January 2004
My
view of the pro-Palestinian group
Al-Awda is at least as negative as that
of York University professor and letter writer Eric
Lawson’s. However, I think
he is mistaken in condemning the University of Toronto’s
reversal of its earlier refusal to
allow this group to hold a conference on campus. As an institution, a
university’s primary commitment is the search for truth, and this
commitment requires that as long as they are open to criticism, all
views are entitled to consideration. In other words, the academic
community (students and faculty, and the organizations that represent
them) should control the form, but not the content, of the discussion.
When
in March, 2003, York University president Lorna
Marsden ensured that Daniel Pipes would be heard on campus, she was
following this principle. In contrast, York ‘s Federation of Students and its
Faculty Association advocated preventing Dr. Pipes from being heard on
the grounds that he had a “racist agenda.” I hope that as individuals,
both students and faculty understand the content/form distinction, and
deal with positions they consider not only mistaken but immoral by
censuring rather than trying to censor them.
Letter to the Editor, National Post, December 3, 2003
John Furedy is a SAFS member.
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