Founded in 1770, Trinity College, Dublin’s College Historical Society, known as The Hist, is the oldest surviving undergraduate student society in the world.
It has rescinded an invitation to Richard Dawkins to address it. The Auditor, Bríd O’Donnell, explained that she had been “unaware of Richard Dawkins’ opinions on Islam and sexual assault until this evening.”
“The invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak at the society was made by my predecessor and I followed up the invitation with limited knowledge of Mr. Dawkins,” O’Donnell said.
“I had read his Wikipedia page and researched him briefly. Regretfully I didn’t look further into him before moving forward with the invitation.”
In other words, she had barely heard of him. That is hilarious, and not on her part.
It is possible to have attained considerable distinction at one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the English-speaking world, and to have little or no idea who Richard Dawkins was.
Has the President of the Oxford Union ever heard of Richard Dawkins? Has anyone bothered to check?
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