According to a recent report in The Times, before being allowed to matriculate and begin their studies, all students at St Andrew's University will, from now on, be required to pass online modules on diversity, sustainability and consent, while accepting 'their personal guilt' as white privileged exploiters.
One question – perhaps not unreasonably you might think, given the expressed aim to root out unconscious bias – asks, 'Does equality mean treating everyone the same?'
Now most people, assuming 'equality' means something along the lines of 'the state of being equal', would in all probability answer yes - and even give themselves a pat on the back for their open-minded 'inclusivity'. But this is apparently wrong. Would-be students who answer in the affirmative receive an immediate message back saying, 'That's not right, in fact equality may mean treating people differently and in a way that is appropriate to their needs so that they have fair outcomes and equal opportunity.'
What on earth does that mean? If 'white' students, who are apparently to be defined as privileged, no matter what their background, have to accept their personal guilt, does this mean that in order to achieve 'equality' BAME and LGBTQ+ students must be unashamedly prioritised. Because if it does, as it seems to, a harder example of bigotry, racism, intolerance, and discrimination would be extremely hard to find.
A more recent designation of the activist goal is as 'equity' rather than equality – seen through the prism of historic racial oppression – but by no stretch of the imagination can it be regarded as just and fair.
If evidence were needed of a growing and ideologically driven push to impose totalitarian control, this is surely it. And it is frightening. We talk glibly of 'woke culture', but it's not just accepting politically correct phraseology and a worldview that denies science and distorts history. No, the endgame is infinitely more malign, because the truth is that we are witnessing an attempted coup – a political, social and cultural takeover that hates what it brands as white patriarchy and is determined, by its own admission, to smash the bedrock of our society.
It is anti-democratic and a naked fight for dominance, and the sad truth is that as a nation we have become too brain-washed to see, and so do not defend ourselves. Worse, seduced into thinking ourselves virtuous and open-minded, we have willingly accepted a mantle of guilt, and become complicit in the systemic demolition of our history and culture, heaping endless recrimination on our bowed and bloody heads for the supposed crimes of our ancestors – who, if the current narrative is to be believed, were without exception evil exploiters without an ounce of decency or moral integrity between them.
St Andrew's is not the only university to be doing this, of course. The University of Kent similarly requires all students to take a diversity course, but this time with an interesting variation requiring acknowledgment that wearing second-hand clothes without provoking criticism and using certain swear words are indicators of unacceptable 'white privilege'. Really!?!
The University of Exeter also insists that 'It is vital to our University community that everyone understands the core principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion,' while Vice-Chancellor Lisa Roberts proudly states, 'I am acutely aware that racism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia and xenophobia are part of the daily experiences of many staff and students in our community. We must do everything in our power to root out all forms of prejudice and continue to work towards becoming an inclusive and anti-racist institution.'
Which is another way of saying that unless students agree with the university's anti-bullying, anti-racist, sustainability and climate change policies, while acknowledging their personal guilt as white privileged exploiters, they will not be allowed to embark on further study, and will thus be excluded from future job opportunities.
Unless they repent, therefore, they will become pariahs, excluded from the financial and social rewards held out to those who agree. And all this devised by institutions that in other respects no doubt claim to attract students by being exemplars of academic integrity and intellectual rigour.
This is madness. We are orchestrating the demise of all that up to now we have held dear – the values and strength that truly made Britain 'great' and admired, and that attracted so many over the years to our shores.
Yet even worse, what of the groups excluded by this rigorous policy of tolerance and inclusion? And the individuals 'no-platformed' for daring to give voice to different views? What of Christians who believe the teachings of the Bible, defending marriage between one man and one woman for life, and the right to life of the unborn ...? What of free speech and freedom of belief?
In this brave new world, do we really have to obey without question the imposed and poisonous worldview of a strident minority seeking to demolish the foundations of our society?
Rev Lynda Rose is founder of Voice for Justice UK, a group which works to uphold the moral values of the Bible in society.
