Prosecution of Dutch MP justified
Dear Editors,
Re: “Hate crime or thought crime?” (Journal, Feb. 2, 2009)
It appears that Mr. Treilhard is quick to jump on the “free speech” bandwagon instead of carefully considering all the facts about the prosecution of Dutch MP Geert Wilders. While every individual has the right to practice free speech, this right, like many others, is not absolute—especially if it spreads hatred among individuals. Mr. Treilhard’s argument would have been more objective had he provided some examples of Mr. Wilders’ free speech and evaluated them.
Here is a statement that the Mr. Wilders made during an interview with the De Pers on Feb. 13, 2008: “Islam is a violent religion. If Mohammad lived here today I could imagine chasing him out of the country tarred and feathered as an extremist.” In another interview he stated, “I do not want to live in a country where some day six or seven of cabinet could be Muslim.” This sounds more like racism to me and if this is not considered hatred, I don’t know what is. I wonder if Mr. Treilhard would categorize this as a “genuine violation of individual rights?”
I’m all for free speech, but if this is the type of speech that Mr. Treilhard is defending, I will do my best to stop it from spreading—irrespective of the faith it attacks.
Alyssa Selma
ArtSci ’97
Release review’s ‘confidential’ section
Dear Editors,
Re: Queen’s Athletics
My discussions with Athletics Review co-author Bob Crawford in January 2008 showed the Review has a “confidential” section. My discussions with Associate Dean Roxy Denniston-Stewart in October 2008 led to my opportunity to examine this section. As a watchdog or whistleblower I have no official position, so I declined. Ethically, it’s unfair to have the first chance to examine this information. Those in official roles (student leaders, media) should receive this privilege. I now challenge Denniston-Stewart to release this information on Mar. 16, at the AMS Annual General Meeting. AMS will vote then on the proposed 91.6 per cent increase (over three years) to their mandatory Athletics fee.
SGPS President Jeff Welsh told the Journal in September 2008 that there is no set sanctions process at Queen’s for potential behavioural and ethical violations by faculty and staff. I revealed in last week’s letter that Queen’s Athletics does not have an independent grievance process for conflict between varsity coaches and athletes. Should problems occur, the Criminal Code of Canada could be used, but lawyers have told me that Queen’s has no obligation to report potential internal criminal behaviour to outside authorities, despite receiving $180 million in annual funding from taxpayers.
One positive outcome of the Sponsorship Scandal was age of ‘Whistleblower’ legislation for federal civil servants. Allan Cutler lost his job for reporting criminal activity. I’ve learned there is no whistleblower protection for university and college employees in Canada. This was confirmed at the Feb. 10 meeting of the SGPS Council, in which representatives of national student groups visited. Should potential criminal behaviour be uncovered and reported upwards by an employee (grad student included) at Queen’s (or any other Canadian university or college), nothing protects that person from termination for coming forward. , Queen’s was founded in 1841 on a pledge of “moral responsibility.”
Frank Dixon
ArtSci ’90
What next, cloning?
Dear Editors, This past Monday, President Obama overturned restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. In the coming days, many articles and opinion pieces will be devoted to the fact that Obama believes that we can kill those weaker and less useful than us to try to heal our more “functional” of society. It might be slightly immoral, but according to President Obama, we must make scientific decisions “based on facts, not ideology.” Of course, while we’re at it, why not take that cloned human and implant it in a uterus? But then again, that, also according to Obama (in the exact same speech), “is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society.” Sounds like some of that damned ideology to me.
Hin-Hey Lam
ConEd ’11
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