Oxford Union: David Irving invited to speak at Oxford Union along with other people with "awful and abhorrent views"

Well, never underestimate the decision making process of Oxford Union students. They have invited David Irving to speak at the Union, one of the most prestigious "debating" venues in the world.

They have not asked him to speak about the Holocaust but they have asked him to speak about freedom of speech. On this topic I hope someone asks him to speak about how he tried to deny freedom of speech to those authors who have criticized him [just like Bin Mafouz] in the past. I am still struck by the fact that he offered to drop the suit against me if I agreed to pulp my book.

His ability to do this had, by the way, been seriously curtailed since his disastrous [from his perspective] suit against me.

The only redeeming aspect of this gesture is the group of people with whom the invitation to Irving was grouped. As the Guardian reported:

The Oxford Union debating society came under fire last night after its president said he had approached Holocaust denier David Irving, British National party chairman Nick Griffin and the Belarussian dictator, Alexander Lukoshenko, to speak at forthcoming events.

Luke Tryl said he had asked Mr Irving and Mr Griffin to speak at the union's Free Speech Forum, due to take place at the end of November, adding that Mr Lukoshenko, the Belarussian president, accused of a string of human rights abuses, had been approached to address students later in the term.

"The Oxford Union is famous for is commitment to free speech and although I do think these people have awful and abhorrent views I do think Oxford students are intelligent enough to challenge and ridicule them," he told the Guardian, adding that no formal decision on who would be invited had been made.

He has been grouped with some of the despicable people in the world. People can take some comfort in the headline the Guardian gave this event:

BNP leader and Holocaust denier invited to Oxford Union
Dictator among those asked to address students

Irving sandwiched between the far right wing BNP leader and a dictator. That needs no comment.

If Irving does come I hope the students are well prepared and ask good questions -- as we did in court -- that skewer him.

And, while I think the invitation should never have been issued, I tend to think a strong campaign against the invitation should NOT be mounted. All it will do is make Irving look like a martyr rather than the reviled character has become.