access the building: general student space, and rooms and offices. Criteria for checklists emphasize physical disabilities, with gender and body type also considered.

Although YFS promotional materials claim the report was to have been presented to the Student Centre Board in early September, YFS VP Equity Huda Alsarraj confirmed to Excalibur the report was not presented to the Student Centre.

With respect to the Access Centre, Daulton Scott, equity co-ordinator, says the most frequently expressed concerns include long wait times and difficulty navigat-ing processes with Counselling and Disability Services, barriers to physical access in older buildings, and few accessible washrooms.

free speech

Report card hands York an embarrassing D-grade on free speechJustice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms decries free speech policies and practices at York

Alex KvASKovassistant news editor

The York Federation of Stu-dents isnt the only institu-tion running afoul of free speech watch dogs.York itself ranks low on the

list of Canadian universities for free speech, rated D for policies and C for practices, according to the 2015 Campus Freedom Index, published annually since 2011 by the Justice Centre for Constitu-tional Freedoms.

JCCF claims York practices censorious policies that could be used to censor unpopular speech and imposes security fees on groups which share controversial messages.

Further, the report reads, it (York) lacks a broad anti-disrup-tion policy that would prohibit the disruption of all student events and expression.

Although the JCCF could not be reached for comment, the Ontario Civil Liberties Association respond-ed to inquiries from Excalibur.

Joseph Hickey, executive direc-tor, OCLA, says universities are places of inquiry where ideas, prejudices, and misconceptions can be expressed. The freedom to make mistakes is another aspect of

the university.Any point of view that some-

body holds comes from their experience and comes from their perception of reality, says Hickey.

It reveals that these points of views exist so that they can be evaluated by society.

According to Hickey, students should be very concerned when a university or a student association acts as a barrier to the expression of any idea because such barriers can deter students from attending a university.

The lack of free speech creates an environment in which students are oblivious to what is occur-ring on their campus, says Emile Wickham, former YFS presidential candidate and university governor.

Prospective students cant be pushed away from something that cannot reach their eyes and ears and thus impact their minds and hearts, he adds.

Universities have institutional independence and what that means is that they should be creat-ing a space and defending freedom of speech and academic freedom from outside forces, he adds.

When it comes to refuting al-legations of hate speech, Hickey says hate is a human emotion and

in a healthy democracy, people are free to express their emotions and to feel them. We should not have rules that outlaw expression of certain emotion, says Hickey.

Universities can lead by example by supporting controversial speech precisely because its controversial and controversial speech is needed.

For their part, York disagrees with the assessment and restates a commitment to free speech.

York has consistently publicly affirmed its commitment to free speech and works with students and student groups to help ensure successful events that they wish to hold on campus, says Nol Badiou, executive director, Centre for Human Rights.

According to Badiou, Yorks primary objective is to ensure that academic services are not disrupt-ed and the safety of the commu-

nity is maintained.We strive to find spaces where

students can fully, safely, and respectfully express their views and opinions in a manner consis-tent with the criminal code, other applicable statutes, and university policy, adds Badiou.

This is true regardless of how controversial the views or opinions may be.

YFS VP Equity Huda Alsarraj confirmed to

Excalibur the report was not presented to the

Student Centre

4 news november 11, 2015 excalibur

excalibur november 11, 2015 editorial 5

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Oh, Toole: too little, too late

editorial

RYAN MOOREnews editor

Letters to the EditorThe Excalibur opinions section welcomes typed, double-spaced letters (no longer than 300 words). All submissions must be accompanied by the writers name, major, year, and telephone number/email address. Submissions longer than 300 words will be sent back to be shortened. All submissions will be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammatical errors. All editing is up to the discretion of the editor.

Materials deemed libelous or discriminatory by Excalibur will not be printed. All opinions expressed in the opinions section are those of their authors and are not necessarily those of the Excalibur staff , editorial board, or Board of Publishers.

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illustration by christopher lai

Waiting in line at Second Cup in York Lanes, I see poppies in a donation box sitting in front of a bag of Colom-bian Supremo, Paradiso, and Royal Blend coff ee.

