Thinking In One-Thousand-Word Pieces

"I long ago gave up any hope that universities were the defenders of free expression." Christie Blatchford, reporter, Toronto-based Globe and Mail

Now why might she think that? Because at various universities in North America and in Europe free speech is an unqualified right - unless you're expressing views that are seen to be too much to the right? A repressive atmosphere of bowing to the politically correct view taking into stringent account the sensitivities of those whose values might be slightly off kilter with the prevailing culture appears endemic in Western societies.

Universities which were historically the cauldrons of research, introspection, the search for meaning and enlightenment, have become learning institutions where the student bodies are encouraged to think for themselves, but with the proviso that they do so in a left-liberal manner. Respect for the view that truth and reality are moveable feasts reflective in their veracity of the societies they represent now rules the roost.

What was once clearly 'right' and 'wrong', 'moral' and 'ethical', is now not quite so clear; rather these universal values are now nuanced to embrace the concept of cultural sensitivities, cultural relativism. Other ethnic sources with their singular heritages, values and priorities - and stick religion in there too, and how it's practised - and things become rather more complex. Truth is no longer as rigid, nor right and wrong.

Which is puzzling, since we're hard-wired as a species to recognize the realities of right from wrong. And when Christie Blatchford wrote of her investigative experiences as a nosy reporter wanting to know what the hell was going on in Canada where aboriginal populations are given free rein to act as they will, not in accord with the universal laws of the land, she wanted to know howkum?

In fact, at Caledonia, where the law of the land succumbed to the chaotic laws imposed by Indian Warriors she thought it might be rather averse to the values of the country. So she wrote about it. She wrote about the fact that the Premier of the Province of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, and the commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, Julian Fantino, decided not to oppose aboriginal warrior will.

These warriors from the Six Nations reserve claimed their treaty rights to a new construction site, Douglas Creek Estates and they simply took over the site. That's all right; the Province ceded the site to them. And then stepped aside as aboriginal 'law' took over and the violent confrontation was solved. Kind of. Not for the people who lived in the area, unfortunately, who were tormented and their rights violated by the new aboriginal law unto itself.

Ms. Blatchford thought that so unusual, so fascinating, she wrote about the collusion between the premier and the chief of the OPP, of the clear instructions given to the OPP stationed in the area not to intercede, never, ever, to stop or interrogate or attempt to arrest any aboriginal in the area, whatever the provocation or the perceived illegal or violent activities they were engaged in.

This did not sit very well with the Kitchener Waterloo Anti-Racist Action group who decided she was clearly a racist, not taking into account the historical background that had inevitably, they feel, led to aboriginal estrangement from the larger Canadian society, and the militant reactions of young aboriginal men. Who were not going to be pushed around, and who were intent on doing all the pushing themselves - and did, vigorously.

So three of their members set themselves up on the stage where Ms. Blatchford was slated, at the invitation of the University of Western Ontario, to speak on her findings and the nature of her publication, "Helpless". They handcuffed themselves, with bicycle locks on the stage, insisting that Ms. Blatchford would not speak under any circumstances. So the university backed down, and a nonplussed Ms. Blatchford assented to removing herself.

"I think they're right to be gleeful. They did win. If their whole goal is to shut down free speech, then absolutely, they were successful. And that's why I'm kind of tortured about what I should have done. It seemed to me it happened very quickly and I didn't have a chance to think it through. Yet I don't know what else I could have done. It wasn't my call. I was an invited guest."

"I care about the rule of law. I believe in it. To me it's natural that is what I would have concentrated on. I'm a f---ing newspaper reporter. I think in 1,000 word pieces. I'm just unnerved to be in the company of people who are more genuinely controversial than me."