Snowflakes? They're today's fascists! Jewish writer STEPHEN POLLARD says there's nothing funny about the march of the PC brigade

Last weekend I, along with many around the world, commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day. As editor of the country’s leading Jewish newspaper, The Jewish Chronicle, it is a memorial of particular significance.

Through editing the newspaper, I am confronted daily with the legacy of that unique evil, including the suppression of debate, the distortion of truth and even the burning of books at the heart of that terrible chapter in our history.

I know, too, that the Third Reich’s totalitarian impulse – that only one type of question and one type of answer are legitimate, and all else must be extinguished – is far from unique because repressive regimes the world over continue to ban freedom of enquiry and freedom of expression.

We must be on our guard.

If we close our minds to ideas that upset us, the long-term consequence is that our minds will atrophy. We will no longer be able to think for ourselves, writes Stephen Pollard

You might wonder, then, what Friday night’s attack on Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg as he attempted to give a talk to students has to do with this. Or last week’s decision – now reversed in the face of near-universal outrage – by Manchester Art Gallery to remove a pre-Raphaelite painting featuring mild nudity, Hylas And The Nymphs.

These are both an attempt to silence a view because it offends some people. It is for good reason that a new word entered the Oxford English Dictionary last month: a snowflake is ‘an overly sensitive or easily offended person’.

When the snowflake generation seeks to silence an MP because they disagree with him, or prompt an art gallery to remove a painting because someone might be offended by the nude depiction of a woman, they believe they have right and morality on their side.

But theirs is a dangerous delusion. Because free speech – and the offence which can come with it – is the bedrock of freedom itself.

The snowflakes are becoming an avalanche. Barely a week now passes without a fresh demand that they be protected from some form of supposedly offensive behaviour in the name of morality and decency.

We are now witnessing our own version of Newspeak, in which a form of cultural fascism masquerades as caring concern. Last month, for example, Netflix started to show the 1990s sitcom Friends. You might think it is a harmless piece of nostalgic escapism. But according to some people, it is in fact a disgusting litany of racism, sexism, homophobia and, yes, transphobia.

Ross didn’t like the idea of his son playing with dolls – sexist. Monica was ‘fat shamed’ – sexist. Chandler called his drag-queen father by his male birth name – transphobic. And the main characters were all white – racist.

Often the offence taken isn’t even theirs. They are, as it were, offended vicariously.

In 2015, students at the University of East Anglia banned a Mexican restaurant from handing out sombreros at the Freshers’ Fair because it was a form of ‘cultural appropriation’ that caused offence to Mexicans.

Not, of course, that any Mexicans had actually been offended. The snowflake students were offended on their behalf. This is of a piece with the insistence in recent years that university campuses be ‘safe spaces’, where students should be protected from the traumatic risk of encountering anything with which they might disagree or take offence. And this isn’t just about student politics. It is affecting academia itself.

Last year it was revealed that some Cambridge University lecturers had started issuing ‘trigger warnings’ about Shakespeare plays, in case students were upset by ‘discussion of sexual violence’. And theology students at Glasgow University received warnings before watching re-enactments of the Crucifixion in films, during a lecture on how Jesus had been depicted on screen.

Still more ludicrously, at last year’s National Union of Students Women’s Conference, attendees were asked to use ‘jazz hands’ instead of clapping. As the NUS Women’s Campaign put it: ‘Some delegates are requesting that we move to jazz hands rather than clapping, as it’s triggering anxiety. Please be mindful!’

God help the poor anxious souls if they ever go to the theatre or a concert.

But there is a far darker side to it than mere idiocy. If we close our minds to ideas that upset us, the long-term consequence is that our minds will atrophy. We will no longer be able to think for ourselves.

We are seeing the stunting of debate, the closing of minds.

Take the furore over seminars held by Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Oxford, an expert in his field, who has suggested there might have been some positives to the British Empire.

For doing precisely what academics are supposed to do – thinking – he has been attacked in a series of open letters as an ‘apologist for colonialism’.

So it was right that the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Louise Richardson, should spell out why free speech and thought are so vital on campus.

In a talk, Prof Richardson said she had had many conversations with students who were upset they had tutors who expressed a view with which they disagreed, on homosexuality. ‘And I say, “I’m sorry, but my job isn’t to make you feel comfortable.” Education is not about being comfortable. I’m interested in making you uncomfortable. If you don’t like his views, you challenge them, engage with them, and figure [out] how a smart person can have views like that. Work out how you can persuade him to change his mind.’

You can guess what happened next. The students’ union offered emotional support to anyone who had been made uncomfortable by her words. More than 2,000 students attacked her in a vitriolic open letter. And Prof Richardson then issued a clarifying statement.

We should remember how in his novel 1984, George Orwell coined the word ‘Newspeak’ to describe the language used by a totalitarian state that removed the capacity for individual thought and turned words’ meanings on their head.

In Orwell’s dystopian world, The Party used slogans such as War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength.

Satire – yes. But a warning, also.

