Yesterday, we read in the Journal de Montréal all an excellent article by Mr. Joseph Facal informing us of how science is “being taken hostage”, to use his own words. Indeed, his article written in French describes the language used in an ad about an academic position at one of Montreal’s four universities (https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/11/11/quand-la-science-est-prise-en-otage).
It seems that nowadays to fill a prestigious Research Chair in Canada in the field of nanomaterials for sustainable energy, we need to show a track record of virtue signalling related to wokeism. Indeed, the ad explicitly asks for an important past record of promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The latter being “a considerable asset in science and/or engineering“. The article cleverly raises the following question: How is that different from a promotion of science as conforming to a Christian doctrine or conservatism, etc. ? Plus, will this hiring process favour a woke but less rigorous scientist over an excellent one who is not into any ideologies? If the answer is yes, it is an educational, and possibly industrial (even medical ), tragedy. Yes, that would be the case because such scientific specialization enables technologies in electronics, biotechnology, energy, medicine, etc.
That was yesterday’s story.
Today, we read and heard in the news about two other stories worth commenting on in this post. The first one, which took place in Cranbrook, British Columbia yesterday is shocking to say the least, as you can see in the picture below (https://beta.ctvnews.ca/local/calgary/2021/11/11/1_5663113.amp.html).
If you want to grasp how sad this picture is, just read the following comment by one of Bambi’s wisest readers. Bambi will name her new friend Achim (if he happens to be reading this this post now, he could be perhaps smiling :)). Thanks to him again for his beautiful words shared below:
“Remembering, if done well, is an act of love. It’s an act of recognition that, although we are individuals which can choose their own paths and their own new directions, we still owe a lot to the people who have paved a way before us which we can now walk on. Not all we harvest we have sowed ourselves. Sometimes we are on the receiving end of blessings flowing from sacrifices of previous generations. And sometimes remembering is a sobering act of recognition that our ancestors took part in crimes against other human beings in their midst (or looked the other way in willful blindness), combined with the realization how quickly things can go very wrong if we are not watchful and allow the seeds of evil to grow. Which we do in Germany on the 9th of November when we remember the organized vandalism against Jewish businesses by the Nazis in 1938 which ended in the holocaust only a few years later. Thank you Bambi /[Bambi] for your afkar and for reminding us of the importance of remembrance. Greetings and blessings Achim”.
After reading the beautiful words above, please take a look again at the sad graffiti. The latter is comparing people who were vaccinated to veterans who sacrificed their lives to save us from “the seeds of evil“, to borrow Achim’s wise words. What is so heroic about deciding to get a vaccine or not, to choose this vaccine or not, or to catch, recover, or die from an infectious disease or not? And let’s assume for one second that the writer of the graffiti truly thought that getting the vaccine is noble, does it justify the disrespect of his or her veterans?! Will the police forces investigate this incident, as it seems to be written in the media or will the investigations have the same fate as those burned churches… in the name of justice, of course?
This being said, the third story raised in this post is about two great women banned from a book club of the Toronto School Board. The first is Ms. Marie Henein the inspiring Canadian criminal defence lawyer, partner of Henein Hutchison LLP (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tdsb-students-wont-be-attending-marie-henein-book-club-event-amid/). Why? Because she has defended Mr. Jian Ghomeshi (famous sexual assault trial). Instead of taking this opportunity as a teaching moment for adolescent girls about how Section 11 of our Canadian Charter “guarantees every individual certain rights when they are charged with a criminal offence” (for “all types of offences“, including “criminal, quasi-criminal, and regulatory offences”).
Of note, as a response to the above, Ms. Henein wrote: “There are words for this. Misunderstanding is not one of them“. Well said.
Now, you may be wondering who is the second woman banned from this book club? Ironically she also has an Arabic name like Ms. Henein (the latter was born in Cairo to Lebanese parents). Well, it is the Nobel Prize-winner and activist, Ms. Nadia Murad. The latter who is of Yazidi Iraqi origins was captured by ISIS (= Daesh) She is the author of “The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State“. Guess what? She was banned today from the same event as Ms. Henein because … “her book would foster Islamaphobia” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Murad). If you are wondering if that was a joke, the answer is no. It is a true story.
