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'No-platforming' at Trinity College.

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  • 29-09-2020 5:56pm
    #1
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭


    https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/trinity-college-historical-society-rescind-richard-dawkins-invitation-over-authors-stance-on-islam-and-sexual-assault-39568028.html
    The Hist - or the College Historical Society of Trinity College Dublin - have rescinded their invitation to Richard Dawkins to address the society next year.

    Bríd O’Donnell, auditor of the society confirmed they would not be moving ahead with the controversial author and speaker’s planned address, citing his stance on the religion of Islam and sexual assault as reasoning for their cancellation.

    She added the society “will not be moving ahead with his address as we value our members comfort above all else”.

    The auditor said the decision to invite Dawkins to speak to the society was made by her predecessor and that she was initially proceeding with the invitation only due to the limited knowledge she had of Dawkins.

    If the auditor of the Hist had only limited knowledge of Dawkins then how is she in that position in the first place?

    People who work at university societies are supposed to know a lot about these philosophers, aren't they?


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    #2
    Outlaw Pete
    Registered Users Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭Outlaw Pete


    Liberals love diversity. Just not diversity of thought.

    Dawkins, it would appear, is guilty of wrongthink.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Another frantic backpedal. Students refusing to entertain opinions contrary to their own, talk about being ill-equipped to enter the real world. Their delicate feelings might be hurt, and we can't have that. Society is going soft.


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    #4
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    This is ridiculous. I personally don't like Dawkins. I think some of his ideas are downright dangerous. But not so dangerous that he shouldn't be allowed to promote them and to have them questioned and challenged in a leading university.

    Who do they propose to invite in his place?


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    #5
    osarusan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,577 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    This bit made me laugh: " I followed up the invitation with limited knowledge of Mr. Dawkins. I had read his Wikipedia page and researched him briefly. "


    Firstly, that she would not know much about him. Secondly, that she would head to wikipedia, and thirdly, as his comments about Islam that caused the society to cancel his lecture are right there on his wikipedia page anyway.


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    #6
    nj27
    Registered Users Posts: 467 ✭✭nj27


    I went to tcd and my comments on the institution mirror those of Richard Nixon’s regarding Bohemian grove.


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    #7
    Aongus Von Bismarck
    Registered Users Posts: 1,794 ✭✭✭Aongus Von Bismarck


    As a graduate of TCD, and a former member of the Hist, I must say I'm extremely disappointed with this decision. Robust debate is the lifeblood of the Hist. It's the sort of decision by committee thinking I'd associate with The Phil to be honest.


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    #8
    nolivesmatter
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭nolivesmatter



    She added the society “will not be moving ahead with his address as we value our members comfort above all else”.

    That quote says it all really. Embarrassing to read.


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    #9
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    political analyst wrote: »
    https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/trinity-college-historical-society-rescind-richard-dawkins-invitation-over-authors-stance-on-islam-and-sexual-assault-39568028.html



    If the auditor of the Hist had only limited knowledge of Dawkins then how is she in that position in the first place?

    People who work at university societies are supposed to know a lot about these philosophers, aren't they?

    What are we expecting her to know about him and why would it be significant to her position?


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    #10
    AdrianBalboa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 475 ✭✭AdrianBalboa


    Who said any college society has to fulfil the obligations made by a previous administration? The current heads of the society have determined that Dawkins’ views aren’t suitable for their audience and they cancelled his appearance accordingly.

    I say this as a Trinity graduate.


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    #11
    nolivesmatter
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭nolivesmatter


    AdrianBalboa wrote: »
    Who said any college society has to fulfil the obligations made by a previous administration? The current heads of the society have determined that Dawkins’ views aren’t suitable for their audience and they cancelled his appearance accordingly.

    I say this as a Trinity graduate.

    That honestly sounds like the parental guidance crap you'd read on the back of a PG dvd.

    "Parental Guidance: some material may be inappropriate for children under 13"


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    #12
    Quantum Erasure
    Registered Users Posts: 8,297 ✭✭✭Quantum Erasure


    Thread here, ...

    www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058117338


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    #13
    EmmetSpiceland
    Registered Users Posts: 10,601 ✭✭✭✭EmmetSpiceland


    How do you know someone went to Trinity?
    They tell you!

    “It is not blood that makes you Irish but a willingness to be part of the Irish nation” - Thomas Davis



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    #14
    CalamariFritti
    Registered Users Posts: 5,462 ✭✭✭CalamariFritti


    Whats so bad about his wikipedia page anyway? He seems fairly clean shaven and scientific, no?
    Someone mentioned Islam. Is he a racist or something? Or is it the atheist thing?

    Whats so bad about him that it would cause students discomfort? (Btw the comfort statement is the worst I've read in a while)


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    #15
    Feisar
    Registered Users Posts: 6,614 ✭✭✭Feisar


    Passing exams, work, women, gym and beer were my priorities in college. Discomfort over some lads views? Sorry I had more pressing (busty) matters to attend to.
    What is wrong with people today?

