03/20/2018
Wilfrid Laurier University is allowing Faith Goldy to speak on campus under the banner of Freedom of Expression. Faith Goldy is a known white supremacist and neo-nazi who is scheduled to speak about “ethnocide” and the declining white population in Canada. This blatant racism and white supremacy have no place on our campus and yet, Laurier is not doing anything to stop this event. These are the effects of unrestricted, uncritical safeguarding of “freedom of speech”.
For the past five months, we have been saying that Freedom of Expression is being employed to cover over far-right ideology. We have been warning the administration about the implications of their position on Freedom of Expression, which they have very clearly articulated in advance of the Task Force’s decision (see link: http://bit.ly/2plSRNR). Their position has opened the doors for the likes of Goldy and other far-right personalities to spread their doctrines of hate within our community. We are genuinely beginning to wonder: is this what Laurier stands for?
We all need to engage in a much more critical conversation about freedom of expression than the one this institution is currently having. At what point do we have an obligation to not allow for baseless racism and white supremacy to exist within our institution? At what point will we recognize the legitimate harm this university is facilitating, in their fear of taking a stronger stance on free speech? At what point will we finally be brave, speak out, take a stand?
Individuals in the Laurier community have organized a solidarity rally, celebrating the continued resistance of marginalized communities throughout this violence. We encourage you to attend!