Posted on 04/12/2014 4:24:00 PM PDT by rightwingerpatriot
From time to time, a situation arises that gives truth to the old adage, "politics makes for strange bedfellows." The current case in point can be found at Cardiff University. The Students' Union there recently decided to ban all pro-life demonstrations on campus. In a sweet use of irony, the Students' Union was outraged over pro-life rallies and wanted to "prevent affiliated societies and groups from taking part in anti-choice protests or rallies." Nothing says tolerance like saying no to those you consider anti-choice by taking away their choices and banning them. Sadly, I'm sure that such destruction of logic and reason flew over the head of the Cardiff University Students' Union. However, the action of that student body has led to an unusual coalition in opposition.
The groups opposed to the pro-life rallies ban included the Catholic, Islamic, and Pro-Life societies on campus. Even some pro-abortion students were against the ban as they felt it restricted freedom of expression and how the Students' Union blatantly went after Students for Life. I can safely say that it's not that often you'll find a coalition of Catholics, Muslims, pro-lifers, and abortion advocates joining together.
In keeping with the normal progressive liberal "tolerance" for those that disagree with them, the Students' Union only gave three days notice before their hearing to vote on banning pro-life rallies. The debate lasted three-and-a-half hours before the vote was held. An unofficial vote was held first to gauge support for the ban, then a secret ballot vote was held. While the banning measure passed, it was realized that there was not the required number of members in attendance, so the vote was invalid. All this means that the Students' Union will have to try at a later date to ban pro-life rallies out of respect for...choices.
I find it oddly refreshing to see that a broad coalition of students of divergent views actually came together and agreed on not limiting the speech of others. It's things like this that do occasionally give me hope for the future. The president of the university's Students for Life society, Isaac Spencer, said, "By Sunday night, two days before the meeting and vote, we formed a broad-based coalition for freedom of speech representing and supported by the Islamic Society, the Catholic society, the Christian Medical Fellowship and the Christian Union, as well as individual students from every course, political affiliation and background, both pro-life and pro-choice, female and male."
Sadly, such actions by the Cardiff University Students' Union are nothing new. Free speech is an endangered species on college campuses. While students and professors talk about how brave and edgy they are by parroting far-left talking points, the real courage is shown by those who stand up for conservative principles and advocate for freedom of speech for everybody. It's hard to be the lone voice standing up against those who could crush your academic career, but I guess that nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
The pro-life folks are the only ones displaying dead people. Otherwise, images like that never appear. It’s not like the anti-war people show war porn or the anti-meat people show butchered animals.
If they left it out, it wouldn’t be a problem.
There is a pro-life bill board south of Roanoke Va showing a cute baby. Very effective.
No the anti-meat and fur people throw blood on you. The anti-war people hang GOP presidents in effigy. But, we should keep playing nice. Sorry, you will not convince me.
Not on this campus. Maybe on your campus
I was speaking in general terms...I could not possibly care less about what happens on one isolated campus.
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