Demands that only one form of thought is permitted, and that anything which deviates from it is offensive and should be banned, are profoundly dangerous. They pretend to be about care and concern, but are in reality a form of intellectual totalitarianism.

Without offence and without upset, there is tyranny.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-5348993/Snowflakes-Theyre-todays-fascists.html#ixzz56HpxiD9S
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Actually Friends is one of the last Major shows to use the plot "Male character is Afraid People think he is gay" which had been a relatively common TV trope. It actually highlights that Seinfeld was quite far ahead of the curve with their "not that there is anything wrong with that" comment/joke.

And Well If you're of English decent and want to tell people that The English Empire was good then you should have your property taken, kids rehomed, male relatives shot and females raped, just so you can experience some of that Colonial goodness from the other side. Free speech

veya_victaous wrote:Actually Friends is one of the last Major shows to use the plot "Male character is Afraid People think he is gay" which had been a relatively common TV trope. It actually highlights that Seinfeld was quite far ahead of the curve with their "not that there is anything wrong with that" comment/joke.

And Well If you're of English decent and want to tell people that The English Empire was good then you should have your property taken, kids rehomed, male relatives shot and females raped, just so you can experience some of that Colonial goodness from the other side.  Free speech

Wow, so based on the opinion of someone, you then find countless others guilty and butcher and rape them.

That is not free speech. That is like being like ISIS, making others suffer for what someone else has said.

And some idiot gave you a green for that?

Wow

Didge wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:Actually Friends is one of the last Major shows to use the plot "Male character is Afraid People think he is gay" which had been a relatively common TV trope. It actually highlights that Seinfeld was quite far ahead of the curve with their "not that there is anything wrong with that" comment/joke.

And Well If you're of English decent and want to tell people that The English Empire was good then you should have your property taken, kids rehomed, male relatives shot and females raped, just so you can experience some of that Colonial goodness from the other side.  Free speech

Wow, so based on the opinion of someone, you then find countless others guilty and butcher and rape them.

That is not free speech. That is like being like ISIS, making others suffer for what someone else has said.

And some idiot gave you a green for that?

Wow

Get off your high horse, Dodger  --  you would be quite happy to visit the same kind of punishment on any extreme left-wing commie students who see fit to attack your beloved Zionist/Netanyahu goons...

Veya didn't suggest raping and pillaging whole groups of people at random  --  just those arrogant and ignorant twats who keep on insisting that colonialism was a good thing for indigenois natives, and that those ingrates who keep on bringing up theft of homeland, attempted genocide and forced slavery should "shut-the-fuck-up", and that any of us who are so bold as to complain about the sins of the British must be suffering from an ingrained jealousy of those English 'colonial masters'..

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

Didge wrote:

Wow, so based on the opinion of someone, you then find countless others guilty and butcher and rape them.

That is not free speech. That is like being like ISIS, making others suffer for what someone else has said.

And some idiot gave you a green for that?

Wow

Get off your high horse, Dodger  --  you would be quite happy to visit the same kind of punishment on any extreme left-wing commie students who see fit to attack your beloved Zionist/Netanyahu goons...

Veya didn't suggest raping and pillaging whole groups of people at random  --  just those arrogant and ignorant twats who keep on insisting that colonialism was a good thing for indigenois natives, and that those ingrates who keep on bringing up theft of homeland, attempted genocide and forced slavery should shut-fuck-up, and that any of us who are so bold as to complain about the sins of the British must be suffering from an ingrained jealousy of those English 'colonial masters'..

I see its the Cathy Nedwman tactic again

Make up things I have not even said or would support

Free speech means someone can post views that show good in Colonialism.

That is not a crime to do so and if you read the views of this person, they made it very clear of the wrongs.

Again what Veya said, sums up the snowflake attitude. Where again, not only is the person criminalized for what they said, but countless others.

That is being like a Totalitarian dictator.

That is not free speech

RE the OP...


Leftie PC twats need a good slapping!!!

Take the furore over seminars held by Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Oxford, an expert in his field, who has suggested there might have been some positives to the British Empire.

For doing precisely what academics are supposed to do – thinking – he has been attacked in a series of open letters as an ‘apologist for colonialism’.

SO I can Use My Free Speech to Say that Anyone that thinks Colonialism was good Should have the same treatment as Indigenous people under colonialism, Cause Yeah Theft is good for the Thief

DIDGE you are clearly the biggest snowflake here since you get offended and offensive when someone uses their free speech to express a desire for equity and fairness.


You believe that Free speech includes telling people the murder of their ancestors and destruction of their culture was a good thing than STOP COMMENTING on anyone else's posts, Your Opinion is opression of freee speech if you want to say that others cannot express opinions on other peoples comments

AGAIN you are a HYPOCRTITE in almost every single way

veya_victaous wrote:DIDGE you are clearly the biggest snowflake here since you get offended and offensive  when someone uses their free speech to express a desire for equity and fairness.


