Inside Higher Ed reports today that Oxford, “Citing Racism, Won’t Let Tories Use University Name.”
The University of Oxford is barring the student affiliate of the Conservative Party from using “Oxford” in its name, following an incident in which racist jokes were told at an event for would-be officers of the organization, who were asked to tell “the most inappropriate joke you have ever told….”
Hmm. Might not some conclude from this that the University of Oxford does not regard racist jokes as inappropriate? No, I suppose not, only that it believes Oxford cannot allow its name to be used by groups, even political groups, that engage in inappropriate humor even when they label it inappropriate.
But wait. Isn’t this the same University of Oxford whose famous Oxford Union debated not so long ago whether Israel has “a right to exist.” By a slim majority that right was affirmed, but if the vote had gone the other way does anyone think Oxford would have denied the Oxford Union the right to use its name, even though many would regard it as “inappropriate” to recognize the legitimacy of terrorists annihilating a state?
