Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is chilling?

349 replies

Gorgeouslilgirl · 09/06/2021 10:28

Students in an Oxford college did what students do - questioned the status quo and decided to replace a picture that is political, ie a head of state. A measured and inclusive message accompanied this.

And the education secretary has waded in to criticise a student body for actions within their own space? And DM is publishing the student’s photo and family home and much his dad earns! Wtf?!

It reminds me of the Middle East or North Korea or perhaps Thailand where people have a photo of their beloved unelected leader as a sign of patriotism or else they are viewed unfavourably.

I mean, really?!!!

OP posts:
ohforarainyday · 09/06/2021 19:02

He's hardly a kid and controversial opinions create controversial responses.

People should be allowed to express a private opinion within the confines of a private student group meeting without becoming the target of a smear campaign by the national press.

A reasonable response to a student making a controversial point in a student meeting is other students disagreeing, even strongly disagreeing. Not a fellow student ringing up a right wing tabloid to report you for engaging in WrongThink.

mustlovegin · 09/06/2021 19:06

Not a fellow student ringing up a right wing tabloid to report you for engaging in WrongThink

It has been working the other way round too on many instances lately, hasn't it?

ddl1 · 09/06/2021 19:11

It has been working the other way round too on many instances lately, hasn't it?

Not an excuse. It shouldn't happen either way.

Livingtothefull · 09/06/2021 19:13

@Notonthestairs

It really is trivial.
Evidently the PM and the Education Secretary disagree with you.
thegcatsmother · 09/06/2021 19:16

The 'poor kid' is an adult at 25. As a guest in the UK, he should mind his manners.

Notonthestairs · 09/06/2021 19:16

The Government are happy with the distraction from Gove being found to have acted unlawfully! It's a handy story to hide behind.

Warsawa31 · 09/06/2021 19:16

It good to keep the people frothing with anger about petty things - it distracts them from the things that they should be really angry about.

Governments of all colours all over the world do this - some in a much more brutal way than others.

IMO we shouldn't even know about it, it's so unimportant and of course anyone with a shred of humanity wouldn't bring someone's father into a pointless debate.

I don't have a portrait of the queen in my house but if I did and decided to take it down what does it matter ?

They didn't vandalise it, burn it or make a big show out of the decision. It's such a non story but it's better for the government to talk about than the fact that cancer patients are waiting longer for treatment, the brexit deal they signed up to they are planning to just ignore, they cut aid despite their not being in all likelihood a Parliamentary majority for that, they effectively banned protests and Micheal give is just the latest government minister to have been found acting unlawfully.

With a resume like that no wonder they want to keep the morons frothing and voting - facts don't care about feelings but feelings win votes

TheKeatingFive · 09/06/2021 19:20

And no one here is 'clueless', quite the opposite

😂 😂 😂

The idiocy is becoming comical

jgw1 · 09/06/2021 19:21

@BluePeterVag

Gavin Williamson is an arse. Does anybody really think he is doing a good job?
Does anyone think Gavin Williamson is doing a job? Surely the word good is unnecessary?
Bollockstothat · 09/06/2021 19:22

As I said upthread, tabloid pearl clutching about Oxbridge students and academics disrespecting things or being lefty is as old as tabloids themselves, and hard right Tories jumping on the bandwagon is also nothing new (Anne Widdecombe accusing a chaplain of blasphemy over 20 years ago, for example). But the context is different now - we have a populist authoritarian government trying to distract from its failures and its contempt for democracy by stoking a culture war. They can fuck right off.

ohforarainyday · 09/06/2021 19:23

Exactly my point. When "lefties" report or out people for WrongThink, everyone on MN howls in outrage about them and insists that free speech is sacred. When it's right-wingers reporting anti-monarchists for WrongThink, suddenly MN is fully onboard the Shame and Censor WrongThink train.

Too many posters claim to be against cancel culture and against witch hunts but are the first ones to enthusiastically sign up to a witch hunt to "cancel" someone purely for being critical of royals.

ohforarainyday · 09/06/2021 19:25

Evidently the PM and the Education Secretary disagree with you.

