An art critic did an impression of Hitler. Why? Because the debate was whether there is such a thing as good taste. By doing his impression, he argued, he did something in bad taste. And if there is bad taste then there must, naturally, be good taste too. So a clever approach to the debate.
This apparently upset some people and the response is to blacklist the chap.
OK, so why is this an issue? Well, the Cambridge Union claims it has been defending free speech since 1815. Is black listing speakers who say things you don't like how you defend free speech? Doesn't seem like it to me but then maybe I'm missing something.
The letter from the Union's President:
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9th Nov 2021 5:45 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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That’s you blacklisted for using the term blacklisted!
You are only allowed to have free speech as long as you only say things we agree with.2013 RR Vogue SE SDV8
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10th Nov 2021 7:48 am
RRSTDV8
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My guess is that someone that didn't understand the speaker's point complained afterwards. The student president then issued his edict as a defence against attacks on him in order to avoid being thrown out of his position.
It seems to me that the episode just shows that Cambridge undergraduates / graduates aren't what they were. What they are now is a bunch of thin skinned types that are incapable of thinking deeply about things.Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
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"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
10th Nov 2021 7:53 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
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and lets be honest.... is blacklisted the correct term to use ? does it have links to slavery or racism ?
maybe i should object to the term whiteboard (formally known as the chalk board, which in turn was formally known as the blackboard)
should i whitewash my brickwork on my house, or should i paint it a pale colour?
oh my god im so confused i dont even know if im male or female
apologies if this offends anyone, its early, Ive just taken a dose of medicine and im isolating due to testing positive for covid so going a little stir crazy.... 2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
10th Nov 2021 7:57 am
DG Site Moderator
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Well it confirms your ignorance 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
10th Nov 2021 8:52 am
RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
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RogB wrote:
and lets be honest.... is blacklisted the correct term to use ? does it have links to slavery or racism ?
maybe i should object to the term whiteboard (formally known as the chalk board, which in turn was formally known as the blackboard)
should i whitewash my brickwork on my house, or should i paint it a pale colour?
oh my god im so confused i dont even know if im male or female
apologies if this offends anyone, its early, Ive just taken a dose of medicine and im isolating due to testing positive for covid so going a little stir crazy....
I'm only offended by the atrocious conditions in which you keep your apostrophes. The poor things have died. I shall consider reporting you to the RSPCA. And as for your capital letters - they're extinct! Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
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"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
An art critic did an impression of Hitler. Why? Because the debate was whether there is such a thing as good taste. By doing his impression, he argued, he did something in bad taste. And if there is bad taste then there must, naturally, be good taste too. So a clever approach to the debate.
This apparently upset some people and the response is to blacklist the chap.
OK, so why is this an issue? Well, the Cambridge Union claims it has been defending free speech since 1815. Is black listing speakers who say things you don't like how you defend free speech? Doesn't seem like it to me but then maybe I'm missing something.
I subscribe to the Free Speech Union's newsletter (a very depressing read) and am happy to buy copies of books by academics under fire for their opinions: it means I can make up my own mind; it is indirectly sticking two fingers to the "attackers".
The direction of travel is quite alarming, as is the build-up of speed.
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I'm only offended by the atrocious conditions in which you keep your apostrophes. The poor things have died. I shall consider reporting you to the RSPCA. And as for your capital letters - they're extinct!
Sorry, Wayne, but IMHO your original post should have hyphenated "black-listing".
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10th Nov 2021 10:45 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
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DG wrote:
Well it confirms your ignorance
Not ignorant at all, I really am for equality and freedom of speech across the whole spectrum of every subject but I will not bow down to being bullied by anyone for what I believe in so long as I'm allowed to have a reasoned debate about it.
My statement was just an attempt (maybe not a perfect one) to throw some light hearted humour onto a very evocative subject.
As for my grammar and use of apostrophes ......... sorry I only just scraped through my O Level English Language exam and it was a long time ago and my keyboard should have auto corrected my mistakes 2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
As for my grammar and use of apostrophes ......... sorry I only just scraped through my O Level English Language exam and it was a long time ago and my keyboard should have auto corrected my mistakes Whistle Laughing
Grammar and punctuation were seen as optional when I did my O Levels - they "stifled individual creativity", etc.,
Only this week a young chap told me he "hates f***ing dogs". I replied "Well, don't do it, then" and suggested he uses "f***ing hates" if he wants to express his canine phobia.
Bryan Adams is currently "So Happy It Hurts". How masochistic of him; I hope 'it' gets better. "So Happy, It Hurts" might be what he actually means.
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10th Nov 2021 11:05 am
N5Fav
Member Since: 28 Jan 2021
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Let's face it, free speech has been rejected by many universities.
They claim to encourage free speech, but then deny it to groups they don't agree with.1994 Defender 300tdi 110 commercial
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There should be some things that are not acceptable, so perhaps the speaker found that boundary in the Cambridge Union. Possibly time to invoke Karl Popper and the tolerance paradox in justification of that stance.
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HWN wrote:
RRSTDV8 wrote:
I'm only offended by the atrocious conditions in which you keep your apostrophes. The poor things have died. I shall consider reporting you to the RSPCA. And as for your capital letters - they're extinct!
Sorry, Wayne, but IMHO your original post should have hyphenated "black-listing".
I think you may be incorrect there Hugh. So far as I can see, blacklist is acceptable and, it seems, the norm. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
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10th Nov 2021 8:54 pm
RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
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John Cleese is making a stand by cancelling his appearance at the Cambridge Union. Which is, I think, a reasonable response.
There is a worry, however, that they'll just end up with "compliant" guest speakers if it carries on. Then it will be no better than people following mutters on intsabooker.
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