HUGE NEWS FOR CAMPUS FREE SPEECH
The government has finally affirmed its commitment to free speech on UK campuses. Universities and students' unions will be formally required to protect free speech in their governance documents after the minster for higher education recognised the growing trend of no platforming.
However, is state-backed 'forced platforming' the solution to no platforming? The government, as opposed to SUs, will now seemingly decide who/what students are e...xposed to at uni...
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/…/universities-told-they-must-pro…
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/…/jo-johnson-universities-f…
Theresa May's illiberal administration is also smokescreening her crackdowns on free speech elsewhere. PREVENT still chills free discussion in classrooms - something which won't be affected by this recent commitment to freedom. And the recently passed Snoopers Charter will likely lead to increased self-censorship online.
We need new members to keep fighting for our rights next year, so make sure you attend our AGM tonight at 6 in B.01 32L for committee elections: https://www.facebook.com/events/1451861084855403/
Speakeasy
Speakeasy AGM next Wednesday 6pm 32L.
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy agregó un evento.
THE TIME HAS COME
Calling all 1st and 2nd year students! Next Wednesday in 32 Lincoln's Inn Fields room TBC we will be electing a new Speakeasy committee for 2017/18!
Come along to vote or run for the following positions:
...President - oversees all society actitivity, coordinates campaigns and represents Speakeasy interests (Charlie Parker)
Treasurer - secures funding and handles reimbursement claims (Christian Benson)
Secretary - manages day-to-day operations and campaigns, sends emails to members and communicates with SU (Dana Kamour)
Internal Outreach Officer - communicates with societies and students, looks out for free speech issues on campus (Yusuf Tayara)
External Outreach Officer - cooperates with other university societies and handles press inquiries (Connor Naylor)
Events Officer - responsible for coordinating events and campaigns (Molly Farrow)
Social Media Officer - monitors free speech content online and manages the Facebook and Twitter pages (Chiara Cappellini)
Publishing Officer - responsible for society marketing (George Harrison)
We will also discuss changes to existing committee positions in the AGM. For more information about each of these roles, please feel free to contact the existing committee members as tagged.
Pub after.
TRUMP DUMPS FREE SPEECH IN HIS FIRST WEEK
President Trump's first week in office has been riddled with censorship. From gagging the EPA to arresting journalists, it seems the new US Commander in Chief doesn't care for the First Amendment. And as it turns out it was our own restrictive free speech laws that inspired Trump's attack on civil liberties across the pond.
Keep an eye on this page for details about our upcoming events and committee elections in Lent term!
...EDIT: pls don't sue us, Mr Trump
L I N K S
Journalists face 10 years in prison for covering anti-Trump unrest:
https://www.theguardian.com/…/journalists-charged-felonies-…
https://www.nytimes.com/…/journalists-arrested-trump-inaugu…
Environmental Protection Agency GAGGED:
http://www.independent.co.uk/…/donald-trump-environmental-p…
https://www.theguardian.com/…/donald-trump-epa-gag-order-po…
How our laws inspired Trump's free speech crackdown:
https://www.theguardian.com/…/our-laws-inspired-donald-trum…
Trump dumps free speech:
http://www.rollingstone.com/…/trumps-anti-democratic-war-on…
JONATHAN PIE will be on the LSE campus TONIGHT!
Come get your slice of Pie and stand up comedian Andrew Doyle at 7pm in room 5.02 of the Clement House building.
This is sure to be a fiery one - you don't want to miss it!
... Ver más
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy agregó un evento.
Pie is coming to vent at LSE!
Tom Walker (aka Jonathan Pie) will talk Trump, free speech and 'the culture of offence' with stand up comedian Andrew Doyle.
Come to CLM 5.02 next Tuesday at 7pm to hear the spoof news reporter and controversial comic discuss their experiences as entertainers and political commentators.
...Format: Opening statements/discussion then audicence Q&A.
Tom and Andrew will talk for a bit and then take on anyone who disagrees with them in the audience.
Check out one of Pie's latest rants here: https://www.facebook.com/JonathanPieReporter/videos/1044777035645189/
See you next Tuesday!
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy compartió el video de LSESU Israel Society.
