Photo: CC "Germaine Greer, 2006" by Colin Hurst
There is something seriously wrong in our Universities these days. Small groups of blinkered and bigoted individuals are destroying free speech whenever they come across those who they simply do not like the views of and try to prevent debate.
These "students" come to University with preconceived ideas and have closed minds. You don't have to agree with everything that someone like Germaine Greer says but to ban her to prevent others from listening to alternative views just smacks of the "new fascism" amongst today's so-called radicals.
Frankly if these people do not wish to listen they do not have to go, can issue a leaflet about a specific issue they wish to raise but they cannot be allowed to continue this ridiculous and frankly dangerous campaign of censorship.
You would have thought they might have learned something from the furore over the "#killallwhitemen" tweet by the so-called "Diversity Officer of Goldsmiths student union.
But no these types do not learn. One wonders why they are at university at all, they are certainly not there to study or develop. Just impose.
Please read & sign this petition. Defend free speech
There is a petition to Cardiff to cancel Germaine Greer's talk. I find it abhorrent that I must make a counter-petition so a second wave feminist isn't silenced by those who could just as easily not go to the lecture yet instead have decided to try and no platform her, to silence her. They've given no evidence in the petition either, just slurs.
This reactionary tactic of calling a woman a 'transphobe' is no different than calling someone a 'commie' in 1960's America during the cold war. It's a slur that contains no analysis, just an emotional response that is primarily used against women who talk about women's biological realities, not gender identities.
Greer centers females/women in her work. I fail to see how anyone who centers women is encouraging violence against anyone.
Her position on gender doesn't make anyone unsafe. The very marginalized group that Greer talks to and about is women. We are a protected class. Silencing her is silencing us.
Enough is enough. Stop no platforming women who only want to talk about women's rights and women's lives.
Sign the petition HERE
Hi Howard, thanks for writing this.
ReplyDeleteI found your page while searching for a counter-petition to the latest anti-Greer petition (they come with dreary regularity). The latest one is by people claiming trying to stop her speaking at a Women's Day celebration in Brighton on 4 March 2017. They claim that "Greer incites hate speech and violence against trans people":
http://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2017/02/08/activists-call-for-germaine-greer-appearance-at-international-womens-day-event-to-be-shelved/
You can send support for Germaine (and women's rights) by emailing one of the event organisers, andrew.comben@brightonfestival.org
This is such an old post I have taken the liberty of publishing the link and protest details on my Facebook page. Thanks for the info.
DeleteI don't agree with everything she says but there is no way Germaine Greer should be stopped from speaking. Ever.
Thanks for that, Howard. Her opponents have now published the email address of the organiser who booked Germaine Greer for the Women's Day event, so I've emailed my support to her too:
Deletetanya.peters@brightondome.org