Call for censorship of mural ‘chilling’
Re York U loses film aid over Israel mural, Jan. 28
A young Palestinian stands before a bulldozer, a handful of stones behind his back. Before him is the literal mechanism by which an occupying state has violated his human rights. It is, in fact, in the process of clearing the ground for yet another illegal settlement, one opposed by virtually the entire international community, including Canada, the U.S., the European Union, and the UN.
The challenge facing this young man, and the viewer, is whether an act of violent resistance is an acceptable response to these conditions. It is an interesting question, and not readily resolved. But to try to distract from this complex moral/political dilemma with accusations of anti-Semitism is to be ignorant at best, disingenuous at worst.
Not all Israelis, and certainly not all Jews, support the occupation. But to let one billionaire and his apparently hurt feelings dictate the scope of this debate is un-Canadian, anti-free speech, and definitely not appropriate for an academic environment. Jeremy Greenberg, Toronto
Paul Bronfman deserves praise for his stance against a mural inciting violence against Israelis and Jews. Would the unnamed experts advising York U. permit a white-power poster depicting the hanging of a black man or one opposing same-sex marriage depicting a bull’s-eye around the face of one of the partners? I fail to see the distinction with a poster depicting a headless Palestinian fondling a deadly projectile. Where are the voices condemning the position of a public university a stone’s throw from my home? Levi M. Sankar, Thornhill
“Artistic” expressions that demonstrate a real threat to freedom and safety of students and faculty should never be acceptable in a just society, let alone an institution of purported enlightenment.
It is time that York University act promptly and prudently to remove this deplorable mural. Dr. Lawrence B. Cohen, Toronto
Paul Bronfman is “sick to his stomach, angry and disgusted” by this mural. It is astounding that because he donates money he feels he should be able to censor and quash freedom of artistic expression. Universities are centres for critical thinking; let’s keep them that way. John Morton, Toronto
Bronfman is advocating censorship of York University due to a portrait in the student centre. Is he suggesting that York students should not be exposed to a variety of views on the issues of “justice” and “peace,” but adhere solely to a world view approved by him? Now that’s a chilling message. Brigitte Nowak, Toronto