You believe that Free speech includes telling people the murder of their ancestors and destruction of their culture was a good thing than STOP COMMENTING on anyone else's posts, Your Opinion is opression of freee speech if you want to say that others cannot express opinions on other peoples comments

AGAIN you are a HYPOCRTITE in almost every single way

Everyone can get offended, which is not the point and I see when you are called out on piss poor views you make and ridiculed rightly for them. You attempt to poorly turn this onto me

You then invoke the  Cathy Newman leftist tactic

Claim something I have never even said

Look, I ma not bothered that someone like you Veya thinks of me

What is important is that you fail to even understand free speech and went against free speech, making it a crime and to punish not only that individual, but countless people associated with them. To face death and rape

So stick to the points and either apologise for being a dispicable hateful wally or jog on

I have Pointed out, as everyone knew, your Hypocrisy

It's Free speech when attacking Indigenous people
But Condemnation if we disagree with you

It is you that made shit up about my post too.

And as LF already warned you
Stop being a knob that cant debate anyone and uses the excuse of passion for being an ignorant arrogant prick or go in the basement

veya_victaous wrote:I have Pointed out, as everyone knew, your Hypocrisy

It's Free speech when attacking Indigenous people
But Condemnation if we disagree with you

It is you that made shit up about my post too.

And as LF already warned you
Stop being a knob that cant debate anyone and uses the excuse of passion for being an ignorant arrogant prick or go in the basement  

So you say innocent people should be murdered and raped, due to what some releative writes in an article and you threaten me with the basement. In other words shutting down free speech.

Which has now got your post reported, for misuse of moderation to Ben and also calling for hate and threats of violence against innocent people. Its up to you what you say, but how about you take responsible for what you end up saying when you isse threats of rape and murder? You seem to think your free speech should be immune to criticism and righty exposed as hate speech. I have shown no contradictions. You simply are that much of an idiot, you dont even understand what you are debating. So your threats are not only pathetic, but will never have me bow down to your attempts to silence me. The only reason you do, is because i make you look ephatically stupid.

You have not even read the article. Which states, clearly the wrongs but also how the British Empire looked to stop and end slavery with its Navy. Are all those saved by the British Empire from Slavery now a crime to you?

Was that a good aspect of the British Empire?

How about how the British Empire, was able to help defeat Nazism?

Was that good or bad?

I think many wrongs happened due to the British Empire and have never stated otherwise and thus at no point have I supported the wrongs done to indegenious people, where you have. Denying indegenious groups self determination.  Nor have I ever been a supporter of the British Empire. I think it was wrong and caused many wrongs, but some good was done.

You have no conception what free speech is or what the actual "English Empire" was, which is far removed from the British Empire

Now lets change  a couple of your words from your first post and then ask Ben, how long it would take him to ban a poster or you for that matter, if they said this?

veya_victaous wrote:

And Well If you're defender of Islamism and want to tell people that The Islam is a religion of peace ,then you should have your property taken, kids rehomed, male relatives shot and females raped, just so you can experience some of that barbarity of Islam from the other side.  Free speech

^^^^^^^^^^^





You really are getting desperately pathetic this week, Didge !!!

Didge wrote:

veya_victaous wrote:I have Pointed out, as everyone knew, your Hypocrisy

It's Free speech when attacking Indigenous people
But Condemnation if we disagree with you

It is you that made shit up about my post too.

And as LF already warned you
Stop being a knob that cant debate anyone and uses the excuse of passion for being an ignorant arrogant prick or go in the basement  

So you say innocent people should be murdered and raped, due to what some releative writes in an article and you threaten me with the basement. In other words shutting down free speech.

Which has now got your post reported, for misuse of moderation to Ben and also calling for hate and threats of violence against innocent people. Its up to you what you say, but how about you take responsible for what you end up saying when you isse threats of rape and murder? You seem to think your free speech should be immune to criticism and righty exposed as hate speech. I have shown no contradictions. You simply are that much of an idiot, you dont even understand what you are debating. So your threats are not only pathetic, but will never have me bow down to your attempts to silence me. The only reason you do, is because i make you look ephatically stupid.

You have not even read the article. Which states, clearly the wrongs but also how the British Empire looked to stop and end slavery with its Navy. Are all those saved by the British Empire from Slavery now a crime to you?

Was that a good aspect of the British Empire?

How about how the British Empire, was able to help defeat Nazism?

Was that good or bad?

I think many wrongs happened due to the British Empire and have never stated otherwise and thus at no point have I supported the wrongs done to indegenious people, where you have. Denying indegenious groups self determination.  Nor have I ever been a supporter of the British Empire. I think it was wrong and caused many wrongs, but some good was done.

You have no conception what free speech is or what the actual "English Empire" was, which is far removed from the British Empire

Now lets change  a couple of your words from your first post and then ask Ben, how long it would take him to ban a poster or you for that matter, if they said this?

veya_victaous wrote:

And Well If you're defender of Islamism and want to tell people that The Islam is a religion of peace ,then you should have your property taken, kids rehomed, male relatives shot and females raped, just so you can experience some of that barbarity of Islam from the other side.  Free speech

Bumped to get the debate back on track