Im skeptical at first, knowing full-well how the poppy is used, or manipulated, most notably for political photo-ops, lip service, and the empty posturing of elites who know nothing of the soldiers beleaguered body and mind. The vets I know would rather have a beer at the Legion, out of the sun, away from it all.

However, these poppies at Second Cup look diff erent. This time, the box is sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion. The centre of the poppy is not green, but black, perchance symbolic of the deep black hole the Conserva-tives have left behind, like a block of scorched Earth evaded from a bent steel pin.

If anything could be described as partisan, it would be politicians, sock-puppets, and trolls masquer-ading as "honest brokers" in an eff ort to counter negative press, such as the case of former Minister of Veteran Aff airs Erin OToole, in his failed attempt to spin the state of his former department, leaving it a scalding quagmire for the next seething cauldron of debate.

Like many other youth, Im what you call a base brat or "mili-tary brat," meaning my family is military, and even past generations of my family were military, going back before the First World War.

However, my parents, espe-cially my mother, were insistent in making sure that my two brothers and I did not follow in these foot-steps. Especially when such banal and insincere governments took power. And especially in a world in which the sacrifi ces families make are increasingly taken for granted.

I initially wanted to approach this subject objectively and include the Conservatives side of the argu-ment, but seeing how my phone calls havent been returned and my inquiries were ignored, I can only assume objectivity was not in their best interests at the time. So, I put my article on hold.

Now that I have Mr. OTooles side of the story laid out for me in the Hu ngton Post, let me provide you, dear reader, with the other side, or, at the very least, a mere glimpse.

They (the Conservatives) have

been deliberately, maliciously, negligent and evasive in their dealing with veterans issues with the intent of purely saving money so they can balance a budget in an election year. Full stop, says Liberal MP Frank Valeriote, who explains how the Conservatives lapsed $1.3 billion over the last fi ve or six years for the purpose, in part, of being a contribution to balancing the budget this year.

Its almost unquantifi able to the damage they've done to veterans, their families, and their caregivers.

Unfortunately, I do not have enough space to list, or convey, the kind of damage done. Id even feel hypocritical, or negligent, to mention a list of maltreatments or budgetary procedures and, because of lack of space, not be able to mention the rest of them. All of them.

But, nonetheless, you can easily fi nd them if you care to look and see through the pompous photo-ops and the terrible commercials played on CBC during Hockey Night in Canada.

I fi nd it utterly laughable how voters, who know nothing about military life, can buy into such pitiful propaganda campaigns dis-seminated by bureaucrats hiding in ivory towers and who, in turn, sound the clarion of battle with-out a forethought of Canadas real military history, or of the costs to the families in question. Being pro-military isnt only sending soldiers overseas. Its also taking care of all of them when they return. Its paying the debt.

Nevertheless, I remain skepti-cal of all political partisans, of all stripes, growing ever-more weary by the day. I also remain skeptical of those who use words such as we and us without permission. As if we are all in agreement, and as if the third-hand opinions of armchair generals are good enough.

The auditor general's report is particularly revealing.

excalibur

COLOUR PAGE

6 under the skin november 4, 2015

features

ASMA KARIMIcontributor

Hijabi fashion has always been around but now the internet has impact-ed it like never before.The hijab is a head covering

worn by Muslim women around the world with the purpose of maintaining the standards of modesty. Hijabi fashion refers to Muslim women who wear the hijab and follow fashion trends and styles.

The rise of hijabi fashion has been growing immensely in the past few years, especially on social media platforms where a growing community of hijabi fashion bloggers has changed the idea of what it means to be a modern Muslim woman.

Muslim girls and women from all over the world with an inter-est in fashion look up to fashion bloggers such as Dina Torkia, Amena, and Saman Munir for regular inspiration. Many Muslim girls and women wait eagerly

for the release of their next makeup or hijab tutorial.

Hijabi YouTubers show that Muslim women can fi nd new ways to express themselves while still being chic and modest, says Haseenah Khadaroo, a second-year French and Hispanic studies student.

