[Cyclist]

University invites utter prick to speak to students, but doesn't tell students in advance. Students realise what is going to speak and walk out. University opens investigation as to why students didn't want to listen to utter prick.

Durham University is to investigate after a columnist's appearance at an event led some students to walk out.

Rod Liddle had been invited by the principal of South College to address its Christmas formal on Friday evening.

Some left before he made his speech, with those who exited branded "pathetic" by the college principal.

Mr Liddle told the BBC that university students need to listen to views "that are contrary" to their own opinions, and that it was about "tolerance".

The university said it was looking into the situation as "a matter of urgency".

The principal of South College, Prof Tim Luckhurst, described Mr Liddle, a former BBC Radio 4 Today programme editor who now writes for The Spectator and The Times, as a "humourist".

Students were unaware who the speaker was beforehand, and when they realised some left in advance of his speech.

Durham University student newspaper Palatinate reported that Mr Liddle had started his speech saying he was disappointed not to see any sex workers, referencing a university initiative which had provided safety training for students working within the industry.

Prof Luckhurst told those who walked out that their actions were "pathetic", and he was described as being "verbally abusive", telling one student that they "didn't belong at university".

An open letter by the Durham Intersectional Feminism Society, Durham LGBT+ Association, Durham University Labour Club and Durham Womxn's Association has now been sent to the university's vice-chancellor.

Signed by about 1,500 students, it calls for an apology from Prof Luckhurst for "inviting an inappropriate speaker and proceeding to taunt students, showing a complete disregard for student welfare", and for a rule to be put in place that students should be made aware of any speakers in attendance...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-59552264

Professor who invited utter prick whines about "freedom of speech" while not realising that the intended victims have the freedom of choice when it comes to whether they want to listen to an utter prick or not.

Prof Luckhurst later told the student newspaper that "sincere commitment to freedom of speech was inevitably challenging", and his own intention was "never to offend", but "to stimulate robust discussion and debate".

"I regret any offence that has arisen, but I fear we have no right not to be offended," he added.

Utter prick claims

If you are at university you need to listen to views that are contrary to your own opinions and that's what my speech was about. It was about tolerance."

[Spoonman]

Utter prick claims

If you are at university you need to listen to views that are contrary to your own opinions and that's what my speech was about. It was about tolerance."

I wonder if Liddle would extend that view to speakers that either espouse Holocaust denial or calling for child pornography to be legalised?

It is too often forgot that "freedom of speech" does not entitle you to an audience, hence why over the years & decades most reasonably sane candidates in an election after the vote tally announcement often walk off stage when it's the turn of the local far-right knuckle dragger to spake thier branes.

[kreuzberger]

The only person who should be required to listen to this reptile is a judge. Again.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This clip is unbelievable. Dorothy Luckhurst saying "arse, arse, arse, arse".

[Andy McDandy]

Not convinced by this new episode of the League of Gentlemen.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

There's no such thing as 'Durham College.'
The Chancellor of Durham University is Thomas Allen. His wife (Jeannie Lascelles) dies some years ago.

[Oboogie]

There's no such thing as 'Durham College.'
The Chancellor of Durham University is Thomas Allen. His wife (Jeannie Lascelles) dies some years ago.

As the BBC article shared by Cyclist states, the college in question is South College. The woman in the video is the Principal Prof Tim Luckhurst's wife, Dorothy Luckhurst, who looks very much alive.

[mattomac]

Why is the freedom to not tolerate someone who is a misogynistic and racist women beater less so than the freedom of speech?

It’s comfortable to live in your paid house and rather lavish wage it’s less so when your on the receiving end of hate that Liddle and others promote.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Mrs Luckhurst on Twitter is just as you'd expect. One thing that's exercising her is that people are asking her husband to apologize for her behaviour. How sexist. Except that their point is that she has no position of her own at the college.

Why's she offended anyway? Doesn't she believe in free speech?

[MisterMuncher]

I wonder if Liddle would extend that view to speakers that either espouse Holocaust denial or calling for child pornography to be legalised?

Liddle himself has, on at least one occasion, called for child pornography to be legalised.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Indeed. In the Guardian too.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/200 ... .rodliddle

How much police time is tied up in Operation Ore, the police investigation which has so far uncovered the names of 7,000 people who have visited child-porn websites? And how many children will be protected from abuse as a result of the prosecutions? No matter how vile we may consider the sexual predilections of paedophiles, we should not be in the business of putting people in prison for simply looking at things. The law should be above the blind, howling, rage of Rebekah Wade's moronic vigilantes. But there is the whiff of Salem about it all.

I dunno, Rod. I think the kids being abused in the photos are being protected by prosecuting people for looking at their abuse.

[Watchman]

Do you mean this Rod Liddle?

“I never found out [what sort of teacher I’d be] because the one thing stopping me from being a teacher was that I could not remotely conceive of not trying to shag the kids. It seemed to me to be virtually impossible not to, and I was convinced that I’d be right in there, on day one. We’re talking secondry school level here, by the way – and even then I don’t think I’d have dabbled much below year ten, as it is now called

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I'd never heard of South College - apparently it was founded in 2020 and it's a temporary name. The students want it to be called Mowlam College after Mo, but I don't think there are as many socialists at Durham now as there was in my day...

[Tubby Isaacs]

I expect they're hanging on for a presentable donor, aren't they? Or urgent rebranding, as some might call it after this fiasco.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Sponsor.

[Bones McCoy]

I read that article and was mostly struck by the dissonance between the editorial content and the actual facts presented.

Editorial: Students do a woke cancel thing, college humiliated.

Factual content: Students press-ganged to activist presentation. Activist leads in with off-colour "humour". Students push off for more enjoyable pastimes. Senior staffer becomes abusing to students.

It's not made clear what the faculty will be investigating, but I'm inclined to think it'll be their staffer's behaviour.
Surely we've not reached a point where it has become compulsory to consume the ideas and products of the far/alt right.

The Wifebeater insists that he is the real victim here.

[mattomac]

I assume several students, one that was told “you don’t belong here” (probably has a good case in my view) have probably put in a complaint.

[MisterMuncher]

The Wifebeater insists that he is the real victim here.

I think this is the only time I can say I'd be ready, willing and able to fulfill Rod Liddle's fantasies.

[mattomac]

Seems the Students’ Union President who is black has been racially abused over socially media.

Be nice if the real culprits were targeted for once, though it seems some peoples freedom of speech is more important than others.

[Watchman]

Seems the Students’ Union President who is black has been racially abused over socially media.

Which to me, and there is a possibility I may be wrong!, brings into greater focus Liddle’ s demand not just for an apology from the Students, but a grovelling one