Last night, the Oxford Union debating society were protested against by students who were angry that the society had invited two men with appalling opinions to debate the issue of free speech.  The decision and resulting demonstrations have caused huge publicity for these men.  The demonstrators believe that David Irving (a historian who believes the holocaust didn’t happen - a criminal offence in some countries.  He’s actually spent time in prison for his beliefs) and Nick Griffin (leader of the BNP) should never be allowed a platform on which to air their horrific views. 

Max Hastings disagrees and I am finding myself coming down on his side in this issue.  Censorship carries many risks and one of them, I believe, is complacency.  I’ve known highly intelligent women who have lived through the Second World War, who have frequently reacted incredulously when I’ve explained various things to them.  Loving husbands have tried  to shield them from very unpleasant things.  But when we don’t know what unpleasant things are out there, we don’t know we have to fight them, and they can grow unchecked.  A bit like dry rot in a house - know it’s there and you can keep on top of it; if it remains hidden, then it can destroy your home.  It’s all too easy to think that the Holocaust could never happen again because Hitler was a one-off and he’s dead.  It’s all to easy to believe that everyone is a lovely person and there are only a handful of atrocious people around in the world.  Actually, labouring under this belief is dangerous.  We need to know who these people are and what they really believe so that we can keep on top of them.  Censoring them risks future generations not really understanding how dangerous these people really are and becoming compacent enough for them to gain power again.  All it needs is someone with a forceful personality, secretly winning enough people over, for power to grow - that’s what Hitler did.  The best way we can prevent it happening in our country is to hear what these people have to say in a controlled atmosphere why they can be debated with - that way any naive people will see why people like Irving and Griffin are so dangerous and there will be more people trying to stop them.