This Is Not The Behavior Of People In A Free Society (Attempt To Ban Germaine Greer From Speaking At Cambridge)
It's like people are pining for an Orwellian unfree society with all their outcry every time somebody whom they disagree with is going to give a talk. Pathetic and dangerous.
Charlotte Ivers writes at Cambridge.tab.co.uk that the members of the "CUSU Women's Campaign" at Cambridge are rising up to condemn the Cambridge Union for hosting Germaine Greer as a speaker:
Greer, a prominent feminist theorist, has previously been accused of transphobia. Most notably, she publically opposed appointing a trans woman to an academic position at Newnham.
From a statement that CUSU Women's Officer Amelia Horgan posted on Facebook:
Greer does not represent feminism, and she does not represent us.
Why should a speaker "represent" you or your views in order to be allowed to speak?
A totally childish view -- the view of entitled brats who see no danger in yanking the Enlightenment value of free speech. (Children, the world does not owe you emotional comfort at every turn.)
The answer to speech you don't like is more speech, not squashing speech.
Oh, and happily, the president of the Union, Amy Gregg, and her colleagues seem to agree:
"The Union maintains its commitment to free speech and, as ever, rejects no platform policies. We neither condemn nor condone the viewpoints of any of our speakers, but provide a neutral forum where they may be questioned and challenged by our members. We respect the decision of CUSU LGBT+ to issue their statement condemning someone they believe to represent views contrary to their core aims, but our speaker program will remain unchanged."
via @adamkissel
Ah, the feminist woman who while writing one of the most prominent books on feminism, married a drunkard carpenter, who never let her sleep on the bed.
Ppen at January 24, 2015 6:27 AM
Good for "CUSU LGBT+" for speaking out for what they believe. Although I agree that it is childish for them to ask to ban the speaker. They should have planned a sit-in or some other peaceful protest, and advertised it. But maybe they just needed that difference explained to them. That's part of the job of an institution of higher education.
But even better for the establishment to slap their wrists, explain why, and go on as planned.
If the Brits can do this so easily, why do we find it so hard to understand?
flbeachmom at January 24, 2015 7:08 AM
Attempt To Ban Germaine Greer From Speaking.............At Cambridge.
So they are not actually trying to stop her free speech, just prevent her coming to trash talk (the definition of "debate" these days) some people where they have to live and work, and where she apparently tries to interfere in recruiting policy.
I suppose forcing westboro baptist 200 metres away from the funeral procession rather than on top of the casket is Orwellian too.
AFK at January 24, 2015 7:23 AM
AFK brings the distasteful no-platform argument back in. How dare someone be allowed to speak in our enlightened space where we totally know all the evil things she would say to hurt us if only given the chance!
A at January 24, 2015 7:40 AM
How is Greer protesting a transgender woman getting a job at an all women's college any different than 'real' feminists claiming men shouldn't work in female only institutions
lujlp at January 24, 2015 10:28 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/24/this_is_not_the_1.html#comment-5799592">comment from lujlpHow is Greer protesting a transgender woman getting a job at an all women's college any different than 'real' feminists claiming men shouldn't work in female only institutions
It's not, luj, but what you mention is "approved" thinking, and Greer's is not.
Amy Alkon at January 24, 2015 12:16 PM
lujlp is spot on. This is about someone having an eeeeeeeviiiiiiiilll! Y chromosome in their DNA getting into a woman only space.
And selective denial of reality. The feminists rail against the physical standards for, say, combat infantry and artillery positions because they want to see women gain some of those slots. But allowing a "trans woman" to get a slot in a feminists woman's domain? a case of the vapors for some of them.
Me? I don't much care. I'd suggest locking them all in a room and sliding a knife under the door and see who's the last woman standing.
I R A Darth Aggie at January 24, 2015 12:24 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/24/this_is_not_the_1.html#comment-5799695">comment from I R A Darth AggieThe logic is just crazy-absent here. I just don't understand how people can go around "reasoning" like these people do (with huge craters in their arguments and thinking) and feel okay about it.
(I actively look for holes in my arguments and thinking -- not to try to make them law or "law" but so I can fill them before they leave my piehole in the form of words.)
Amy Alkon at January 24, 2015 12:57 PM
just an indication that they don't have the chops to actually have a discussion with this person...
and I'm not talking a sitin or a heckler's veto...
I'm talkin both parties bring their facts and reasoning and discuss in front of a forum.
But no, let's ban the new heretic... buncha 5 year olds.
SwissArmyD at January 24, 2015 2:12 PM
"provide a neutral forum where they may be questioned and challenged by our members."
Question and challenge - that should be the way, other than ignore, to deal with speech that you are "offended" by.
charles at January 24, 2015 2:22 PM
I said it about a thousand times 20 years ago when they were just making ideas of political correctness mainstream:
"Teaching an entire generation of people WHAT to think instead of HOW to think is going to seriously blow up in our faces."
I'm just going to sit in the sidelines and laugh as this generation of western liberals overturns all of the achievements of the enlightenment.
Gary at January 25, 2015 3:15 AM
It's official now: The progressive movement is eating it's own. Be thankful that they don't have guillotines.
markm at January 30, 2015 12:47 PM
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