Just Not The One In America
by Bob Walsh
The
more traditional dons at Cambridge University across the pond have
prevailed in a fight over updated free speech rules that many said would
in fact hvae substantially curtailed freedom of speech.
A
group of academics managed to force a vote on three amendments to these
rules. Among other things the original proposal wanted the phrase
"respectful of" used in many places of the rules. That amendments
replaced that with "tolerate." The original proposals were viewed as
authoritarian by many.
The three moderating amendments passed by from 4 to 1 to 7 to 1.
The
university's vice-chancellor, Stephen Trope, after the vote said, "The
university will always be a place where anyone can express new ideas and
controversial or unpopular opinions, and where those views can be
robustly challenged. This statements also makes it clear that it is
unacceptable to censor, or disinvite, speakers whose views are lawful
but may be seen as controversial. Rigorous debate is fundamental to the
pursuit of academic excellence..."
Now we need a little of that over on this side of the pond.
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