It’s no secret that moral posturing is the default of the Students’ Union, but the morals in question do often prove to be somewhat disposable things.
The new favourite plastered around the Union building are notes that the Union promotes responsible drinking, on the bottom of Drink The Bar Dry posters. It flies in the face of the whole point of the event: one last gloriously irresponsiblechance to lose control of your self-restraint and gag reflex with your friends before the end of term.
The Union has something called the SOUL campaign, a Save Our Union Licence plan to stop students from disturbing people on their way home. It’s what’s behind the people handing out lollies on and off throughout the year, to try and make you keep your trap shut when you go home.
The Union also puts out a ‘Unity’ newsletter to its neighbours to keep them informed about what is going on.
Very commendable, but in the case of the SOUL campaign, based on flimsy half-truths.
First off, it quotes a local AM as saying that the Students’ Union is the “only licensee still adhering to the voluntary agreement discouraging drinks promotions”. That would be the same Union that has cheaper drinks than Meths Night down at the homeless shelter.
More impressively, it also notes that the Union “has not sought to extend opening hours beyond those previously agreed”. Well, until it got its licence extended to 4am.
The Union says these weren’t central tenets of the campaign, but just notes in supplement to it.
But does that really change the fact that the Union is telling neighbours one thing, before disregarding it and doing something completely different?
The Union only maintains morals on a pragmatic basis – as soon as they get in the way of some other benefit, they’re shed like a snake’s skin.
