Intolerance of dissent grows

Re Outcry over choice of Henein as speaker, Nov. 23 I am deeply disturbed by the increasing willingness of people not only to not want to hear dissenting thoughts or opinions, but to pre-emptively block them altogether. Your report illustrates an unfortunate lack of understanding of due process, reasonable doubt, and legal representation, as well as disrespect for human rights, free speech, academic freedom and freedom of inquiry.

If anyone on the campus of Bishop’s University or the other universities to which the talk will be streamed might find listening to Marie Henein traumatic, then I suggest they don’t listen to it. Why do the women quoted — who want to block Henein — feel so free to step on someone else’s toes to prevent a speech they personally can avoid entirely? That student Jasmine Cormier would base her opposition on “what you associate her with,” is a feeble, unacceptable basis for censorship. Finding this kind of intolerance at a Canadian university is especially disappointing.

Henein was, in the end, doing her job defending Jian Ghomeshi, and regardless of where you stand on the trial, or sexual violence generally, it would be worthwhile hearing what she has to say. Ken Straiton, Toronto

We are living in perilous times indeed, when university students seek to silence a scheduled speaker because, as a defence lawyer, she won acquittal for a client accused of sexual misconduct by proving that his accusers withheld crucial facts from the prosecution. It’s fair to ask what other bearers of unpleasant truths these self-styled justice critics would like to see gagged?

We will all be losers if the day ever comes that prominent speakers are barred from university campuses until it’s determined that the information they have to impart won’t cause some sensitive souls to experience discomfort.

Richard van Abbe, Toronto