The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education ("FIRE") is an interesting group. They seem to be leading a charge in American schools to defend academic freedom against limitations imposed by speech codes and political conformity.
According to FIRE, colleges and universities should be promoting free thought and expression, not censoring it. In saying this FIRE is right.
Certainly the problem of political censorship on campus is not limited to the United States. Politically unpopular thought is stifled on campus, often with a stunningly open attitude of 'no-nothing'. The recent position of the York student federation on discussing abortion laws in Canada -- the debate is over so no discussion -- is illustrative regardless of what position you hold on abortion.
A refusal to countenance dissent or debate bespeaks a rather brutal arrogance. As Cromwell once said to Parliament, "consider that it is possible you may be wrong". The belief that my belief is beyond discussion is, in itself, frightening.
The FIRE website is worth a look:
http://thefire.org/
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