BNP at University of Bath

dmg24

After Ringo's contribution, I can see this post getting deleted.

tr3mor

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Oppose facism/racism/bigotry in all its forms wherever it rears it's head. Use whatever peaceful means to disrupt it and stop it's spread. The BNP cannot be allowed to use academia as a means of raising support

It would be understandable if universities believed this.

What really annoys me is that they let other extremist groups recruit freely around campuses. E.g Respect, Socialist Worker, certain religious societies, etc.

It's simply hypocritical.

ManAtHome

ringo_24601 wrote: »

The BNP cannot be allowed to use academia as a means of raising support

Are you implying that "academia" just sits there with it's mouth open absorbing everything it's told..?

Or do you prefer underground/secret movements who only preach to the converted?

You cannot speak out unless you are given the chance!

Quasar

I would refer ringo to my post above. I'm gobsmacked. In my country all views are aired and people, students, professors and even the not so educated are left to make up their own mind, and it works fine.

My country is Italy, where every view is aired and even Mussolini's grand-daughter has the right to sit in parliament seeing that enough people voted for her. So are far left MPs. The debates are vigorous and colourful, but we would have it no other way, because we have known suppression of speech and now treasure its freedom.

Perhaps this is what Britain needs: a decade or two of dictatorship and muzzling, then the precious freedoms you have now will be truly appreciated.

You can't just silence one extreme view and let another other run riot, which is exactly what is happening in this allegedly democratic country.

Why so afraid of the BNP? They are fools. Let them speak and show it for themselves.

icefall

Tr3rmor
Someone has a different opinion to you?
Crikey, how do you get out of bed in the morning? You must be a nervous wreck!

Quote:
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.


Pastor Martin Niemöller

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Of course people should be left to make their own views and decisions, it just happens to be that those with the most distateful thoughts can often be the most persuasive as they tap into people's secret fears.



Oppose facism/racism/bigotry in all its forms wherever it rears it's head. Use whatever peaceful means to disrupt it and stop it's spread. The BNP cannot be allowed to use academia as a means of raising support

you put it better than I can Ringo

thank you

icefall

Quasar wrote: »

I would refer ringo to my post above. I'm gobsmacked. In my country all views are aired and people, students, professors and even the not so educated are left to make up their own mind, and it works fine.

My country is Italy, where every view is aired and even Mussolini's grand-daughter has the right to sit in parliament seeing that enough people voted for her. So are far left MPs. The debates are vigorous and colourful, but we would have it no other way, because we have known suppression of speech and now treasure its freedom.

Perhaps this is what Britain needs: a decade or two of dictatorship and muzzling, then the precious freedoms you have now will be truly appreciated.

You can't just silence one extreme view and let another other run riot, which is exactly what is happening in this allegedly democratic country.

Why so afraid of the BNP? They are fools. Let them speak and show it for themselves.

There are 19 posts out of 25 so far that put forward the point of view that the BNP should be allowed to preach their philosophy at a university...

I can see which way the wind is blowing so far on this thread...

Meatballs

Theres a difference between 'speaking out' against something and banning it completly.

One is countering anothers arguments and the other is preventing free speech & thought. Who's the real facists here?

shaz77_2

Good sensible discussion, but who are the real facists, the BNP or the people who prevented them from speaking?

ManAtHome

icefall wrote: »

There are 19 posts out of 25 so far that put forward the point of view that the BNP should be allowed to preach their philosophy at a university...

I can see which way the wind is blowing so far on this thread...

The wind is blowing in the direction that if you drive things underground, they tend to surface when they have a much larger following.

If you think something is bad, do you ignore (or censor) it and hope it goes away - Chamberlain returned with his "piece of paper" when dealing with real fascists - it's probably all on the web somewhere, start with World War 2.

The NUS offer tacit support for thugs who kill people experimenting on animals (and whilst making a buck offer substantial improvements in quality of human life), but censor people who put themselves up fo election. I ask again, who are the fascists?

Contains_Mild_Peril

(from press release)
The University has, however, now learned that a very large number of protesters intend to arrive on campus.

Well what did they expect?