Spewing Hateful Lies

"Israel's deliberate targeting of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure has led to more than 35,000 deaths and widespread famine and disease."

"I ask that you join me in calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Palestine."

"Advocacy is literally in our job description."

"It is never too late to join the right side of history."

"[Graduates should] stand in solidarity [with Indigenous people in Canada and the Palestinians and oppose] settler colonialism both at home and abroad [speak out against] injustice [and] violence."

Dr. Gem Newman, graduating class valedictorian speech 

Dr. Gem Newman delivered a controversial valedictorian speech to his graduating class. Photo by X.com

"[I am] disappointed that the address was delivered in a way that didn't represent all students and that was disrespectful to some audience members who were there to celebrate and be celebrated."

"Both speech and counter-speech are equally protected [but there are limits on freedom of expression]."

"A convocation address is different than a classroom setting, different than an opinion piece in a newspaper."

"Statements made in this address were divisive and inflammatory."

Peter Nickerson, dean, medical school, University of Manitoba medical school

 

"[The university allowed Newman] to spew these hateful lies to a captive audience. Those words are not political opinion. They are hate speech and they are lies."

"[The university should remove the video of the graduation speech and] condemn, in no uncertain terms [Newman's remarks]." 

"Denounce antisemitism in all forms it takes, even in its latest iteration as espoused by your valedictorian."

Ernest Rady, philanthropist American billionaire

A video on the University of Manitoba's YouTube channel that included a medical graduate's valedictory speech last week has since been taken down after criticism of the valedictorian's call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

 

Born in Winnipeg of a Jewish refugee from Russia, Maxwell Rady, who studied at the university, Ernest Rady bestowed a gift of $30 million to the University of Manitoba in memory of his father, in 2016. The University of Manitoba's medical school is called the Max Rady School of Medicine, Yet it was among this year's graduating medical students that a valedictorian speech was used to spout antisemitic tropes, causing the philanthropist to write to the school's administration to express condemnation of an event that left him "hurt and appalled".

 

The speech, he said, "dishonoured the memory of my father" and "disrespected and disparaged Jews as a whole", and he was entirely correct, generosity of monetary gift aside. The figure cited by the newly graduated Dr. Gem Newman of deaths in Gaza was supplied by the ministry of health in Gaza, an arm of the Hamas terrorist government, which needless to say lumps together the deaths of Hamas terrorists with the civilian population unfortunate enough to be caught up in a conflict that Hamas deliberately precipitated.

 

In its determined efforts to destroy the war machinery of Hamas, Israel is focused on breaking its ability to threaten and attack Israel and its citizens. Which means destroying the weaponry amassed by the terrorist group, along with its operatives, and signally, the network of tunnels built by the group which function as protection from targeting when Israel responds to deadly rockets shot from the enclave over the border into Israel. 

Clips of the offending speech, posted online refer to the conflict as 'genocidal' on the part of Israel, when in actual fact, Hamas has declared its firm intention of eradicating Israel, and with it every Jew living there. The dean of the medical school, Dr. Peter Nickerson, responded with outrage, noting Newman had expressed his personal views but that "both speech and counterspeech are protected" limits exist on freedom of expression.

Originally prepared to speak at the Lavender Graduation for LGBTQ students at the faculty, the Queer and Trans Graduate Student group rescinded the invitation to Dean Nickerson, claiming the ceremony was meant to be a "safe and affirming space", while Dr. Nickerson's condemnation of Newman "does not support that goal." They might try that one on in Gaza; travel to the Strip and see what kind of reception they'd be greeted with, there.

Dr. Peter Nickerson, dean of the University of Manitoba's Max Rady College of Medicine, is seen reciting the physician's pledge for graduates at the May 16 convocation. He says Rady was 'far from the first person' to ask for video of Newman's speech to be taken down. (Radio-Canada)

"Your statement has also left us concerned that, at some point, our very existence as 2SLGBTQIA+ people may be deemed too political or 'inflammatory and divisive'."

LGBTQ student letter to Dean Nickerson