{"id":3187,"date":"2015-11-30T19:31:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-30T19:31:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gspellchecker.com\/?p=3187"},"modified":"2015-12-01T10:43:37","modified_gmt":"2015-12-01T10:43:37","slug":"talk-of-human-rights-violates-an-islamic-safe-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gspellchecker.com\/2015\/11\/talk-of-human-rights-violates-an-islamic-safe-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Talk Of Human Rights Violates An Islamic ‘Safe Space’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Back in September, I wrote about<\/a> Warwick University Student Union\u2019s<\/em> decision to disinvite Maryam Namazie from a speaking engagement. Outrage ensued on social media, not to mention a few high profile personalities<\/a> and news outlets condemning the decision. Happily it\u00a0was reversed amid public pressure and Maryam Namazie finally got the opportunity to speak.<\/p>\n

Maryam Namazie is also due to speak at Goldsmiths University this very evening, which inspired this public objection from the Goldsmiths Islamic Society<\/em> on their Facebook Page<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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It seems Goldsmiths ISOC deleted this post before I could get this blog out. I can only imagine it must have been due to the overwhelmingly negative responses it received.<\/p>\n

Anyhow, here is Maryam\u2019s suitably droll response via her own Facebook page<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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I think we can skip right past the meaningless charges of \u2018Islamophobia\u2019. Listen to<\/a> my discussion with Maryam Namazie and it will fast become clear that every concern she has is motivated not by bigotry, but by an urgent desire to see basic human rights \u2013 for everyone.<\/p>\n

Douglas Murray a \u2018right-wing fascist\u2019 too? Now, I\u2019m sure many of my readers will have some disagreements with Murray\u2019s viewpoints, I have had some myself<\/a> \u2013 but throwing around terms like \u2018fascist\u2019 and \u2018bigot\u2019 is a perfect example of what Murray himself has written about recently, coincidently. Whilst announcing the death of the left in his Spectator Blog<\/a>, he notes this of their penchant for throwing around loaded terms so carelessly (paraphrased):<\/p>\n

\u2018Racism is a terrible as well as stupid thing and it helps to have a meaningful word to identify it. But\u2026the left has blunted the word by over-use\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, I\u2019ve no idea whether Goldsmiths Islamic Society are part of \u2018the left\u2019. I doubt it. But they are certainly co-opting the language and techniques of the regressive left which have been so effective across campuses. No more so than with the obligatory mention of \u2018safe spaces\u2019.<\/p>\n

I spoke on a panel at QEDcon<\/em> about censorship back in April and voiced my concern<\/a> that the language of \u2018safe spaces\u2019 and \u2018trigger warnings\u2019 were creeping in to the rhetoric of those who are simply committed to shutting down opposing views and dissenting voices \u2013 because they know it gets results.<\/p>\n

If \u2018safe spaces\u2019 exist to protect minorities, I would ask Goldsmiths ISOC where is their demand for a \u2018safe space\u2019 for the minorities within their minority? I\u2019m talking about ex-Muslims, Gay Muslims, progressive Muslims, secular Muslims \u2013 in short, those that may need and appreciate a voice like Maryam\u2019s to champion their plight and perspective. Those that have every right to see her speak if they wish. This clearly isn\u2019t about making people feel \u2018safe\u2019, it\u2019s a transparent attempt to enforce Islamic blasphemy laws \u2013 dressed up in the language that appeals to a certain pervasive sensibility.<\/p>\n

There is a \u2018place\u2019 where you\u2019re entitled to feel as \u2018safe\u2019 as you desire of course. It\u2019s called \u2018your home\u2019. Feel free to decorate the interior in bubble wrap and have some emergency earplugs on standby in the unlikely event someone actually visits. Back in the real world however \u2013 academic institutions are not your \u2018safe space\u2019. They are a market place for ideas. That includes ideas that are at odds with everything you believe in. These institutions are responsible for forging our next generation of leaders, innovators and life savers. Those demanding ‘safe spaces’\u00a0will soon come to realise that there is nothing safe about the outside world, and no amount of shrieking<\/a> will help them when confronted with this reality.<\/p>\n

Stephen Knight is host of The #GSPodcast. You can listen to The Godless Spellchecker Podcast here<\/a>, and support it by becoming a patron here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n

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