Current Affairs The Far Left

[neil999]

This is a valid caveat, I think. And not being in academia or a student, it's difficult for me to gauge. I will say that about a year ago I was fairly confident in my belief that these were isolated incidents brought about by very small groups on far-left campuses. While I still believe most college students are completely uninterested in these stunts, they seem to be happening with increasing frequency, and disturbingly, at more prominent schools and among professional students (law students, for example). Perhaps most concerning, they're often embraced by administrations or departments.

I hesitate to call it "dangerous" even though I think in many ways it is, more so it's just very depressing.

I think it will be interesting to see how it plays out, thing is i think they believe what they are doing is genuinely right

do you believe anyone should be able to speak at a college/school...for example should someone from the KKK be able to speak? if so at what point do you draw the line and who decides the line?

 

[Pettifogger]

I think it will be interesting to see how it plays out, thing is i think they believe what they are doing is genuinely right

do you believe anyone should be able to speak at a college/school...for example should someone from the KKK be able to speak? if so at what point do you draw the line and who decides the line?

It's tough. I think it makes sense to have some limits for speakers (particularly those in an organized setting), they should have some intellectual weight to them. It makes no sense to have some outlandish bigot off the street speak. But those lines are probably difficult to draw. In practice, though, I don't think it will be a frequent issue because groups are unlikely to bring in random KKK members to speak (or similarly uncredentialed speakers from the far left).

The more contentious subjects will be speakers like Richard Spencer, for example, who isn't a stupid person. He leads a social movement that has political impact, and probably has some academically coherent (if not socially constructive or redeeming) commentary to provide. I would tend to err on the side of inclusion of speech, barring some compelling interest for exclusion.

I don't think "he makes us feel unsafe" is compelling. "He legitimately makes the campus unsafe" could be compelling, but that's another problem because the "unsafe" aspect of late has come from those opposing the speaker.

 

[Joey66]

Seemed to be centrist,centre left parties that are failing big time(look how badly lib dems are polling)...mind you france elected a centrist president

Big Big money men projected Macron - he is falling in the polls since !

 

[SpongeBob brown shoes]

Isn't the far left Antifa, another gang of bellends

I think if you go to 'far' any direction left and right you become extreme in your views to the point where only your view is correct and everyone else is an enemy

 

[SpongeBob brown shoes]

intelligence and political opinion are not intrinsically linked...very insulting to suggest otherwise, its fine to disagree and debate.

Absolutely right, but you wouldn't think it in this country

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I shouldn't have posted in this thread.

Bores the heck out of me I must say.

 

[coollino]

Are there people in here who actually identify as far left?

The whole 'far' thing gets banded around far too much these days. the majority of people described as far right tend not to be (racism/xenophobia does not automatically make you far right).

I mean, surely the old school far left (which Corbyn was apparently part of) would want to leave the EU?

 

[Pettifogger]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/09/us/o...8oakland-police-denied-coffee-shop0343PMStory

Hasta Muerte Coffee's owners posted to their Instagram, stating they had "a policy of asking police to leave for the physical and emotional safety of our customers and ourselves." They went on to accuse the police department of having a history of "corruption, mismanagement and scandal" along with a "legacy of blatant repression." The owners also said the shop needs the support the community, not the police, to keep their business safe. The shop also posted a photo of other posts criticizing its decision with the words "not my president" plastered over them.

The officer's race or his affiliation with a Latino organization meant nothing, the shop's post said, and the department's "short term touting" of having less officer-involved shootings didn't erase the department's history.

"The facts are that poc (people of color), women, and queer police are complicit in upholding the same law and order that routinely criminalizes and terrorizes black and brown and poor folks, especially youth, trans, and houseless folks," the post read.

 

[SteveSC]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/09/us/o...8oakland-police-denied-coffee-shop0343PMStory

Whats your point? Is it because they mentioned "safe space"? I think you are taking it out of context if so.

Do you know the history of Oakland PD? Have you ever watched the news stories about the corruption and issues they have had in the last 5 to 10 years.

They had 3 commissioners in the span of 1 year at one stage. Which led to them setting up a commission instead with a committee and not one single commissioner.

There is a good documentary on Netflix that follows the cops there and the issues faced. PBS and other news and documentary sources have highlighted the issues there.

Sure heck google corruption in Oakland police and see how many articles spanning 10 years pop up.

 

[zzr45]

Whats your point? Is it because they mentioned "safe space"? I think you are taking it out of context if so.

Do you know the history of Oakland PD? Have you ever watched the news stories about the corruption and issues they have had in the last 5 to 10 years.

They had 3 commissioners in the span of 1 year at one stage. Which led to them setting up a commission instead with a committee and not one single commissioner.

There is a good documentary on Netflix that follows the cops there and the issues faced. PBS and other news and documentary sources have highlighted the issues there.

Sure heck google corruption in Oakland police and see how many articles spanning 10 years pop up.

Or the fact they seem to be screaming about discrimination whilst acting in a discriminationary fashion? Or complaining about police officers upholding the law? I dunno.

 

[Pettifogger]

Whats your point? Is it because they mentioned "safe space"? I think you are taking it out of context if so.

Do you know the history of Oakland PD? Have you ever watched the news stories about the corruption and issues they have had in the last 5 to 10 years.

They had 3 commissioners in the span of 1 year at one stage. Which led to them setting up a commission instead with a committee and not one single commissioner.

There is a good documentary on Netflix that follows the cops there and the issues faced. PBS and other news and documentary sources have highlighted the issues there.

Sure heck google corruption in Oakland police and see how many articles spanning 10 years pop up.

haha

My point is that it is off-the-charts crazy for Oakland nutjobs to ban cops from their establishment while (probably) claiming that it's outrageous discrimination to refuse to serve someone on pretty much any other basis.

It's further my point that it's off-the-charts crazy for this establishment to infer that minorities joining the police force are "are complicit in upholding the same law and order that routinely criminalizes and terrorizes black and brown and poor folks, especially youth, trans, and houseless folks."

 

[Sir Alan]

Isn’t far left all about being cool on social media?

 

[Socrates]

So, we have people on the right, who are intolerant of minorities like people of colour, the gay community, women controlling their bodies, immigrants and many others, have caused young lefties to be intolerant of their behaviour and rhetoric, causing protests against speakers who preach their particular intolerances, and that has led the right to be intolerant of the students protesting and the left in general?

No doubt someone on the left will be intolerant of the intolerance of the right about the student's intolerance of the intolerance of the right wing speakers.

And the right, well they won't tolerate that kind of behaviour...

 

[magicjuan]

Are there people in here who actually identify as far left?

The whole 'far' thing gets banded around far too much these days. the majority of people described as far right tend not to be (racism/xenophobia does not automatically make you far right).

I mean, surely the old school far left (which Corbyn was apparently part of) would want to leave the EU?

My leave vote is rooted in far left policies, like Benn, Crow etc.

But, after years of stifling political debate in this country by right leaning press, along with painting lefist views as the bogeyman to all, it is difficult to define 'left and far left'. Those who go to extreme in views and actions are possibly a reaction to that. Right wing now, viewed as moderate via the media, have lurched to the right, extreme right as viewed historically, but portrayed sympathetically. There is no representative balance.

 

[LEONARD]

2 sides of the same coin.

Intolerant, doctrinaire, and no room for doubt.