By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--September 16, 2016
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They live in a country whose Liberal Government only last week made calling ISIS Daesh official, but some students at Mount Royal University in Calgary are afraid of a baseball cap bearing the words “Make America Great Again”.
Just wearing the cap somehow threatens “safe spaces” so a female student claiming that the cap’s message stands for “hate language” loudly insisted in a sustained confrontation with a male cap-wearing student that he “must” take it off.
Few would have known about the confrontation had someone not posted a video of the altercation online.“Since the video appeared online, the woman taking issue with the hat has posted a Facebook response explaining her concerns. “Today (Wednesday) I got into an altercation with a guy wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat. I went up and asked him if he would take the hat off, explaining a university should be a safe space,” she said. “It was impossible to communicate to him why wearing a hat in support of a movement grown on the seeds of racism, bigotry and exclusion of diversity (sexual and cultural) could make some people afraid,” she added.Calgarian Canada Free Press reader, Candace Green, who among others, objected to the woman’s behaviour, sent the following letter to Mount Royal University President David Docherty:
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“Dear President Docherty, “I have already phoned your school to express my displeasure about a recent video that has surfaced regarding a ‘Make America Great Again” hat....and the freedom of expression to wear such a hat.... “The lack of maturity displayed in the female student who was demanding the removal of the hat is appalling... “I hope that this will be addressed with a reprimand that such behaviour is not condoned at your school.... “The idea of safe spaces and the accompanying political correctness is going beyond ridiculous.... “What was more distressing was the fact that she had invoked your name and was using it to verbally strong arm the other student to remove his hat because it represented "hate speech". “I hope that the young man in question will receive his hat again...and that you will disavow this behaviour and issue a public apology on behalf of the student and on behalf of your school...and on behalf of the citizens of this nation who support the efforts of Donald Trump and his desire to make America great again.... “What happens in America also affects Canada as well....and there are many many people who have had enough of the global agenda and would like a return to some sanity in the political arena......apparently this female student does not feel the same way ....however....she needs to be reminded that in a democracy, such as Canada....freedom of expression is the right of every citizen....and to take such expression away also takes away the foundation on which our country was founded.... “This video clip does not make your school look good and it does not make Canada look good.”“Safe spaces” have been sprouting like ragweed on campuses across North America, supposedly ensuring all students are protected from intolerance. Since they’ve been up and running, some critics have deemed them to be a convenient excuse for the extension of political correctness. Some critics complain that the “safe places” are making “snowflakes” of students who believe in them.
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