AW@L Radio - 2018-05-04
this quick edit of an episode of AW@L Radio has an update of the ongoing issue of the students organising under the group name "laurier society of open inquiry" (LSOI), who keep trying to host and platform speakers who support/are racist, white nationalist, and/or anti-Indigenous rights under the shield of "free speech". also an update on the shameful canadian government efforts to block more asylum seekers from entering canada.
listen here: https://archive.org/download/Awlradio-2018-05-04/aw%40lradio-2018-05-04.mp3
- twice now LSOI have failed in their attempts to bring in white nationalist faith goldy to speak on university campuses in waterloo.
now they plan to bring mount royal university's frances widdowson to speak against the spreading inclusion of Indigenous knowledge, viewpoints, and practices throughout universities and the academy.
the grand river general defence committee, and KW against fascism have called for a demo against the planned speech at wilfrid laurier university on May 9th at 6pm.
for more info and updates check the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1974640209518316/
the university has asked for 5,500$ in security costs to secure the event (quickly raised on gofundme, with the strong support of jonathan kay).
one of the many fine twitter responses to lindsay shepherd and the LSOI bringing in another racist speaker (to speak out of their discipline) is from Billy Armagh:
"Your university professor has not published anything peer-reviewed on this topic. She appears to have last published anything a decade ago. Why don’t you raise money to bring in someone whose work is relevant in a post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report era?"
- a second quick piece is an update from Hussan SK, who noted on twitter that:
"Canada has been quietly negotiating with the US to turn the entire land border into a crossing - to turn away all the refugees crossing over the foot. This will force migrants to take more secretive and dangerous routes. Call you MP right now and tell them this is a TERRIBLE idea"
- and in a related note, we quickly talk about May 19th demo in quebec (at usa-canada border at roxham rd) being called by solidarity without borders to confront the racist right who are planning a protest against the asylum seekers being allowed entry to canada.
for more AW@L radio, including many past shows, check out grandrivermc.ca