Anyone watched Speechless on iPlayer and what did you think?

Thanks for this thread. I hadn’t heard of this but have now watched it. Very powerful. All of those people punished so severely for holding entirely moderate, sensible views (including the black woman who was an EDI consultant punished for saying that actually black people can be on time). I too hope that this gets widely viewed thanks to word of mouth recommendation.

No matter how many times I read/watch what happened at Evergreen I’m always amazed at the authoritarian behaviour of the students and the weaknesses of the faculty in defending Enlightenment values.

Finished episode 2. Very different feel really from episode 1. Very sobering as it doesn't feel there's any chance of exploring others' viewpoints calmly at all. The polarisation just seems to be getting worse for now.

I found it a useful example of how it works. The interrupting for pointless reasons makes it clear how disruptive the ideology is

I'd also highly recommend watching the first episode because it gives context of what subsequently happened to Stock et al.

The footage of the young woman has haunted me ever since I first saw it, which I think was on 7 October or shortly after. Every time the attack is referenced I think of her.

I watched the programme and found it chilling.

I had not seen the paragliders into Israel before - though I have watched part of Screams then Silence - nor had I heard the man shouting that he had killed 10 Jews and his mother blessing him. Most horrifying was the shot of a woman, barely able to walk and with blood in her crutch being shoved into a vehicle - this I had not seen before.

Upsetting watching, esp Stock and Hooven but I also felt for Zack who basically lost his career because he asked how to teach in an equitable manner under the new rules and was accused of abuse. All broken.

I thought it was great

I've just watched episode 2, which was excellent.
What i thought was unexplored satisfactoraly was, was she saying that pro pal supporters should have freedom of speech to chant Globalise the Intafada, and From the River to the Sea?
Also, what i came away with is how intolerant the Left are, and she chose not to point that out.

Well, it is filmed in the US, so the focus is going to be on US politics. I think it provided a good insight into how ideology can take hold to the detrimental of reason and nuance. The point it is trying to make is that when things because extremely polarised, and moderate voices are silenced, you end up with the situation in the documentary. You probably need to watch the first episode to see how crazy things got with left wing activists on campuses before pushback started from Christian conservatives on the right.

Thanks for the info, I didn't know about this, I admire Kathleen Stock so much so will watch.

It also felt pointless because he had already made clear he wouldn't be using ze/zir pronouns so constantly interrupting him to correct him just drew attention to it.

So she's still part of the problem, not part of the solution, right? Even though she sees the problem, she cannot let go of her convictions.

Well now I've watched it all (second ep only), I have to say, I'm much less impressed than most posters. Yes, the early interviews with CH and KS were very good, but it seemed just another American docu, filtered through the poisonous lens of US politics, that didn't leave anyone much the wiser. And since when did bringing I/P into an argument ever bring clarity?

It's on BBC4 and I'm watching it now, the second ep. I actually started a (probably poorly-named) thread in Telly Addicts. Ihate the gimmicky jump-cut editing (hasn't that had its day yet?), but some good stuff in there, Carole Hooven and Doc Stock.

As a PP mentioned, VERY like the Red Guards. You can just imagine them turning violent.

Ah yes, I forgot that bit...

I thought it was interesting when Ric Esther Bienstock (I assume it was her, she was off camera) was interviewing Christopher Rufo and he was referring to Yeleidy Rosario-Hernandez saying "she "and 'her," Bienstock kept interrupting saying "zie" and "zir" and then said quite sharply "you're misgendering zir.'

I wondered, is she denying him free speech there, in saying he couldn't choose to use sex-based pronouns rather than gender-bssed pronouns?

Like another poster, I thought the first episode was gobsmacking, not "unimpressive" at all, so am really glad I watched it as well as the second. I mean, yeah, the filmmaker called herself 'c*s" etc at the start, but it was a bit of a journey I think. I hadn't realised how completely insane the Evergreen incidents were and I really do think more people need to actually see how bad it is, that this isn't just "students being like students are every generation". The behaviour was frightening to witness. Their ideological positions, myopic, irrational, cultlike, dogmatic, scary,easy to turn violent. Very red guard sort of stuff. And taking meeting minutes or basic organisation being "colonial?" WTF? That smug male language professor REALLY pissed me off too. A dangerous man.

But yes, the Kathleen Stock & Carole Hooven stories were heartbreaking. There is no excuse for how they were treated and not backed up, the mass bullying enabled, the ostracising... disgusting. Anyone who thinks this is "righteous" or progressive in some way is lacking in basic humanity, integrity or humanitarian values. "Kindness" my arse.

I've just watched both episodes, I thought it was bloody brilliant. And bloody terrifying. It was when it all kicked off at that college and I watched Bret Weinstein on YouTube that I thought WTF is going on? That must have been about 2017. I thought both episodes were excellent. It's amazing to see it on IPlayer - I hope it gets lots of word of mouth publicity. Highly recommend.

Chilling. Won't be the first time students have been used to attack existing power structures.

Agree with pp, huge entitlement and no self reflection. Some dangerous individuals drunk on their perceived power.

Thought it was riveting. I'd known about some of the batshittery previously - think there have been several documentaries, esp re critical race theory - but found this fascinating and disturbing on so many levels. Not least the viciousness of the protesting students and the cowardice of the institutions that simply caved in (US and UK). The individuals targeted were almost broken by the experience. No doubt that was the intention.

I'm half way through the 2nd episode. Another heads up for r/transgenderuk, I wouldn't have known about it otherwise!

I thought the first episode was brilliant, and an absolutely gripped by the 2nd, so far.

It is frightening, how things have become. Personally, I had blind faith in the mainstream media until about a year ago. The scales really have fallen from my eyes now.

I've heard good things about it. Which episode is Carole Hooven on? I'd like to hear her.

Yes, regardless of what their arguments are, if any, I found these activists generally very entitled and privileged.