Hijabis within the fashion community are stepping it up and ex-panding their audience, adds Maryan Sharif, a second-year communi-cation studies student. Hijabis are not only inspired to but diff erent women of diff erent faiths, beliefs, and races are also noticing the hijab in a more positive light.

Despite the progress in the online world, many people still believe that the traditional Muslim dress or the veil is a sign of male oppression and backwardness.

However, the phenomenon of the modern Muslim women test-

ing out unique new styles has proven quite diff erently.

The media tends to show just one image of a Muslim

woman covered in head-to-toe black robes, feeding the idea that fashion and Islam cannot mix and that there is no in-between.

The fact is, the majority of Muslim women who wear the hijab do so on a personal choice to fulfill their duty and the require-ments of their religion.

Many feel so comfort-able wearing a hijab that they like to add personality and colour to their attire by dressing up their outfits to show their stylish yet modest personalities.

I think people who hold negative assumptions about the hijab simply misun-derstand the true concept

about it and what it rep-resents, says Mina Abbas a

first-year student at Schulich School of Business.

As a born Canadian, I can honestly say that I love wearing the hijab and I feel completely free and empow-ered by having the choice to wear it, she says.

After all, in a world that puts so much emphasis on physical appearance, the hijab serves as the ultimate reminder that it is internal qualities and character that carry the most weight.

I dont feel hostile towards the people that think negatively about the hijab but I make it my job to try to educate them on why we wear it and how it actually makes me feel liber-ated, says Sharif.

At the end of the day, the media portrays what sells and unfortunately, negativity tends to grab more attention than

positivity does. But that does not mean what they put out

there is always true, she adds.

The media can be a platform of unfortunate misunderstandings. The hijab is a form of modes-ty, not only through the

scarf, but also through the way we act, speak, and dress, says Basma Elbah-nasawy a second-year digital media

student.An important factor is the

intention of why one chooses to wear it. This explains why a Muslim women is not op-pressed. It is a personal deci-sion between one and God.

fashion

The tell-all tale of hijabi fashionThe headscarf is self-expression, not oppression so take note

photos by asma karimi

Social media is revolutionizing the way hijabs are seen in modern day fashion and acts as a tool to reverse negative assumptions.

Head online to read more and put your fashion foot

forward at excal.on.ca.

6 features november 11, 2015

stella isaaccontributor

i dont mean to disturb your optimistic post-racial state of being, but conversely to the narrative we are being sold, Im suggesting that university cam-puses are anti-black and racist.

Imagine being the only black girl in your seemingly politically progressive lecture while your white professor discusses the apartheid in South Africa.

During the lecture, you get up to go to the bathroom, and as you return, the whole class stares at you with an air of frightened concern.

Before youre even able to take your seat, your professor dra-matically stops his lecture and inquires on behalf of all the other concerned students whether we offended you?

On the Nation-al Day of Protest Against Police Brutality, York Federation of Students in partnership with York United Black Students Alli-ance held their Combating Anti-Blackness on Univer-sity Campuses discussion panel which featured guests, Kayla Carter and Chrys Saget-Richard.

Carter experienced that horrific and humiliating incident described earlier as an undergrad at the University of Toronto. Blackness within aca-demia is haunting, says Carter, who received her MA in critical disabilities studies at York.

You are not just a student, but a black student, she says.

This constant state of surveillance is one that is not unique to Carter. Many black students within post-secondary

institutions believe that they constantly have to prove their place of belonging within the post-secondary walls.

You become ignored or all attention is on you. You become the representation of blackness.

The discussion, which was monitored by YUBSAs president Shenikqwa Phillip, provided a cathartic and brutally honest dia-logue for the plethora of students present at the event.

Saget-Richard, who attends Ryerson University and dedicates his time towards the Racialized Students Collective at Ryerson, discussed the complexities of black identity on campuses.

People see my blackness before they see anything else, he says.

