Mick Hartley

The Clare College student responsible for the supposedly offensive issue of the college magazine Clareification has been made to publish an apology:

A Clare College spokesman said:

“Because of the gravity of the situation and the diversity of views expressed about the best way of handling it, the Dean of Students set in train procedures for convening the Court of Discipline.

“As events unfolded, however, a collective decision was taken to pursue instead a course of restorative justice and reconciliation.

“The general and the guest editor were both formally reprimanded by the Dean of Students, and were also interviewed by the Master.

The guest editor was required to publish an apology, and also to meet any students who asked to see him as well as senior representatives of Cambridge religious communities.”

A note of apology was distributed to all college members.

The college is now arranging a meeting for next term to discuss the problem of maintaining free speech while avoiding offence. Guidelines for student publications are to be drawn up. The February edition of Clareification was renamed “Crucification” for a special edition on religious satire, with the front page headline: “Ayatollah rethinks stance on misunderstood Rushdie.”

A cartoon used was the same one which caused riots across the world when it was printed in a Danish newspaper.

Asim Mumtaz, president of Cambridge’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, welcomed the apology, and said he was satisfied with the way the college had dealt with the situation. He said: “Religion teaches us that God is merciful and forgives, and we should forgive others as well, so long as this student realised the impact of their actions and that this was wrong.

“This student has a full life ahead of him and if he had been thrown out of the university that would have had a huge impact.”

Isn’t that magnanimous of the president of the Muslim Association? God is indeed merciful, provided that we’re prepared to admit our mistakes.

One can only hope the wretched student has learnt his lesson. What a foolish mistake, to think that the college authorities would in any way support his right to be offensive towards religion. This isn’t the 20th Century, for goodness’ sake!

As for the college’s dilemma, of “maintaining free speech while avoiding offence”, that can be easily solved. Simply send every communication to Asim Mumtaz and the Cambridge’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Association prior to publication. That way anything likely to cause offence can be identified and removed beforehand. I’m surprised they couldn’t work that one out for themselves.

Or, better yet, don’t publish anything. Yes, on reflection that’s probably the best solution. You can never tell nowadays just what might turn out to be offensive to someone, somewhere.