Letter to the Editor: Groupthink Violates Academic Freedom of Universities

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NO ACADEMIC FREEDOM

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Re: Groupthink is taking over our universities, editorial, September 18

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The article was really well received and was long in coming. It has long been known that our universities are hotbeds of anti-academic freedom. If you’re some sort of conservative colleague, you better not voice your opinions, or, if you were a conservative woman from the United States who wanted to speak at the U of O, as was he A few years ago, Groupthink created such a scandal that administrators canceled it for « security » reasons.

As the Sun editorial put it, « Canadian universities are meant to be bastions of freedom of thought and critical thinking where controversial ideas are explored and debated in a civilized setting. »

Intellectual curiosity and critical thinking have disappeared.

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Years ago, in the mid-1950s, I was at St. Pat’s College, and in a class the professor was going to declare his support for communism and we were to debate it with him. Even after all these years, I still remember the “critical thinking” and going back and forth in a framework of civility. It inspired me to think outside the box and listen to other people’s opinions.

I remember some time ago a politician proposed to cut the funding if universities did not create an environment of academic freedom. If such an act were ever to become law, it had better have some teeth because there is no way these group thinkers would change.

JOE LEGARI

OTTAWA

(In an effort to prevent groupthink, we will disagree with you.)

NO BRAKES APPLIED

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Apparently, it is now not only common, but acceptable to veer off the yellow line into oncoming traffic, or into the adjacent lane to steer around a bicycle, ATV, or other form of transportation. I have observed this on Hwy 41, 7, 28, 62, 60 and 7A for the past two weeks.

Are people really in such a rush that they now avoid using the brakes at all costs? To avoid the obvious editor answer, yes, that was rhetorical, and, yes, I now use a recording dashcam. The last question is for the police. Which is better: proactive or reactive?

DALE LATTE

PEMBROKE

(Well, you’ve successfully curbed our tried, tested, and true answer. Thanks for reading.)

WHY THE DAY OFF?

With the economy still struggling « after » the pandemic, why would our Prime Minister, the savior of the global climate, give all federal employees another day off with pay to observe, at their discretion, the funeral of the queen ? I guess with our national debt of $1 trillion plus, what’s another $100 million?

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Of course, upon returning from his VIP seat for the royal burial, our carbon tax conquistador will surely soon be flying off to the next G7 photo op. Part-time prime minister, full-time bogus.

EDDY DIGNAN

ROCKLAND

(Everyone should have had a day off, not just civil servants.)

PP ATTACKS BEGIN

The attacks on Pierre Poilievre by Justin Trudeau can only be expected as a new normal. Trudeau really doesn’t have much popularity now, so he’s deteriorated to new lows and is getting dirty. Throwing mud and spreading false stories and hope is really all we can expect from now on. Trudeau will change his focus from being a leader, if he ever really was, to launching more and more attacks on conservatives, and in particular the PP.

Let’s face it, Trudeau is fighting for his survival. Trudeau will use all the tools and means necessary to discredit the Conservatives and the PP. It has already started.

ROLLY KLAEPATZ

FAIRVIEW, ALTA.

(Can you support this statement with examples?)