Well folks, just wanted to keep you abreast of the developments that threaten Canada's Liberal "democracy" and one of it's key tenements: the right to free speech.


Please check the following articles and then post your comments or answer this question: "should opposing viewpoints be allowed to be expressed in a public forum, particularly on university campuses?"

I think opposing viewpoints should... of course be allowed and protected..

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.



1. York University student union calls for ban on anti-abortion groups -

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=547129


2. Stifling abortion debate on campus defiles a house of liberal study - http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...29/172414.aspx


Mcleans - Universities can't save the world -
3. http://oncampus.macleans.ca/educatio...ave-the-world/

somebody touch it..

Opposing viewpoints are needed. Regarding people that naysay religious-based opinions as being totally useless and not based on scientific fact...

Rewind a few hundred years. Weren't the arguments that the Earth is round looked upon the exact same way? Not even worthy of consideration because OF COURSE it's absolutely impossible?

Wasn't it the scientists that claimed it was round?

Last two linkys no worky for me. Having a ban on groups that are speaking an opinion is gay. If the groups were getting out of control and disrupting classes I could see putting some containment rules in place but an outright ban is simply not Canadian.

How dare they talk about something that I don't want them to do. Ban the fuckers!

Some did, most didn't, Steve. Like Global Warming, quite a few of them simply went the way popular opinion wanted them to. It was the best way to keep their incomes (and sometimes their heads) intact...

Here you go.



Done.

And who was that directed to? The topic at hand or Troy?

^^^^

The topic at hand

I have often thought that quite often, the most vociferous proponents of freedom of speech are the ones who need to shut up the most.

Perhaps I should have said "proved" not "said".

To get more on topic, I DO agree wholeheartedly that ALL opnions should be heard equally.

If things become a disturbance, or violent there are ways of dealing with them on a "situation by situation" basis. An all out ban on protesting is wrong.

It goes double for university/college campuses. The people there are the ones that are going to form our country over the coming years. These are the opinions that should be heard the loudest.

I agree with Steve but unfortunately I think in some ways freedom of speech is somewhat of an illusion, with all of the political correctness that creeps up from the states and more conservative ways of thinking.

Sometimes you can say whatever you want but you better be prepared to have the person who doesn't agree with you file some kind of lawsuit, or be edited in a newspaper, etc.

Yah have you heard what the human rights commission has been doing to people posting their opinions on the internet. You don't have free speech at all.

Yep. Political Correctness rules... Even when it isn't anywhere near 'correct'. I love how people ignore reality because of it.

And have you ever noticed how the vocal college-age protestors don't seem to be heard anymore once they reach the point where they actually have to take responsibility. Once they see how complicated reality actually is, they take a step back.

I'd like to change things for the better, but it's a bit more complicated than that. And I'm sure someone would protest against it, even if it involved saving baby kittens or something.

It's not. It's still there. It's just that the distribution system has been hijacked.



Is this regarding that cartoonist in a western province that made fun of Islam or something like that?

Yes it is, he's been known to also post his opinions online and the Human rights comission has been joining forums to try to egg him on to say something. Now he did say something and they are charging him under some law, he's facing jail time. I wish I knew the exact details but it been awhile since I heard of it.

Yep. I can see how Western civilization is going. It's the right of others to trample all over you, and your right to sit back and take it. *Laugh*

This guy?
http://ezralevant.com/