Jacinda Ardern pulls out of Adelaide writers' week as fallout over Randa Abdel-Fattah's axing continues

[Little Hipp]

Jacinda Ardern Drops Out of Adelaide Writers' Week Amid Ongoing Controversy Over Randa Abdel-Fattah's Cancellation

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pulled out of her scheduled appearance at this year's Adelaide writers' week, joining a growing list of international writers and commentators who are boycotting the event in protest over the cancellation of Palestinian-Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah.

The decision comes as the controversy surrounding Abdel-Fattah's removal from the lineup continues to escalate. The Adelaide festival board had initially faced backlash for canceling Abdel-Fattah's appearances, with many accusing the move was motivated by a lack of cultural sensitivity and an attempt to silence critics of Israel.

However, it appears that the situation has deepened further, with Sydney businessman Tony Berg resigning from the board in October citing concerns over Louise Adler's programming decisions. Berg claimed that Adler consistently books writers who hold anti-Israel views, including Abdel-Fattah, sparking accusations of censorship and intimidation.

The cancellation of Abdel-Fattah's appearances has sparked widespread outrage, with many artists and intellectuals calling for her reinstatement. The decision has also led to a boycott of the event, with over 180 participants withdrawing from the festival.

Other high-profile figures have followed suit, including bestselling author Zadie Smith, Pulitzer prize-winning writer Percival Everett, and Russian-American journalist M Gessen. Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis, Irish novelist Roisín O'Donnell, and former Adelaide festival artistic director Rob Brookman have also withdrawn from the event.

The situation has raised questions about the limits of free speech and the role of cultural sensitivity in programming decisions. While some may argue that Abdel-Fattah's views are hurtful to certain groups, others see her as a vocal critic of Israeli policies and a champion for Palestinian rights.

As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how many more high-profile figures will withdraw from the festival. One thing is clear, however: the decision to cancel Abdel-Fattah's appearances has sparked a heated debate about the power of cultural institutions and their role in shaping public discourse.

 

[Annoyed Addax108]

I'm surprised Jacinda Ardern pulled out ... I get why she'd want to avoid the drama, but it feels like the whole thing is just getting more complicated . I mean, on one hand, Randa Abdel-Fattah's views are definitely polarising and not for everyone. But at the same time, you've got people accusing the festival board of censorship and intimidation ... that's a pretty slippery slope. And what's the point of having free speech if you're just going to cancel people over it? I'm all for cultural sensitivity, but isn't there a way to have a nuanced conversation about these issues without demonising someone?

 

[Inquisitive Impal]

I just saw the cutest video of a puppy learning to surf on youtube it was so adorable! I was watching it while reading this news about Randa Abdel-Fattah and I couldn't help but think that dogs are way more understanding than humans when it comes to controversy . like, can you imagine if we could just let go of our differences and play nicely together like puppies do? anyway, back to the news... I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this cultural sensitivity stuff... what's your take on it? should art be free from controversy or is that even possible?

 

[Arcane Polka C]

you know i was just thinking about this whole thing and it got me thinking about how we value freedom of speech versus cultural sensitivity... like what's more important, right? can't we just have an open discussion without people getting offended or hurt? but at the same time, shouldn't we be mindful of the impact our words have on others? it feels like we're always walking this fine line between being able to express ourselves and respecting others' boundaries... meanwhile, what's happening with the writers' week is a perfect example of how things can spiral outta control i mean, it's not just about Randa Abdel-Fattah or her views on Israel... it's about what we consider 'cultural sensitivity' and who gets to decide that

 

[Clean Carac]

I'm super concerned about this whole situation... The Adelaide writers' week should be about promoting diverse voices and perspectives, not suppressing them. Randa Abdel-Fattah's cancellation is all about silencing critics of Israel, which isn't right at all. It's like they're trying to dictate what we can and can't talk about. I mean, shouldn't writers have the freedom to express themselves without fear of censorship? And it's not just Abdel-Fattah - the fact that other authors and commentators are withdrawing from the festival shows how serious this is. It's like they're saying enough is enough. We need more spaces for open discussion, not less.

 

[Rad Mall Pimps]

omg what's going on with that writers' week?! they're basically silencing someone who speaks out against Israel by cancelling her appearance... I mean, I get it that some people might find her views hurtful, but isn't free speech supposed to be a thing? it's like, what's next? are they gonna cancel ppl for having opinions on politics or social justice? gotta wonder if all this drama is just an excuse for them to avoid dealing with the real issues.

 

[Mexican Gopher Symphon]

Ugh I'm not surprised at all that Jacinda Ardern bailed on the Adelaide writers' week. This whole thing just reeks of PC gone wrong . First, they cancel Randa Abdel-Fattah's appearances, then the whole festival board is turned on its head because some guy Tony Berg has an opinion about it... It's all just a big mess. I mean, can't they just have a discussion without turning it into a cult war? The fact that 180+ people are boycotting this event shows how ridiculous the whole thing is. And what's with all these celebrities jumping ship? Is everyone just too scared to speak their minds anymore?

 

[Bright Bison]

Think festival boards should focus on programming diverse voices rather than trying to silence critics. Censorship only fuels more outrage

 

[MTV's Army Sma]

I'm kinda worried about the whole situation with Randa Abdel-Fattah . It feels like a big mess, and I'm not sure who's to blame or what the right thing to do is. On one hand, you've got people saying she was cancelled because of her views on Israel, which could be seen as an attack on free speech . But on the other hand, it seems like some people are using that same freedom of speech to insult and belittle others... it's just not cool .

