For Bambi, freedom of expression starts with self-tolerance.
Yes, tolerating our own freedom of thought. By this, Bambi means giving ourselves the freedom to use our brains to think, to question, to agree with, to be open to the world. This means tolerating our own thinking processes and brain plasticity, so to speak. We allow ourselves to be wrong, to be stupid, or to be wise.… and from ourselves, we extend this tolerance to others:
Tolerating their thoughts on this or that topic, whether we agree with them or not.
Why can’t we allow others to be wrong anymore?
Why can’t we allow others to be stupid anymore?
Why can’t we allow others to think differently anymore on this or that topic? The topic does not matter here. It could be related to politics, science, religion, arts or to anything else.
It is the intolerance that underlies them all…
Why should we mob, harass, cancel, vilify, exclude, destroy, and throw under the bus others when they express another opinion?
Freedom of speech is first and foremost about tolerating different speeches, precisely those with which we do NOT agree with.
There is a reason why freedom of expression is protected in our Canadian Charter and NB laws/charters, etc.
The laws are all beautiful on paper, but when a society does not feel the urge to stand up for freedom of expression anymore (especially of those with different opinions), the boat of tolerance sink… and we all drown with it.
Is it normal for a society to tolerate the harassment, mobbing, or vilification of citizens, professors, or politicians when we disagree with their expressed opinion?
Bambi wonders about how many of those who are repeating clichés, taking words out of context, making false accusations, and/or threats have taken the time to read this blog?
Why are they condemning the messenger if they did not read or like the message?
When one of us is under attack because of his or her opinions, we all lose. Yes, collectively, we lose our freedom. Collectively, we lose our tolerance. Collectively, we lose our compassion…
In addition to mobs trying to suppress a voice they do not like or endorse, is it compassionate to harass, mob or throw under the bus people we do not agree with?
Is it normal in Canada to tolerate abuses like that done to Dr. Jordan Peterson, Ms. Lindsay Shepherd, Professor Verushka Lieutenant-Duval, and many more… now even Bambi!
Is this the Canada that we want? If it is done to one of us, will it be done to all of us?
This is perhaps the main difference between the people of Lebanon and Canadians… There, people stand up for each other when freedom of expression is under attack.
Some risk their lives to defend it. Some literally give their lives. The latest victim was called Mr. Lokman Slim…
Ironically, in this tiny bankrupt, and extremely vulnerable Lebanon, and despite the power of one group over the others, there is more tolerance and more freedom of expression than now in Canada… Can you imagine the irony? There, you can write whatever you wish in media comments (always open by the way) and online. When people see threats to their freedom, they denounce it collectively… and keep it protected. We are talking about a country that was in war not a long time ago. We are talking about a neighbourhood with dictatorships…and yet, there is a light of democracy in Bambi’s birth country.
Where is the light of freedom, tolerance, and compassion in Bambi’s beautiful Sackville, New Brunswick, and Canada?
Clearly, certain voices are more privileged than others. O yes, there is systemic racism in this country and it is growing more powerful by the week. How may squeaks did it take for the Mount Allison administration to cave to the intolerance? The totalitarian impulse is on the march and the crybullies have cornered all of the megaphones. Totalitarians plus technology equals nightmare without end.
I may be late to the party, but I did recently come across a hopeful voice in Chloe Valdary who offers an alternative to woke education based not on systems but individuals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux2A2tRdRUk
May the force continue to be with you, Ms Azar.
Thank you!
You really are a hero, I wish there was more I could do to support you in all of this. Please don’t ever give up, free expression is what makes Canada such a beautiful place and we can’t just let them take it from us.
Bambi thanks you for your support (and for the kind words :).
I applaud your courage Bambi! You are a bright light in the cesspool of reified postmodernism (“wokeism”) that dominates our universities.
Stay strong! With organization, we can beat back this monster.
Do not give an inch to these #PCTotalitarian crocodiles!
Bambi thanks you for your kind words about her!
Never smile at a crocodile…
Everyone loves all their laws and rules. The more there are the easier to point the finger.
Everything has gotten overcomplicated and convoluted to beyond ridiculous levels.
I think society has flipped on its head.
It’s the modern day equivalent to the spanish inquisition or witch hunts. We might as well be living in the middle ages. All of it is vengeance or worse: revenge. Apparently people love a good punishing, the actual truth is irrelevant once it becomes a mob. Blood must be spilt, heads must roll.
Being violent or aggressive is counter productive.
I think much of it comes down to emotion. Mass Media and those wishing to influence large groups of people use our emotions to sway things to their particular agenda, I think. So don’t let them. Stop, take a breather. Think. Don’t reflect on how it makes you feel,. think on the facts instead. Maybe speculate a bit as to why or who gains from portraying the information one way or another.
Quit having aggression be your default reaction. It only gives away your fear. It only shows me you’re uncivilized. Please stop.
I’ve all but given up on society. I’m lucky enough right now that I don’t have to do anything I don’t want or see anyone I don’t want to. So i’m not going to. I’d like to avoid interacting in any way with people looking to harm others, lie, steal, cheat or take advantage or refusing to be fair.
I call a strike, ban and general boycott on everything evil and wrong in the world.
Not very feasible, but I try and do my part.
Very entitled. I know. I’m sorry. That’s the hand I got and that’s how i’m playing it for now.
We need to reboot society from the ground up. It’s broken when instead of sharing we’re looking for reasons to find offense just so we can take a little bit more from the other person beside us.
It’s wrong. It’s all wrong. All of it wrong. I refuse to play that game anymore.
I just advise people to check out safs.ca .. which is what I did a while back when I was noticing all the censorship and thuggery on this local campus in my town… you would think these intelligent well paid people would love debate, wide ranging conversations, and stimulating conversations, and exchanging ideas but they do not. In fact the students are so deeply programmed they are demoralized and angry and disengaged — Mount Allison University is getting a lot wrong and people across Canada will see that now with the reporting coming out of this town — there is no reason to be angry about discussing differing viewpoints here — its what makes our society so interesting and historically the minute a society starts to close down free speech other freedoms will soon follow. [Bambi] is courageous and real. God bless her and I support her efforts to be a light in the darkness here. Young people will have to learn not to be so upset discussing ideas that make them uncomfortable. They should also look at the work safs.ca is doing across Canada because its valuable and its necessary- special thanks to Mark Mercer who I was in touch with years ago when I used to be on Facebook – he is a reasonable man.