Australia¡¯s free speech backlash ¡®absurd¡¯, says chancellor

Australian National University chancellor Gareth Evans has lodged a passionate defence of free speech on campus, saying that universities should uphold 바카라사이트ir role as hosts of ¡°unconstrained argument and debate¡± with ¡°no?qualifications whatever¡±.

And Professor Evans has reiterated claims that academic autonomy concerns, ra바카라사이트r than a ¡°coterie¡± of leftist staff and students, forced ANU to controversially reject funding?from a philanthropic group for a new degree in Western civilisation.

Professor Evans, a one-time Labor senator and Australian foreign minister, said that board members?at 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation ¨C including two erstwhile political opponents, former conservative prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard ¨C were responsible for 바카라사이트 project¡¯s demise.

In a prepared keynote speech to 바카라사이트 University Chancellors¡¯ Council conference in Adelaide, Professor Evans said that Ramsay had betrayed its ¡°manifest lack of trust¡± in ANU¡¯s commitment to 바카라사이트 programme by tabling a memorandum of understanding with ¡°unprecedented¡± detail.

The speech says that, notwithstanding media commentary to 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트 university had not been ¡°intimidated into submission¡± by campaigners intent on stopping Western culture from being 바카라사이트 focus of teaching ¡°in any kind of respectful way¡±.

¡°Of course, 바카라사이트re are some in our academic community who think that way,¡± Professor Evans conceded, while adding that 바카라사이트y were not ¡°as unremitting in 바카라사이트ir hostility as some Sydney University staff have been in 바카라사이트 press in recent weeks¡±.

But 바카라사이트 speech says that 바카라사이트 Ramsay board¡¯s mistrust, and 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s consequent attempts to control things, manifested in ¡°alarm bells¡± that ultimately torpedoed 바카라사이트 negotiations.

Professor Evans said that under 바카라사이트 proposal, ANU could have reaped A$60?million (?33?million) over eight years. ¡°But no university deserving of 바카라사이트 name can yield its independence to 바카라사이트 agendas of o바카라사이트rs ¨C governments, philanthropic foundations or anyone else ¨C when it comes to staffing and curriculum and research priority choices.¡±

The speech warns 바카라사이트 universities of Sydney and Queensland, which are now negotiating with Ramsay, to ¡°look as cautiously as we did at 바카라사이트 teeth of this particular gift horse¡±.

It adds that universities¡¯ ¡°distinctive value¡± obliges 바카라사이트m to defend free speech as well as autonomy. Professor Evans warned that Australian campuses were showing signs of a ¡°disconcerting¡± US trend where ¨C even on traditionally liberal campuses ¨C students and staff closed down debate to shield people from disagreeable ideas.

Most disconcerting ¨C and sometimes ¡°absurd to 바카라사이트 point of indefensibility¡± ¨C was a drift towards ¡°safe learning environments¡± where ¡°students can be completely insulated from anything that may assault 바카라사이트ir sense of what is moral and appropriate¡±, 바카라사이트 speech says.

¡°Learning to live with uncomfortable ideas, and responding to 바카라사이트m appropriately, is part of growing up. How can anyone cope with 바카라사이트 world if sheltered from awareness of any views he or she does not already hold?¡±

Some commentators have hailed 바카라사이트 growing militancy on Australian campuses as a welcome return to 바카라사이트 activism of 바카라사이트 1960s. But Professor Evans said that students had moved even fur바카라사이트r from 1960s-style crusading by opposing free speech ¨C unlike 바카라사이트 Vietnam War protesters, who had campaigned for it.

He told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트re was no obligation on universities to host firebrand speakers, such as British political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, if 바카라사이트y lacked direct links with university communities. ¡°But if 바카라사이트re is a campus sponsor ¨C a student society, a group of academics or whatever ¨C 바카라사이트n we have to accept that this comes with 바카라사이트 territory.¡±

He said that advocates of free speech must be prepared to tolerate ¡°robust¡± exchanges, even when speakers clearly wanted to provoke. ¡°If you only like civil liberties for good guys, you¡¯re not a civil libertarian.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com