Some consider Nick Griffin a racist, some a hero.
The British National Pary Chairman was (almost) invited to debate the death penalty at Nottingham University. If you haven’t heard anything about the backlash, check out Rebecca Schapira’s latest article for the Global Jewish Voice:
Education Should Battle Ignorance at University
By Rebecca Schapira in Nottingham
Last week I was reminded of the ignorance and racism that exists in our society when I encountered this thought process:
Inviting the renowned racist and British National Party leader Nick Griffin to speak is the best way to improve campus relations, enshrine universities with values of tolerance and create an opportunity to learn from intense debate.
[…]
Perhaps Griffin is an authority on speaking about the death penalty, quite frankly I have no idea. But it wouldn’t change my position. I do not believe Nick Griffin should be allowed to speak on university campuses based on the hateful views he holds.
Make no mistake, Griffin is the number one symbol for racism and divisiveness in Britain today. I cannot get past how anyone would value the opinions of such a man.
[…]
University campuses are different from other areas in civil political life. They are supposed to guarantee the safety of all of their students to study without intimidation or fear. I take a personal disgust from those who use the free speech argument to please their twisted intellectual curiosities, their ignorance fueling those who flirt with ideas of fascism under a guise of liberalism.
[…]
The rest of the post can be read over at the Global Jewish Voice, a partnership between New Voices, AJC-ACCESS and the World Union of Jewish Students.
