Multiculturalism Debate

[Cain]

This debate is of the sort that Alan Patterson would have put on. It has a fair number of non debaters talking about it and getting passionate about it. it is an issue that everybody has some form of opinion on and it has speakers that people want to hear.

The debate itself might be a snoozefest, but i'll be damned if i'm missing it.

Finally, something that makes non debating types sit up and take notice of the UDS.

[hr]
I hold an element of surprise

[La Jouissance]

While I haven't really decided on whether this debate is a good idea or not, I wonder if anyone from either the UDS or the University has though about the potential security/public order problems a debate of this sort might cause? I think a brawl involving Griffin supporters and more militant anti racist factions would do little for the reputation of the UDS.

Just a thought...

[exnihilo]

They have, the police have been informed of what's going on.

[AN Other]

[s]harmless loony wrote on 20:05, 3rd Feb 2005:
Everyone is well aware of what the BNP think.


Like I said before, it's onyl valid if you allow the two extremes to speak. If you want a balanced debate, invite someone with the extreme opposing views to speak - then I will have no problem with it.



Does everyone know the whole story of the BNP? I get flyered every so often by the BNP through the letterbox and their publicity is very...not-alarm-bell-ringing. There must be plenty of people, students and townspeople, who read the flyers and wonder whether they might be right. Only in a debate such as one propsed can you hear the weaknesses in the BNP's arguments (as the opposition is supposed to highlight for us.) We need this debate so that we can tell this guya nd his party where to go. (It's hard to say this to their flyers because I don't think the paper listens too well).

As for the balanced debate, that's what the debating society does. It lets one side speak and then the other and then regular students. The opposing view could be that the experiment is a success, evidenced by St Andrews itself, with over 120 countries represented here (did I pull that number out of my butt or has someone else heard that figure too?)

Oh, and, from reading this board a bit, where's Intolerant Bastard's response of "BIG BROTHER! THOUGHTCRIME! How could little students defy the government and actually talk big adult talk themselves? CONFORM!"



or look at the big waste of money the University is doing for its multicultural event. So the University wants us to get on stage and dance so much like the slaves were made to dance in America!!! I am not their slave, their entertainment, their Friday night special so that they can sit back in their comfy chairs Monday through Friday thinking they can tick "make St Andrews more diverse" off their little list.

They should spend the money on scholarships, books, student groups so that people from more diverse backgrounds can be a student here and helkp us learn about diversity and multiculturalism.

Read, Discuss. Listen. THINK. Repeat.

[RJ Covino]

A new story from the Herald:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/32846.html

Withdrawing permission to use LPH at this late a date, I think, smacks of a bad decision. If the venue cannot be worked out in sufficient advance, how can the police and other authorities seek to maintain the public order should a furor erupt? Not very clever...

[Ian McFarlane]

Whilst I disagree to the hilt with everything that the B.N.P. stand for, I agree with the pro-debate consensus being reached on this thread, and more generally.

Congratulations to Peter for pressing ahead with it. That's leadership.

[thePontificator]

The thing that annoys me most about this is the behaviour of the NUS, according to a friend of mine at Edinburgh the reason they were voted in was because the leader of the anti-NUS campaign delivered a speech with anti-semitic overtones. This was because he had been told that the University's Jewish population had been making negative comments about him. This later turned out to be a rumour started by the pro-NUS groups.

And also I like the way the Herald fails to mention all the other universities which aren't in the NUS, and the reasons for which the NUS might not be entirely friendly towards St Andrews, what with us not really wanting to lose the buying consortium and so being anti-NUS.

'Cunts' is what I think I'm trying to say. Isn't it gratifying to think that the pro and anti NUS campaigners in Edinburgh are lining probably lining themselves up for careers in politics?

[Steveo]

[s]exnihilo wrote on 20:08, 3rd Feb 2005:
It's a debate. There will be people speaking against them, that's the point.


Deary me, I was starting to think people were just plain retarded. Finally, common sense.

There have to be 2 sides.

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[s]Strangers passing in the street....by chance two seperate glances meet[/s]

[Prophet Tenebrae]

"stoke racial tensions?" God, what kind of cretinous morons are allowed to write papers these days? Do they even know what a "fact" is?

Having seen a number of undercover reports on the BNP - it's very easy to see that any half-way intelligent or educated person can see through the thin veneer of their lies.

Quite frankly, people who are shouting this down because they think it will promote the BNP's agenda are shooting themselves in the foot. The BNP's worst enemy is themselves and people knowing their own agenda. The reason they get votes is because things like multiculturalism etc. are continously side-lined by the major parties. If they issues are confronted head-on then people will see that the BNP are a load of racist thugs and they will cease to hold any sway.

And as for slurs against Peter Blair those are just totally out of order, Peter is a good guy - who has quite frankly shown a far better understanding of the situation than any of his detractors.

In conclusion, if you read the e-mail and your knee immediately jerked you might want to try having a nice hot cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP until you've actually given the whole matter due consideration.

[Guest]

[s]AN Other wrote on 22:28, 3rd Feb 2005:
So the University wants us to get on stage and dance so much like the slaves were made to dance in America!!!

Surely it's only the ethnic minority students that they want to perform for their amusement. That makes everything better!