|
Photo: Dr John Read
(Devonport Flagstaff)
John
Read, a supposed academic - wants to stop freedom of speech!
John Read again
demonstrates that he has no objectivity about the subject of child sexual
abuse.
Report : (McLoughlin,
Dominion, Aug 5, 2000)
John Read resigns in protest to invitation to Dr
Elizabeth Loftus to speak
A row over
academic freedom has erupted after attempts by a group of child sexual abuse
campaigners to have a leading American academic stopped from giving a keynote
speech to the New Zealand Psychological Society's annual conference this
month. The dispute is so bitter that an executive member of the society, John
Read of Auckland University, has resigned in protest at the society's refusal
to revoke its invitation to Elizabeth Loftus of the University of Washington
in Seattle. (McLoughlin, Dominion, Aug
5, 2000)
Why !!?
"Opponents say" ...."her
research is flawed"
Fortunately some academics disagreed with Read!
The
society's conference convenor, Michael O'Driscoll, said the issue was one of
academic freedom.. "Academic freedom is paramount at our conferences. Dr
Read strongly opposes Professor Loftus's views and said by inviting her we
were endorsing her. That is not so. We are not endorsing her views, we are
giving her the opportunity to state them"
Victoria University psychology lecturer Maryanne Garry, who worked with
Professor Loftus in Seattle, said her opponents thought it was wrong for
someone to do the scientific equivalent of raising a hand from the back of
the room and asking, "Are we sure about this?"
Elizabeth Loftus responded herself: "I
live in a country where freedom of speech is one of the most cherished
possessions that citizens have. Who would choose to live without it? I would
hope that people would stand up against those who try to take it away"
(Loftus, Dominion, Aug 12,
2000)
Did John Read's petulant efforts achieve anything?
No. It simply made John Read look very stupid.
It probably also highlighted what a significant figure Elizabeth Loftus is in
the world on the subject of Memory.
Her address was covered in the news media by reports such as:
2000-0902 -
Evening Post - Thanks for the memories
by Diana
Dekker - Some psychologists lost their cool this week when Professor
Elizabeth Loftus visited New Zealand to speak at the Psychological Society's
annual conference. Diana Dekker finds out why. ......The clash was over the
presence of Professor Elizabeth Loftus. She's world famous in psychological
circles.
2000-0901 - The
Press - Child sex abuse: uncovering the danger of suggestion
by David
McLoughlin - A visiting American psychologist questions the belief that
therapists can recover suppressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. She
caused quite a stir even before her arrival, finds David McLoughlin
...........Before she even arrived in New Zealand, she was attacked. Several
members of the Psychological Society sought revocation of her invitation to
deliver a keynote speech to the society's conference in Hamilton last
weekend. One of them, Dr John Read, of Auckland University, resigned from the
society's executive in protest when the conference's organisers stood firmly
in favour of Professor Loftus speaking.
2000-0829 -
Dominion - Is this an abuse of the truth?
by David
McLoughlin - Research by psychology professor Elizabeth Loftus has debunked
the recovered memory theory that she says has led to people being falsely
accused of sexual abuse. David McLoughlin asks her why she courts so much
controversy.
|
