15 July 2009

No burkas banned but we were turned away

| rosiered
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My partner and I had registered for the free public debate “Should we ban the burka” hosted by The Australian National University and The Canberra Times.

When we registered it was to be held at Finkel Lecture Theatre at the John Curtin School of Medical Research @ 12.30pm but apparently it changed to the Coombes building.

So after eventually getting a car park (no small feat) and walking into the Finkel lecture theatre we discovered we were at the wrong end of the uni.

It was 12:37 when we found the Coombes building and the lecture theatre was already maxed out and we were told we couldn’t go in, but here’s a website to listen to the podcast.

Apparently at 12:30 pm they had given away the empty seats of those who had registered.

Now there happened to be quite a few of us who had gone to the wrong building, turned up a little late, then turned away.

Sure we should have looked on the website this morning to double check the location, but gees, I had put my kids into childcare just so I could go to this.

For an event that turned out to be this popular that they had to change the venue, couldn’t they have waited just a bit longer for those who had booked?

A big waste of money on my part because of poor event management and poor foresight to realise how popular the lecture would be. Disappointed?

That’s an understatement.

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Seriously, you don’t show up to a concert as it starts, you show up a few minutes early so you can find a car park, find the venue and get to your seat with plenty of time. It’s rude to expect to walk in to a presentation late. ANU is notorious for difficulty parking. Show up with enough time.

Security: We need this law in Australia!!!http://law.justia.com/virginia/codes/toc1802000/18.2-422.html
Thanks Chaser!!!

NoAddedMSG said :

p1 said :

I support feedom to wear what you want. NExt you’ll want to ban me dressing as a ninja and sneaking around.

People would probably describe your ninja mask as “confronting” and your adherence to a discipline of non-western origins as “a rejection of Australian values”.

Also, it’s a potential security risk.

p1 said :

I support feedom to wear what you want. NExt you’ll want to ban me dressing as a ninja and sneaking around.

rofl!

p1 said :

I support feedom to wear what you want. NExt you’ll want to ban me dressing as a ninja and sneaking around.

People would probably describe your ninja mask as “confronting” and your adherence to a discipline of non-western origins as “a rejection of Australian values”.

I support feedom to wear what you want. NExt you’ll want to ban me dressing as a ninja and sneaking around.

dare2dream said :

They do present a security issue though.

No more than full-face hoodies and the like in public spaces.
Islamic women may actually take off the burqa, but as a security officer is probably male, not a practicing muslim of close-family relationship, and requesting a visibly-modest conservative woman to remove clothing in public, its probably going to be met with a degree of negativity.
(Go google for things like hijab and purdah)

If you’re coming from an angle of fearful imaginings or just simple lack of cultural understanding, you’re probably going to make mistakes and then blame the other person for them.

Hint: Escort her (and her male chaperone) somewhere private, interview her with a practicing muslim woman (without non-muslims or men), and use -that- as your start of a security assessment while bearing in mind that you haven’t actually chosen her at random and treated her like a normal person (ie: you profiled her based on appearance), not ‘Muslim woman wearing a burqa, obviously a possible security risk’.

dare2dream said :

Anyway…I dont think they should be banned. I’m not a Muslim but I like the idea of being able to wear one if I wanted to for whatever reason eg to protect my face from the sun. They do present a security issue though.

+1

Anyway…I dont think they should be banned. I’m not a Muslim but I like the idea of being able to wear one if I wanted to for whatever reason eg to protect my face from the sun. They do present a security issue though.

@bd84 so another poster who doesn’t read the whole post b4 making a smart ass comment

Turn up on time next time.

barking toad5:21 pm 15 Jul 09

Ya shoulda worn a tent

Would have got special seats

@tortfeaser – my bullet proof, hide of rhino friend, i wasn’t late for the original venue

@eyeball…. you mean because of the public debate that has been going on previously?

Eyeball In A Quart Jar Of Snot4:38 pm 15 Jul 09

ant said :

So, who won?

Virginia lost before the debate had even begun…….

Someone call the whaaaaamulance.

If it wasn’t moved you’d still whinge you couldn’t get in late, but there’d be even less chance of finding a spot in the smaller venue.

Harden up.

dunno podcast isn’t uploaded yet 🙁

did anyone get in to hear it? what did your friends think chewy14?

So, who won?

@skidbladnir no i didn’t pay, it was def a free event

@VY Berlina no i don’t think i should be apologised to because I was late, but I am annoyed that it was poorly organised

i’m not sure about other ANU events but this one was quite well advertised considering it was a free event. Also as per ANU website:”The forum will also be broadcast by ABC Fora http://www.abc.net.au/tv/fora/ and APAC http://www.a-pac.tv/ please check the websites for details”. I also saw a sky news van out the front, so i’m going to keep watch sky news tonight to see if it gets a mention

I think the waste of money refers to having to put the children in childcare to attend??

Davo111 said :

^^ as per chewy14’s comments. I went to a public lecture there with a few of my classmates (5 of us). they had to bring in extra seats because of the large turn-out.

Yes, the public lectures held at the ANU are generally very popular and many of them fill up quickly so that people are turned away.

Someone paid to attend?

SHOULD WE BAN THE BURKA?
Wednesday 15 July, 12:30-2pm
HC Coombs Lecture Theatre
Building 8a, Fellows Rd, ANU

This lecture is free and open to the public. Please register attendance with ANU Events.
Enquiries:
E: Events@anu.edu.au
T: 02 6125 4144

^^ as per chewy14’s comments. I went to a public lecture there with a few of my classmates (5 of us). they had to bring in extra seats because of the large turn-out.

People went to the advertised location at the advertised time having paid to attend. Who knew??

This is because usually no one ever goes to these events.
Dealing with a crowd is well out of their expertise.

Jim Jones said :

Sadly, it’s pretty typical of the way a lot of these things are organised at the ANU. I think the assumption must be that the only people who will be attending will be from the uni (the place really does have a remarkably insular mindset in a lot of ways).

+1

Because the venue was changed without alerting registered participants? And then their seats were given away?

Sadly, it’s pretty typical of the way a lot of these things are organised at the ANU. I think the assumption must be that the only people who will be attending will be from the uni (the place really does have a remarkably insular mindset in a lot of ways).

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:36 pm 15 Jul 09

Apologise that some people were late?

I really think the organisers should apologise. That shows an appalling lack of respect for people who have registered to support their event in good faith.

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