10 ms·

When I was a student I was no fan of "no platform" and it was an important factor in the No to NUS campaign I led back then. BUT... Universities and student un

by boyce 9y ago

When I was a student I was no fan of "no platform" and it was an important factor in the No to NUS campaign I led back then. BUT... Universities and student unions foremost reponsibility is to the safety of the students and yes that can mean stopping the odd event. Also unions are generally mandated to uphold an atmosphere of inclusion and tolerance and that certainly means going further than the legal minimum in rejecting hate.

felsish 9y ago
It's not so much "no platforming" as "my platforming" now, purely territorial aggression from self-proclaimed moral guardians that will cut out anyone who disagrees, marginally offends or even ignores them. It's the very definition of a "toxic" person: every community they touch is divided and destroyed from the inside.
- boyce 9y ago
  Student unions aren't dictatorships They're a great environment in which young folks can have these debates with minimal consequences
simplesleeper 9y ago
The foremost responsibility of Universities is actually the education of the students.
- frou_dh 9y ago
  GP's statement and your reply reminds me strongly of this: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-everyones-getting-wrong-about-the-presidents-no-1-job https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-everyones-getting...
scotty79 9y ago
Students unions are form of a societal playpen gor them to train relations in society. If the children toss their toys outside they should be taken away from playpen.
Lazare 9y ago
> Universities and student unions foremost reponsibility is to the safety of the students Offhand, I would say that seems absurdly wrong. > and yes that can mean stopping the odd event. Yes, but even if we accept the assertion that universities exist to shelter students, it obviously doesn't require stopping Germaine Greer speaking. Sure, maybe if there was some event so insanely contentious and violent that the full weight of law enforcement was unable to maintain safety it'd be justifiable to cancel a speech, but...has that ever happened? Really? > Also unions are generally mandated to uphold an atmosphere of inclusion and tolerance I think you've identified the root problem here.

by boyce 9y ago

felsish 9y ago

It's not so much "no platforming" as "my platforming" now, purely territorial aggression from self-proclaimed moral guardians that will cut out anyone who disagrees, marginally offends or even ignores them. It's the very definition of a "toxic" person: every community they touch is divided and destroyed from the inside.

boyce 9y ago
Student unions aren't dictatorships They're a great environment in which young folks can have these debates with minimal consequences

simplesleeper 9y ago

The foremost responsibility of Universities is actually the education of the students.

frou_dh 9y ago
GP's statement and your reply reminds me strongly of this: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-everyones-getting-wrong-about-the-presidents-no-1-job https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-everyones-getting...

scotty79 9y ago

Students unions are form of a societal playpen gor them to train relations in society. If the children toss their toys outside they should be taken away from playpen.

Lazare 9y ago

> Universities and student unions foremost reponsibility is to the safety of the students Offhand, I would say that seems absurdly wrong. > and yes that can mean stopping the odd event. Yes, but even if we accept the assertion that universities exist to shelter students, it obviously doesn't require stopping Germaine Greer speaking. Sure, maybe if there was some event so insanely contentious and violent that the full weight of law enforcement was unable to maintain safety it'd be justifiable to cancel a speech, but...has that ever happened? Really? > Also unions are generally mandated to uphold an atmosphere of inclusion and tolerance I think you've identified the root problem here.