Oh Canada, that place without free speech
Eric Blair tips us off in a comment on that “other” site to an fine example of the freedoms one can enjoy in Canada.
Or not enjoy, as the case may be.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario, the largest labor union representing staff members at the province’s universities, plans to introduce a resolution at its conference next month to ban Israeli academics from teaching, speaking, or doing research at Ontario universities if they do not first condemn Israeli actions in Gaza.
Wow. Really, Canada?
As Mark Steyn could tell you, freedom of speech is at best a dubious concept in - as a former instructor of mine called it - North Montana. However, this is really is worse.
Universities - the place where one most wants and needs a diverse cross section of viewpoints - are becoming a place where a man (or woman) may well have to denounce their home in order to retain employment. This is the very essence of “Compelled Speech”, and is the most vulgar of displays of self-righteous ass-hattery I’ve seen lately…
And I live in Illinois, and was awake during the last two-year presidential campaign.
The crowning jewel that proves that these people have utterly lost their shit?
The union’s president, Sid Ryan, accused Israel of deliberately making the university a target, and he compared the attack to actions of the Nazis.
Note: I should point out that the title of this post is funnier if you sing it to the tune of Canada’s national anthem. 
So they’re going to discriminate on the basis of nationality. And force people to make statements that they don’t believe.
Comment by aunursa — 1/6/2009 @ 1:58 pm
So their brains have frozen, eh?
Comment by PCD — 1/6/2009 @ 2:08 pm
You know the funny part? Known terrorists can get invites to college campuses. Heck, some of them get to be great friends of Presidents.
Just remember: the intellectuals are smarter than you are, and know better.
Right.
Comment by Eric Blair — 1/6/2009 @ 2:23 pm
Thanks for the hat tip, by the way. And there is a dead horse in the other thread. What to say?
Comment by Eric Blair — 1/6/2009 @ 2:24 pm
Someone really must continue what you started.
Comment by Jim C. — 1/6/2009 @ 9:04 pm
Heh. No, they really don’t…
My dark work is enough…
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 1/7/2009 @ 2:28 am
Let’s put the title to a Bachman-Turner song. That ought to upset the Canadians enough for a hockey game to break out.
Comment by PCD — 1/7/2009 @ 4:59 am
I followed the Mark Steyn thing closely, and it really was unbelievable. Kafka-esque doesn’t even begin to cover it. So sad for this to be taking place in our largest trading partner and fellow North American democracy. That makes two complete messes on our borders. Good times.
Comment by carlitos — 1/7/2009 @ 7:32 am
[...] say, research, and defend unpopular positions. Now, that’s a no-go, at least in Canada. Via Scott Jacobs at Patterico’s Jury Talks Back: The Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario, the largest labor union representing staff [...]
Pingback by Smorgasbord at Haemet — 1/8/2009 @ 11:20 pm
We are all (gulp) Hamas now.
Comment by Pablo — 1/9/2009 @ 3:27 am