Do you think Universities should suppress free speech by banning BNP leaders from debates?

Question

I don't think University students would make good judges of what is right or wrong .Half of them can barely read or write!

Hi Papuman2,
that's just the trouble !
No-one actually KNOWS what the BNP stands for!
All we have is a lot of screaming of the usual "liberal" and "PC" mantras:
"Fascist" and "Racist" and "Neo-Nazi".

I don't think that the Oxford students, or Rent-a-mob demonstrators were doing much to illuminate our intellectual darkness!

A very good point was made by "switched on"
In this world the worst thing since sliced-bread is Adolf Hitler! This is because Adolf never kissed Joe Stalin's Ar*e
You can kill as many millions as you want: provided you take care to be "Left-wing"
China killed 70,000,000
Russia killed 40,000,000
Japan killed 37,000,000
Pol Pot killed 2,000,000
BUT you are only allowed to "slag off" the Nazis.

The Japs weren't Commies,of course, but they seem to have a special dispensation from Guilt (for some unfathomable reason)

Answer 1

Yes and No.. Isnt a University about .. education not polotics

Answer 2

What these students forget is that this country provided a platform for the 'Mullahs of hate' who preached openly on our streets and would broker no debate and were defended by our political elite until they actually inspired someone to commit suicide killing and injuring 100's. By debating with these awful people then the truth about their views can be exposed. What happens all too often is that the opposing speakers are not prepared with some facts and statistics (good evidence) and rely on opinion. When such debates rely on opinion (The Galloway way) instead of testimony and historically recorded fact then it allows the rubbish these people spout to sound reasonable.
More so in the case of the BNP because this administration has blatantly lied about migration/immigration and the difficulties around illegal immigration. The people most endangered by our governments appalling attitude to the truth are the immigrants themselves. They have handed the BNP an easy goal and when people at home only heard the reporters referring to the two (Irving and Griffin) and not giving as much attention to those speaking against their views then another easy point is handed over as people watch crowds of baying students who on appearance alone are possibly foreign nationals.
Even the title of the debate was incorrect.
It cannot be a debate about free speech when those in favour are promoting irrational views and those against are saying (in effect) they should not be heard or they have a duty to be responsible. They will argue they have a duty to tell the 'truth'.
The debate should have been titled the right to express extreme views.

Answer 3

I don't think that it's the universities that are doing the banning, it's the rabble from the other extremists disrupting the free speech. I'm no lover of the BNP, the extreme right. Some people claim the they are a Fascist organisation and we must remember that Hitler's fascists murdered 8 million people trying to take over the world. However we must remember that the communists and their fellow travellers have murdered 10 times that number in their attempt to take over the world. Whereas Hitler's fascists were suppressed in 1945, the communists are still out there continuing their campaign in Africa and Asia. It was the fellow travellers of the extreme left who tried to disrupt the BNP meeting.

Answer 4

No. It's a good idea to invite people like that to relevant debates, especially where an intelligent audience could be expected not to be swayed by the likes of the BNP or other right wing nutters. However, I wonder why both Irving and Griffin were invited to a debate on free speech. Presumably they'd argue for free speech, as most other people would, so what's the point, except to wind up the left wing nutters? Pure publicity?

Answer 5

FREE SPEECH is a joke! yesterday outside the oxford union debating society free speech wasn't practised. The leaders of the BNP and the other bloke have every right to make their point in exactly the same way has those who oppose their views.

FREE SPEECH is when everyone has the opportunity to speak their minds un opposed or impinged upon by mobs , officials, or governments.

Answer 6

University students have always been revolting. Therefore this action, of not listening to the debate, is normal. Of course the lefties of Labour were probably stirring things up as they are now running scared of all opposition and need to reduce the political arena to a slanging match which is all that they are good at.

Answer 7

It wasn't the university, it was the fascist left wing liberals. Who are every bit as extreme as those they say they are protesting against. Why do the liberals think they have the right to decide who does and who does not get the right to free speech?

Answer 8

We already know what the BNP stand for so they've already had 'free speech', maybe this is just a publicity stunt. Anyway, if they got in power they'd suppress free speech. They may have councillors in certain areas but are these councillors going to represent everyone, i think not.

Answer 9

No. I don't. I think the best way to deal with them is let them come to a debate and treat the BNP to a completely negative experience. Those who do not support them should simply not attend. Politicians of all varieties thrive on publicity. By protesting their presence all we do is give them what they want.

Answer 10

The BNP should not ever be banned in this way - nay, they sholud be encouraged. They are the only party with any common sense. Forget all this "nazi, thug; odious; slime; etc., etc." put out by its detractors. It is all lies.