Defending free speech

Re: A Real Professor, At Last, Rex Murphy, Oct. 29.

The University of Toronto, its president and the board of directors have a lot of explaining to do. Rather than promote the basic principles of higher learning — freedom of inquiry and opinion — they impose ham- fisted measures to stifle and ostracize Prof. Jordan Peterson. The university, a publicly funded institution of privilege and independence, has been hijacked by a bunch of capricious, self- absorbed interests, whose major preoccupation is themselves, not higher learning. It is long past time that the university stares down the coercive antics of these vapid wannabes and their supporters. If the president and the board fail to defend Professor Peterson’s academic rights to free opinion and inquiry, they should resign to make room for a principled leadership. Robert Teskey, Ottawa.

I would like to congratulate Rex Murphy on his brilliantly written piece in defence of Prof. Jordan Peterson’s stand against the latest PC nonsense regarding people wanting others to refer to them by their own individually made- up pronouns. If Prof. Peterson is not permitted to explain why this is utter nonsense, then there is no meaning at all to the term “free speech,” let alone “academic freedom.” Over the last few decades, there has been a growing trend by various left wing activist minorities to trample on the wishes of the majority. It’s about time those of us in the majority give some pushback. Alex MacMillan, Kingston, Ont.