This problematic statement is unfortunately a reality for many black students. As one student mentioned following the discus-sion, Its our blackness and our peers preconceived notions of our abilities that have a voice

even before we do. They dont

see us, they see our colour.Although it is clear that York is

highly diverse and multicultural, compared to other post-sec-ondary institutions in Ontario, it isnt rare for black students to suppress their thoughts or silence their opinions as a means of protection.

Many students believe that there are certain things they cannot mention during

a seminar or a lecture, even when somebody says something highly offensive. The fear of being labeled as that angry black person often keeps many squirming in their seats.

According to Saget-Richard, every time the muzzling of opin-ion occurs, 30 minutes of pre-cious time and money is wasted.

Many people do not want to acknowledge the hurt and trauma of anti-black racism and microaggressions, says Arden Maaliq, YUBSAs VP advocacy. This abusive denial stunts the progress of ending anti-black racism on campuses.

When people constantly ques-tion the need for a black stu-dents association on university campuses, I often wonder if its

because they are blind to anti-black racism or refuse to see their own privilege dripping down to their toenails.

It is necessary to have these political dialogues exist within spaces that will accept all black voices, all black opinions, and all black bodies. As Phillip proudly exclaims, Our existence is our resistance.

So speak up.

racism

combatting anti-blackness on university campusesAn overview of a stimulating panel discussing racism on campus

You become ignored or all attention is on you. You become the representation of

blackness. Kayla Carter, featured guest speaker

Many people do not want to acknowledge the hurt and trauma of anti-

black racism and microag-gressions.

Arden Maaliq, YUBSAs VP advocacy.

The fear of being labeled as that angry black person often keeps many squirming in their seats.

image from wikimedia commons

illustration by christopher lai

excalibur november 11, 2015 features 7

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excalibur excalibur8 remembrance day november 11, 2015 november 11, 2015 remembrance day 9

While the ordinary youth today are faced with con-cerns about future career paths, every Remem-brance Day we honour the ordinary Canadians who were faced with grand decisions to take up the duty and fight for our country.

On April 1939, then 18-year-old Elliot Broscoe had just fin-ished school and was working odd jobs while the war started to brew.

Several neighbours of mine joined the war and when they would come home on leave, they would have money and talked about how fine it was to have a stable and well-paying job, says Broscoe.

Determined to take the same path, Broscoe made the choice to take up training to learn semaphore and morse code and became a qualified signaler.

He familiarized himself with two-way radios that weighed about 20 pounds, requiring two men to control.

After the training, his infan-try regiment had to go on an assignment and was short of signalers in the battalion. On October 25, 1941, his regiment left for Hong Kong.

After we arrived and got established, we spent the next couple of weeks going on maneuvers a small number of times, but not often enough to get acquainted with the area, he says.

Maneuvers are a military strategy that aims to defeat the enemy by incapacitating their decision-making through shock and distraction.

We went on maneuver again one last time and left most of our personal belongings in the camp, when all of a sudden, the Japanese started bombing us and we never got back to camp, says Broscoe.

The British military picked me up and took me to an open stall marketplace to guard against any enemy coming up a front street or a backstreet, he adds.

There was three of us there with nothing to eat. On Christ-mas Eve, two of my friends were wounded by artillery fire. So the less wounded one and I car-ried the one in bad shape a few blocks to where an officer with a truck was taking the wounded to the hospital.

After dropping off his wound-ed comrade, he ran into the wrong end of a machine gun.

With the first eruption of fire, I was shot in the arm which made me flop into the gutter beside the sidewalk. The second burst put a hole into my left foot, he says.

He laid there until the shell-ing started again and the ma-chine gunners two blocks away moved out.

Using my rifle as a crutch, I made my way to where I left my wounded friends and waited to be picked up to be taken to the hospital where I was given a shot and mended up.

The following day, December 25, 1941, the governor of Hong Kong surrendered to Japan and Broscoe was now a prisoner of war in internment. The day of surrender became known in Hong Kong as Black Christmas.

During that period, I experi-enced starvation, disease, slave

labour, bed bugs, fleas, brutal guards, and several forms of slow torment, says Broscoe.

We were moved to a camp where we had to work on en-larging the airport and building longer runways so that bigger airplanes could land.

