UVSS letter targets anti-Islam sentiments
UVSS Students of Colour Collective board rep Luam Kidane stands by a bulletin board in the SUB where an anti-Islamic poster was found.
Anti-Islamic material being posted around campus spurred the UVic Students’ Society to file a letter of complaint to the Equity and Human Rights Office and Campus Security last week.
The letter, dated Feb. 26, states that “these materials promote discrimination and hate toward Muslims.” The materials in question are a comic strip and poster featuring anti-Islamic sentiment.
A motion to write the letter, which also calls for the ban of “any other individual that is caught propagating hate speech,” was brought forward at a UVSS board meeting by Luam Kidane, the board’s Students of Colour Collective representative.
“I think it’s very positive that the students’ society is taking a stand,” said Cindy Player, the director of Equity and Human Rights and a member of the University Human Rights Committee. “I see this as a stand that supports an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone on campus.”
Player is glad the UVSS has opened the dialogue with Equity and Human Rights to talk about these issues.
“I think it’s a fine line between allowing someone to express their views and where those views start to harm another individual or group,” she said.
Many students have approached the UVSS to express their concern with the material. The individual who claims to be responsible for putting up the materials, Victoria resident Lorenzo Bouchard, has been banned from campus for the past several years for carrying a metal cane.
“He has been seen from time to time,” said Director of Campus Security Pete Zacour. “We approach him and we ask him to leave and he does.”
Zacour said that if an individual ever refused to leave campus after being asked by Campus Security, the police would be called and the individual would be dealt with under the Tresspass Act.
As for the board’s request that other individuals caught propagating hate speech be banned, Zacour said Campus Security deals with them.
“If somebody’s posting material that’s not authorized or stamped … those people are asked to stop posting,” he said. “The material is removed and those people are asked to leave campus.”
Zacour added that bars often post unstamped material around campus.
UVSS Director of Finance Tracy Ho said the university issued Bouchard a letter on Feb. 27 reminding him of his ban.
According to Ho, Bouchard was known to her and the rest of the board executive before they started noticing the materials in December from his earlier visits to campus and the Student Union Building.
“He scares a lot of people as well in the SUB,” she said, adding that Campus Security was called on multiple occasions to remove him. “[But] he doesn’t put up a fight; he’s pretty respectable.”
However, Ho feels the recent materials are unacceptable.
“It goes against so many university policies and creates such a hostile and hateful environment which students staff and faculty should not be subjected to,” she said. “The university has to take action.”
Ho said the university has policies surrounding hate speech and discrimination.
“It goes against the policies and it goes against our university culture as well,” Ho said. “We want to have those tough discussions and tough talks, but it also needs to be in a way that is respectful and in a way that won’t prevent others from being heard, and we feel that this material does.”
Ho requests that anyone finding potentially hateful material on campus document the building and time, and bring it to the board at the resource centre in the SUB or to Campus Security.
A UVic Human Rights forum called “Equity and Speech — Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk” will be held by Jody Patterson and Tom Patch on Tuesday, March 10, in room C122 of the David Strong Building from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone interested in listening to and discussing the issues surrounding balancing freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination is welcome to attend.
- with files from Kat Eschner
9 Comments
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Ben March 7, 2009, 4 a.m.
Are you aware of the hypocrisy of your position? You accuse Lorenzo Bouchard of shutting down one side of a dialog, all the while you seek to silence his side.
Perhaps you should consider the possibility of staging a public debate, of a formal, forensic nature and put a local Imam up against Mr. Bouchard; let both sides be heard and allow the audience to decide who is right.
If his material is so offensive, why don't you publish it openly and let your readers confirm your judgment?
I see nothing threatening in his petitions or letter. That is in strong contrast to the content of the Noble Qur'an, hadith & Umdat as-Salik.
Are there any Jewish students on your campus? Are they aware of Bukhari 4.52.177 and Muslim 41.6985 ? How do those texts make them feel? The intrinsic doctrines of Islam present a real, proximate and persistent threat to the Jewish minority.
What is the reaction of the Jewish minority when Umdat as-Salik O9.8 and At-Taubah 29 are discussed in class? I'd be surprised if those texts are discussed, because conventional wisdom seeks to keep such knowledge concealed.
Did you know that the Christian majority is also threatened by those imperatives? Did you know that failure to attack us at least once in every year is sinful?
A small but growing number of us are aware, and we are sharing what we know, because in the U.S.A., we are protected by the umbrella of first amendment protection guaranteeing our right of free expression. Unlike Canadians, we can't be hauled before a kangaroo court and persecuted for revealing the truth like Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn.
In my blog posts, I cite Islamic sources, and I link to them so that my readers can verify what I have written and explore the texts in depth.
Lorenzo's petition to the World Court now has 733 signatures from several countries. The Congress Debate Qur'an petition, which includes copious quotes from the Qur'an & hadith, has 1116 signatures. We do not have the big, well organized cheering section enjoyed by Islam, but we are slowly growing in numbers.
Ben March 7, 2009, 4 a.m.
Are you aware of the hypocrisy of your position? You accuse Lorenzo Bouchard of shutting down one side of a dialog, all the while you seek to silence his side.
Perhaps you should consider the possibility of staging a public debate, of a formal, forensic nature and put a local Imam up against Mr. Bouchard; let both sides be heard and allow the audience to decide who is right.
