Hypocrisy at The Guardian (again)

[xxyzz]

Really angry at this article by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett entitled Freedom of speech? Not these days, if you're an artist in Britain, which argues, quite incredibly, that censorship is only used by the right.

The article manages to not mention anywhere the most high-profile case of artistic censorship, namely Jess De Wahl, in the UK recently (though the comments, unusually for the Guardian, do mention it prominently - maybe censoring comments in an article on censorship was a stage too far, even for the Guardian).

So angry that the Guardian is pretending that only the (far) right censors, ignoring all the evidence that the far left is currently guilty of the most high profile case by far.

Particularly furious as I cannot comment, as a Jew, on Guardian articles. Because the Guardian chose not only to repeatedly censor comments I made pointing out antisemitism in their articles but BANNED me for daring to post that Jeremy Corbyn was an antisemite. And yes, this was after numerous people in the public eye, including Margaret Hodge, a Jewish Labour MP, had publicly said the same thing - and had it reported in the Guardian.

So the Guardian censored a Jew for pointing out antisemitism.

But they have the bloody gall to publish articles claiming - with a quite impressive stupidity, given the history of the Soviet Union - that censorship is only practiced on the (far) right!

If that is the case, presumably the Guardian too is actually right wing? And - as the article claims - heading towards fascism?

Apologies if this annoying article is already discussed elsewhere on here but just needed to get this off my chest.

Speaking as someone who had to smuggle copies of 1984 and of Animal Farm into East Germany in the 1980s because they were banned books, I don't need some stupid young right-on journalist to tell me it is only the (far) right who censor. THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IS AN EXERCISE IN CENSORSHIP. The Guardian actively censors views it disagrees with.

Seething.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/20/freedom-of-speech-artist-britain?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

You are right to be angry.

Your OP is spot on.

She even undermines herself at one point at how the Left were mocked by the Young Ones by calling everything fascist but doesn't follow the thought through.

Your anger comes across well Op. 2021 China will do just as well as an example. The left (because I'm one of them) likes to debate and thinks that means they are open but it only means they are open to their own views. I wonder if they've ever considered what would happen if they won? Nothing to debate, oh dear.

The Guardian is now the US opinion comic in the UK

Good to see that the most popular comments point out the hypocrisy and many mention Jess de Wahls. These days I rarely read Guardian opinion pieces that don’t have comments allowed. I wonder if writers at the Guardian ever notice what their readers think?

The Guardian is now the US opinion comic in the UK

if any other media organization were so influenced by US thought, it would be waffling on about cultural imperialism

Hummmmm. Not sure. The Guardian's pick comment is pretty good. One assumes the Graun picked it for a reason. I have always found RLC pretty vacant...

One of the comments says

"They'll (meaning the Tories) be burning books next."

Excuse me while I bang my head off the desk.

There are so many interchangeable opinions-by-numbers journalists contributing to the Guardian. If they ever lost Marina Hyde, its circulation would drop to double figures.

OP you have every right to be angry. It’s incredible.

I presume they all live in little bubble, where only those who agree with them are allowed.

It’s a very dangerous place to be.

I stopped reading the Grauniad for the very reasons you have given. I don't miss it one bit. Likewise, I can't abide the hypocrisy shown by them.

They’ve always been hypocritical about censorship: simultaneously writing articles about how terrible it is while deleting comments that don’t fit their narrative. The whole editorial approach disgusts me.

The Guardian is lost. Will never give them a penny till they recover from their misogynist fever dreams.

I'm in general agreement about the Guardian. But is it really a good idea to use the words Margaret Hodge when one is decrying hypocrisy?

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

Good to see that the most popular comments point out the hypocrisy and many mention Jess de Wahls. These days I rarely read Guardian opinion pieces that don’t have comments allowed. I wonder if writers at the Guardian ever notice what their readers think?

Yes, I hadn't noticed I was doing it, but same here. It's very telling what the Guardian does and does not open comments to. They know very well what they're going to get and, it can only be assumed, don't have the intellectual capacity to deal with it.

Have avoided that particular columnist's drivel for years, though.