Douglas Murray, the director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, last night took part in a high-profile debate sponsored by The Spectator on the subject of 'We Should Not Be Reluctant to Assert the Superiority of Western Values'.
Defending the motion were Douglas Murray, Ibn Warraq and David Aaronovitch. Opposing them were Tariq Ramadan, William Dalrymple and Charles Glass.
At the end of the tense two-hour debate, the 700-strong audience were invited to cast their votes.
The result was a decisive victory for those who believe that Western values are worth asserting: 465 votes were cast in favour of the resolution, only 264 were cast against.
The debate can still be heard on The Spectator's website.
Comments (2)
465:264 does not sound like a victory for western values !
This is a major win for the opponents of "western values". Serious questions need to be asked about the idea of debate and free speech when the enemy ( ...there is no other word )seek to destroy those very freedoms.
Today, Hitler would establish the " National Socialist Enlightenment Church" up and down the country ( SS uniforms = salvation army ), and forget any invasion plans. ...........
Posted by anthony norman | October 13, 2007 1:37 AM
Posted on October 13, 2007 01:37
I was disappointed to hear Aaronovitch tell Ramadan that he thought he was a good man and disagreed with his being barred from the US. As far as I'm concerned he is a complete weasel practising time honoured techniques of soft soap, confusion creating among the unbelievers and dissimulation. Ramadan was less courteous to one of his opponents when he talked about those who leave Islam and tell the west what it wants to hear (a stab aimed at Warraq) - as though Warraq is never off our TV screens, Sookhdeo is a CoE celebrity and governments welcome Ayaan Hersi into their countries with open arms.
Posted by Anonymous | October 12, 2007 2:49 AM
Posted on October 12, 2007 02:49