Freedom and Loathing in Lethbridge
The Israel Lobby on Campus. The Silencing of a so-called "Residential School Denier"
There’s a bit of a skuffle breaking out at the University of Lethbridge. It concerns the pro-Academic Freedom initiative mounted by Francis Widdowson, Paul Viminitz, and me, Anthony James Hall.
This post initiates a larger project. It starts to lay the foundation for future posts looking at a case study of the crisis in Post-Secondary Education unfolding in Alberta, North America and all over the world.
Our project is meant to shed light on the breakdown of civil and professional conduct in the system of higher education in Alberta. We are stepping up to the plate as the era of NDP devotee, Rachel Notley, fades and as the era of the United Conservative Party Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, gains traction. For a primer on some of the controversies we’re starting to address, see here
https://albertaviews.ca/freedom-loathing-lethbridge/
Collecting Evidence
Tadzio Richards makes the case for the Israel Lobby in
https://albertaviews.ca/freedom-loathing-lethbridge/
Here is a University of Lethbridge Hit Piece on Dr. Widdowson
https://themeliorist.ca/2023/02/03/crossroads-between-hate-speech-and-academic-freedom/
Dr. Paul Vimintz, a tenured senior professor in the Philosophy Department at the U of L, was in recent weeks fired as fallout from Frances Widdowson’s muzzling.
Dr. Viminitz, Dr. Widdowson and Jonah Pickle are pressing a Charter Case against the University of Lethbridge at the Court of King’s Bench in Alberta.
“The Poster Boy for the End of Academic Tenure in Alberta”
Ezra Levant, pictured below in the Sun News Advertisement, began a campaign in 2014 to target me as the “madman and poster boy for the end of academic tenure.” I took a cell phone shot of the strange document back when I first saw it in 2014.
Since the author of the document, seemingly Ezra Levant, made the correct prediction that I would indeed become the poster boy for the end of Academic Tenure, the document below has became evidence of a weird threat that came true. Ezra Levant is a prominent member of the Israel Lobby in Canada. How was Ezra so prophetic about future developments at the University of Lethbridge?
Dr. Owen Holmes is one of the Founders of the University of Lethbridge. He is alive and well. Dr. Holmes is a venerable Chemist and Former Provost of the University of Lethbridge. His titles are numerous.
Below is a scathing letter by Dr. Holmes on the biases of Tadzio Richard’s spin doctoring in Alberta Views to advance the smear campaign of B’nai Brith Canada, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and many other organizational units of the Israel Lobby in Canada.
Also see Dr. Holmes raising the alarm to the Canadian Association of University Teachers, CAUT. Dr. Holmes implores CAUT to conduct a deep investigation of the University of Lethbridge/B’nai Brith case. This case was integral to the destruction of Academic Freedom not only at the University of Lethbridge but also throughout the universities in Canada where the faculty associations are represented collectively by CAUT.
Dr. Holmes’ outreach to CAUT remains unaddressed. His letter to then- CAUT President, Dr. James Compton, can be seen above as part of the evidentiary foundation of the case to illustrate
the Demise of Academic Freedom at the University of Lethbridge.
The sordid outcome of the University of Lethbridge/B’nai Brith case led to the severe academic bullying and well-organized silencing tactics directed at Dr. Widdowson. The well-planned silencing exercise presents nothing less that a major case study in how to muzzle academic debate in universities.
The Widdowson muzzling constitutes state-of-the art-police-state stuff. The Widdowson muzzling at the University of Lethbridge well anticipates the Online Harms Act calling for Life Sentences for the telling of awkward truths on the Internet The Online Harms Act was drafted and it is being promoted by the Israel Lobby. See
https://www.globalresearch.ca/center-israel-jewish-affairs-wrong-side-history/5852263
A colour revolution took place in the Atrium and in the Academic Halls of the University of Lethbridge
Drumming and loud chants and a wailing a electric guitar made it impossible to hear Dr. Widdowson as she attempted to articulate her academic assessment for many visitors who had come to the University of Lethbridge to hear Dr. Widdowson’s talk.
Dr. Widdowson was invited to the University of Lethbridge by Dr. Viminitz and then by President Mike Mahon. Then Dr. Mahon succumbed to political pressure to withdraw the invitation largely as a result of lobbying by the Indigenous Studies Department, the Education Faculty and the Liberal Education Faculty.
Of course Dr. Mahon stayed in the dark shadows well out of public view when the dirty work he had directed of silencing an academic presentation actually happened. I was right there to see the intensity of the spurning of Dr. Widdowson. It was something quite troubling to have witnessed.
My opinion is shared quite largely in Lethbridge by others who witnessed what happened and were dismayed by this kind of censorious behaviour coming largely from students who had been coached by their profs to despise, condemn and call down Dr. Widdowson. Dr. Widdowson is a well published academic in several fields including the history of Indian education in Canada.
Thank you, Tony. You go from strength to strength in your reporting and analysis. Thank you for speaking about those things that need to be brought into the light. Too often we are denied the opportunity to have these issues exposed. I hope you are safe.
Godspeed!