If we were moving slow or if we had not filled our daily quota, we would be subjected to bayonets or rifle butts.

After much suffering and deprivation, the war ended in September 1945.

When we arrived back to Vancouver, we received our uniforms and compensation, he says.

However, the world Broscoe had known was no longer there. To him, everything had changed and he couldnt seem to under-stand nor adjust to it.

So a year after my discharge from the army, I went back and joined the army again. This time as a Royal Canadian Engineer. The military was my refuge.

Today, Broscoe looks back at his 26 year long stint of serv-ing in Canada and abroad and says freedom is not free. It isnt something thats handed to you, its something that must be earned.

All kinds of people have died for the freedom that we enjoy and cherish today and we must do our best to generate peace and be grateful.

A lesson came out of the war and it is our duty to pass on the legacy and keep the memories of our Canadian veterans alive. Lest we forget.

With files from Ryan Moore

Remembering

freedomthose whofought for our

A Canadian veteran recounts defending Hong Kong against Japanese attacks

Tatiana Prisiajny

features editor

excalibur

arts10 arts november 11, 2015

Esteemed director Nigel Shawn Williams is a returning guest instructor at York.

Nirris NageNdrarajahstaff writer

as opening night looms over the cast and crew of the theatre department, the final pieces fall into place for the production of Caryl Churchills 1981 play, Cloud 9.

With various headset-equipped bodies walking in and out of the room, actors and actresses waiting for their cue, and the volume of crickets being adjusted, director Nigel Shawn Williams conducts his symphony with respect and tranquility.

A first-year student sweeps up wood chips into a black dust pan and puts them into the boxes that the large brown trees stem from. Its vines hang down with nets trapped within them. Some of the trees are severed in the middle and suspended on a wire. White banners with calligraphy-scribed tree branches hang alongside.

Its a fitting and telling production cue. The plays first act is set in 1880 Africa and deals with colonialism, whereas the second act takes place 100 years later in London, where Churchill explores sexuality. The power and oppression of one era is severed and representation of another takes its place.

Time, character, and plot lines with the distant past and closer present are all tied together like the rope that wraps around the trees, only for its meanings and implications to unravel before the audience. Similarities abound.

What is fascinating, and tricky, for the production is that even though 100 years pass between acts one and two, Churchill describes in her stage directions that only 25 years have passed for the characters. All actors play two different roles, one in each act. Males play females, whites play blacks, various ages are taken on, and vice versa. Churchill demands that her viewers be active and complicit in what is taking place.

Which is easy to do in the intimate Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre in the Centre of Film and

Churchill is a master of feminist

theatre. Her writing has such depth that sears with

an intelligent wit.Nigel Shawn Williams,

Director of Cloud 9

theatre

On Cloud 9, where colonialism and sexuality collideBehind the scenes of Yorks production of Caryl Churchills famous play

photo courtesy of mirvish productions

Theatre, where the stage is placed in the middle of the room and the audience views from the sides. Performers enter and exit from four different directions, shifting our attention and playing with space effectively.

The director, Nigel Shawn Williams, is a four-time Dora Mavor Moore Award winner and the co-artistic director of the Factory Theatre. Acute to lighting, sound, and pacing, these are the hands you want to be in.

Churchill is a master of feminist theatre, said Williams. Her writing has such depth that sears with an intelligent wit. Themes of feminism, sexual oppression, and power resonate with todays student population, something Williams

believes will allow the audience to rethink their beliefs and global views.

The cast is easy on the eyes. As their beautiful bodies and faces rub against each other, the predominantly white cast in faux-British accents is ready to play and be played with. They look to Williams for direction and guidance and adhere to his every command like dolls, subjected to lots of waiting, nail biting, and hand-on-hips between technical finalizations.

In a play about power, oppression, dominance, and

submission it is ironic to see these actors are so willingly controlled. It is also a joy to see them play with

each other and be free, another theme of the play.

