Frances Widdowson takes Lethbridge University

The brave vs. the obnoxious

Protesters kept former Mount Royal University professor, Frances Widdowson, from speaking at the University of Lethbridge on Feb. 1. (Photo by Tyler Hay)

By

James Pew

“This University is no longer an academic University and has become an environment where activism is allowed to proceed without any kind of checks in terms of open inquiry, academic freedom, and a discussion of a diversity of ideas.” - Dr. Frances Widdowson speaking about Lethbridge University.

Last week I wrote about Dr. Frances Widdowson’s scheduled appearance as a guest lecturer at the University of Lethbridge. Philosophy professor, Dr. Paul Viminitz, had invited Dr. Widdowson to speak to his class on indigenous ways of knowing (a video of that lecture is at the bottom of this post). Today, I am picking up the coverage on the Lethbridge situation from where my last post left off.

Protesters kept former Mount Royal University professor, Frances Widdowson, from speaking at the University of Lethbridge on Feb. 1. (Photo by Tyler Hay)

In addition to two indigenous ways of knowing lectures Dr. Widdowson gave to Dr. Viminitz’ class, a public lecture, called “How 'Woke-ism' Threatens Academic Freedom” was also slated to take place at University of Lethbridge. However the university’s president Mike Mahon caved to the pressure from activists and cancelled the public talk. The irony is not lost when one considers that Dr. Widdowson’s planned discussion on the threat wokeism poses to academic freedom was canceled by a university president.

Even though president Mahon canceled Dr. Widdowson’s public talk, on Feb. 1, 2023, Dr. Frances Widdowson defiantly proclaimed in a social media post that she would give her talk in the schools public atrium, and that the university would “have to haul me away by security to stop me.”

When Dr. Widdowson arrived at Lethbridge University on Feb. 1st to speak in the public atrium, she was greeted with a shocking level of hostility. In the video below, an indigenous woman screams and swears at Dr. Widdowson, who can be seen trying to walk away from the irate woman, who is then heard screaming “you see that land out there, that’s mine.”

In Canada we permit, even encourage, public temper tantrums from indigenous activists. If ever a white woman acted so aggressively, and screamed at an indigenous person, blocked their way, and asserted belligerently that the land they were both standing on was “mine,” the accusations of hate and racism would be uncountable. The activists and media would call it white supremacy, and the guilty party wouldn’t stand a chance.

I agree with Twitter user @amociclismo who tweeted that “racism goes both ways,” and that there was an “incredible display of racist behaviours from woke activists” at Lethbridge University directed at Dr. Widdowson.

Marcela Cast 🇨🇦🚛🚜 #TrudeauResign @amociclismo

@NullumOffer @_hay_tyler Racism goes both ways sweetheart. There was an increíble display of racist behaviours from the woke activists at this event. Take a look for yourself. Tribalism at its finest. Mob mindset.

After Dr. Widdowson, her supporters, and those who came to listen to her talk entered the Atrium it was clear that the mob of activists were not going to allow Dr. Widdowson to speak. Even though the activist mob could have chosen to boycott the event, so they wouldn’t be “harmed” by Dr. Widdowson’s speech, they decided instead to infringe on the rights of students who wanted to hear what Dr. Widdowson had to say.

Here is a video posted by the CBC which shows the mob of activists cheering on the suppression of Dr. Widdowson’s speech. This video contains segments that show Dr. Widdowson calmly interacting with people in the crowd - most of whom have no idea about Dr. Widdowson’s work or things she has said in the past. Dr. Widdowson patiently explains to protestors that much of what they have heard about her is not true.

Clearly Lethbridge University president Mike Mahon is a weak leader. He is scared of the students. Far too to may adults in society today are scared of young people. Wokeism turns young adults, especially university students, into modern day Red Guards, and sadly, those in positions of power are terrified of them.

Tyler Hay @_hay_tyler

Protest going in at the University of Lethbridge to keep Francis Widdowson from speaking. She was scheduled to speak today and said she would go ahead anyone in UHall when the school cancelled her public talk.

There was a number of people present who wanted to hear Dr. Widdowson speak. When she, and those who came to listen, attempted to move to a different area of the University the protestors followed them and continued to block Dr. Widdowson’s efforts to speak. When the protestors learned that Dr. Widdowson was leaving most stopped following her.

On Feb. 1st, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) issued a statement criticizing the U of L decision: the “University of Lethbridge was wrong to cancel campus talk.” But then on Feb. 3rd issued a second statement saying it also defends the principle of university autonomy.

A small victory for Dr. Widdowson occurred on February 3rd, when the CBC reported - Alberta to require 'free speech reporting' after uproar over controversial academic visit. According to the report, Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said "It is abundantly clear that more needs to be done to ensure our institutions are adequately protecting free speech,” and that “Alberta's post-secondary institutions should be bastions of free speech and academic freedom that promote critical thinking.”

I asked Society of Academic Freedom and Scholarship president, Mark Mercer, for his thoughts on Minister Nicolaides statement:

"I'm not sure it will have any good effect. Nothing will galvanize anti-speech professors, administrators and students better than government interference and oversight. The real battle is to restore commitment to academic values within the universities. How that's to be done, though, is anyone's guess.”

President Mercer went on to say that he felt the Alberta Government should have named Lethbridge University president, Mike Mahon, directly in their criticism of Lethbridge:

“I wouldn't have minded Nicolaides including Mahon's name when he (Nicolaides) made his public statement, even if he would have had to take some flak. I don't much care for government interference in university business (if universities cannot straighten out their houses themselves, governments are unlikely to be able to do so) but maybe a minister can express puzzlement over a president's decision to act contrary to academic values without jeopardizing the important arms-length relationship.”

It is clear, when one considers everything that happened at the University of Lethbridge last week, that wokeism is an enormous problem for Canadian universities. But Canadians should consider themselves lucky to have such a brilliant and brave scholar like Dr. Frances Widdowson who is both impossible to intimidate and relentlessly committed to the struggle for speech and academic freedom. I know very few people (maybe none) who would have the courage to enter a room with close to a thousand hate filled protestors and stand up to them like the way the boundlessly brave Dr. Frances Widdowson did.

What a dedicated academic! What a tough lady! What a true Canadian!

Thank you Dr. Frances Widdowson. You are THE BEST!!!!!

Videos and Audio Recordings of Dr. Widdowson’s Lethbridge lectures

Here is a full transcript of Dr. Widdowson’s lecture on indigenous ways of knowing, called “Should Universities ‘Foster Respect’ for Indigenous Ways of knowing?” The video is below. Can you find the hate?

Here is the link in case the video doesn’t load.

The second lecture on Indigenous Ways of knowing was also a success. Here is a recording of that lecture, along with Dr. Widdowson’s comment that she posted to social media about it:

“I gave my second "harmful", "traumatizing" and "unsafe" lecture in Paul Viminitz' class last night -

It's time to call in the grief counsellors, University of Lethbridge! Seriously, I would like to thank all the wonderful students who listened carefully and challenged me with their great questions.” - Dr. Widdowson.

Finally, here is the Zoom recording of Dr. Widdowson’s lecture, “How Wokeism Threatens Academic Freedom.”

“Ironically, I was supposed to be giving this presentation at the University of Lethbridge tonight, but because of the president and his pandering to activists, this presentation was not allowed to go forward.” - Dr. Widdowson.

Here is the link in case the video doesn’t load.

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Thanks for reading. For more on Dr. Frances Widdowson’s visit to the university of Lethbridge read 1) Totalitarianism is on the move: We need to fight back with everything that we have and 2) A Consequential Day for Free Speech

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