Piers Morgan begged Joe Biden to “drop the whiny insolent brat somewhere over the Atlantic”. Dan Wootton thundered: “Would this rabble-rouser disrespect his own country like this?” The Mail’s resident thinker also didn’t care for Katzman’s PhD in “complexity theory”, which is actually a branch of maths, but never mind. For the record, Wootton hails from New Zealand, where he did media studies and politics. And Morgan often drones on about how much he values free speech and others’ opinions.
For the pundits and the politicians it was all good lucrative fun. Except the story was largely manufactured, and the consequences for Katzman have been devastating.
Now let us switch our example. Say, a certain newspaper running ever more pieces about how poverty is increasing. When what is meant is inequality is increasing. Or how the expansion of food banks shows Tories are bastards – instead of how the little platoons make up for the failures of government. Or that “business as usual” assumption in climate change is actually the assumption of RCP 8.5, the thing we know isn’t going to happen.
That is, the manufacture of evidence to instigate pile ones is not unique to this story about a student and a piccie of The Queen.
But we’re unlikely to get that level of reflection now, are we?
Your name is on the paper. You approve. Tough .
I am sure Mr Chuckybotty was not so concerned about Roger Scruton.
Matthew had been conscripted into that very modern British phenomenon: a culture war. The day that was ending in public hate had begun with a deluge of press.
Truly terrifying. Cancel culture is a fearful weapon that should ONLY be used against guilty people, such as those who claim “white lives matter”.
Sure enough, hate mail began pouring in. Much of it was abusive, some was directly racist. “Jewish bolshevik. Communist cunt.” Worried over his physical safety, Magdalen moved him and his girlfriend into one of their rooms, from which they didn’t emerge for five days. Five days in which Katzman barely slept or ate, but just kept worrying. Not long after he returned to his family and friends in the US.
Uhm, ACTUALLY, sweetie, freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences, lol
Hate mail and death threats: how the right wrecked one man’s life for its culture war
The Right’s culture war?
The Left has been waging a culture war against the West since before WW2, so f**k off with your gaslighting Mr Chakrabortty.
Also, cry harder…
As culture conflagrations go, this one had it all: an ancient university, bolshie twentysomethings denouncing the monarchy, the implication that British history was anything but a glorious pageant
Aditya’s empathy for political opponents is legendary – for example I am sure he has commented in a similar vein on the attacks on Feminists who have opposed militant trans people being allowed to enter Refuges for battered women or Women’s prisons. The Guardian must have archived those articles incorrectly…..
I am surprised that the Vice Chancellor of Magdalen hasn’t sprung to his defence, unless of course having the name Katzman means he lacks the necessary intersectional points to attain proper victim status (Unlike the self-satisfied little creep behind Rhodes Must Fall).
I assume you mean the Vice Chancellor of Oxford – Magdalen has a President (and VP).
“He enjoys strategy board games and has a puppy called Rusty.” I laughed. Then I wondered: “Is this a statement in code? What is he implying?” Then I dismissed it as routine Guardian bad writing.
@Steve – “freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences”
It most certainly does. If it didn’t, then someone living in a country where everyone who criticised the leader was swiftly executed would still have freedom of speech.