University president douchebag contest

From: Denis Rancourt <>
Date: Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Subject: your treatment of Nick Day
To: Daniel Woolf [Principal/President, Queen's University, Canada]

Dear Daniel,

I recently read your blog post about your March 10th meeting with student Rector Nick Day. I also read Mr. Day's article posted at rabble.ca.

I am outraged to witness a university president overstep accepted bounds of fairness and ethical collegial behaviour to the extent that you have in this matter, not to mention your outright disregard for academic freedom and foundational principles of representative democracy.

If your behaviour is allowed to stand without a retraction and apology then Canadian academia will have reached a new low regarding the extent to which a president (principal) can disregard accepted norms in both the university environment and in society for treating others, and student representatives in particular.

I am disturbed by your actions.

I was compelled to blog about this matter here:
http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/2011/03/university-president-douchebag-contest.html

"Douchebag" is an insult. It is not libel. What you have done to Mr. Day is, among other things, both defamatory and libelous. And you have done it from your position as a public figure.

Please send me any needed corrections about my blog post, if there is something I have misunderstood.

Sincerely,
Dr. Denis G. Rancourt
Former physics professor, University of Ottawa

Cc: Civil society, supporters of academic freedom

RELATED POSTS:
Original letter to Ignatieff by Nick Day - rabble.ca
The Canadian Zionism Question
Comparing two red-tie Liberals on Israel war crimes

Video activism::: Reality vs the manufactured corporate image at the University of Ottawa

[Video production: Physics graduate student and university senate member Joseph Hickey.]

RELATED POSTS:
Video report of the full March 9th press conference
Vicious reprisals in the Faculty of Medicine::: U of O damage-control spin insufficient
Three medical doctors jointly file human rights complaints against the University of Ottawa and several officials
NEURO LEAK emails here: http://academicfreedom.ca/doctors/

Video response to the "Prison of delayed fertility"

Hilarious!

RELATED POST:
On the prison of delayed fertility

THE INSTITUTION CONTROLS YOUR MIND - video

Original lyrics are by a former student at the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, who also produced this video.

Just trying to attract attention?

Our personal psychology is largely determined by the fact that we are born into a hierarchy.

What does it mean when an agitator, a gadfly, is told "you are just trying to attract attention to yourself"?

Think about it. The whole idea of having influence in society is premised on being recognized. The whole idea of increasing one's influence is to be more recognized.

The entire political dimension of the person is the possibility of practicing one's influence on the community and on society at large.

Why else does the artist art? Why does the worker work if it is not to meaningfully contribute? Agency over one's life and opportunity to influence community (including the workplace!) are the basis of a meaningful life.

But a hierarchy will have none of it. You must be dedicated to preserving the hierarchy and your place within the hierarchy. The cardinal rules in a hierarchy are know your place, keep or improve your place, and kiss ass.

In light of who says it and why, in light of how the agitator is disturbing to others, I think it is clear:

"He/she is just trying to attract attention."

means

"He/she does not know his/her place."

... is not following convention, is not following the rules, is disregarding taboos, is not making valid and central points, is not disturbing us, is not having an influence, should not be taken seriously, etc.

The "you are just trying to attract attention to yourself" is hierarchy maintenance talk meant to neutralize the threat; by appeal to the pathological notion of self-sacrifice in service and obedience to a human hierarchy.

In using hierarchy against itself, it is a viable tactic to do it publicly in order to protect oneself with visibility. In disturbing the psychological reinforcements of hierarchy, one has to expect a hierarchy-preserving backlash.

Sustained disruption can create the circumstances wherein foundational criticism can be received. It's the only thing that ever does.

Thank you for the compliment.

Meet physicist activist Dr. Hajo Meyer

Hajo Meyer on Israel

Related Israel Lobby activism at the University of Ottawa, Canada: HERE.

North American Pig Culture - A few good apples?

Can there even be a question of whether or not this is systemic? (See video!)

Canadian cops in Ottawa are at least as bad: LINK.

The best the establishment can argue is that there may be "a few good apples" but this needs to be demonstrated since virtually no officers ever intervene to stop or report this type of criminal police assault.

In this case, five officers were involved. In order for this to have occurred by chance with a 50% probability, that five (assumed professionally independent) cops would participate and condone this criminal assault, the percentage of bad cops has to be 87%. [(0.87)^5 = 0.5]

A few bad apples my ass. Add the federal judge's behaviour in trying to cover it up and in not finding evidence for criminal assaults. Now imagine the jail time if a cop were assaulted in this way... Or a white business man...