{UAH} Jesus, Marx & Darwin would be banned from UK universities today
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Jesus, Marx & Darwin would be banned from UK universities today –
Oxford academic
Published time: 31 May, 2016 12:
© Jon Nazca / Reuters
Figures like Jesus, Charles Darwin and Karl Marx would all be banned
from British universities today due to the rise of counter-extremism
legislation and US-style 'safe spaces,' an Oxford professor has
claimed.
Oxford Professor of European Studies Timothy Garton Ash told an
audience at the Hay literary festival on Monday that pressure groups
and the state are carrying out a double-pronged attack on free speech.
As well as Marx, Darwin and Jesus, he warned that philosophers like
Rousseau and Hegel would today be banned from campuses.
Referring to the UK government-led Prevent scheme, intended to keep
extremism out of educational institutions, Garton Ash warned that
"securocrats in the Home Office" are imposing bans which would
"prevent even non-violent extremists speaking on campus."
"Now non-violent extremists? That's Karl Marx, Rousseau, Charles
Darwin, Hegel, and most clearly Jesus Christ, who was definitely a
non-violent extremist," the academic said. The Home Office "wouldn't
want him preaching on campus," he added.
But state intervention is only one side of the coin, Garton Ash said,
arguing that the impact of US-style "safe space" politics, in which
causing offense is held to be a grave sin, were also limiting freedom
of speech.
He said there is a "certain push from below from our own students
demanding so-called safe spaces" which involved "no platforming"
people simply on the basis that particular students disagreed with
them.
"It's one group of students censoring another," he said, warning this
resulted in free speech being "salami sliced" away.
Garton Ash said the UK, "which in a way invented the modern version of
free speech in the 17th century, is in my view much too feeble when it
comes to standing up for free speech."
--
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Oxford academic
Published time: 31 May, 2016 12:
© Jon Nazca / Reuters
Figures like Jesus, Charles Darwin and Karl Marx would all be banned
from British universities today due to the rise of counter-extremism
legislation and US-style 'safe spaces,' an Oxford professor has
claimed.
Oxford Professor of European Studies Timothy Garton Ash told an
audience at the Hay literary festival on Monday that pressure groups
and the state are carrying out a double-pronged attack on free speech.
As well as Marx, Darwin and Jesus, he warned that philosophers like
Rousseau and Hegel would today be banned from campuses.
Referring to the UK government-led Prevent scheme, intended to keep
extremism out of educational institutions, Garton Ash warned that
"securocrats in the Home Office" are imposing bans which would
"prevent even non-violent extremists speaking on campus."
"Now non-violent extremists? That's Karl Marx, Rousseau, Charles
Darwin, Hegel, and most clearly Jesus Christ, who was definitely a
non-violent extremist," the academic said. The Home Office "wouldn't
want him preaching on campus," he added.
But state intervention is only one side of the coin, Garton Ash said,
arguing that the impact of US-style "safe space" politics, in which
causing offense is held to be a grave sin, were also limiting freedom
of speech.
He said there is a "certain push from below from our own students
demanding so-called safe spaces" which involved "no platforming"
people simply on the basis that particular students disagreed with
them.
"It's one group of students censoring another," he said, warning this
resulted in free speech being "salami sliced" away.
Garton Ash said the UK, "which in a way invented the modern version of
free speech in the 17th century, is in my view much too feeble when it
comes to standing up for free speech."
--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
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