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by mjs 3743 days ago
> The program committee feel that we cannot possibly organize a workshop under the umbrella of a conference that values the free expression of racist and fascist views over the physical and emotional safety of its attendees and speakers…

From reading the link, I would assume that no "racist and fascist views" will be aired or otherwise expressed at the conference: it's a technical conference, it's against the pledge of conduct, and in addition the organizers sought out a public statement from the speaker "clearly stating the speaker’s views on violence," which they duly got. Do you not believe them?

1 comments

Many (me included) consider the inclusion of such a speaker as tacit endorsement of the acceptability of such views.

One of the results of holding and espousing deeply racist views should be exclusion from society.

That's a reasonable position, but that's not what the argument for cancelling the conference was.

The argument was that the speaker's presence would threaten the "physical and emotional safety of its attendees and speakers." This appears to be completely unsupported by the facts.

So YOU'RE to blame...

Thanks for nothing