Both of whom would put on giant chicken suits and dance the Macarena if it distracted the press from Tory cabinet members being found to have acted illegally.

Mumoftwoinprimary · 09/06/2021 19:26

@ohforarainyday

He's hardly a kid and controversial opinions create controversial responses.

People should be allowed to express a private opinion within the confines of a private student group meeting without becoming the target of a smear campaign by the national press.

A reasonable response to a student making a controversial point in a student meeting is other students disagreeing, even strongly disagreeing. Not a fellow student ringing up a right wing tabloid to report you for engaging in WrongThink.

Well - in the situation of Oxbridge College politics technically a reasonable response to a student having a controversial opinion is to roll your eyes at the drama of it all and get on with your essay / problem sheet. Or maybe to have a sit in in the bar. I went to a very political college. We had a lot of sit ins in the bar. Can’t remember why now but I remember they were rather good fun.
frankenpoodle · 09/06/2021 19:27

Meh, I can't really care about this. He knew what he was doing, and I'm sure he'll come out of this fine.

Mumoftwoinprimary · 09/06/2021 19:29

@ohforarainyday

Evidently the PM and the Education Secretary disagree with you.

Both of whom would put on giant chicken suits and dance the Macarena if it distracted the press from Tory cabinet members being found to have acted illegally.

It’s strange that they had no opinion about a blue boat rower raping one of the female rowers and how dreadfully the university reacted to the accusation. But a poster of the queen in the bar - that they care about.
OchonAgusOchonOh · 09/06/2021 19:30

@thegcatsmother

The 'poor kid' is an adult at 25. As a guest in the UK, he should mind his manners.
The man was doing his job as president of the group. He was asked to table a motion and he did. It would have been extraordinarily rude and arrogant of him to refuse to do so.

Also, he is not a guest in the UK. He is a paying customer. He, and the many other international students, are keeping the UK university sector afloat.

Bollockstothat · 09/06/2021 19:31

Did the bar have the Soviet flag on the wall, Mumoftwoinprimary? I dread to think what some of the people requiring the fainting couch over a pic of Brenda being taken down would make of the hammer and sickle being up for years.

whoopsnomore · 09/06/2021 19:33

@Gorgeouslilgirl

Ah, I see. Stalled brexit talks. Got to give something to the plebs to froth about, so they don’t turn on him
Maybe to deflect from this kind of thing too twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1402648925279076352 Blah fwah fa fwah flag ummm errr Queen, err, fwah fwah British fwah I think the epole reaallly want to know piffle fwah
OchonAgusOchonOh · 09/06/2021 19:34

@Mumoftwoinprimary - Or maybe to have a sit in in the bar. I went to a very political college. We had a lot of sit ins in the bar. Can’t remember why now but I remember they were rather good fun.

Might it have been something to do with the availability of alcohol? Sit ins in the library weren't quite the same.

Students just don't know how to do a decent protest any more.

jgw1 · 09/06/2021 19:38

@Blinkingbotheration

Students have way too much free time....
Whereas the education secretary is really busy, which is why he has spent time twitting about what some students have on the wall of their communal space.
Mumoftwoinprimary · 09/06/2021 19:38

@Bollockstothat

Did the bar have the Soviet flag on the wall, Mumoftwoinprimary? I dread to think what some of the people requiring the fainting couch over a pic of Brenda being taken down would make of the hammer and sickle being up for years.
Good guess! It did indeed!
Bollockstothat · 09/06/2021 19:41

Thought so Grin. If anyone says they went to a very political college, I always assume that's where they're talking about.

dorangme · 09/06/2021 19:41

Evidently the PM and the Education Secretary disagree with you.

Are you saying this is a bad thing?

WokeUpMyBaby · 09/06/2021 19:43

Blah fwah fa fwah flag ummm errr Queen, err, fwah fwah British fwah I think the epole reaallly want to know piffle fwah

🤣🤣🤣🤣 This thread just keeps giving. I think I'm easily amused but thanks for this one too!

mustlovegin · 09/06/2021 19:44

He is a paying customer

Do you go into a bar and start to trash it because you have paid for your beer?