FREE SPEECH UNDER ATTACK IN LONDON UNIS
Speaker events at Kings College London and University College London have been faced with violence and intimidation from activists seeking to shut down perspectives they disagree with.
Last week police were called to UCL to protect students attending a talk by Israeli speaker Hen Mazzig, after a mob of protesters 'trapped' those at the event in a room and used intimidation to drown out the discussion inside. Two students were also repor...tedly assaulted during the drama.
In January, protesters smashed windows, set off fire alarms and threw chairs during an Israeli speaker event at KCL (co-hosted by LSE students), again requiring police involvement.
While Speakeasy supports the right to protest, we stand against this worrying precedent of violence on campus being used to shut down important dialogues and discussions.
UCL: http://www.standard.co.uk/…/university-college-london-polic…
KCL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/KCLs-Student-Israel-society-at…
Speakeasy
On Thursday night 27 October, the right to freedom of speech of the UCL Israel Society was seriously compromised.
The LSE SU Palestinian society, in a statemen...t posted on Facebook the morning of the 27th, mobilised its members to protest at UCL against the right of Hen Mazzig to speak on campus.
Whatever your position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there is no place for intolerance and intimidation like was seen on Thursday at UCL. Instead of an evening of constructive dialogue, The Palestinian Societies along with their mob of supporters chose to use intimidation against those wishing to attend. Police had to escort the attendees out of the building for their safety.
Despite this, Hen was able to speak, thanks to his courage in ignoring the screams of those who surrounded him outside the room. We would like to commend Hen and the organisers of the event for their commitment to ensuring the event went ahead as planned - despite the hostility. The protest against his presence on campus did nothing but hinder efforts for peaceful dialogue. Instead, it deterred interested students from engaging constructively with the conflict.
The protestors attacked freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
May we hope that in the future freedom of speech and freedom of expression can be more valued than aggression and intimidation by those who disagree with us.
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy agregó una foto nueva al álbum Humans of Free Speech — en The London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE con Hannah Kaufman.
ELECTION SPECIAL - Hannah Kaufman
"University is a time to engage with a wide range of views and ideas, in order to provide us with a meaningful understanding of the world around us. I therefore feel that it is vital for campuses to ensure freedom of speech, to promote discussion and debates of ideas.
I am running for the position of NUS delegate, as I feel that the NUS is not adequately addressing this or responding to student concerns. Additionally, I aim to campaign to ...make NUS more democratic, representative and relevant to students on campus."
Hannah Kaufman, 2nd Year Government and candidate for NUS Delegate
Speakeasy is endorsing Hannah because we agree that the NUS needs major reform. We support her committment to tackling the problems within this organisation and especially welcome her polices that favour student debate and engagement as alternatives to censorship on university campuses.
Count on Kaufman, and vote Hannah #1 here: https://elections.lse.ac.uk/…/voteView…/listCurrentElections
Jonathan Pie (aka Tom Walker) RANTS FOR SPEAKEASY
Watch the spoof reporter / political commentator explain why "sticking up for freedom of speech" should not be controversial.
Tom is coming to speak at the LSE around 15th November (date TBC). Keep an eye on the Pie over the next few weeks students - you won't want to miss this!
... Ver más
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy agregó 38 fotos nuevas al álbum Humans of Free Speech — en The London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE.
Humans of Free Speech shows that there exists an appetite for the discussion of free speech on the LSE campus. This campaign celebrates the diversity that underpins our principles and values.
Campaign managed and created by Christian Benson and Charlie Cull. If you want to get involved in this campaign, message or email us.
EXCLUSIVE - SPIN DOCTOR SPEAKS EASY
Check out our quick chat with controversial character Alastair Campbell, who has his say on no-platforming in universities.
Watch this space - our committee is currently planning some great events for this term!
...SE
EXCLUSIVE
We caught up with Nick Clegg to chat about free speech on campus. Listen up LSE students, the former Deputy PM has a message for you...
Stay tuned for another high-profile exclusive soon - and come meet us in The Tuns NOW to talk censorship, comedy and Kronenberg.
...SE
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy compartió su evento.
FRESHERS! Come and Speak-Queasy with us at 7pm on Tuesday!
LSESU Free Speech Society - Speakeasy agregó un evento.
