Reinstate Free Speech at the University of Edinburgh
489 Comments
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Anonymous
10 years ago
Isaac
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Anonymous
10 years ago
This is completely absurd. These people are in for a real fright when they leave university and enter the real world.
J
Jim B.
10 years ago
You learn nothing when you surround yourself with only like minded individuals and shut out any form of opposition. In the real world you will run into many different opinions from your own, some of which will be offensive to you. If your place of learning does not teach you how to debate healthily, how to deal with opposition, how to open your mind to difference in opinion or perspective, then it has refused to prepare you for the harsh reality to come. There are no safe spaces walking down the street or sitting in a cafe chatting with others. This university needs to prepare its students so they know how to handle it as opposed to impeding the students by shielding them from reality. This method of censorship and coddling in favor of emotion as opposed to logic is a terrifying concept indeed. Speak only when in agreement, do nothing that could be construed as offensive...like voicing an opinion, or simply shaking one's head in disagreement, all who oppose you must be uneducated, so put your fingers in your ears and yell 'lalalala' until they go away and make no place safe for anyone to speak up. That is not progress. That is not higher learning. That helps no one but proves to create victims hiding in fear from the world instead of leaders prepared to face it head on. Good luck.
K
Kokulan Mahendiran
10 years ago
May this be applied to not only Edinburgh, but all Universities in the UK.
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Jovan Weismiller
10 years ago
Absolutely frightening!
T
Thomas Kerber
10 years ago
As a student at Edinburgh University, our union needs to burn.
W
William Chambers
10 years ago
How dare a so-called 'place of learning' have such childish policies. I wouldn't expect these in a daycare much less a school.
B
Brad Morris
10 years ago
EUSA is making fools of the students they pretend to represent. Uni's should be ashamed if they promote "safe spaces" which do not exist in the real world. Drop them!
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Anonymous
10 years ago
Hey even though I think we're the better university, jokes aside this is childish and absurd. If you require a safe space you probably aren't ready for university or the real world where I'm sure there are people way worse than your current flatmate! I hope this policy falls, good luck!
L
Lewis Finlayson
10 years ago
Free speech is sacrosanct. I am embarrassed at what my student union is becoming. University is about growing as an individual, challenging what you believe and having the backbone to discuss things you disagree with. This policy is too open for abuse - to shut down any dissent by claiming a breech and so eject the dissenting individual.
K
Kostas
10 years ago
People should be able to express any views they have in a free democratic society. Only when openly challenging ideas and opinions can you reach the truth. Let the marketplace of ideas decide on what is wrong and right.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
Safe spaces stiffle free speech
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Jeff Lloyd
10 years ago
As a graduate of this great university, I am appalled at the rise of such weak-mindedness amongst the student body. Free speech is a right in the UK, and where more so than in a university setting where contrasting opinions should be heard and discussed, not sticking our fingers in our ears and shouting "La la la, I can't hear you". Free speech is often uncomfortable to hear, but stand up and argue your case against those you disagree with, in a civilised and respectful manner. Come on children, time to grow up and enter the adult world.
A
Amy Riddell
10 years ago
If you are too sensitive to handle a debate then you should not be in a debating environment. Stop pandering to pathetic children at the expense of free speech.
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Andy Fell
10 years ago
B.Sc Zoology 1987, Ph.D. 1990.
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Rhonda Bozovich
10 years ago
Featured
Having an opinion( raising hands, shaking heads, etc.) is not a violation of anyone's safe space. Using censorship and ridicule as a means for control is the exact opposite of a safe space; it is, in fact, a hostile space which does no good for anyone.
J
Jon Stokes
10 years ago
Higher learning institutions are for challenging your views and learning from it. Not for being coddled and indoctrinated into a certain ideology.
