Flag show at McGill University....
Gee, what will students think of next?
Just before Passover, on April 8, the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) group blanketed the entire lower field adjacent to the Roddick Gates on the McGill University campus with 1,415 Palestinian flags and 13 Israeli flags, ostensibly to represent the deaths in the Israel-Gaza conflict. No student attending class at McGill that day – from early morning until 6 p.m. when it was taken down – could traverse the centre of the campus without viewing this offensive display.
In a letter to McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, Hillel McGill president Hartlee Zucker expressed her deepest concern over the installation of the display.
“I am frankly shocked that such a demonstration would be permitted to take place in the centre of campus, let alone on a day when most Jewish students were at home, and many are out of town, celebrating the Passover holiday,” she wrote.
Referring to April 8, she said, “The entirety of the lower campus [was] essentially turned into a ‘graveyard’ for the citizens of Gaza. This is incredibly offensive and alienates a significant portion of the student population, who had no choice but to pass by it. We have all watched with dismay the events that have unfolded at York University, at the University of Toronto and at Concordia, and the toxic atmosphere which has intimidated and isolated Jewish and non-Jewish students alike. We have [always] been so proud that the McGill administration has not allowed this to happen on our campus.”
posted by GayandRight @ 2:34 PM
3 Comments:
So long as there's no threat of violence, destruction of property, or disruption of university functions, I'm okay with it.
I would rather see students having and excercising their freedom of expression than save people's delicate feelings.
As someone said "if you go through university without being offended on a regular basis, ask for your money back.":
Isn't it odd that they prefer to be thought of as the world's biggest victims rather than the tough macho men they claim to be.
Aren't they ashamed that the JOOOOOOS were so successful and arabs so weak and powerless???
If some students were offended, they should take their case to the Human Rights Commission. It should be an offence to offend someone.
The fact that the Jews were celebrating Passover doesn't mean that protest displays must cease. It's like little kids playing tag. One says, "Time out! I crossed my fingers." Should there be no protests until the Jews come back from celebrating Passover? Then again, should there be no protests while the Jews are on campus?
I don't know the layout of the McGill campus. I don't see a multi-flag protest-display in the centre of the campus as disturbing the peace.
The protest-display may be offensive to some people. I don't see it as being illegal.
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