To think this is chilling?

[Gorgeouslilgirl]

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?!!!

@Roonerspismed

I’m more chilled by the cancel culture to be honest.

Who is really being “cancelled” here, the head of state whose picture is removed from a postgraduate student common room, or the postgraduate student who is being splashed across the newspapers, called from a pig to a dog in comment sections and accused of unacceptable behaviour by a government minister?

What do you actually mean by cancel culture? Is it people publicly expressing political views that differ from yours or offend your sensibilities? If so, that’s just right-wing political correctness. You don’t have a right not to be offended, snowflake.

@fromdownwest

I lived in Thailand for many years, every other wall / billboard had a picture of the Royalty on it.

I did not feel threatended / excluded / scared. I accepted it was the local culture, and carried on with my job.

To be fair, this was in the Naughties where we were a little more, how do you say...thick skinned!

And of course the long history of colonialism and oppression by the Thais on the British (I assume you are british) is easily overcome. Oh wait...

Oh FFS, what a load of drama over a total non-story. The people who use a private room agreed that they didn’t want a particular portrait in it, and removed it. Doesn’t matter who the portrait is of or why they don’t want it, it’s their room and their decision. A government minister criticises the decision. That is his right. We’re all allowed to have and express opinions. The institution the room is in thanks the minister for his opinion and says they aren’t going to interfere. Which is completely the right response for all the reasons above.
What would be “chilling” if it wasn’t a ridiculously overwrought turn of phrase, is the number of people getting so upset about it, and the fact that Robert Jenrick is the voice of reason on this. That’s twice that has happened recently, he must have been body-snatched.

I think the comparisons to North Korea are not helpful however I agree that if students don't want a photo of the Queen in their common room and the majority votes for the removal then what's the issue? I don't have a photo of her up where I live or work. I wouldn't want it either. It's not attention-seeking I just don't like the monarchy.

Why is an MP weighing in on such a matter? Doesn't he have better things to be doing? How does the lack of photo affect anything for the country or anyone really?

Yes and I think publishing private details of someone with a different opinion is not on.

@everybodysang I totally agree. I think the cancel culture is chilling too.

If this was a student common room at the University of Bedfordshire, Suffolk or Wolverhampton rather than Magdalen College, Oxford no-one would care. Such annoying, Oxbridge fixated nonsense by our government and press.

Ridiculous for Williamson to comment or for it to be reported.

And this kid is just the president , he didn’t table the motion necessarily.

I felt an undertone of anti semitism (even if based on a presumption due to his name) with all this “his dad is a rich lawyer” business. And what is he supposed to be grateful for?

@VodkaSlimline
Absolutely - how do you think it go down if a British student at an American university demanded the removal of a photo of the president?
The 'kid' is 25, a graduate student/lecturer and if he wants to stir it, he is old enough to take what he gets.
And it is a national issue if this sort of nonsense is invading our universities. Many people feel 'unsafe' about that!

@ddl1

he did something that is newsworthy

He did absolutely nothing newsworthy (and he didn't make the decision on his own anyway)

and the paper has duly reported on it including details , same as they did the lady whos dog off the lead killed the seal in london , same as if hed put someone in hospital by riding his bike at 20 mph along a pavement

Taking down (or putting up) a picture of the Queen doesn't kill or endanger anyone, and doesn't put them in hospital, and isn't against the law. So your examples are irrelevant.

. , dont want to be in the news with your shit plastered everywhere , try harder staying out of it then if possible . its really quite simple

Ok, get your point. You don't believe in freedom of speech. You want cancel culture, so long as it's cancelling views that YOU don't like.

no dont believe in cancel culture , and where did i say i wanted it ? anybodies welcome to their views , but if it lands a person on the front page of the daily mail then well thats the way it goes . jk rowling found that out didnt she ? and i didnt think the persecution she got was fair for expressing how she felt , but shes famous and the papers reported the whole furore , thats how it goes , its the press for gods sake

No one has cancelled the Queen ffs. They just want it to be a neutral space. If there are kids from NI there (depending on community), or from places that are ex colonies, they might well find the queen’s photo unwelcoming.

@OchonAgusOchonOh - How dare you assume my identity, it is this level of xenophobic hate speech that causes me to take to twitter hourly to show my total anger to all my followers...

Awful. The government shouldn't be commenting on this at all. If they were asked by the Daily Mail then the quote should have been along the lines of it being a free country and people can display what they want in their own private space.

There's nothing "woke" about being a republican. It's not a modern concept. I wish people would stop calling things "woke" or "cancel culture" when it clearly isn't. And relax most people seemingly love the monarchy here so they're not going anywhere anytime soon.

