Free speech and opinion- not tolerated today?

EarthRod

You said you know the content for his talk.

Please enlighten us.

rancidpunk

No, I didn't.

For all I know he may want to talk about his failed business enterprises, I'm sure that would go down a treat. I think it's safe to say he'll say what he always says though, no matter the platform, he always does.

My opinion is that someone like that should not be invited to air their nonsense from an educational platform. If you want to argue over semantics then I'll happily leave you to it

rancidpunk

Well, whichever motive is right, at least the end result is the same. Although it's raised his profile as a result, and give him more exposure than could ever be deserved. He'll see it as a 'win' either way and gives him another chance to throw around fascist and homophobic accusations.

Oswald

"‘We Do Not Need to Be Protected’: Students Hit Back After Government Bans Milo Yiannopoulos

Students at the school where Milo Yiannopoulos was due to give a talk before it was shut down by the British Government have hit back in an open letter.

[...] If we do not, as a society, give the unpopular opinions a chance to be expressed, we are no better than the authoritarians that our liberal democratic society despises.

We are capable of analysing an argument and we do not need to be protected from so-called ‘indoctrination’. The majority of us have been exposed to Milo’s content before, and are well aware of the incendiary nature of his work.

We wished to examine the issues behind the rhetoric and gain a deeper understanding of them. Students had formulated complicated questions to ask (as listed below), many of which directly confronted his views. As you will find, these questions are cogent and incisive.

At a time when undergraduates from the UK and the US have consistently protested and banned Milo, the Sixth Form students of our institution sought to host an event where his arguments could be laid out in the open, to stand or fall on their own merits, and to be challenged with reason and civil debate rather than hysterics and censorship. [...]"​
‘We Do Not Need to Be Protected’: Students Hit Back After Government Bans Milo Yiannopoulos

krish

the govt didn't ban him ... first factual error of that Heat Street link (Murdoch's Breitbart rip-off, presently obsessed with snowflake stories, many of which have been debunked)

Cliff

I get it that you don't agree with his views and should be shut down and that is right. (I feel the same way abut Eddie Izzard) .But that is not the way a free society works.
As per  @Oswald post, many of the students had opposing views and wanted to grill him.

By the way, I had never heard of the guy, but I very much object to the government* telling us who we can listen to or not.

Edit. @krish it was the DoE and counter extremism who lent on the school and advised that the meeting should be cancelled due to 'security concerns'

krish

No comparison to Izzard. He's a notorious troll who cries wolf too many times about his content being a wind up. He should grow up or fudge off.

The school stated:Doesn't suggest leaning or banning, just contact, as a result of third parties contacting the DfE re objections and protests. The only ones who are suggesting it are Milo himself on Facebook ("My old high school has been bullied into canceling my talk"), these pupils, and a particular parent who also happens to be an editor at Spiked (Why did the government prevent Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking at my sons' school? | Coffee House).

Cliff

We are all entitled to our opinion. And can I put Saint Bob on that list as well?

Enki

Maybe I or others are getting confused with 'Milo Wagner', anyway banned, advised, strongly suggested, not bothered. However,  I do like 'snowflake',its endearing, individual, source of fun, but in the end they can turn into avalanches.

rancidpunk

You don't get it then, as It's not like that. Let him sound off if he wants, as long as he stays within legal boundaries, just stick to the appropriate places to do so.

However, let's have speakers within our educational system who can inspire, listen and educate. This is just giving voice to a political big brother contestant who is lusting after his 15 minutes. He has nothing of worth, or importance, to say that could ever need to be challenged. At least no more than us 'blokes from the pub'.