So, between the radicals of wokeism and those of Islamism, science, our past , our future, common sense, and critical thinking are all being taken hostage. Welcome to cancel culture in action across the country. Welcome to the Canada of 2021.
Aren’t our collectively insane times sad?
A bit of a followup:
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/rex-murphy-the-woke-rot-at-the-heart-of-canadas-largest-school-board
Many thanks, Louis!
Wow, thank you for considering my words wise enough to be posted on your blog! I know I still have to to learn a lot and for sure have to acquire more wisdom in an neverending process, but maybe everyone is in the same boat for that matter.
While I for myself think that getting vaccinated is a wise decision, it certainly isn’t an act of heroism (maybe a small one if all the people in your circle are against it) and for sure it isn’t on the same level as risking your own life or even laying your life down for the sake of protecting other people’s lives. And vandalism for sure is not an admirable way to make a point. I get the sentiment that honouring veterans could be used to promote militarism instead of respect for all people. But you can’t promote respect by being disrespectful of people who have paid the ultimate price for their country.
I have not heard of Ms. Henein before, but I’ve heard of Nadia Murad of course. To exclude someone from a book club who has witnessed and experienced herself the most cruel and inhumane treatment imaginable for the sake of ideology and the desire not to hurt the feelings of a group of people is mind-blowing. The intention behind this decision might be honorable and good (to create a safe space for a minority which sometimes is experiencing unjust treatment, discrimination and a lack of respect), but what it will do in reality is not helping the many Muslims who live their lives with kindness, honesty and with their beautiful faith in their hearts, it will in fact encourage the radicals who can’t tolerate an “infidel” Yazidi woman telling them about the terrible atrocities committed by ISIS.
Thank you again, dear Bambi, for your kind words about me.
Thanks to you rather Achim for yet another well written comment. Bambi shares your opinion about vaccination (a wise decision indeed). Yes, true maybe a small heroism on the personal level (having encouraged oneself to do it or having done it when a circle is against it). However, it surely does not compare to the veterans’ sacrifices. Indeed, to echo you words, how can we promote respect by being disrespectful of others (i.e. to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for a country)? This being said, Bambi loves your beautiful words about Islam. It describes the VAST majority of Muslims “who live their lives with kindness, honesty and with their beautiful faith in their hearts”. Sadly, they too are among the victims of radicalism, like the “infidel” Yazidi indeed (and other minorities). To come back to Ms. Henein, Bambi has always thought about this issue of legal protection for all under the law since her childhood watching those (American) movies where we can hear police officers say to someone you have the right to remain silent… the right to an attorney, etc. She believes that perhaps not every lawyer is comfortable defending this or that individual in life or taking this or that case (one must be true to oneself, first and then ideally to potential clients). Being true allows people to find another fast alternative for their defence. Plus, had it not been the competent Ms. Henein who defended this client in particular, it would have been another one (as simple as that). However, because she is a woman herself, some women reported in the media feeling betrayed by her at the time (https://www.cbc.ca/news/jian-ghomeshi-marie-henein-lawyer-interview-1.3510762). Vielen Dank noch einmal :).
Thank you Bambi for your reply.
I haven’t talked about Ms. Henein in my post because I am not familiar with her work. But I totally agree with you that it is very important for our societies that everyone can get legal defense, regardless of circumstances. And Ms. Henein should be commended and respected as someone who takes the principle “innocent until proven guilty” seriously. Which might make a lawyer feel uncomfortable on a personal level in some cases, as you say, but this principle is paramount. Otherwise we might regress to a more cruel society where the mob rules and justice and truth will finally mean nothing more than public opinion about a person or the interests of the powerful.
Vielen Dank auch dir noch einmal 🙂