{"id":1693,"date":"2016-01-29T06:00:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T11:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/avant-garde\/?p=1693"},"modified":"2016-01-28T21:48:51","modified_gmt":"2016-01-29T02:48:51","slug":"necss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/avant-garde\/2016\/01\/necss\/","title":{"rendered":"NECSS booted Richard Dawkins for no reason"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Later this year, the Northeast Conference on Science & ‘Skepticism’<\/a> (NECSS) will be having its annual conference. Richard Dawkins<\/strong> had been invited as a keynote speaker but then, NECSS chose to withdrew the invitation<\/a> \u2014 out of the blue:<\/p>\n

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The Northeast Conference on Science & Skepticism has withdrawn its invitation to Richard Dawkins to participate at NECSS 2016. We have taken this action in response to Dr. Dawkins\u2019 approving re-tweet of a highly offensive video<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We believe strongly in freedom of speech and freedom to express unpopular, and even offensive, views. However, unnecessarily divisive, counterproductive, and even hateful speech runs contrary to our mission and the environment we wish to foster at NECSS<\/strong>. The sentiments expressed in the video do not represent the values of NECSS or its sponsoring organizations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure they’re contradicting themselves. You can’t be for free speech and, at the very same time, hold the belief that there’s something called hate speech. (Hate speech doesn’t exist<\/a>!) And, by the way, that word, “retweeting”, it doesn’t mean what the people at NECSS think it means. Dawkins tweeted<\/em> the video. But I digress and this is not a Twitter-for-Dummies post…<\/p>\n

So, what was the video Dr. Dawkins tweeted approvingly? This<\/a>:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/ecJUqhm2g08<\/p>\n

(Guess I won’t be invited to NECSS any time soon! For all I care.)<\/p>\n

Actually, when Dawkins tweeted the video, he also said: “Obviously doesn’t apply to vast majority of feminists, among whom I count myself. But the minority are pernicious<\/em>“… but who cares about nuance and being fair when it comes to bashing Richard Dawkins<\/a><\/strong>? So, obviously, the NECSS people didn’t even bother reading what Dakwins was actually saying.<\/p>\n

Anyway, someone informed Dawkins that the ‘feminist’ in the video depicted an actual woman who has being threatened. I still don’t get the train of thought here: what was Dawkins supposed to do with that info? Some people appear to think he should have apologized, which is odd, because he hadn’t threatened anyone and he’s not responsible for the actions of others<\/strong>. At any rate, Dawkins deleted his tweet<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't EVER threaten anyone with violence. We should be free to use comedy\/ridicule without fear it may inspire violence<\/p>\n

— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) January 27, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n