A rift in the Union

The Oxford Union event on free speech, to which Holocaust denier David Irving and BNP leader Nick Griffin have been invited to start channelling Voltaire, has produced much comment on the blogosphere and beyond.

James Forsyth in the Spectator draws the distinction between the freedom of speech which is a basic right and the right to be listened to - which isn't, whilst the Devils Kitchen thinks that fascism lies down the road signposted "Only If I Agree With You."

Harry's Place has a guest post by Peter Tatchell:

Moreover, why should fascists be given free speech when they would, if given half a chance, deny free speech to others? There should be an intolerance of intolerance. By granting liberty to those who would destroy liberty, surely we are accomplices to liberty’s destruction?

Daniel Finkelstein thinks it's "sensationalist publicity-seeking" on the part of the senior officers (whaaa? Self-promotion from student politicians? Loosen our corsets - we would never have believed such a thing!) but the protesters shouldn't seek to stop it.

And for the usual reasons related to insanity, BBC Have Your Say is worth a read, if only for the incoherence. Our favourite:

If free speech really exists, then why is this HYS fully modified? The only reason to stop these two from speaking is the fact that they stir up hatred with their ill considered words with no factual basis. Trouble is not everyone who hear these words is educated enough to know the difference. (AG, London)

And neither is we.

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 26 Nov 2007 2:45 PM. Permalink