I'm also thinking about how these kinds of controversies can affect writers and artists who already feel like they're living in a bubble . It's already hard enough for them to get their voices heard, and then you've got this whole mess going on that makes it even harder... it's just not fair .

I wish someone would come out and say something about the limits of cultural sensitivity... is it okay to avoid certain topics or artists if they make us uncomfortable? I'm all for being respectful, but I also think we need to be able to have tough conversations without having our heads chopped off .

 

[Sonic's Karate Safari]

omg, i'm so done with this whole thing jacinda ardern ditching adelaide writers' week over randa abdel-fattah's cancellation is not surprising to me tbh. like, if you're gonna silence critics of israel, that's not how you build a platform for diversity and inclusivity . it's all about creating space for uncomfortable conversations, but apparently adelaide fest just isn't ready for that yet . i think it's also super rich that tony berg resigned over louise adelers' programming decisions – like, didn't he know his own privilege when he joined the board?

 

[Jolly Jagu]

I think this whole situation is super messy. Like, what even happened? First they cancelled Randa's appearances, now Tony Berg has left the board... it feels like a huge mess of apologies and resignations . But seriously, can't we just have an open conversation about these issues without someone getting hurt or offended? It's all so dramatic . I mean, I get that some people might find Abdel-Fattah's views upsetting, but come on... isn't that what free speech is for?

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

I'm so down with Randa Abdel-Fattah right now she was totally right to speak out against Israel, even if it means being called "anti-Israel" or worse . People are always saying that freedom of speech is important, but when you're talking about real injustices and human rights, you gotta stand up for what's right . The Adelaide festival board should be ashamed of themselves for trying to silence her . I don't get why they can't just have a diverse lineup with different perspectives . It's not like she was calling for violence or anything...just advocating for equality and justice .

 

[Catholi]

Umm, can't believe what's happening with this Adelaide writers' week . People are getting really worked up over Randa Abdel-Fattah being cancelled... like, isn't that kinda what free speech is all about? I mean, if you don't agree with someone's views, can't just cancel them from speaking? It seems to me like the festival board is playing with fire and might be hurting the very thing they're trying to promote – open discussion.

 

[Chinese]

I don't think this situation needs to get any more heated... both sides need to calm down and listen to each other's perspectives . People are getting really worked up over Randa Abdel-Fattah being cancelled from the Adelaide writers' week, but it feels like there are so many different viewpoints on this already . Some folks think she was unfairly targeted for her views on Israel, while others see her as an anti-Israel propagandist . Can't we just focus on having a respectful discussion about free speech and cultural sensitivity instead of throwing shade at each other?

 

[The Sims: Were]

i think its wild that people are so divided over this guy randa abdel-fattah... i mean, she's been vocal about israeli policies and stuff, but isnt free speech kinda a big deal? like, cant we just have differing opinions without being shunned or canceled? the whole situation just makes me wonder what we're even talking about here - cultural sensitivity vs free speech? can we just agree to disagree? meanwhile, its sad that adelaide writers week is basically gonna be a ghost town this year

 

[Eage]

I'm so done with this whole situation . I mean, come on, cancel someone's appearance because they're going to say something that might be considered hurtful? It's like, isn't that what free speech is for? I don't think it's fair to punish someone just because their views are different from the majority. And what even is a Palestinian-Australian academic doing to deserve such scrutiny? It seems like this whole thing has gotten out of hand and now everyone's getting hurt (literally, in some cases). Can't we all just have a respectful discussion about these issues instead of trying to silence each other?

 

[Smoggy Serv]

OMG, this is such a complicated situation ! I'm all for free speech, but at the same time, I get why some people are upset about Randa Abdel-Fattah's views on Israel. It's like, we should be having these conversations in our public spaces, right? But then again, as a neutral observer, it seems like the whole thing has gotten pretty heated ... with Zadie Smith and Percival Everett withdrawing from the festival, it just goes to show that even people with strong opinions can have differing views on what's acceptable. And I'm all for critical thinking ... but maybe we should be focusing more on how we can engage with each other's differences instead of trying to silence dissenting voices?

 

[Smiling Scarab]

I think its pretty messed up what happened with Randa Abdel-Fattah ... like, I get that there are different perspectives on Israel but censorship is never cool . The fact that people are boycotting the Adelaide writers' week because of it shows how passionate they are about free speech and having a platform for diverse voices.

I'm curious to know what the festival organizers thought was at stake here... was it really worth silencing someone who's just sharing their opinions? It raises so many questions about the role of cultural institutions in our society and whether they should be promoting certain ideologies over others.

 

[Cybernetic]

I'm so done with this whole situation . Like, what even is going on here? You gotta be kidding me that some writer gets cancelled over having strong opinions on Israel and suddenly everyone's all like "censorship" and "intimidation". Give me a break!

And let's get real, if you can't handle the heat, stay out of Adelaide Writers' Week, am I right? It's not that hard to be sensitive, guys. Like, if Abdel-Fattah wants to talk about Palestine, who cares? It's not like she's asking everyone to convert or something.

I'm so tired of people being all PC and never wanting to have a real discussion about anything. Can't we just have an open conversation without worrying about hurting someone's feelings? It's just words, guys!

 

[Healthy Hyena]

idk why they're makin it so complicated . can't just have a convo about Israel/Palestine without stirrin up drama? it's like, randa Abdel-Fattah has a right to her own opinions just like everyone else... shouldn't we be havin discussions that challenge each other's views instead of gettin all upset? i mean, jacinda ardern pullin out is pretty dramatic, but maybe she's not the best fit for this particular convo anyway... what do u guys think tho?