Nadine Bhabha, playing Victoria in act two, demands your attention from the moment she walks onto stage with her black heels and delivers lines like, Hello. Were having an orgy, uninhibited and confidently. Joel Edmiston, a playwright in his own right, did the cha cha to pass the time, and Ben Siapas, who joined in on the cha cha, are charming presences to witness on stage.

A spotlight waltzes across the stage, a track of screams invites unease, and an actress bottom has bits of wood chips sticking to it. During the rehearsal, Williams tells his cast and crew, this is a timing thing, and 34 years after its premiere, this production is hitting its mark. At least for a school production, anyway.

Cloud 9 runs from November 10 to the 14th and tickets can be purchased online or over the phone at 416-736-5888.

illustration by christopher lai

Hello. Were having an orgy. Do you want me to

s--- your c---? Cloud 9

Power, oppression, dominance, and submission intertwine in Caryl Churchills iconic play, Cloud 9, showing from November 10 to 14.

excalibur

TaTiana Prisiajnyfeatures editor

its one thing to reminisce about your experiences abroad. Its an-other to take that zeal for travel and make art for others to enjoy.November 5, 2015 marked the

opening gala of York Interna-tionals exhibit Go Global, featur-ing a collection of photographs, videos, sculptures, and paintings from York students who partici-pated in an international experi-ence. Whether it was through an exchange, internship, or summer study abroad course, students shared their overseas journeys through the arts.

As part of several events for the Go Global campaign, this exhibit aimed to encourage students to go abroad. Marilyn Lambert-Drache, associate vice-president of York Inter-national says that she wants to create a culture of globalness at York.

Only three per cent of students go abroad. This is a very small per-centage. We offer students a broad range of opportunities and over 280 partnerships so that they can pre-pare for a global career, she says.

Even though some students might choose to stay local, they still have to deal with the global. Global competence is essential nowadays, adds Lambert-Drache.

Nicole Mulder, a fourth-year visual arts student completed an ex-

Only three per cent of students go abroad.

This is a very small per-centage.

Marilyn Lambert-Drache, associate vice-president of York International

COLOUR PAGE

film fest

reel asian international Film Festival gets real about asian cinema

The annual festival showcases the diversity and talents of various Asian artists

shakil Mirzacontributor

The 19th annual Reel Asian International Film Festival kicked off last week with the opening night gala at the Isabel Bader Theatre on No-vember 5. Canadas biggest Asian film festival is set to host over 72 films from more than 10 different regions this year.

To kick off the festivities, Excalibur was invited to the star-studded red carpet opening gala. The purpose of the event is to give a platform for showcasing the artistry, media, and culture of Asia, says Jennifer Chen, chair of Reel Asian.

Kirumi, an anti-hero film, is one of the films set to premiere this week. Its director, Anucharan Murugaiyan was in attendance.

On his Tamil documentary, Murugaiyan says, This film is extremely personal to me; it is my first feature film as a director and as an actor.

The highlight of the night was the opening night premiere of Driving with Selvi. The red carpet made way for the director Elisa Paloschi and the titular star of the film, Selvi.

Driving with Selvi depicts the journey of a young woman who was forced into a marriage as a child and later broke free from her dark past and be South

gallery

Go global from the comfort of keele campus York students showcase their art from their journeys abroad

change program with the University of Leeds in England and showcased four sculptural abstract paintings from a series called Confluence.

My sculptures represent a series of buildings I sketched during my travels around the United Kingdom, to places that share the same name as a Canadian place, says Mulder.

Her series looked at the converg-ing of ideas and pathways, with each small piece in the series unit-ing to form one coherent piece.

Another piece was a video by Heather Dirckze, a fourth-year student studying international

film

remember, remember, the syria Film Fest of novemberTorontos first Syrian film festival shines a necessary

spotlight on Syrian life and art

Indias first female taxi driver. The film is documented over a 10-year period.

Paloschi was in India as a tour-ist and says she never thought about filmmaking again, but meeting Selvi changed things.

I hadnt made a film in 10 years but I couldnt resist myself from making a movie about Selvi. She is full of light, energy, beauty, strength, courage, and is what in-spired me to pick up the camera, says Paloschi.

