You Can't Ask Questions Like That

Hat tip Vlad Tepes

At a London town hall featuring London’s Muslim Mayor, Sadiq Khan, a young man from Malaysia attempted to ask Khan why he has not condemned the jailing of a Christian governor in Indonesia for supposed blasphemy. The moderator, Tony Arbour, cut him off and when the young man attempted to complete his question, Arbour had his microphone taken away, and he was escorted from the hall by security.

https://vladtepesblog.com/2018/04/11/london-mayor-avoids-interesting-question-with-eviction/comment-page-1/#comment-409120

In a way, this reminds me of our recent experience at Golden West College last month when questioners were called outside to be admonished by their questions to a Muslim speaker, I was asked (unsuccessfully) to turn off my video camera, and the campus police were eve called in.en
Of course, none of us ever became disruptive or called the Muslim prophet names as did the young man in London.

Would I have handled it differently than the Malaysian man? I think I would have cut quickly to the question (“Why have you not condemned the arrest in Indonesia?”) as soon as the moderator interrupted and I would not have begun shouting as I was being escorted out.  When things begin to get tense, it is important that the other side be the bad guy. Let them be the ones who are embarrassed on videotape.

But I absolutely condemn the moderator. He might have politely cut in to ask the question to not make a speech and to ask his question. As it was, Arbour cut him off as soon as he realized the questioner was going to ask a hardball question of Khan.

But of course, the UK does not enjoy the same right of speech that we enjoy in America.

With the exception of Golden West College, that is.