Another story for the ‘pathetically-thin-skinned’ file came out of Oxford University this week. Spiked has the story of Merton College at Oxford, where all the students got a good lecturing about refraining from “unacceptable and extremely offensive” behaviour.
The vile crime that provoked this stern crackdown? During a pool game, someone used the word “gay” in a derogatory way, as in “that shot was so gay”. Says Spiked:
The idea that students should behave according to some predetermined college ethos stands in stark contrast to the old idea of universities as places where young people should be free to experiment, to think, to argue, to learn, to say what they please in a student common room…. Enforcing an official dogma about words, phrases and actions betrays an elitist view of what sort of behaviour is appropriate, and what is not.
Worse, it treats students as children who either must be reprimanded for saying naughty words or who must be protected from the jokey words of big ‘bully boys’ by student officials posing as social workers. This infantilises students – which is hardly conducive to creating an atmosphere where students can grow, both educationally and personally.
Merton College, founded in 1264, boasts the oldest surviving working library in the United Kingdom but sadly their copy of John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty seems to have gone missing.
That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.
This “harm principle” defines the boundary of what should be permitted speech. The “harm” caused by speech should be palpable if that speech is to be banned. Being a bit miffed at a throwaway comment does not constitute palpable harm.
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Late last week the Otago Daily Times reported that euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martin has been barred from holding a public meeting at the University of Otago.
