Independent student
newspaper of Trinity College, University
of Dublin December 6, 2000
Readers
Letters Jewish
Chronicle journalist got Trinity College
to Cancel Invitation Sir, I READ in the November 15th edition of
TRINITY NEWS that
the Trinity Politics Society has withdrawn
its invitation to the World War II
historian David Irving to
participate in a debate on freedom of
speech, after journalist Gaby Wine
from the London Jewish Chronicle
objected. No doubt university leftists are
rejoicing at the fact that once again the
world has been made safe from Nazism,
Holocaust Denial and associated evils. The
rest of us, however, many of whom were
looking foreward to seeing this
world-famous figure in the flesh, will
likely feel frustrated and let down. One
must ask who a student society like the
PolSoc is supposed to represent: the
students, or journalists from a foreign
newspaper? I am not being bigoted; this has
nothing to do with Ms. Wine's being Jewish
or English. I am merely stating that she
is simply a journalist -- a person with an
opinion -- and has no jurisdiction over
Trinity College. The Politics Society
should have politely acknowledged her
concern and then stuck to its guns, rather
than caving in at the first sign of
disapproval from a "grown-up". The article also said that it was
feared that "Irving's presence could
attract substantial right-wing support."
From where, exactly? The Dublin branch of
the Nazi Party? This really is hysteria on
a McCarthy-esque scale. As far as I am concerned, the true
fascists are those who, for their own
idealogical interests, opposed a
historian's right to come on campus, where
many were hoping to hear him. That is
intolerance on a scale worth worrying
about. Brian
T. Hickey (J.F. Arts), Dublin, Ireland. Related
items on this website:-
Sam Boland of University College, Cork,
asks if
Mr Irving speaks to extremist groups as
foes allege
-
Under pressure, Bucknell (Pennsylvania)
University students withdraw
invitation
- David
Irving to Speak in Irish Republic |
Traditional
Enemy threatens Violence | Marxist
Mobs Riot in Ireland, Police halt
Irving Speech: [Irish
Times Dublin] [Cork
Examiner] | David
Irving's Radical's Diary reports on the
riot | Dublin
Press backs David Irving: "Freedom
of speech is no freedom at all if it is
to be conferred solely on those you
agree with" | David
Irving's Radical's Diary
-
Trinity College, Dublin, student
newspaper asks
about the cancellation of the David
Irving lecture at Cork
- A
Radical's Diary: bad dream; and another
University cancels David Irving
invitation
-
Evans'
sneers about Mr Irving in Cambridge
university magazine Varsity
-
Violence
threat prevails at Oxford University:
Second invite to David Irving
cancelled
|