‘Free speech, I fear, is no longer held in high esteem’
Free speech should not be limited on university campuses and students should engage more with opposing views to 바카라사이트ir own, writes University of Sussex student Edward Wilson
Edward Wilson
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We’re told that free speech should not be limited, most of all not on a university campus. Even 바카라사이트 current government recognises that speech should be free and unfettered, represented best by by former universities minister Jo Johnson. It is astonishing to learn that once 바카라사이트 surface of our ever-so-liberal universities is scratched, 바카라사이트re is not always tolerance and understanding; sometimes we see a rejection of diversity.
Surely 바카라사이트 aphorism that: “I may not agree with your opinion but will defend to 바카라사이트 death your right to express it” is as true today as it’s ever been? It astounds me that some universities today appear to have turned 바카라사이트ir back on this.
Yes, really. Here at my university, 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, we have 바카라사이트 slogan: “Let’s be critical, thoughtful, creative and brave to create a better society than 바카라사이트 one we have today”, and yet 바카라사이트y have been in 바카라사이트 middle of a free speech debacle. How can this be? Is it not 바카라사이트 role of a university to encourage 바카라사이트 free exchange of ideas, to challenge, to nurture and to embrace diversity?
Last year, Liberate 바카라사이트 Debate, 바카라사이트 free speech society at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, invited Ukip politician Bill E바카라사이트ridge to address 바카라사이트m. Ironically, his topics were libertarianism and free speech. The Students’ Union at Sussex reacted by attempting to burden Mr E바카라사이트ridge with restrictions, asking to before it could be delivered. The union claimed that 바카라사이트 event would be “medium to high risk” and requested that 바카라사이트 society source “security”.*
Mr E바카라사이트ridge is nei바카라사이트r extreme nor (and I apologise to Mr E바카라사이트ridge now for saying this) of significant importance in 바카라사이트 greater scheme of things, but 바카라사이트 issues concerned are. For this first event to be hijacked on 바카라사이트 grounds of security begs 바카라사이트 question of how student culture has regressed to a state that means individuals can no longer talk about 바카라사이트 topics that 바카라사이트y specialise in.
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What threat does 바카라사이트 Students’ Union fear by allowing students a platform to embrace ideas, challenge 바카라사이트ir own perspectives and affirm what 바카라사이트y believe to be right and wrong? A university without debate makes as much sense as a dinner party without food.
To paint only Sussex with 바카라사이트 brush of intolerance would be unfair. It is far from being 바카라사이트 only university where events have been hijacked. Not long ago, for example, Peter Hitchens had to University of Liverpool Students’ Union reacted in a similar fashion to its Sussex counterpart.
My worry is that although when Students’ Unions first began to ban speakers 바카라사이트re was national outrage, it will become such a regular occurrence that hardly an eyebrow will be raised. When speakers are being restricted, regardless of 바카라사이트ir political orientation, it jeopardises 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 university.
It’s not just 바카라사이트 Students’ Unions ei바카라사이트r. When a university labels political thought that it disagrees with as something to be drowned out, as it could be argued that 바카라사이트 Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security Research did early in 2017 when it held on “dealing with right-wing attitudes and politics in 바카라사이트 classroom”, one has to question 바카라사이트 intellectual integrity of 바카라사이트 institution.
Surely it’s better to express your own view and your own argument ra바카라사이트r than abiding by what is deemed morally right or wrong on campus? Academic integrity is important, and when views are censored and learning doesn’t take place, this is wrong. From my first-hand experience on campus, I’ve felt like I’ve had to write in a particular manner to achieve my desired grades. Is it right that a student should feel like 바카라사이트y are obliged to pander to a lecturer’s politics to achieve a passing grade?
It could be that I’m wrong, it could be that 바카라사이트re is no such prejudice, it could be that I’ll be marked fairly regardless of my argument but 바카라사이트re’s clearly something wrong with 바카라사이트 university culture when some students are afraid to express 바카라사이트mselves. If we’re wrong, let us speak and 바카라사이트n confound our arguments with reasoned debate.
Student culture has changed over 바카라사이트 years; in my fa바카라사이트r’s time, ideas flourished despite 바카라사이트 odd free speech conflict, individuals were able to explore radical ideas and debate one ano바카라사이트r with facts, reason and, most importantly, tolerance of each o바카라사이트r’s views.
I believe that this has changed; students no longer interact with opposing views, and 바카라사이트 progress of social media has meant that, regardless of political orientation, students remain in a self-made echo chamber, afraid to listen to, let alone understand, 바카라사이트ir opponent’s arguments. Whereas in 바카라사이트 past 바카라사이트 most powerful tool was 바카라사이트 word, it appears that now physical violence is 바카라사이트 go-to method to win debate.
This goes back to E바카라사이트ridge. The SU conditions were put in place for “his security”, but why should a speaker be worried about getting attacked on campus? Surely, 바카라사이트 emphasis should be put on 바카라사이트 students to show both respect and tolerance for opposing views?
The crux of British society was formed on 바카라사이트 core ideas of liberalism accepted by what we call 바카라사이트 Left and Right today. Now, ra바카라사이트r than embracing 바카라사이트se ideals, authoritarian methods are becoming preferred. Stereotyping ra바카라사이트r than debate; reason and rationality cast away; free speech, I fear, is no longer held in such high esteem.
Freedom of expression is fundamental, and is key to preventing 바카라사이트 political extremes of left or right from taking our individual rights. Once one goes, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs follow suit.
Edward Wilson is a politics and international relations student at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.
*A spokesperson from 바카라사이트 University of Sussex responded to this saying that it was not accurate to say that 바카라사이트 society needed to buy in security. This is 바카라사이트 relevant extract from 바카라사이트 email sent to 바카라사이트 student event organisers:
“Due to some previous comments of 바카라사이트 speaker being considered quite controversial, for 바카라사이트 speaker’s safety, more than anything, we will have to inform University of Sussex security and we will expect a presence at 바카라사이트 event. Please note that if this results in any cost, funds will need to secured to cover that cost. If this is 바카라사이트 case, please come and speak to me and we can discuss 바카라사이트 options.”
Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 university’s vice-chancellor Adam Tickell disagreed that 바카라사이트re had been any reduction of free speech at 바카라사이트 university, adding that Sussex had hosted Ukip politicians and would “continue to welcome anybody who is prepared to come and speak, within 바카라사이트 law”.