What is chilling is that the student isn't even British but American. I thought Oxbridge was supposed to educate tomorrow's leaders? Shame on the students for being so easily led by someone who has no understanding of British culture!

And presumably using their white male privilege to do so!

@soreenqueen21

Unless they were taken out and shot for removing the picture, your comparison to N Korea is extremely OTT.

This

Shame on the students for being so easily led by someone who has no understanding of British culture!

Almost certainly, over half of them weren't British either.

But don't worry. When, having already made postgraduate studies unaffordable for most Brits, we also make the country so unattractive that no one wants to come here, we will have solved the problem of 'woke' graduate students. Of course, we also won't have undergraduates either, as the universities will go broke without the internationals and their fees. Whoopee!

You are being unreasonable.

You are a subject not a citizen, living in a monarchy with theological overtones, which is administered by a parliament. One of the monarch's ministers has now expressed his opinion on the representation of the monarch. He takes his authority from Lizzie, and Lizzie takes it from God (the protestant kind).

Moaning about a picture that only a few people will see is rather trivial in the grand scheme of abuses that monarchical regimes such as the United Kingdom (sic) impose on their subjects.

There are numerous examples where monarchic subjects have decided that they would rather be governed in an alternative manner and have overthrown the parasites. But people in rUK seem quite happy for Lizzie and her brood to abuse children, fleece the populace, steal land and kill commoners that stupidly married into their cult.

Until Lizzie's subjects decide that actually maybe a protestant God isnt really the best means of determining who should rule the country, you are on a hiding to nothing.

The tabloids have always got into a froth about Oxbridge. But Williamson should STFU - it's fuck all to do with him if a bunch of graduate students want to take down a picture they voted to put up in their social space a couple of years ago. But hard right Tories have been getting hysterical over universities for decades. I remember Ann Widdecombe honking nonsense all over the media because the chaplain at an Oxbridge college had put 'god' in their email address.

But yes, agree with you OP, this is more culture-war stoking from the authoritarian dimwits in government. Their venality, dishonesty and incompetence have killed tens of thousands of people, tanked whole sectors of the economy, made us an international laughing stock, and trashed education for a generation. So of course they're going to bollock on about pictures of the queen and taking the knee and the 'war on woke', because what else have they got to feed voters? Pictures of Boris Johnson and wife number whatever? No-one gives a fuck. But everyone loves a two minute hate.

[quote fromdownwest]@OchonAgusOchonOh - How dare you assume my identity, it is this level of xenophobic hate speech that causes me to take to twitter hourly to show my total anger to all my followers...[/quote]
@fromdownwest - Maybe go look up a dictionary definition of xenophobia as you are obviously struggling to understand its meaning.

You can replace British with whatever your nationality is in my statement and its meaning will be the same. Thailand does not have a history of colonisation so you or your country are unlikely to have suffered any of the ill effects at their hands that might result in certain connotations associated with a photo of the monarch.

@NewModelArmyMayhem18

What is chilling is that the student isn't even British but American. I thought Oxbridge was supposed to educate tomorrow's leaders? Shame on the students for being so easily led by someone who has no understanding of British culture!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 - how exactly is it chilling that the president of the group, who happens to be American, did his job and introduced a motion that was suggested by persons unknown, in the exact same way as he would do for any other motion?

[quote Celandines]People are free to have or not have a photo of the Queen up as they wish. It's nothing to do with Gavin Bloody Williamson. The Daily Mail are fuckers for outing and shaming people about it if they've done that but it's no surprise
www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-57409743.amp[/quote]
Exactly. The daily Mail are massively irresponsible to post pictures of the family home. What on earth does anyone's parent's income have to do with anything.

@Gorgeouslilgirl

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?!!!

The Queen is not a political figure.

Oxford students have every right to pass an opinion.

The education has every right to pass an opinion.

Hardly North Korea. Hardly chilling.

Just as well we've gone mainly cashless. Think of the stress all those images of HMQ on coins and notes must be causing.

how exactly is it chilling that the president of the group, who happens to be American, did his job and introduced a motion that was suggested by persons unknown, in the exact same way as he would do for any other motion?

Exactly

The ignorance on here is shocking

@soreenqueen21

Unless they were taken out and shot for removing the picture, your comparison to N Korea is extremely OTT.

Indeed. Ludicrous comparison.

Here's what happened to American student Otto Warmbier, who was on holiday there and tried to souvenir a poster from his hotel.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40308028