Speakers Corner: Today
What is Speakers Corner, the home of free speech in Hyde Park, London like today?
Gone are the intellectual speakers, the vegans, the sapphics and gay rights, gone are the comedians, gone are the Socialist Party of Great Britain, or was it the Great Britain Socialist Party — traitors!
Who do we have now? Well, we still have Christian speakers, even after the departure of the infamous Jay Smith and his quieter comrade in Christ, Patrick.
So who is going to the Corner now?
Muslims, lots and lots of Muslims. They now equate to sometimes as many as 80% of the people visiting the Corner.
Well that’s an interesting development, new stories to hear, new arguments, new punishments to be fearful of from the great creator in the sky.
But the atmosphere has changed.
True freedom of thought, the freedom to challenge, to argue, even ridicule seems to have diminished.
Fights seem to break out almost every week. If not a physical fight, you hear threats and see intimidating and aggressive behaviour throughout the day.
Those who dare to challenge, dispute, harangue, satirise or ridicule are faced with a barrage of aggression — both verbal and too frequently physical.
People are spat at, pushed off ladders, punched, kicked, chased out the park. Osman warnings have been issued by the Police where credible threats exist against someone’s life.
People are branded as hate preachers, racists and of course “islamophobes” for simply challenging or ridiculing another’s faith.
And why … simply for utilising the right of free speech in the home of free speech. To challenge, argue, even satirise and ridicule the beliefs of someone else. The very things that have been going on in the Corner for 250 years, the basis that this Corner and this civilisation have been proud of. Whether it has been against the Christians, the Sikhs, the Jews, the Marxists, the Vegans. They all seem to have been able to take it over the years, to come to Speakers Corner in the full knowledge that those who air their views or beliefs will be challenged, sometimes quite venomously or even cruelly.
So to the future. Crazes come and go, there has certainly been violence at the Corner before during its history. But on a weekly basis, an increasing basis? On the basis of silencing anyone who may oppose or ridicule your personal views or beliefs?
It really is time to Make Speakers Corner Great Again (MSCGA). Yes of course, peaceful Muslims are welcome, to come and share their thoughts and beliefs, but to expect and accept the challenges, ridicule and satire that they and their beliefs may face. But let’s have more speakers, let’s have the vegans back, the Marxists, the Lib Dems, the anti fur lobbyists, the comedians, the crypto currency fanatics, the conspiracy theorists. Speakers Corner needs the conspiracy theorists by the dozen, whether the new messiahs or chemtrail paranoids. Bring back the Master, bring back Diane, I’ll pay for the taxi from their care homes!
Next article: Speakers Corner Collective worship
