Is freedom of speech at British unis under threat?

[EDisFunny]

Was anyone watching Victoria Derbyshire this morning?

I was struck by the irony of the NUS arguing on the one hand for no platforming of opinions they don't agree with, because someone might be offended (Julie Bindel, for instance), and then, on the other hand, stating that the new, controversial, incoming president of the NUS (Malia Bouattia) should be given the chance to explain her views even if they are controversial.

I took away from it that they agree with no platforming opinions with which they disagree. It seemed very childish and they didn't come off very well.

People should not be able to incite acts of violence.

There should presumably still be a right to organise things like sit downs, even though sit downs are illegal.

I don't know enough about what the law is around free speech.

But now, expressing certain ideas has been recast as violence. Which means that Greer or Bindel speaking has been placed in the same category as people who tell others to go and kill.

I don't think that's quite what's happening Buffy. I think it's been cast as hate speech. I really don't think that Greer or Bindel fall into that category but plenty of liberal lefties do.

Needless to say, this is the broader danger of shutting down certain points of view on the simple basis that they are perceived as extreme. Sooner or later, a view that we subscribe to becomes verboten, and that state of affairs is an ill in itself. I abhor the views of racists, holocaust deniers etc. but it's only because people can advance those viewpoints that we can reach a reasoned view on them (I'm not placing Greer or Bindel in that category - a million miles from it - but manfesly some do).

Sorry, the above is a bit muddled, but yep, as a headline point - no-platforming any viewpoint is a crock of shit.

Aren't the organisations/individuals that frequently get no platformed terrorist organisations, or those that support terrorism or other acts of violence?

I read somewhere that the NUS will no longer commemorate Holocaust Day, because it's "Zionist" and some other reason that eludes me right now.Just when you think you've got a handle on people, they come along and do something really awful. Zionism is to Judaism what ISIL is to Islam. Conflating those things and stating that conflation as truth just makes you look like a fucking idiot.

The holocaust was a genocide, which is wrong no matter who the victims are. Refusing to commemorate it because one doesn't like the group of people who were victimized is horrible.

However, I also don't think it is fair to compare Zionism to Islamism. Waging war with neighbouring countries is something many well-respected nations do. As is, sadly, discriminating against ethnic minorities within the country.

The Islamist's terror and abductions and rape and slavery .... is on a whole other level.

Beyond that, Zionism wasn't compared to Islamism. Zionism, an ideology, was compared to ISIL, an illegal state.

ISIL is carrying out genocide, according to the UN. There isn't a genocidal Zionist state.

The conflation of Zionism (an ideology) with Israel (a state recognised by the UN) is part of the controversy. That is implied by comparing Zionism to an illegal state. What are we supposed to assume this Zionist state is? Presumably Israel.

So Zionism gets conflated with Israel which then gets conflated with Jewish people and/or Israeli citizens.

I'm sorry that you don't know the history of zionism. I do. It's not my place to educate you on it.

Oh, and I don't, and never have conflated zionists with Israel. That would be incredibly antisemitic. I am comparing one group of terrorists with another.

I agree - I think it's getting much worse and I don't think the new president (who bizarrely refused to condemn the lovely women-loving ISIL) is going to help at all.

www.independent.co.uk/student/news/muslim-students-from-goldsmiths-university-s-islamic-society-heckle-and-aggressively-interrupt-a6760306.html

www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/feb/02/goldsmiths-comedian-kate-smurthwaite-free-speech-show-feminist-campaigners

It is worrying that these 'educated' young people aren't letting people with different views speak.

ISIL isn't historical. It is contemporary.

Are you saying you are comparing a contemporary illegal state that is enslaving people and carrying out acts of genocide to a historical Zionist state?

Whose job is it to educate people about Zionism?