C
Chris Evans
10 years ago
What a ridiculous 'rule'. Get out of the 18th century and catch up with the right to Freedom of Speech! If you don't like it, you're in the wrong job. Completely pathetic management
P
Premchand Brian
10 years ago
EUSA has absurd rules, nonsensical 'safe space' policies and doesn't represent me, nor the majority of the student body. The 'liberation' groups are filled with overbearing, irrational and hypocritical Social Justice Warriors. I got booted from the BME liberation soc for 'not showing solidarity' (i.e. they represent not BME students, but only BME students who toe the party line).
Why are we funding them again?
Isaac
This is completely absurd. These people are in for a real fright when they leave university and enter the real world.
You learn nothing when you surround yourself with only like minded individuals and shut out any form of opposition. In the real world you will run into many different opinions from your own, some of which will be offensive to you. If your place of learning does not teach you how to debate healthily, how to deal with opposition, how to open your mind to difference in opinion or perspective, then it has refused to prepare you for the harsh reality to come. There are no safe spaces walking down the street or sitting in a cafe chatting with others. This university needs to prepare its students so they know how to handle it as opposed to impeding the students by shielding them from reality. This method of censorship and coddling in favor of emotion as opposed to logic is a terrifying concept indeed. Speak only when in agreement, do nothing that could be construed as offensive...like voicing an opinion, or simply shaking one's head in disagreement, all who oppose you must be uneducated, so put your fingers in your ears and yell 'lalalala' until they go away and make no place safe for anyone to speak up. That is not progress. That is not higher learning. That helps no one but proves to create victims hiding in fear from the world instead of leaders prepared to face it head on. Good luck.
May this be applied to not only Edinburgh, but all Universities in the UK.
Absolutely frightening!
As a student at Edinburgh University, our union needs to burn.
How dare a so-called 'place of learning' have such childish policies. I wouldn't expect these in a daycare much less a school.
EUSA is making fools of the students they pretend to represent. Uni's should be ashamed if they promote "safe spaces" which do not exist in the real world. Drop them!
Hey even though I think we're the better university, jokes aside this is childish and absurd. If you require a safe space you probably aren't ready for university or the real world where I'm sure there are people way worse than your current flatmate! I hope this policy falls, good luck!
Free speech is sacrosanct. I am embarrassed at what my student union is becoming. University is about growing as an individual, challenging what you believe and having the backbone to discuss things you disagree with. This policy is too open for abuse - to shut down any dissent by claiming a breech and so eject the dissenting individual.
People should be able to express any views they have in a free democratic society. Only when openly challenging ideas and opinions can you reach the truth. Let the marketplace of ideas decide on what is wrong and right.
Safe spaces stiffle free speech
As a graduate of this great university, I am appalled at the rise of such weak-mindedness amongst the student body. Free speech is a right in the UK, and where more so than in a university setting where contrasting opinions should be heard and discussed, not sticking our fingers in our ears and shouting "La la la, I can't hear you". Free speech is often uncomfortable to hear, but stand up and argue your case against those you disagree with, in a civilised and respectful manner. Come on children, time to grow up and enter the adult world.
If you are too sensitive to handle a debate then you should not be in a debating environment. Stop pandering to pathetic children at the expense of free speech.
B.Sc Zoology 1987, Ph.D. 1990.
Having an opinion( raising hands, shaking heads, etc.) is not a violation of anyone's safe space. Using censorship and ridicule as a means for control is the exact opposite of a safe space; it is, in fact, a hostile space which does no good for anyone.
Higher learning institutions are for challenging your views and learning from it. Not for being coddled and indoctrinated into a certain ideology.
What a ridiculous 'rule'. Get out of the 18th century and catch up with the right to Freedom of Speech! If you don't like it, you're in the wrong job. Completely pathetic management
EUSA has absurd rules, nonsensical 'safe space' policies and doesn't represent me, nor the majority of the student body. The 'liberation' groups are filled with overbearing, irrational and hypocritical Social Justice Warriors. I got booted from the BME liberation soc for 'not showing solidarity' (i.e. they represent not BME students, but only BME students who toe the party line). Why are we funding them again?
What a stupid rule