George Galloway storms out of Oxford debate after discovering his opponent is Israeli - Polidicks

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6pVT-p6pwU[/media] [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9884829/George-Galloway-storms-out-of-debate-with-Israeli-student.html[/url] [quote]George Galloway has stormed out of a debate at a Oxford University college after realising he was debating against an Israeli student. The Respect MP, who last year won a by-election to represent Bradford West, told students he was leaving because he does "not recognise Israel".[/quote]

I like him some of the time but this time he's a cunt.

That is now how to properly debate.

Yeah, this could not bite you in the ass in any way down the line :downs:

Does by not recognizing Israel mean he doesn't recognize that there was a student existing there to debate? If anything, the fact that there was an Israeli there would have given him the opportunity to debate better and more directly on the issue.

Galloway is a pretty odd guy, no idea why people voted for him.

Being a cockmongler for no reason 101.

[QUOTE=GeneralSergant;39670563]Yeah, this could not bite you in the ass in any way down the line :downs:[/QUOTE] Oh he's done far far worse things to damage is political reputation.

[quote]The Respect MP, who last year won a by-election to represent Bradford West, told students he was leaving [b]because he does "not recognise Israel"[/b][/quote] What the hell does that have to do with anything

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;39670597]Does by not recognizing Israel mean he doesn't recognize that there was a student existing there to debate?[/QUOTE] Considering it was a debate about Israel, he may have felt embarrassed that he did not recognize the student being Israeli and then left. I don't know, the whole thing just seems so unlikely.

[QUOTE=DrasarSalman;39670641]Considering it was a debate about Israel, he may have felt embarrassed that he did not recognize the student being Israeli and then left. I don't know, the whole thing just seems so unlikely.[/QUOTE] or maybe he's a cunt

The issue is that he refuses to debate something that isn't (to him) even remotely real. It would be like sitting down a Priest and telling him to debate god with a Militant Atheist who categorically rejects anything to do with god. There's no discussion here. It's compounded by the fact that even deigning to acknowledge that there's a discussion deigns to acknowledge that there is something to discuss. He recognized this not only as an argument that was a waste of time, but was potentially hazardous to more important claims or beliefs he held.

I thought he'd already lost all his respect after Big Brother :v:

Maybe he was under pressure thinking that as he is opposing an Israeli, that it may have some international repercussions?

Racism

[QUOTE=Crazy Ivan;39670665] It would be like sitting down a Priest and telling him to debate god with a Militant Atheist who categorically rejects anything to do with god. There's no discussion here. It's compounded by the fact that even deigning to acknowledge that there's a discussion deigns to acknowledge that there is something to discuss[/QUOTE] Give me a break. If the situation was a little different, and it was an Israeli refusing to debate a Palestinian because he "doesn't recognize Palestine as a nation", would you still say this? Saying "I don't want to debate you because you belong to a group I don't like" doesn't make you in any way righteous, it makes you a cunt. Note that he didn't have a problem with the debate, and continued debating, until the fact came up that his opponent was Israeli.

[QUOTE=Glorbo;39670712]If the situation was a little different, and it was an Israeli refusing to debate a Palestinian because he "doesn't recognize Palestine as a nation", would you still say this?[/QUOTE] You mean like every single 'peace negotiation' between Israel and Palestine?

[QUOTE=NoDachi;39670734]You mean like every single 'peace negotiation' between Israel and Palestine?[/QUOTE] Is the guy he's debating a representative of the Israeli government? No? Then your point is invalid. "You belong to this group of people. Therefor, I refuse to speak to you." Can you not see anything wrong with this? Seriously?

[QUOTE=Glorbo;39670767]Is the guy he's debating a representative of the Israeli government? No? Then your point is invalid. "You belong to this group of people. Therefor, I refuse to speak to you." Can you not see anything wrong with this? Seriously?[/QUOTE] I was making a jab at the irony of your hypothetical statement. Nothing particular about this debate between Galloway and whoever. I thought that was obvious.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;39670734]You mean like every single 'peace negotiation' between Israel and Palestine?[/QUOTE] what does have to do with anything

meow purr purr

Ever tried debating Israel-Palestine with a the average Israeli who doesn't support Palestinians right to state? Its impossible, if you corner them they will say something like 'we were here first', 'its the land of god' or my personal favourite 'you're supporting terrorists!'. Thats assuming what the debate was about.

