Comments for Cambridge Defend Education // dissent - resist - occupy

Comment on An academic’s letter to Professor Goldhill on the Willetts Protest by Orestes

Orestes — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:48:43 +0000

Tossing off a few remarks about Sophocles in a tantalisingly brief interview about his new book, Simon Goldhill has been hoist with his own petard: “I think he’s the best analyst of extremism who ever lived. His plays show us how that when we try to reason with extremists, we get nowhere. The people who take the middle ground in his plays have no impact on anything.” One could well assemble an array of evidence — stretching from Vince Cable’s remarks about Tory Maoism to, I don’t know, Stuart Hall — which suggests that the current goverment is, in fact, a hardened cabal of neoliberal extremists who have seized hold of the executive apparatus of the state to rule according to their own ideological cranks and prejudices, mandate or no mandate. Goldhill now, at last, after all that has happened, seems to have publicly acknowledged that it is futile to try to reason with such people, because it gets you nowhere: they press ahead with destroying key sections of socialised state provision anyway. As for other kinds of extremism, nowhere would be a mighty fine place to reach…

Comment on A Perfectly Legitimate Use of the Grace: Why you Should Vote Placet by Carlos

Carlos — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:31:18 +0000

Council judged that not nwolliag the Grace would have simply resulted in yet more internal discussion, distracting from the real need to deal with external realities. So we did not pursue that thought. But the fact that this use of the Grace mechanism is not forbidden by Statutes does not mean that it is appropriate.You have conveniently ignored the other arguments in the flysheets, one of the most important of which is the sheer uncollegiality of such a Grace. Those with long memories might recall the trouble that arose when a group on UCU called for an academic boycott of Israel, and the Union nearly tore itself apart. Where there is a wide variety of opinions on a controversial topic, the only collegial way forward is for those who care to act for themselves. I don’t believe any flysheet suggested argued that the financial reality’ would get us out of the situation we are in. But to argue for solutions that ignore the financial reality has about as much relevance as arguing about angels on pinheads. If you shift from arguing against current policy, to arguing for something, you have to juggle the number of students, the publicly-funded resource per student, and the total amount of public funding (and if the view is to increase the latter, where else to cut). I very much doubt that members of the Regent House could agree relative priorities between these three drivers. It is not enough to say tax the banks more , especially since for the most part we now own them: you have to do the sums.

Comment on Occupation of Lady Mitchell Hall by Omar

Omar — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:13:45 +0000

The had predicted agevare tuition fees of 7 500 but has just announced that its will have to pay 9 000 Durham is the fifth to announce that it will charge the maximum tuition fees. Photograph Corbis Durham University plans to charge 9 000 tuition fees from next year the maximum allowed.

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by Lincoln

Lincoln — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:52:41 +0000

Yes, Simon Gladhill – is that his name? – made a similar mistake to you. He balked, though, and took his accusation of totalitarianism back to bed with him when others pointed out that it made him look foolish (and ignorant). All you seem to be capable of is lazy, glib assertion. Good luck with your future endeavours, given that you seem to be so career-oriented.

http://donsspeakout.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/prof-simon-goldhill-condemns-student-protests/

http://donsspeakout.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/george-oppitz-trotman-on-the-willetts-protest-at-cambridge/

http://donsspeakout.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/another-open-letter-regarding-disruption-of-willetts-speech/

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by john

john — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:59:11 +0000

maybe if you studied a bit harder…

Comment on Over 50 academics sign letter condemning student conviction by Kathryn Maude

Kathryn Maude — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:25:14 +0000

If any academics reading this want to sign the petition, please get in touch with us at cambridgefreespeech@gmail.com. Thanks!

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by Don Barry

Don Barry — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:24:34 +0000

I’m told the last time such an absurdly severe sentence was handed down by this court was for plagiarism of a thesis — an academic crime meriting strong sanction.

Holland was correct in his assessment that at the event, “nothing is up for debate here / your mind is made up / you are not for turning.” All speech is inseparable from the calculus of power surrounding it. Minister Willetts’ appearance already carried the imprimatur of privilege and place, and the entire event was suffocated with the cloak of lies and half-lies surrounding his stooge advocacy of the privatization of higher education. The use of a substantial portion of the audience in a democratic manner provided something approaching an equal counterpoint, which invited a reply of substance. That such a reply was not forthcoming speaks more of the poverty of Willetts’ ability to make a meaningful reply than to the fiction of violence used to mask his escape.

For shame for the Cambridge administration in this persecution. It is a dark day for academic freedom there.

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by Alison Assiter

Alison Assiter — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:43:23 +0000

I personally have always respected freedom of speech but the action of Cambridge University seems draconian.

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by Alison Assiter

Alison Assiter — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:42:02 +0000

I am shocked that Cambridge should decide to act in this way. I personally respect and have always respected freedom of speech but the action of the university following the protest seems draconian.

Comment on “GO HOME, DAVID”: An epistle to David Willetts by Ann

Ann — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:08:35 +0000

Just look at America, if you don’t think it’s true,
how massive corporate dollars has destroyed education
as well as the environment and health care,
and even, and yes, even “free enterprise” itself.