If his material is so offensive, why don't you publish it openly and let your readers confirm your judgment?
I see nothing threatening in his petitions or letter. That is in strong contrast to the content of the Noble Qur'an, hadith & Umdat as-Salik.
Are there any Jewish students on your campus? Are they aware of Bukhari 4.52.177 and Muslim 41.6985 ? How do those texts make them feel? The intrinsic doctrines of Islam present a real, proximate and persistent threat to the Jewish minority.
What is the reaction of the Jewish minority when Umdat as-Salik O9.8 and At-Taubah 29 are discussed in class? I'd be surprised if those texts are discussed, because conventional wisdom seeks to keep such knowledge concealed.
Did you know that the Christian majority is also threatened by those imperatives? Did you know that failure to attack us at least once in every year is sinful?
A small but growing number of us are aware, and we are sharing what we know, because in the U.S.A., we are protected by the umbrella of first amendment protection guaranteeing our right of free expression. Unlike Canadians, we can't be hauled before a kangaroo court and persecuted for revealing the truth like Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn.
In my blog posts, I cite Islamic sources, and I link to them so that my readers can verify what I have written and explore the texts in depth.
Lorenzo's petition to the World Court now has 733 signatures from several countries. The Congress Debate Qur'an petition, which includes copious quotes from the Qur'an & hadith, has 1116 signatures. We do not have the big, well organized cheering section enjoyed by Islam, but we are slowly growing in numbers.
someone March 10, 2009, 4:05 p.m.
umdat as-salik? i'm a muslim and i have never ever heard of that.
wghere did you get the idea that failure to attack you at least once every year is sinful? again, i'm a muslim and i have never heard this rubbish before. site your source.
someone March 10, 2009, 4:05 p.m.
umdat as-salik? i'm a muslim and i have never ever heard of that.
wghere did you get the idea that failure to attack you at least once every year is sinful? again, i'm a muslim and i have never heard this rubbish before. site your source.
Moe March 11, 2009, 5:37 a.m.
This is ridiculous, so some guy comes and that is justification for his actions. Firstly lets get this clear right from get the get go,there are some people that claim Islam as the source for their stupid behavior. That does not mean that Islam in itself is a bad religion.
Yes I am a muslim although I do not practice, nor do I truly have any strong belief in the faith, however, I do know that the religion preaches peace and not violence as so eloquently indicated by so many of the sources in the media today.
No one wants to attack anyone else, the real problem here is not a religious issue, rather it is an issue that faces humanity. When people do not understand or read things out of context bad things happen, then to make things even worse, someone else looks at those actions and basis it on the source without actually researching and learning the source properly.
Before anyone judges any religion do a read of it properly and learn about it then make a judgment.
P.S. I don't want to attack you, and no one wants to do it once a year, I think we all have something better to do... like get out of this economic downturn lol.
Moe March 11, 2009, 5:37 a.m.
This is ridiculous, so some guy comes and that is justification for his actions. Firstly lets get this clear right from get the get go,there are some people that claim Islam as the source for their stupid behavior. That does not mean that Islam in itself is a bad religion.
Yes I am a muslim although I do not practice, nor do I truly have any strong belief in the faith, however, I do know that the religion preaches peace and not violence as so eloquently indicated by so many of the sources in the media today.
No one wants to attack anyone else, the real problem here is not a religious issue, rather it is an issue that faces humanity. When people do not understand or read things out of context bad things happen, then to make things even worse, someone else looks at those actions and basis it on the source without actually researching and learning the source properly.
Before anyone judges any religion do a read of it properly and learn about it then make a judgment.
P.S. I don't want to attack you, and no one wants to do it once a year, I think we all have something better to do... like get out of this economic downturn lol.
Kelsey Hannan March 13, 2009, 12:49 p.m.
Does the Martlet have a photo of the poster? While I know there are concerns about printing
hate speech, the Martlet really should publish a photo of the poster so that people can make an objective opinion on whether the board's response here was appropriate or not.Kelsey Hannan March 13, 2009, 12:49 p.m.
Does the Martlet have a photo of the poster? While I know there are concerns about printing
hate speech, the Martlet really should publish a photo of the poster so that people can make an objective opinion on whether the board's response here was appropriate or not.Eric Feb. 23, 2012, 8:14 a.m.
I have spent many hours drinking tea and exchanging ideas with Mr. Bouchard. I know that people show intolerance bordering on hate for him because he will put it in your face. Pictures of dead fetuses/babies, the victims of late term abortions may be presented to your face. Lorenzo calls this killing and he is very vocal in his opposition and wants to share his opinion.
Lorenzo Bouchard supports Israel's right to exist and is very vocal about the hate shown to Israel at many Canadian Universities. He suggests this is organized hate and from watching and listening to news clips of Canadian University demonstrations, there would seem to be some evidence to support that position.
Lorenzo claims Canadian Universities are slanted toward NDP and Federal Liberal viewpoints and he thinks that is unfair. He is willing to share his research to support that position.
Why would these opinions be considered hate?
Lorenzo welcomes discussion. He is a 75 year old man and not a physical threat; although he is often surrounded and threatened by groups of people. Truth be know the security people in Victoria like him rather well and often watch his back, especially downtown.
Mr. Bouchard is not violent in any way and values democracy above all. Why not invite him for discussion ? Why at a place of higher learning is there so much intolerance of the words he speaks?