"This debate, over whether or not women should be able to have an abortion, is not acceptable in the student centre..."
Funny, but when I went to university, debate was welcomed and new ideas were encouraged.
...I think we should accept that the debate is over..."Right then.
Because in Ontariostan, independent thought and debate are no longer allowed. We must protect the masses from disturbing pictures. In any case, the latest slash & trash film is much more interesting.
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Wednesday Update - York responds (Post letters):
The irony here of course, is that Ms. Holloway's refusal to have the debate has focussed more attention on the issue than would have happened if she and her cohorts had simply allowed free speech to occur in the first place.
A debate on the subject of abortion was cancelled at York University by the student executive of the Student Centre, without the knowledge or participation of the university. York encourages civic participation and open debate on issues of local, national and international importance. The fact that both sides of the debate wanted to proceed and were prevented from doing so makes the incident all the more regrettable. Consequently, York's administration is working on a request from one of the student groups involved, to arrange a suitable venue on university property where this debate can take place.
Robert J. Tiffin, vice-president students, York University, Toronto.
The irony here of course, is that Ms. Holloway's refusal to have the debate has focussed more attention on the issue than would have happened if she and her cohorts had simply allowed free speech to occur in the first place.
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Thursday Update - Jonathan Kay: The new rule on campus: Free speech for Israel-bashers — but censorship for pro-lifers.
14 comments:
I agree with you here. I've made my mind up on this debate, but I think we should still be able to talk about it, in a university setting, or whereever we please.
I suspect, however, it has something to do with people carrying pictures of aborted fetuses to the debate.
It's not because the location was an Ontario University.
It's because it WAS a University!
The leftist/elitists in academe do not want to be challenged as they work to inculcate your children with the mindset of the "revolution".
At the same time they have plenty of young minions on the campuses who are drunk with the first taste of power and the ability to control others. That's the type that make up the student unions and activist groups. A training ground for collectivist civil servants and social meddlers with poisonous contempt for the ideas and concerns of others. The hive.
Most students ignore this crap and try to go on with their own lives ... but they won't know the cost of allowing these loons to dictate how the educational environment is managed until well after they graduate.
Yes, these feminists are stuck in the 60's where free love meant power, for females they think, to bad they haven't joined the 21st century.
Ban smoking but not abortion. Swinger's clubs are wholesome and "progressive", but guns need to be banned. Free speach, if it's something they agree with, but ban it if it isn't.
I suspect, however, it has something to do with people carrying pictures of aborted fetuses to the debate.
Möbius, you probably missed this part:
...After the cancellation on Thursday afternoon, Mr. Mohareb said he went to all levels of student government to try to broker a compromise.
"I made it quite clear that I'll get rid of the images, and I'll get rid of this external speaker, and we'll just have this debate on our own. I said we can still have the debate, and either we'll have a student debate the pro-life, which wouldn't be difficult to find, or we'll just get rid of both groups [Mr. Payton's and Students for Bioethical Awareness, which invited Mr. Ruba], and we as a debating society will just host the debate ourselves, between ourselves, which we do all the time," Mr. Mohareb said.
But he was told that the topic itself is "out of line," and that "debating abortion would be as much of a violation as debating the Holocaust."
Debating abortion is verboten.
You are so right on this. If you can't debate on any topic that a human mind can think of at a university then how much learning is going on there? I'm a grad of York, and frankly even though it is leftist oriented, I thought they were more open minded. (real conservative)
Worth repeating:
You can be so 'open-minded' that your brains fall out.
Ms. Holloway is frightened. She doesn't like to be frightened, so she comes out punching.
If there enough 'thinkers' this move by Ms. Holloway will backfire in her face.
I suspect, however, it has something to do with people carrying pictures of aborted fetuses to the debate.
Yeah, but . . . but . . . it's not like he's showing gruesome pictures of dismembered babies. It's just an inoffensive bit of nonviable tissue, you know, like an appendix. Right?
. It's just an inoffensive bit of nonviable tissue, you know, like an appendix. Right?
Boy, that's a good point! If it's 'just a clump of tissue', who cares?
People are shown pictures of black lungs, cancerous gums, etc., to show the consequences of smoking. Is that wrong too?
Call me cynical, but I suspect that there is more to this story than the National Post is allowing.
My own experience with pro-lifers in the University setting comes from Lakehead University, where the National Post recently portrayed the pro-life group there as being singled out victims of the evil left-wing student council. The truth was no where to be found in article, which said that the pro-life club was given conditions and rules that no other club (like say a ndp club or pro-choice club) had to follow. When the reality is that there are no political or pro-choice clubs - none. Just school clubs like the "biology club" and athletic clubs like the curling club.
But regardless, the pro-life club was granted club status under the same rules and conditions as have always applied and IMMEDIATELY went out and broke every single rule and then when their club status was revoked they immediately called the media to claim they were being persecuted and singled out.
Pretending that there is no difference between the biology club putting up a poster on the biology bulletin board in the biology department to inform students about about an upcoming conference or guest speaker, and the pro-life club plastering the campus, female bathrooms, etc with hundreds of their posters. No difference at all.
As far as I am concerned, on campus these groups are intentionally using these tactics to get media attention and play the victim card, as if they didn't they would be largely ignored.
playing the victim card?, the must have learned that from all the left wing yahoo's on campus
Time for Canada to get with the times and pass an abortion law. Every other nation has one.
Ms. Holloway will make a great CHRC comrade.
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