The rest of the AF Board quit today.
You either allow full freedom of speech and expression, or you don’t. Government have introduced hate speech laws that most people agree with, but in doing so they have removed rights from people. There is no such thing as freedom of speech.
Good they all need to stand down.
Bring someone in with backbone
What a pathetic statement and a terrible moral equivalence to align a Palestinian writer with the terrorism in Sydney.
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That is very well written by Louise Adler.
The whole “Thoughts and Prayers” sentiment has been weaponised.
Luckily there’s been no similar concerted rush to regulate the internet and now AI so all your ‘cultural product’ will soon be slop and the people who used to make it will be our waiters and food delivery units.
And now the Festival has been cancelled.
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It’s really mind boggling the stupidity. There’s probably quite a lot of people involved here whose salaries are completely reliant on healthy arts practice, in other words on artists being able to work and present, that should be fired. Out of cannons too.
So when are pollies like Makinauskas and Madeleine King going to stand down for their disgraceful stance on the matter?
im about to rain down some thoughts on prayers on you buddy
I know nothing of the writer. Does she have a history of writing controversial stuff?
What sort of thoughts and prayers? They better be the type of thoughts and prayers that are compatible with my world view or I will be very triggered!
The response to the events in Sydney should have been to invite Jewish and Israeli writers.
To you know discuss the actual very real problem which is discussing anti semitism, anti or pro Zionism and the place of Israel, Islam and Judaism in the world etc etc,
Not cancel someone who might have anti Israeli(fairly understandable if your Palestinian) views.
Just absolutely mind boggling.
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I think i read something about her trying to ban a Jewish writer.
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She’s not a hate preacher as far as I know.
But I would imagine as a Palestinian writer she would present anti Israeli views.
You cannot silence anti Israeli viewpoints.
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The writers week has been, apparently. The broader Adelaide festival will go on as usual, although in significantly gelded form.
And anyway, its message received and mission accomplished for the pressure groups. Everyone running a festival or conference will have watched this whole debacle carefully, and the bean counters and sponsors’ reps on every board will be planning on how best to avoid it happening to them. And they’ll decide that the easiest strategy is to simply not invite any Palestinians at all. Can’t get attacked for booting them if they were never on the bill in the first place. Self censorship is always the best censorship.
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You did.
An author who described Palestinians as animals. Amongst other things.
Intelligent, insightful people whose job is to consider and express complex ideas in a climate of knee jerking and small mindedness? You can’t be serious!
It’s not self censorship though is it….She was slated to take part.
And now you will see future arts festivals ignore anyone who’s pro Palestinian?
■■■■ me.