University Hate Speech Report: A Whitewash
 | By Jonathan Hoffman
February 19, 2011 | Share |
After it was revealed that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab - who tried to blow up a plane on Christmas Day 2009 - had been President of Islamic Society at UCL, Universities UK - under pressure from the government - set up an Inquiry into Extremism on Campus. It was clear from the start that it was going to be a whitewash:
http://www.thejc.com/blogpost/campus-extremism-university-heads-are-taki...
And so it hs proved. The members of the Inquiry - headed by Professor Malcolm Grant of UCL - very quickly changed its focus from "extremism" to "guaranteeing free speech" - a laughable inversion of what the Inquiry was supposed to be about.
Its Report has just been published:
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Documents/FreedomOfSpeechOn...
There is no list of hate speakers and events which have caused offence. And the recommendations are a fudge. For example there is no mention of compulsory filming by university authorities of hate speech meetings.
http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/29079/hate-war-campus-be-stamped-out
The universities have proved themselves abjectly incapable of setting their own house in order. The time is long overdue for David Willetts - the Universities Minister - to step in.
COMMENTS
Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:40 Rate this: 0 points | Universities are not safe for Jewish Students any more. This is a great example of what our young people have to cope with unsupported by spineless, chinless wonders. |
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 00:05 Rate this: 2 points | I agree with most of what has been said about the university authorities clearly being unwilling to tackle this enormous problem head on, but it is an enormous jump to say, as J Clifford does, that "universities are not safe for Jewish students". While there's no doubt that Jewish students face a far greater challenge on campus than any of their peers, you only have to read the JC On Campus page in the paper every week to see all the positive activities that Jewish students engage in. The vast majority go about their uni lives quite happily, unaware of and untroubled by the wider problems of extremism and antisemitism. But that's not to belittle the serious task that now faces those who are concerned about extremism on campus, given the authorities' complete avoidance of addressing the problem seriously. |
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 08:38 Rate this: 0 points | "The vast majority go about their uni lives quite happily, unaware of and untroubled by the wider problems of extremism and antisemitism." I question that statement. At least a third - maybe a half - of UK Universities have an 'Israel Apartheid Week'. For a student with any affinity for Israel that has to be troubling. |
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 09:17 Rate this: -1 points | "The vast majority go about their uni lives quite happily, unaware of and untroubled by the wider problems of extremism and antisemitism." That is manifestly untrue, as Jonathan has said and as I know from personal knowledge. This is exactly the attitude that prevailed in the 1930s: Oh, it's not a serious threat, let's just bury our heads in the sand a tad longer and everything will be hunky dory. |
jandrsimonson (not verified) Sun, 02/20/2011 - 19:39 Rate this: 0 points |
jose (not verified) Sun, 02/20/2011 - 19:57 Rate this: 0 points | Indeed, no comment: it is published in Haaretz, the most idiotic rag in Israel. |
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 20:02 Rate this: -2 points | Which is why Simonson reads it and swallows its propaganda. |
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 20:02 Rate this: -1 points | simonson, is that the same Haaretz whose editor told Condoleeza Rice that Israel needs a good raping? No doubt those are your charming sentiments as well. As for posting that here - this is a clear example of your own bigotry and racism. Unable to comment on the atrocious position of British Jewish students, or the extremism and radicalism which flourishes unhindered (I saw it first hand when I was a student), you choose to instead add to vilifying Israel instead. Can I ask you how it is relevant to this blog? Absolutely disgraceful - for people like you, Israel can do no right, and no criticism elsewhere can be investigated without dragging your hatred into it. Shame on you. |
MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR
LATEST COMMENTS
Yoni1
Sat, 02/19/2011 - 09:29
Rate this:
As I told Grant's PA yesterday on the phone.
What an utter disgrace. Yet another example of Britain's chinless idiots leading the country to disaster.