Posted by patrickbenson in Opinion.
Tags: BNP, comment, debate, free speech, Holocaust, media, Opinion, Oxford
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/7113984.stm
Here we see the problems arising when the boundaries of free speech are necessarily blurrily-defined. As with everything, the harder you test the basic freedoms of speech, the more people you piss off. Interesting to note the protestors’ argument though; that the debate is wrong as it gives both the leader of the BNP and a convicted holocaust denier a pretence of legitimacy and credibility by association with Oxford University. I happen to agree that these individuals are completely wrong in their views, but perhaps a mass protest, including invasions in the debating chamber, is exactly the wrong course of action to take in this case. For Nick Griffin and David Irving, no strangers to anti-fascist protests, this is at worst annoying background noise, and they will certainly not be dissuaded from appearing at these functions. Indeed, perhaps more damage is done, as the media flock to the scene like flies to a feast and broadcast the event nationally. Indeed, the BBC report on the 10 o’ clock bulletin showed the two debators calm, even smiling as they walked through the protest. They even, dare I say it, seemed more respectable than the jostling, loud unruly crowd. Perhaps this has given them more legitimacy than a debate in the abstracted environment of the Oxford Union…?
Patrick.
Oxford Union Protests November 26, 2007
Posted by patrickbenson in Opinion.Tags: BNP, comment, debate, free speech, Holocaust, media, Opinion, Oxford
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/7113984.stm
Here we see the problems arising when the boundaries of free speech are necessarily blurrily-defined. As with everything, the harder you test the basic freedoms of speech, the more people you piss off. Interesting to note the protestors’ argument though; that the debate is wrong as it gives both the leader of the BNP and a convicted holocaust denier a pretence of legitimacy and credibility by association with Oxford University. I happen to agree that these individuals are completely wrong in their views, but perhaps a mass protest, including invasions in the debating chamber, is exactly the wrong course of action to take in this case. For Nick Griffin and David Irving, no strangers to anti-fascist protests, this is at worst annoying background noise, and they will certainly not be dissuaded from appearing at these functions. Indeed, perhaps more damage is done, as the media flock to the scene like flies to a feast and broadcast the event nationally. Indeed, the BBC report on the 10 o’ clock bulletin showed the two debators calm, even smiling as they walked through the protest. They even, dare I say it, seemed more respectable than the jostling, loud unruly crowd. Perhaps this has given them more legitimacy than a debate in the abstracted environment of the Oxford Union…?
Patrick.