This is Northumberland Calling 2.6.23
Green shoots of freedom avoid a sandbagging edition
This past week saw some of the biggest challenges to free speech that the UK has seen for a long time, but in the end, freedom of speech did prevail. Kathleen Stock was able to speak at the venue which had invited her and the English universities now have an able free speech tsar in Arif Ahmed, the left leaning Cambridge academic who led the resistance to the attempt by the then vice-chancellor Troope to impose a clause of respect on the fellows. After much work, the wording was altered to ‘tolerate’ https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/uk-free-speech-tsar-arif-ahmed-democracy-britain-2023-ntsx7tkmf or https://archive.is/er8He
This is the op-ed Ahmed wrote for the Times about his intentions: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/arif-ahmed-seeking-the-truth-is-something-worth-fighting-for-9tw639blc or https://archive.is/oI6JH
Kathleen Stock recounted her experiences which included a broom closet and a student behaving a little Blue Peter. Blue Peter is a beloved BBC children’s tv series which had the habit of telling children how to recreate various things with sticky back paper, cardboard and glue. Stock’s good sense and calm deamnor are some of the reasons why various ‘cute authoritarians’ seek to demonize her. Her book, Material Girls, which they proclaim a Dangerous Book has become an Amazon best seller more than a year after publication thanks to the publicity. https://unherd.com/2023/06/the-oxford-kids-are-alright/
But the moves towards censorship did not start with the Stock appearance at the Oxford Union as this piece from Brendon O’Neil for the Speccie makes clear https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-censorship-that-led-to-the-hounding-of-kathleen-stock/ or https://archive.is/uS7IF
Nor will it end with Ahmed’s appointment. In fact his inbox is already filling up. An Oxford college has decided to go further than the EQ Act 2010 with its draconian protection of transgender people. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/01/oxford-students-expelled-misgendering-peers-transgender/ or https://archive.is/iYzzq
Other green shoots include a former civil servant winning a tribunal and a considerable sum of money as her rights were curtailed. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sacked-civil-servant-wins-100-000-after-reporting-whitehall-activism-qzfj338bh or https://archive.is/vht4b
And a group of white male RAF pilots being awarded £5000 because their careers were held back after the RAF instituted unfair discrimination practices, including calling them ‘useless white males’. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/31/stop-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-raf-told/ or https://archive.is/WPuSG
Anti discrimination law must protect everyone as a shield, rather than being utilized as a sword.
Last weekend rugby players tackled Just Stop Oil protestors who appear to have become the new streakers. This weekend is the FA Cup match between Manchester City and Man Utd and there will probably be an attempt by compatriots of the GlueGirl from Oxford to disrupt proceedings. I am not holding my breath for an United win but it would be pleasant as there is a bitter rivalry. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/raphael-varane-we-know-how-to-stop-erling-haalands-supply-line-zxr8qw5fh or https://archive.is/GvdvN
In general the public is showing less and less sympathy in London for the slow march protests and other antics. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/01/just-stop-oil-bus-driver-holborn-protest-london/
In Scotland, the ferry scandal continues unabated. All ferries to South Uist have been cancelled for June – the alternative routes are via Barra or via Syke to North Uist, adding hours if not days onto the journey. In the meantime, the bosses of the disgraced shipping building yard are receiving bonuses despite the ferries (scheduled for 2018) still not being completed. Why So Uist is consistently chosen as the black spot is not known but they don’t have a whiskey distillery. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/response-to-calmac-ferry-fiasco-shows-still-waters-run-deep-6qlxqsh36 or https://archive.is/c4PLZ
Because the FP did something Robert F Kennedy Jr, this is an op-ed from the Times of London about his chances and why Democrats are interested in him (NB I don’t think Biden’s sandbagging yesterday will have helped his attempt to hide his age : https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/it-could-be-a-kennedy-who-topples-biden-d37dbh5qk or https://archive.is/9xsOF
Finally because royal weddings provoke lovely dresses, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Crown Prince of Jordan’s wedding to a Saudi Arabian architect. Jill Biden was also there , under scoring Jordan’s importance to Anglo American sphere. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/events/the-princess-of-wales-jill-biden-and-queen-rania-lead-the-b/ or https://archive.is/WiE7o
Yet once again, TY Ma'am, for the great article. The subtitle started me off laughing, and I kept my grin for the most part.
You are so lucky to have Arif Ahmed over there. We need a free speech czar here. Imagine. In this so-called sophisticated, advanced age. I think our society simply has undiagnosed dementia. But A.A. sure is a bright spot, so there is that.
A.A. >> "Therefore, without freedom to explore controversial or “offensive” ideas, a university is nothing."
I wish I'd said that. Because that just goes to show that we don't have many, if any, real universities on this side-a the pond. They're nothing.
A.A. >> "We settle disputes by discussion, not censorship or violence."
And I was thinking: "Man.. That sure is a *lofty* goal." And then he explained why, "No. That *can't* be a lofty goal. It has to happen."
A.A. >> "Today that idea is fading across our institutions. Universities must defend it. Democracy itself is at stake."
Like I "say" again, Michelle: You're lucky to have universities over there.
And I suppose it's just me, but I was thinking about this misgendering people. ICBW, but when I see a man say that You hafta use female pronouns to describe him, then *he's* the one who misgendered someone in the first place. I mean, the one who uses male pronouns is just describing a biological fact, right? Now, personally, I'm not all that much opposed to people misgendering themselves, or other people, and referring to pronouns that contradict biological facts. Either way, it's not saying anything about what kind-a gender *role* a person wants to assume. I mean, I think it's a foregone conclusion that *every*body has Yin and Yang in themselves.
All that IMO, of course.
You mention a lotta other good articles. I was glad to see people get compensated for being canceled and all that nonsense. That's a great part of Your new Free Speech law that a person can sue an institution if they get canceled. I donno anything about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I'm not sure if I'm surprised he gets such good ratings compared to Biden.
All-in-all, another great roundup, Michelle. Cain't thankee enough.
I’m reading Kathleen Stock’s book now. Also goes to show how both sides love to ban books.
Have you seen the melee around Abigail Shrier’s visit to Israel?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/author-calls-out-booksellers-in-israel-for-refusing-to-sell-her-book-opposing-trans-agenda-its-shameless/ar-AA1bTX2A
Book sellers pulled her book prior to her arrival. I read Shrier’s book, which was temporarily banned from Amazon and Target. It’s consistently called a ‘hate’ book. I guess the people calling these books dangerous failed to read them because they don’t contain an ounce of hate. She’s also referred to as “anti-trans” which is a purposeful wording.
I don’t like Biden but I felt sorry for him yesterday. He should retire now for everyone’s sake. RFK Jr will never get the party nomination. Not only does he go after big pharma but he said he would work to ban pharmaceutical advertising on television. I worked in tv ad sales for years and at this point if pharma pulled their ads the TV stations would practically go under. And it’s a shame because out of all of them, he’s the most interesting. Listen to his interview in the Part of the Problem podcast.
Hope you all have a good weekend!