Re: York Professors Shun Middle East Scholar, Jan. 24.
I truly enjoy the logic of York University’s administration about how to keep what happened at Concordia from happening at their own university. It’s simple. First, they listen to the requests of those that applaud what has happened to Jewish students at Concordia University, appease all of their wishes, then think all will be well.
Now a scholar who supports Israel’s right to exist and is critical of terrorism is invited to be guest of honor at lunch sponsored by York University’s Centre for International and Security Studies and is “disinvited.”
I wonder what’s next? Are universities going to start banning pro-Israel speakers altogether? How about just banning all speakers who oppose terrorism? Does this sound all right to everyone? If it does not, I think that we need to send a clearer message to our country’s universities that shutting out the voices of Jewish and pro-Israel groups is not acceptable, especially in the places that are supposed to be the “guardians of academic freedom.”
Matthew Fisher, London, Ont.