Media Controversy
Over the 2005/06 academic session, the Guild made national and international press over several controversial issues.
The year started with President Richard Angell banning the National Blood Service from the Guild's popular Freshers Fair (an important opportunity to recruit blood donors) over the service's policies of banning most gay and bisexual men (those with sexual experience regarded as dangerous) from giving blood, for life. This policy remained in effect until it was overturned at the start of the 2009/2010 academic year.
In January 2006 a row erupted as the Guild became aware of and subsequently took issue with some of the policies sought by its Evangelical Christian Union society. The Union sought to not allow non-Christian members, have the outgoing leaders appoint new leaders (rather than have the members elect them), and require members to sign an evangelical doctrinal basis. Although the Union later agreed to hold elections, the Union felt their religious beliefs prevented them from being able to make any more concessions. The Guild stated that they believed the law prevented them from accommodating the society, as student unions are required to make all their activities available to all students. The Christian Union stated that they believed they were being deprived of their legal rights. Guild Council ultimately derecognised the society.
At Guild Council in June 2006, President Richard Angell proposed a motion titled 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' that the Guild should "have a party" on the occasion of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's death, which was met with widespread criticism, even making The Times national newspaper.
Read more about this topic: Birmingham University Guild Of Students
Famous quotes containing the words media and/or controversy:
“Today the discredit of words is very great. Most of the time the media transmit lies. In the face of an intolerable world, words appear to change very little. State power has become congenitally deaf, which is why—but the editorialists forget it—terrorists are reduced to bombs and hijacking.”
—John Berger (b. 1926)
“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)