Category Archives: Intellectual Freedom

“When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” –George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings

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Gavin Boby delivered his speech at the Ottawa Public Library last Monday night without incident it turns out, but there was a fuss raised locally from various politically correct prigs who obstinately accuse Mr. Boby of promoting hate against Muslims. Their objections, aside from the content of Mr. Boby’s public speaking, is that the Ottawa Public Library rented him space to speak. Thankfully, they refrained from coming out in force to shout him down as was the case when Ann Coulter came to Ottawa for a speaking engagement at the University of Ottawa in March of 2012. Strangely enough the people who shout down those whose thoughts and opinions they dislike deny this is censorship. On the contrary, they insist, it is about stopping the likes of Mr Boby from inciting hatred against vulnerable minority groups in our society. In the case of Mr. Boby’s speech, it seems that any criticism of Islam is viewed as hate speech by the politically correct. I chose not to go hear Mr. Boby speak, but Mika and I have since viewed the segments of his recent speeches on video which is published on the internet. On the basis of what we viewed, we are satisfied that this is not hate speech. Mr. Boby is not without his critics either. In his opening remarks, Mr. Boby shared with the audience some of the epithets he has received in the press back in England. He gets more than his share of unflattering commentary in the British press, to say the least. Continue reading

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.–Voltaire

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Gavin Boby, a lawyer from the United Kingdom, and leader of the Law and Freedom Foundation is on a speaking tour in Canada. He is due to speak at the Ottawa Public Library tomorrow evening. Mr. Boby is a controversial figure as the Law and Freedom Foundation provides a free legal service for those who oppose mosque developments. Through his foundation he claims to have stopped the construction of 16 out of 17 mosques across Britain. Mr. Boby objects to the construction of mosques on the grounds that mosques act as bridgeheads within Western society for the advance of Islam. Mr. Boby maintains:

A mosque is not merely a place of worship. Islamic doctrine requires the application of Islamic law within its geographical reach. As homosexuals, Jews, and those attached to freedom of speech discover, Islamic law claims supremacy over the conduct of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It mandates violence against those who resist it. British common law is clear that there can be no justification for: the preaching of sedition; claims that women, Jews, homosexuals or non-Muslims are inferior and can be abused; the call for persecution or murder of Muslim apostates. Continue reading

Taking a chance on God

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Continuing their series of posts on Christianity and homosexuality, Geoffrey and Mika recently attended the screening of a documentary film, Taking a Chance on God: the Story of Pioneer Gay Priest John McNeill, at Saint Paul University here in Ottawa. This event was organized by Ewelina Frackowiak, who runs a local Catholic gay and lesbian group.  The film maker, Brendan Fay, was on hand to introduce the film and take questions from the audience following the screening. It was a most interesting story related in the documentary, that of the faith, life and work of John J. McNeill. Continue reading

“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” — Oscar Wilde

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There is no such thing as bad publicity it is often said. Is this so? Personally, I think there is such a thing as bad publicity. Let me recount a recent incident by way of an illustration. A student at Carleton University, where I am employed, Arun Smith is his name, has generated a great deal of publicity for himself in pulling a truly stupid, petulant stunt on campus, basically an act of petty vandalism. A campus group, Carleton Students for Liberty, set up an installation in the University Centre, calling it the “Free Speech Wall” on Monday January 21st. Passersby were free to jot down their thoughts. Mr. Smith, a student politician seeking election to the Carleton University Students’ Association, took exception to the installation and destroyed it over night. He proudly confessed to doing so on his facebook page claiming free speech ““illusory concept” and that “not every opinion is valid, nor deserving of expression.” This has since been picked up by the press and blogosphere giving the previously obscure Mr. Smith considerable public attention. The bulk of this attention has been less than flattering to say the least, but this does not concern the erudite, ahem, (he has been studying as an undergraduate student seven years now), Mr. Smith. Presumably he thinks he stands to gain from his new found ignominy. He may well have increased his standing among the politically correct elements on the Carleton campus, but across the wider society both on and off the campus, judging by the comments left on the restored installation, he is seen as a fool.

Posted by Geoffrey