CALLING ALL FRESHERS AND NEW RECRUITS
The Free Speech Society's first event of the year is here - a bar crawl and comedy club night!
We'll kick things off with a few bevs in the beloved Three Tuns Bar before heading to the Top Secret Comedy Club 170A Drury Lane WC2B 5PD for a FREE night of improv comedy (show begins at 8pm). We'll then continue the crawl in various other pubs until we all pass out. Sound good?
...Come along if you want to find out more about the society or just fancy a decent night out!
ALL ARE WELCOME
See you Tuesday
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SUMMER CENSORSHIP PART2: CAMPUS
For the past year the LSE Free Speech Society has been at the forefront of the debate on free expression in universities. With a new academic year just around the corner the issue is once again hitting the headlines, as concerns over campus crackdowns reached The Houses of Parliament last week. Meanwhile, across the pond, The University of Chicago told all first year students it is "committed to academic freedom" and rejected controversial no p...latforming and safe space policies.
Speakeasy also got a shoutout on Radio 4!
Theresa May ironically jumps to the defence of free expression after banning numerous people from entering the UK for what they say (or sing):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/theresa-may-hits-out-at-unive…/
Rapper Tyler, The Creator was banned because May didn't like his lyrics: http://www.nme.com/news/tyler-the-creator/94162
Speakeasy gets a shoutout on Radio 4! (02:25:00):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07v2ysd#play
The University of Chicago weighs in on the safe space debate:
http://www.nytimes.com/…/university-of-chicago-strikes-back…
Take a look at this brilliant overview of the free speech debate:
https://www.theguardian.com/…/safe-spaces-free-speech-unive…
Blast from the past: 1987 edition of The Beaver discusses the no platforming policy in the early days of its creation. See page 2:
http://digital.library.lse.ac.uk/…/lse:zoc723x…/read/single…
(Cheers Ojasvi Goel for sending this in!)
SE
SUMMER CENSORSHIP PART 1: WORLD
Free speech has taken a battering all over the world this summer. As well as numerous state-sponsored crackdowns, we have seen the online emergence of the Alt Right, who bombard social media users they dislike and shut down any chance of discussion. Liberal-minded students have a lot to be worried about, so it's time to fight for our most fundamental civil rights. Join the LSE Free Speech Society today!
Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones is force...d off Twitter by a new threat to free speech: the Alt Right
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/Ghostbusters-star-Leslie-Jones…
The embattled Turkish establishment cracks down on freedom of the press by closing 29 publishers, arresting journalists and taking over the country's largest newspaper
https://www.theguardian.com/…/free-speech-groups-condemn-tu…
Controversial one: “Hate preacher” Anjem Choudary was put behind bars for publicly supporting ISIS. (Let us know what you think in the comments)
https://www.theguardian.com/…/anjem-choudary-convicted-of-s…
http://www.spiked-online.com/…/a…/free-anjem-choudary/18661…
Bahrain detains a political poet and journalist as the state tightens its monopoly on speech
http://www.middleeasteye.net/…/bahrain-arrests-political-po…
In the wake of multiple terror attacks, European leaders chill freedom of speech in the name of national security
http://www.nytimes.com/…/spain-europe-protest-free-speech.h…
Classic Kim: North Korea bans sarcasm
http://www.independent.co.uk/…/north-korea-bans-sarcasm-kim…
Facebook's Mark Zukerberg is under fire for abusing his position as "the world's most powerful editor" and censoring pictures of the Vietnam war.
https://www.theguardian.com/…/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-napa…
YouTube’s new monetisation policy provides such a huge definition of harassment that hardly any well-known vloggers are able to keep to the guidelines
http://www.breitbart.com/…/free-speech-crackdown-youtubers…/
Protesters in Zimbabwe are arrested after demonstrating against their anti-democratic government
https://world.wng.org/…/us_warns_zimbabwe_after_free_speech…
UN forced to intervene after the repressive Maldives government continues its assault on free speech
http://www.dw.com/…/maldives-comes-under-fire-fo…/a-19461603
Countries around the world take to banning Pokemon Go for being heretical and satanic
http://heatst.com/…/countries-are-banning-pokemon-go-and-s…/
Stay tuned for PART 2: Campus news - out tomorrow
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