Thilo Sarrazin Speaks At The LSE: A Hot-Bed Of Anti-Semitism?
THE LSE has invited German banker Thilo Sarrazin to address the University’s German society.
Herr Sarrazin is the banker who flogged his book (Deutschland schafft sich ab – Germany Does Away With Itself) by saying that Muslims are “dunces“. He then added:
“All Jews share a certain gene. Basques have particular genes, that distinguishes them from others.”
Not everyone is happy. Says Sabby Dhalu is joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism:
“There is grotesque double standards in the implementation of bans on people entering Britain. There is no doubt that a known Muslim spouting similar views would be denied entry.”
No doubt? Oh come on.
Muslims like the wonderfully named – ahem – Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, who recently enlightened a London with his views on killing gays.
Or Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who when he’s not being hugged by former London mayor Ken Livingstone says that Hitler was pretty good bloke sent by God to kill the Jews.
But we digress. Back at the LSE Eva Gorenflo, a spokesman for the LSE German society, tells us:
“Those people are allowed to express their opinions and they are welcome to join the debate as well. As Benjamin Franklin said: ‘Without freedom of thought, there is no such thing as wisdom’.”
An LSE spokesman adds:
“LSE is committed to the principles of free speech and is, traditionally, a place where renowned speakers come to explain their thinking and answer questions. Students are free to hold and express their own views and this extends to organising events.”
People like Abdel Bari Atwan was invited top speaks at the LSE in 2010:
In 2007, speaking about Iran’s nuclear capability on ANB Lebanese television, he said: “If the Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight.”
How did that go?
Atwan, whose talk was entitled: “How much influence does the Zionist Lobby exert on US & UK Foreign Policy?”, allegedly referred to an all-powerful “Jewish lobby” and shouted at Jewish students, “you bombed Gaza”. He has not yet publically commented on the allegations.
Abdel Bari Atwan responded:
“I did not say any of the things listed on the Wikipedia site,” says Atwan. “They are false allegations, part of a smear campaign against me”.
No?
This is the LSE that believes in free debate and the individual’s right to express it? The same LSE that wanted to boycott Israel.
LSE Students’ Union anti-racism officer Joseph Brown, who proposed the controversial motion condemning Israel, said that allegations of anti-semitism were without foundation.
“There has been confusion of criticism of the Israeli Government with criticism of the Israeli people, and hence of the Jewish people,” he told London Student, adding: “whether these incidents have been political or anti-semitic, I don’t know”.
Damian Thompson recalls another triumph of free speech at the LSE:
The London School of Economics has banned Douglas Murray, the brilliant young director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, from chairing a debate on Islam tonight. The ostensible reason: “security fears”.
I know for a fact that members of Al-Mujaharoun, a pro-terror Islamist organisation, have spoken publicly at LSE. I was there.
Who’s for freedom of speech, then?
Posted: 14th, February 2011 | In: Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
