Both John and I have a similar interest in debates, because, after all, we are geeks. Unfortunately for me, he is a geek who also surfs and has those California good looks, while I am a pasty-faced, pudgy Minnesotan who spends all his time in front of a computer.
So it's no surprise that each of us has referred to debates at The Oxford Union, which bills itself--rightly--as the world's most prestigious debating society. It has been around since the early 19th century, and membership is generally a ticket to the top of British society. Tony Blair and Boris Johnson both led the Union, and being invited to speak or debate is considered a great honor.
Charlie Kirk was one of those who both spoke there and debated with a member--in fact, he debated the incoming President of the Oxford Union not so long ago. I'll give you a snippet, and it is eye-opening.
This is like the brainiac George Abaraonye debating Charlie Kirk at @OxfordUnion before they like um elected him their like President or something and he mocked Charlie's death like the umm POS he like is
— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) September 12, 2025
Sack him pic.twitter.com/5iGsYodcho
The event was shocking enough because of the contrast. Kirk came to Oxford and showed proper respect, while George Abaraonye--a representative of the Union and its future president--looked like a bum and spoke like an ignorant teen mouthing what his high school teacher preached at him.
Whatever.
But the current controversy destroying the Union is this: Abaraonye, who had just debated Kirk, celebrated his death on an Oxford Union forum.
I have been sent internal @OxfordUnion group chats by an anonymous member showing comments from George Abaraonye, the incoming President-Elect, celebrating Charlie Kirk's m*rder. Some of these messages have not previously been made public.
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) September 12, 2025
The chats include memes posted by… pic.twitter.com/TK5x2kKWow
The Union bills itself as 'the last bastion of free speech,' and clearly Abaraonye should have the legal right to say what he did. But he is also saying: if you say things with which I disagree, you should be killed. That is hardly a defense of free speech, and this man was elected to lead the Union.
This was only month ago. Charlie Kirk gave an incredibly impressive speech at the Oxford Union.
— Lee Harris (@addicted2newz) September 10, 2025
He absolutely loved the UK and he had an extremely good understanding of why it's broken.
He believed we can fix it.
We should honour him by making it happen. pic.twitter.com/FMpeiRiOql
It would be one thing to platform him as a debater--in fact, it would be interesting to see a debate between a free speech absolutist and a totalitarian like Abaraonye, at least if he were articulate enough to make a case. I certainly would have no objection to that.
In fact, when I was a college instructor, I taught Marx and Mussolini--presenting their views as fairly as I could and articulating why they believed what they did, because ideas--even destructive ones--need a hearing.
But should Oxford choose this man to be a prime DEFENDER of free speech? I would, if I were to speak at the Union, argue a resounding "No."
The "world's foremost debating society and the last bastion of free speech" REFUSES to remove it's anti-free speech president-elect and REFUSES to allow open debate by turning off replies on social media.
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) September 15, 2025
The Oxford Union's president-elect celebrated, condoned, and justified the… https://t.co/vnk4fZ1Ppr pic.twitter.com/1ezIUq8Ybl
People who have agreed to speak at the Union are dropping out, and current and former leaders are disassociating themselves from the organization because its first response was to accuse critics of its incoming president of racism. And when they got criticism for their ridiculous defense of Abaraonye, they turned off the comments on their post explaining their position.
So much for free speech. The world's most prestigious debating society prevents its critics from engaging with their statement.
🚨NEWS: The Oxford Union have written a letter claiming the criticism of President Elect George Abaraonye for celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder is driven by racism
— Basil the Great (@Basil_TGMD) September 15, 2025
Why are they doing this? pic.twitter.com/acBKKgYrov
Now the Oxford Union is kinda, sorta backtracking, saying that Abaraonye will be "disciplined" while remaining its president--I'm not sure what that means--but I am certain that will not cut it with its supporters. Members of the Board have resigned, and former members are outraged for obvious reasons.
I know people want him sent down, but I agree with Baroness Amos, Master of Univ, that George Abaraonye is allowed to hold abhorrent views and to express them. That is free speech. But he is not then free to be President of the Oxford Union, believing, as he does, that people… pic.twitter.com/xOgFLXzSAR
— Adrian Hilton (@Adrian_Hilton) September 13, 2025
I know people want him sent down, but I agree with Baroness Amos, Master of Univ, that George Abaraonye is allowed to hold abhorrent views and to express them. That is free speech. But he is not then free to be President of the Oxford Union, believing, as he does, that people with whom he disagrees should be shot. You cannot purport to represent, let alone lead, ‘the world’s foremost debating society’ if you rejoice in the slaying of guest speakers with bullets rather than words. I have added my name to the 150 signatories required to begin the process of ousting him. He is damaging the interests of the Society, and brings it into disrepute.
There are enough signatures from members now to have a vote to boot Abaronye from his position as President of the Oxford Union, and I suspect he will lose his position--although it is no sure thing. He was voted in for a reason, and it clearly was not that he was an excellent speaker or debater. Nor was it for his ringing defense of free speech or Western society.
The clown-man below represents the total collapse of once great universities. Consider this: Clown-man was accepted by Oxford because his race & neo-communist politics are considered more important than his glaringly low IQ & poor A-Levels. @OxfordUnion pic.twitter.com/l99lYedi3T
— Paul Weston (@PWestoff) September 13, 2025
He made clear who he was before he was elected, and far from racism being an obstacle to his advancement, it has benefited him mightily. We even know that, were he not black, his grades would have blocked him from entering Oxford. DEI got him there, and it may keep him there. We shall see.
I have resigned as the honorary secretary of the Oxford Literary Debating & Union Trust, the charity that owns the @OxfordUnion’s buildings, and dispenses its charitable responsibilities onto the Union as its delegate.
— James Price (@jamespriceglos) September 12, 2025
The callousness of the Union’s President-Elect has shocked… pic.twitter.com/lcyHq45rCU
I have resigned as the honorary secretary of the Oxford Literary Debating & Union Trust, the charity that owns the @OxfordUnion’s buildings, and dispenses its charitable responsibilities onto the Union as its delegate.
The callousness of the Union’s President-Elect has shocked me, but I also can't accept the lack of intervention on the issue.
The trust is full of the most incredible people. I hope this ultimately helps, in a tiny way, a great British institution that I care so much about.
Calls for him to be booted from Oxford for his comments are, I think, wrong. He holds views that are likely no different than those of some of his professors, after all.
But should he lead the Oxford Union, which has clearly stated values that clash with "Shoot people with whom you disagree?"
One would think so.
These are the wages of political correctness. The Oxford Union created this crisis for itself by electing a man they all knew beforehand hated its values, and they did so to virtue signal. He is clearly unqualified, brings disrepute to the organization, and not coincidentally reinforces the incorrect assumption that black people aren't qualified to be in positions of responsibility.
What a sad state of affairs, and they brought it on themselves.
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join Hot Air VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member