Student mag cited for 'diatribe' on Jews

The Race Relations Commissioner looks sure to be drawn into the row over the University of Otago student magazine Critic.

Last week's issue has already been sent to the Office of Film and Literature Classification by police and others for a ruling on whether articles such as one on date rape are objectionable.

The Society for the Promotion of Community Standards says it will forward the issue to the Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres, over a "diatribe against Jews".

It said it would allege denigration of Jews by the magazine in the context of an "offensive discussion" of the Nazis' "Final Solution".

In the article, Critic nominated a list of 10 people about whom it would like to hear less.

Among them are Mahatma Gandhi, the Virgin Mary, Jennifer Aniston and Kupe.

In a section on Kupe, Maori are referred to as "not the sort of spongers that we want in our fine, hard-working Christian nation and none of the bastards would be here if Kupe hadn't sniffed out the moa from across the Pacific and paddled them here".

Critic editor Holly Walker said the article was intended to be humorous.

"It should be fairly obvious that that particular article was meant as a joke. The biggest piece of evidence was that I am personally number one on the list," Ms Walker said.

The society has also complained about the treatment of the Virgin Mary, and a letter in this week's Critic takes issue with comments about Gandhi.

Most concern about last week's issue centres on an article about rape that some have labelled a how-to guide. One letter this week backs Critic's decision to publish it.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES