Freedom Flyer June 1998 Cover

Freedom Flyer 33

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

June 1998




RACIST ON CAMPUS

LONDON (October 7, 1997) - "YOU, sir, are a RACIST," was the conclusion of one student following Fp president Robert Metz's presentation before a University of Western Ontario Law and Social Welfare class taught by London lawyer Jeffrey Schlemmer. The indictment followed Metz's presentation on the nature of law, in which he introduced the ideas of philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand and French economist/statesman Frederic Bastiat.

"How is it," asked Metz, "that you can call me a racist right after you've explicitly heard that I support laws which treat all people equally, regardless of race, color, creed or sex? What have I possibly said that would lead you to such a conclusion?"

At this point the unnamed student referred to two Consent essays appearing on Freedom Party's website, one written by Vaughan Byrnes (Discrimination - The Positive Perspective) and the other by Cathy Frampton (Body of Knowledge). Both expressed views opposing political correctness and policies of official multiculturalism. According to the student, Metz's affiliation with the views expressed in those essays was all that was needed for an assessment of character. (Ironically, that's how racists think!)

Quoting isolated sentences from each essay, he refused, when asked by Metz, to place the quotes in the context of the articles in which they appeared. Needless to say, the exchange sparked a lively debate and round of questions, few of which had anything to do with Metz's presentation.

Another student objected to Metz's emphasis on philosophy, questioning its relevance to practical law. There was a degree of noticeable hostility towards Metz on the part of a few students, while others appeared entertained by the accusations and subsequent debate. After the presentation, a couple of other students privately approached Metz for more information and told him that they were intimidated by the prospect of entering the debate in class, and thus remained silent. Referring to the student leveling racist charges, one of them remarked: "Some people have their own agendas."

Another learning experience.




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