Am I a Hypocrite on Free Speech?

Ok I feel like a bit of a hypocrite on the free speech issue after last week (22-28 Mar 2010). When there was all the kerfuffle over Ann Coulter's planned speech at University of Ottawa (Related CBC Article) I sided with her. Even though I have been offended by what Coulter has said in the past, I feel that at a University ideas should be expressed freely and debated openly - it is a place for open minds. Besides – preventing someone to speak because you believe them to have an inappropriate message presumes a lack of judgement, intelligence or rationalisation on the part of the members of the audience. Surely a University audience is capable of evaluating what a speaker says and determining for themselves if they believe what the person says or if the person is a crackpot.

Subsequently. I felt the opposite when 16 professors at the University of Regina stated that they were against the University taking part in the Project Hero scholarship program (which grants full tuition for children of Canadian Soldiers killed in the line of duty). They feel it encourages the militarization of our government and expansion of Canada's imperialism. I felt that these 16 professors should be terminated (from their employment) outright.

Regina Leader Post Article

CTV Article

Ok. So I take a deep breath and think this through. I guess I'm being a hypocrite. After some thought, I decide I should stick to my belief in free speech - these professors should be allowed to express their ignorant, moronic and ill-informed ideas.

Ok – that said…Look - No Soldier, and definitely no child of a Soldier, nor even the Department of National Defence has anything to do with what missions the military is assigned - even if the nation were imperialistic. Now, my degree is in Engineering, but I read a lot of History as a hobby, and think myself quite well informed on the news - so to the best of my knowledge Canada does not have any colonies- we are not an imperialistic, or militaristically governed nation.

It surprises me that there must be such a shortage of people out there applying for jobs as professors that Universities have to hire ignorant ilk like Jeffery Webber (jeffery.webber@uregina.ca) and his 15 buddies. Doctor (geez, who granted him that degree?) Webber has only been at the University of Regina for seven months, and judging by his bio/sketch on the University’s web site – has a rather tilted view of the world. Judging by his interests and background (Jeffery Webber CV) he would probably be comfortable in North Korea, or most likely Cuba (given his interest in Latin America) – as those nations surely have no militarization or imperialist streaks in their governments. One of them is bound to be the Marxist, Socialist paradise he seeks. I suppose China wouldn’t do anymore since it has become a capitalist dictatorship – but I digress.

These anti academics do not seem to understand how our country works, how our military works, and our history - therefore they are not suitable to educate our youth.

I feel sorry for any student subjected to any of these unaware, narrow-minded un-educators. If people like “Professor” Webber are providing first and second year students with their first steps into Political Science – these students need to also be provided with an alternative point of view so that they can weigh things for themselves.

I guess I’m lucky that I don’t have a child that wants to attend the University of Regina, and that I didn’t step on a land mine when I was serving my tour in Bosnia.

Ok. Whew. Enough said – but I am still really really steamed at these guys.

“I don’t agree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
- Voltaire

“Time wounds all heels.”
- Me

Ok. I’m going to go calm down. Below are the names and e-mails of the 16 professors if you wish to contact them, as many others and I have. I have also included the University President’s e-mail.

-- C R

The 16 “Professors”:

joyce.green@uregina.ca
John.Conway@uregina.ca
George Buri (no email found)
Emily.Eaton@uregina.ca
jeffery.webber@uregina.ca
david.webster@uregina.ca
Annette.Desmarais@uregina.ca
darlene.juschka@uregina.ca
Meredith.Cherland@uregina.ca
Garson.Hunter@uregina.ca
John W. Warnock (no email found)
leesa.streifler@uregina.ca
william.arnal@uregina.ca
Carol.Schick@uregina.ca
Ken.Montgomery@uregina.ca
Andre.Magnan@uregina.ca

President of University of Regina:

Dr.Vianne Timmons
The.President@uregina.ca

Executive Administrator to the President
Anna.Willey@uregina.ca
Filling in for Anna Willey while she’s away
Rozanne.tennent@uregina.ca
President's Receptionist:
Dianne.Turner@uregina.ca