    First they came for the socialists...



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    #16
    Quantum Erasure
    Registered Users Posts: 8,297 ✭✭✭Quantum Erasure


    From my reading it seems to be more about him 'victim blaming' victims of rape, or saying if you want do have a reliable testimony, dont be so drunk that you can't remember what happened...


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    #17
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,232 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    Snickers Man wrote: »
    This is ridiculous. I personally don't like Dawkins. I think some of his ideas are downright dangerous. But not so dangerous that he shouldn't be allowed to promote them and to have them questioned and challenged in a leading university.

    Who do they propose to invite in his place?

    Barney the dinosaur is free but im sure someone there will find a tweet that theyre offended by:)


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    #18
    Quantum Erasure
    Registered Users Posts: 8,297 ✭✭✭Quantum Erasure


    racism+in+irish+education.jpg


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    #19
    Absoluvely
    Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭Absoluvely


    Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »
    As a graduate of TCD, and a former member of the Hist, I must say I'm extremely disappointed with this decision. Robust debate is the lifeblood of the Hist. It's the sort of decision by committee thinking I'd associate with The Phil to be honest.

    The Phil's "flagship event" in 2013 was a speech by Richard Dawkins in the GMB so I don't know what you mean. I wasn't aware of any moves to have the event cancelled at the time, and it went ahead without issue, except that it was particularly rainy that evening.

    Maybe your comment was just a rivalrous jibe at The Phil. The Phil and The Hist were basically the same anyway.


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    #20
    Absoluvely
    Registered Users Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭Absoluvely


    Quantum Erasure wrote: »
    racism+in+irish+education.jpg

    So woke that they misspelled Caribbean. Nice.

    Proper spelling is racist anyway.


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    #21
    MEGA BRO WOLF 5000
    Registered Users Posts: 17,438 ✭✭✭✭MEGA BRO WOLF 5000


    Quantum Erasure wrote: »
    racism+in+irish+education.jpg

    Racist Irish, so racist they can't even be represented.

    Ebun Joseph
    Claudia Hoareau
    Gillian Wylie
    Florence Nwajei


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    #22
    nolivesmatter
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭nolivesmatter


    Quantum Erasure wrote: »
    racism+in+irish+education.jpg

    Let the self-flagellation commence.


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    #23
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,679 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    I find myself for perhaps the first time on the same side as Dawkins, in that blocking a speaker ( or a group ) for views that are not part of the mainstream does not serve the ethos of an educational establishment, or Trinity College.


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    #24
    Dante
    Registered Users Posts: 1,565 ✭✭✭Dante


    Cancel the Hist.


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    #25
    ronivek
    Registered Users Posts: 1,916 ✭✭✭ronivek


    https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/1310945424648343552

    Personally I never found that the Phil or the Hist were actually representative of the majority of students who attend TCD. It is however representative of a certain type who tend to populate the elected positions within such societies.


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    #26
    Eduard Khil
    Registered Users Posts: 796 ✭✭✭Eduard Khil


    Mindless sheep being herded into the abyss, this is truly the age of unenlightenment.


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    #27
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,232 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    Absoluvely wrote: »
    So woke that they misspelled Caribbean. Nice.

    Proper spelling is racist anyway.

    Ribena not sponsoring this


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    #28
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    What are we expecting her to know about him and why would it be significant to her position?

    It's a debating society, one that I spent a good bit of time viewing and participating in debates in during the past decade (albeit not the past couple of years). I'm fairly surprised she doesn't know who Dawkins is, he comes up quite a lot in that sphere - or at least The God Delusion does.

    You'd typically have a few debates per session in the GMB involving atheism, Islam, role of religion etc. Some of his arguments are fairly well rehearsed there.


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    #29
    the purple tin
    Registered Users Posts: 10,943 ✭✭✭✭the purple tin


    nj27 wrote: »
    I went to tcd and my comments on the institution mirror those of Richard Nixon’s regarding Bohemian grove.


    'The faggiest damn place you've ever seen'?


    Why don't they let the students vote whether they want Dawkins to appear or not?
    They could do a poll on their website or something.
    It shouldn't be down to Bríd to decide what will make them uncomfortable.


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    #30
    1o059k7ewrqj3n
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,779 ✭✭✭1o059k7ewrqj3n


    It’s a bit like burning books by the Nazis in the 1930s. We disagree with your ideas and won’t entertain their existence.

    Would it not be better to tackle someone they disagree with head on in debate and at least attempt to highlight, expose or defeat their viewpoints?


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    #31
    4068ac1elhodqr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,586 ✭✭✭4068ac1elhodqr


    Assume they're doing that jazz hands thing instead of any actual applause?
    The kinetic action of a clapping hand is far too upsetting, and a sensory overload for many a student these days.


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