Currently, an evil tide of hate is sweeping Canadian campuses.
Intrusive and abusive questions and comments like ‘Where do you come from,’ ‘What language do you speak,’ and ‘You have really beautiful hair, you know’ have made the lives of students in Canada a living hell.
And Justin Trudeau, true to his usual pugilistic form, is already flaunting his authentic moderate centrist credentials. He has come out fighting against the flood of cruelty and oppression that is driving hordes of students to waves of deep depression; if not outright suicide.
He is now making a public register of campus microaggressors, than anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world, will be able to consult; in order to make them unemployable, or subject to various even more gruelling disciplinary measures, for the good of society.
Trudeau grimly warns:
For too long, the notion has prevailed that freedom of speech simply means the ability to express any opinion, of any kind, anywhere you like, and not to have to undergo legal consequences for your uncivil, unkind and intolerant opinions.
In Canada, as I have always said, diversity is our greatest strength. But just as freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to offend or to provoke without consequences; so also is diversity of opinion very different from holding just any opinion you wish, without taking a higher view of the effect of your opinion, in the higher scheme of things.
Our universities are bastions of freedom, of liberty of expression, of tolerance, and of truly progressive and emancipatory values. It is precisely for this reason, that we simply cannot tolerate the tide of hatred engulfing our universities.
Freedom of speech is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. When the right ends are thwarted by the wrong means, then the means themselves are not pristine from re-examination.
As you would expect, Canadians have roundly applauded their President’s latest heroic gesture of tolerance and inclusion.