More on Frank Ellis

Yup, the witch hunt against Frank Ellis is gathering adherents.

The campaign against a university lecturer who claims that black people and women are genetically inferior is spreading to campuses around the country following a demonstration in Leeds yesterday.

Frank Ellis, a lecturer in Russian and Slavonic studies, sparked anger after stating he was an "unrepentant Powellite" who thought the BNP was "a bit too socialist" for his liking.

In a row that has reignited the debate about academic freedom, Mr Ellis said he supported rightwing ideas such as the theory developed by Richard J Herrnstein and Charles Murray in their 1994 book, The Bell Curve, which claims that white people are more intelligent than black people. He also told the Leeds Student newspaper that women did not have the same intellectual capacity as men and that repatriation would get his support if it was done "humanely".

I’ve been over the details of his views before. The important thing is that he has every right to believe as he does and to state his thoughts. This is, just as much with the Motoons or David Irving a simple matter. I do have and should have the right to state my beliefs up to the point just short of incitement to crime. People don’t like my views? Or his? Fuck ’em.

Yesterday more than 300 students and staff gathered in Leeds to call for him to be sacked and campaigners said the struggle was picking up momentum at other universities. Hind Hassan, treasurer of Unite Against Fascism at Leeds University, said: "This is a fight that is going to go on and on until we get rid of this man. It has gone beyond an issue of freedom of speech or academic freedom and now directly impinges on the rights of students to live and work in a safe and tolerant environment. How can female students or those from ethnic minorities possibly get a fair educational experience?"

Students from several universities attended the rally. Shaheed Fazal, who travelled from Warwick University, said: "It is completely inappropriate for a lecturer in his position to push these views."

Pav Aktar, NUS anti-racism organiser, said the campaign was gathering national momentum. "For someone in a senior position to validate racist and fascist opinions on campus represents a real danger to all students, not just those at Leeds."

That would include the above, of course. One person seems to be standing firm:

Leeds University secretary Roger Cair, one of its senior administrators, has resisted calls for Mr Ellis to be sacked, although he said the views expressed were abhorrent to most staff and students. Staff had the freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom and put forward controversial or unpopular opinions without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs, he said.

Slightly weak but still welcome. The important point about free speech was encapsulated in this statement by the owner of Hustler magazine, Larry Flynt:

"If the law will protect scumbags like me it will protect you."

You don’t like what Ellis believes or says? Fine, that’s your right. Get upset about it? Fine, that’s also your right. But he is allowed to say it, you should in fact be supporting his right to say it. Having the odd nutter spouting hurtful views is exactly the price we pay for living in a free society.

Don’t like it? Bugger off then.