If you’re going to restrict free speech at a place like York University, you better have a damn good reason.
But, of course, no one would ever admit to trying to stifle free speech – those who do probably don’t even realize that is what they’re doing. Unfortunately for these people, actions speak louder than words.
Now meet Kelly Holloway, who, although she may not be aware of it yet, is one of these people.
For those of you who don’t know, Holloway recently used her position as the vice-chairperson of the Student Centre Board of Directors to call an emergency meeting of the board on Feb. 28 to have a debate on abortion banned mere hours before it was set to take place.
Her reasoning for doing so may seem perfectly justifiable to her and the rest of the board, which includes current executives of the York Federation of Students (YFS), who are now riding this wave of negative publicity: “The issue is violence against women, and women in this country have a right to choose what they do with their bodies” and “I would not welcome anyone into my student space that wants to threaten a woman’s right to do what she wants with her own body.”
Holloway’s second quotation refers to the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR), a pro-life organization that is infamous for using graphic images and for comparing abortion to genocide. In an interview with the Toronto Star defending her actions, Holloway reminisced about her time as a student at the University of Toronto when the group paid a visit to the campus and apparently upset hundreds of students.
So perhaps Holloway believes she has been valiant in protecting the fragile minds and innocence of our student body; perhaps we should regard her as a modern-day hero of sorts.
In the same article, however, Holloway is cited as saying that the executive board would probably have come to the same decision if a student group had been arguing the pro-life side instead of the CCBR.
That blatant contradiction aside, I have to argue that we don’t need protecting. Especially at a university that is as politically active as ours; especially regarding a debate moderated by the neutral York Debating Society in a closed room in the Student Centre; especially when the CCRB agreed to allow those who were uncomfortable to leave the room before showing graphic images; especially when the YFS just sponsored a bus to protest the banning of the phrase “Israeli apartheid” at McMaster University; especially when the issue of free speech itself is at stake.
As evidenced by her arguments quoted in last week’s issue of Excalibur, Holloway seems to believe that because abortion is legal in Canada the debate is over. Regardless of your personal stance on the issue, I defy anyone to declare that the issue is resolved. There are countries all over the world that enforce laws that its citizens don’t necessarily agree with. The fact remains: it is never acceptable to stifle debate when there are those who seek it.
Moreoever, in a statement sent to us by Kelly Holloway signed by herself and Gilary Massa, treasurer for the Student Centre board, they claim “the vast majority of York University students recognize that every woman has the right to choose what to do with her own body.” When did these people take it upon themselves to decide what we think?
What concerns me more than anything is what Holloway’s reasoning indicates. Her stance on the limits of free speech in the spirit of protecting the student body is dangerous. We cannot afford for anyone in any position of power with these kinds of ideas to represent us and to make decisions that affect our freedom at this university.
This is why I am calling for Holloway’s resignation from both the Student Centre board and from the presidency of the Graduate Students’ Association.
I also invite Jose Ruba of the CCRB and Michael Payton of Freethinkers, Skeptics and Athiests at York, the two people who would have represented the opposing sides at the original debate, to make their cases in an upcoming issue of Excalibur. While I hope this debate is rescheduled, if not in the Student Centre than elsewhere, I offer these pages as an alternative.
Perhaps then the York University community can make up its own mind, because whether you’re pro-life, pro-choice or undecided, that is why we protect free speech at all costs.
For these reasons, Kelly Holloway, I humbly oppose.