For Feminists, Even Feminist Speech Must Be Banned
Lucy Sherriff writes at HuffPo UK that a feminist comedian was forced to cancel her show at a London university because -- get this -- feminists didn't approve of her feminism:
Kate Smurthwaite had been intending to talk to Goldsmith University's student comedy society about, ironically, free speech, and a Saudi prisoner of conscience who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.But Smurthwaite was informed her gig had been cancelled over security issues, as students had threatened to picket the event.
Smurthwaite's tweet about this:
@Cruella1
My show at Goldsmiths SU tomorrow has been pulled because security say they cannot guarantee the safety of students. Seriously.
The issue arose when students from Goldsmith's feminist society disagreed with the comedian's support for the Nordic model on prostitution. The society held a vote on whether it should support Smurthwaite's appearance, with 70% agreeing to.
This sort of speech-squashing is the hallmark of a sick and weakly group that is also power-hungry but not willing to get power in legitimate ways (by earning it).
The notion that the only speech that should be heard is speech those with power agree with is also the hallmark of a totalitarian society.
via @GadSaad
Good lord. She didn't draw a cartoon of a revered feminist, I hope!
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at February 2, 2015 10:02 PM
Reason said it was rilly because she'd sold seven tickets.
Nonetheless, she's now equipped to make a career out of being The one they tried to silence(, Man)!
!!
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at February 2, 2015 10:54 PM
No, 8 tickets.
But that wasn't the reason they pulled the plug. It was 8 tickets + more than that protesting and picketing, and they saw it all as a bother. And then pulled the plug.
I suspect had there been no planned protest, it would have gone on. Just with poor ticket sales. Maybe next time they'll just go straight to DVD?
I R A Darth Aggie at February 3, 2015 5:53 AM
Actually, I don't blame the feminists for this one. First, they were just going to picket. They didn't ask for her gig to be pulled. That's "more speech", not silencing. Second, the protest was from a small fraction of the feminists who opposed the repulsive and evil nordic model that Smurthwaite supports. Third, the university is all over the place here, now claiming it was because of anti-Islamic things she said or low ticket sales or something.
Mike at February 3, 2015 6:21 AM
The problem isn't the outcome but the fact that it has now become acceptable in many circles to try to stop someone from speaking because you disagree with them.
I'm all for vocal disagreement.
It's the effort to stop a person from speaking that's the problem.
The answer -- if you are for free speech -- is to set up your own speaker afterward to critique the speaker you don't agree with.
Amy Alkon at February 3, 2015 6:53 AM
But... but... she might say something that's triggering!
Once hecklers have the speech veto, they will use it on anything and everything. Just because they can. There is no higher principle -- it's about exercising raw power. Nothing more.
Cousin Dave at February 3, 2015 7:20 AM
Just goes to show, once you get rid of all the infidels, the truly devout must needs find someone less devout, even if they must look into their own ranks. Fundamentalism contains the seeds of its own destruction.
bkmale at February 3, 2015 9:13 AM
The revolution always eats itself.
Conan the Grammarian at February 3, 2015 10:05 AM
Eight tickets to a feminist stand up, protesters outside, she feared it would turn into a vagina monologue.
jerry at February 3, 2015 10:18 AM
Amy Alkon: "The answer -- if you are for free speech -- is to set up your own speaker afterward to critique the speaker you don't agree with."
And that's most effective if the content of your critique contains some evidence that you actually heard what the speaker you're critiquing said.
Ken R at February 3, 2015 10:25 AM
Cousin Dave: "There is no higher principle -- it's about exercising raw power. Nothing more."
I agree with that. For some people power is a means to an end. But for some the exercise of power is an end in itself. They get some kind of emotional satisfaction from it.
Ken R at February 3, 2015 10:28 AM
Reading between the lines, the Reason article seems inaccurate at best if not outright dishonest.
> the Goldsmiths Comedy Society, which was sponsoring Smurthwaite's show, put out the following statement "...we were planning to go ahead with the gig until Kate told me 24 hours before that there was likely to be a picket with lots of students and non students outside the venue."
That seems to confirm that the comedy was pulled due primarily to the protest.
more (indirect) confirmation
> from A spokeperson for the Goldsmiths student union told HuffPost UK: "The Goldsmiths comedy society is a small volunteer led group. They made this decision independently from the Union and we support their right to decide who plays their gigs."
The language "their right to decide who plays their gigs" suggests it was a decision over speech and politics that was made, not a decision over security.
jerry at February 3, 2015 10:31 AM
More here from someone who seems to think it wasn't a big deal, but goes on to say
> In the organiser's cancellation notice, she notes that given Smurthwaite's views, and the potential picket line, "there is a likeliness that the Safe Space policy we abide by could be breached". Here, she's referring to a Student Union policy stating that societies' events must be a "safe space" for all students. This means that all students must be able to attend, but it also, the policy continues, means societies must create "an accepting and safe environment in which people can experiment with what they do and who they are
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/why-did-goldsmiths-comedy-society-cancel-kate-smurthwaites-gig-a
jerry at February 3, 2015 10:52 AM
Hey, how can we get a Safe Space policy for everybody else, in our everyday activities?
Like, us non-[insert your favorite 'privileged' class] folks?
drcos at February 3, 2015 11:26 AM
Funny, the article before this one on my Facebook wall is a quote by H.L.Mencken
"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule"
Seems apropos does it not?
warhawke223 at February 3, 2015 11:44 AM
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