She describes overcoming one of the challenges of the film, which was having to come back to Selvi on a yearly basis.

Without knowing how her story would change and not knowing where she would be

VicToria GoldberGarts editor

Wake up and smell the symbolic flower of Damascus, Syria: the jasmine flower.The first annual Syria Film Festi-

val is to be hosted in Toronto from November 13 to 15. The three-day event features eight films, rang-ing from short documentaries to dramas and feature length films. SYFF is registered as a non-profit organization, run by volunteers to give a voice to Syrian filmmakers.

Through our connections with the arts community, we learned how many films were being produced indepen-dently in Syria, about Syria, about Syrians, and by Syrians. If we didnt give them a home with the Syria Film Festival, who else would? says the festival organizer Maher Azem.

The festival is a volunteer effort made up of people of various back-grounds, many of whom Azem met via the Toronto photo exhibition Lenses of Freedom organized by Syrian Expatri-ates Organization in 2012.

Cutting down from 60 submissions, Aisha Jamal and a handful of other program committee members selected eight films, including the experimental film Hide & Seek and the Oscars short-listed documentary 50 Feet from Syria.

made it compelling. Selvi, the star of the movie,

has also been preparing for the future and using the success and dissemination of this film in India to be a stepping-stone in her phil-anthropic career.

I have some stability in my life, and using that stability, I want to start a travel agency business, through which I want to help other girls through their prob-lems, says Selvi.

The Reel Asian International Film Festival runs from Novem-ber 5 to 15. To learn more, visit reelasian.com

To read our full review of Driving with Selvi and other films, check out our website excal.on.ca/arts.

Photographs, video blogs, sculptures, and paintings are on display to share students trips abroad.

Jennifer Chen, chair of Reel Asian addresses the audience on opening night.

development and African studies, who went on an exchange program with the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

My piece is a video blog that was part of a back-and-forth series between me and my best friend. I would send her videos about my life in Cape Town while she sent me videos back of what she'd been up to back home, she says.

The video showcased a typical day in short clips, including going to class, playing with children in the townships, penguin watching at the beach, attending ballroom

Showing a variety of films about Syria also allows us to share more complex stories about Syria than a five minute newscast or newspaper article can. You have the time to get to know facets of the real humans behind the mounting tragedy, says Jamal.

The country, which nowadays cannot escape the association of conflict and war, has been in the headlines due to the wave of refugees escaping the chaos. The capital city, Damascus, is considered one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, nicknamed the City of Jasmine.

The country is certainly a wreck right now. There is so much suffer-ing. But the jasmine grows. It will keep growing. And its beautiful, says Azem, who grew up in Damascus.

Cinema can change the world. Its images have the power to shape the

human soul profoundly, for evil and for good. Cinema doesnt just express the perspectives, opinions, lives, and histories of people. It also moves your soul in a way that no other art does, engaging the mind, body, and heart all at once, adds Adam Riggio, the communications manager of SYFF.

SYFF runs from November 13 to 15 at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Tickets are available through their website, syff.ca.

dance classes, and visiting the botanical gardens.

In Cape Town, I had the chance to do things I wouldn't normally get to do like eating crocodile and bungee jumping from the highest bungee-bridge in the world, says Dirckze.

As for photography, Mehrtash Mohit, a MFA student in the film production program, completed a summer abroad in Berlin and showcased a photo series titled, I, Berlin, and Walter Benjamin.

He says that reading the works of Walter Benjamin and Siegfried Kracauer made him feel amazed

at Berlin, a city, he says, is full of character and history.

I spent hours walking the streets of Berlin in search of the true mean-ing of flaneur (an idler or lounger) and the photographs are spontane-ous reflections of my visions during my unique journey, he says.

Filled with captivating photo-graphs, dynamic sculptures, and inspirational videos of 16 talented York students, Go Global is free and open to all. The exhibition is open until November 11 at Eleanor Win-ters Art Gallery, room 129 at Winters College.

photo by shakil mirza

photo by tatiana prisiajny

november 11, 2015 arts 11

The country is certainly a wreck right now.

Maher Azem, Festival Organizer

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