[QUOTE=laserguided;39670817]Ever tried debating Israel-Palestine with a Israeli? Its impossible, if you corner them they will say something like 'we were here first', 'its the land of god' or my personal favourite 'you're supporting terrorists!'. Thats assuming what the debate was about.[/QUOTE] "Ever tried debating Israel-Palestine with a Palestinian? It's impossible, if you corner them they will say something like "we were here first", or my personal favorite "you're supporting apartheid!"" "Ever tried debating god with a theist? It's impossible, if you corner them they will say something like "well god did it!", or my personal favorite "you're a satan worshiper!"" "Ever tried debating god with an atheist? it's impossible, if you corner them they will say something like "I don't have the research in front of me", or my personal favorite "I don't have to prove you wrong!"" It's an excuse, and you're pulling a strawman right out of your ass.

[QUOTE=Glorbo;39670767]Is the guy he's debating a representative of the Israeli government? No? Then your point is invalid. "You belong to this group of people. Therefor, I refuse to speak to you." Can you not see anything wrong with this? Seriously?[/QUOTE] I think his point is that Israel does not recognise Palestine as a nation, so why should he recognise Israel? It's a rather good point and I think the way he perpetrates it is fitting, because it's the same way Israel is treating Palestine.

[QUOTE=NoS4A2;39670866]I think his point is that Israel does not recognise Palestine as a nation, so why should he recognise Israel? It's a rather good point and I think the way he perpetrates it is fitting, because it's the same way Israel is treating Palestine.[/QUOTE] But he's not debating the state of Israel, he's debating a person who happens to be Israeli. If this was the reverse, and it was an Israeli refusing to debate a palestinian, you would probably be livid, and so would I- rightfully so, because judging people according to where they come from makes you an asshole

[QUOTE=Glorbo;39670854]"Ever tried debating Israel-Palestine with a Palestinian? It's impossible, if you corner them they will say something like "we were here first", or my personal favorite "you're supporting apartheid!"" "Ever tried debating god with a theist? It's impossible, if you corner them they will say something like "well god did it!", or my personal favorite "you're a satan worshiper!""[/QUOTE] From personal experience. Every single debate I've been in with a right wing Israeli has ended the same way. Its always stupid pictures showing how horrible Palestinians are and how peace loving IDF are or the 'you're supporting terrorists'. I'm not even joking.

Fucking winner.

[QUOTE=Glorbo;39670889]But he's not debating the state of Israel, he's debating a person who happens to be Israeli. If this was the reverse, and it was an Israeli refusing to debate a palestinian, you would probably be livid, and so would I- rightfully so, because judging people according to where they come from makes you an asshole[/QUOTE] He's not proposing an argument, and therefore he's not committing ad hominem. He is construing a point that is a very valid point, which is that the person he is debating does not recognise the party which Galloway is obviously partial for (if you look up previous work of Galloway) as a legitimate "party" (or nation in this case), and he's just responding in kind. It's quite childish but it gets the point across I think.

Wacism??

[QUOTE=laserguided;39670891]From personal experience. Every single debate I've been in with a right wing Israeli has ended the same way. Its always stupid pictures showing how horrible Palestinians are and how peace loving IDF are or the 'you're supporting terrorists'. I'm not even joking.[/QUOTE] So, nobody should debate nobody else on any subject? Because both sides usually think that about each other. That's not the point of a debate. The point of a debate isn't to convince your opponent-It's to give your opinion, with the reasons you have that opinion, and letting the crowd decide which one is right. [editline]21st February 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=NoS4A2;39670924]It's quite childish[/QUOTE] Yes, and the fact that a grown man is still acting that way is inexcusable.