That Wacky Canadian Sense of Humor
The University of Toronto is allowing an Arab student group to hold the charmingly titled Israeli Apartheid Week. We used to be simply concerned about people spreading lives in the halls of education. But that's yesterday's concern. Today's concern:
B'nai Brith Canada... has dubbed the weeklong program a "hate fest" and called on the university to cancel the event, or at least provide additional security for Jewish students. The Toronto Police Service said it would provide extra security if warranted.
Just so we're on the same page: when Arab students try to hold an anti-Israel event, the risk is violence against Jewish students; when Jewish students try to hold a pro-Israel event, the risk is violence against Jewish students. The congruence is, I suggest to you, not a coincidence. But it's OK, because even if there's violence, at least free speech is on the march:
David Farrar, vice-provost of students, defended the university by saying the student club had the right to free speech. "The very fact that the Arab Students' Collective and other campus groups exist speaks to a central value at the University of Toronto," Farrar said in a statement. "As an academic community, we have a fundamental commitment to the principles of freedom of inquiry, freedom of speech and freedom of association."
Free speech is important. But Universities don't get credit just because their students are vocal and repugnant anti-Semites. I mean, at a minimum, that shouldn't be a point of pride. What he should have said is that "it's unfortunate that this disgusting venom has to exist, but the most dangerous moment is when a University shuts down what it doesn't agree with". Instead he comes out with "isn't it great that this campus group is here to be disgusting and show off how committed we are to protecting disgusting speech?" Great.
B'nai Brith Canada... has dubbed the weeklong program a "hate fest" and called on the university to cancel the event, or at least provide additional security for Jewish students. The Toronto Police Service said it would provide extra security if warranted.
Just so we're on the same page: when Arab students try to hold an anti-Israel event, the risk is violence against Jewish students; when Jewish students try to hold a pro-Israel event, the risk is violence against Jewish students. The congruence is, I suggest to you, not a coincidence. But it's OK, because even if there's violence, at least free speech is on the march:
David Farrar, vice-provost of students, defended the university by saying the student club had the right to free speech. "The very fact that the Arab Students' Collective and other campus groups exist speaks to a central value at the University of Toronto," Farrar said in a statement. "As an academic community, we have a fundamental commitment to the principles of freedom of inquiry, freedom of speech and freedom of association."
Free speech is important. But Universities don't get credit just because their students are vocal and repugnant anti-Semites. I mean, at a minimum, that shouldn't be a point of pride. What he should have said is that "it's unfortunate that this disgusting venom has to exist, but the most dangerous moment is when a University shuts down what it doesn't agree with". Instead he comes out with "isn't it great that this campus group is here to be disgusting and show off how committed we are to protecting disgusting speech?" Great.
