Demonstrators protest outside the Oxford Union over Irving and Griffin's appearance. Photograph: Robert Judges/Rex
So the Oxford Union decided to ignore the protests of hundreds of students and anti-fascist campaigners and gave David Irving and Nick Griffin a platform to peddle their hateful rhetoric to its members on Monday night. I hope it was worth it.
Given that its privileged members are predominantly white, at least they won't have to worry about the consequences of stirring up race-hate. I imagine they are currently revelling in all the publicity they have received over the last week in the name of 'free speech'.
Unfortunately for many other members of our society, things are not quite so simple. That is why we at the NUS believe that it is unacceptable to give the likes of Griffin, who has a conviction for incitement to racial hatred, and Irving, a convicted Holocaust denier, a platform of academic respectability which they do not deserve.
Some people believe that NUS is being overly 'politically correct' with its no platform policy. We refuse to allow racists and fascists the opportunity to speak at our events. Our elected officers refuse to speak at any event alongside people like Irving and Griffin. We make no apology for this. Our primary concern has to be the safety of our members, many of who are foreign nationals, or from black and ethnic minority communities.
With freedom of speech comes the responsibility not to abuse it. I believe that the right to freedom of expression must not be separated from, or take precedence over, the right to freedom from oppression.
I see no contradiction in refusing to tolerate intolerance.
