Student, Sarah Grunfeld writes:
“Within the first few minutes of introduction to the class, my Professor stated that his class needs no internet access; his class is based solely on opinion. “What is an opinion?” he said. “Well, I have an opinion that some will find offensive. ALL JEWS NEED TO BE STERILIZED. That’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it.” – Professor Cameron E. Johnston, Department of Social Science
Sarah Grunfeld urged her fellow Jewish students to walk out of class with her — none did. She has reported the incident to York University officials. Stay tuned for updates.
Sassy Wire 
She has about a good a chance of geting any action done as ahe had with her fellow students.
We live in a World of fear these days. Where no one takes a stand least they stand out.
This is the spirit of the age.
And When I DIe
That is absolutely awful. Do the other students not understand that they can take a stand? Does the professor — a York U professor — and we all know the trouble they are going through with accusations of allowing hatred of Jews to fester — not realize how completely insensitive he is being? It makes no difference if he was teaching a lesson on freedom of expression or even if he reversed his statement after — he used painfully poor judgement.
Listen to his lecture and see what context he is using his words. Don’t jump to the conclusion and that is where you made a mistake! Why is it only you who stormed out? I think the problem with the society is that they jump to a conclusion and immediately hold people responsible for action. I am glad that our Jewish professor defended himself from the anti-semitic comment! If people misunderstood his idea, he took steps to clarify it! History is very violent and is filled with racism! Be mature and learn from the history!
York U again? Quel surpise.
Assistant Professor Cameron gets payed $113,266/year
http://canada.landoffree.com/employee/Cameron_E_Johnston
Could he be related to Nancy?
http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/NURS/graduate/faculty_Profiles/johnstonne.html
Professor Cameron E. Johnston, Department of Social Science eh? …. more like Professor Cameron E. Johnston, Department of Anti-Social Sciences
[although, I am wondering what’s so scientific about having an opinion…. and just what does it take to not pass Camy’s course, if all you need is an “opinion”???]
i’m going to hold off on this one til i get more info.
ie what course was it? what context was the remark made?
in other words was the remark made in a rhetorical fashion or did he really mean it?
My thoughts exactly.
Fuck York University… A hateful shithole.
I want more details too. I posted this because the student is public with her name and accusation.
Sassy, you posted something that seems quite different from what actually happened BEFORE you knew the facts. You took Grunfeld at her word and copied what she said as if that was fact. There are 475 students who will be able to clarify what really happened. Shame on you for contributing to ignorance and fear-mongering. You owe Cameron Johnston an apology and should contact Grunfeld and Oriyah Barzilay and demand that they apologize as well.
I think all York U profs should be knee-capped then sterilized and or castrated.
Well, at first I thought you were being a little extremist, then I watched your Margie Gillis “Boring” Steve Austin mix and then I got it. And now I’m following you.
Of course, I still disagree with Knee-Capping and Sterilization and/or Castration, but it doesn’t mean I can’t fantasize about it. Well, in my case, I fantasize it being done by Weird Al on a Segway…Frizzy hair and all (accordion optional).
it’s hard to believe that in this age of political correctness and in a supposed bastion of tolerance & diversity like York that this could happen! I’m sure the Canadian Human Rights Commission is all over this. Developing…
Are we back in Nazi Germany again? If this proves to be factual there need to be official sanctions of this professor. The Jews cannot sit back and watch this happen again. If there are no official sanctions I fear that there may be unofficial sanctions that at this time would be counterproductive if violent.
If the Jewish students couldn’t at least get off their asses and walk out, how does anyone expect anybody else to do anything? C’mon, tzatzkes – show some initiative and self-respect!
York has a reputation for hating jews. Check out Phyllis Chesler (she seems to be the only feminist who takes on radical islam) article about the 20 jewish students at york terrorized by muslims:
http://www.jewcy.com/post/jewish_students_bullied_and_threatened_york_university
This university is infested with anti-semitism. Ms. Shobhna Kapoor
I couldn’t believe what I was reading when I read it! To think of a person with such high education levels would make such an ignorant statement. This “teacher” will bring down the perception of york university if he is not let go. As a school with the majority of jewish students, degrading them by basically saying we should not procreate, is disgusting. Even more so since over 6,000,000 jews have been persecuted. The word will continue to spread and if this teacher is not fired it will only bring down Yorks reputation even more self!
This kind of shite has been going on for a while now at York, and at other universities across Canada under the guise of equitable discourse, or at times, just as criticism of Israel through IAW and BDS initiatives. So, ask yourself, when does criticism via freedom of speech via intellectual stimulation of discussion cross the line?
That he said it seems not to be in dispute. Why he said it will need to be answered. And if he meant it will need to be addressed, but not by hate speech laws, the HRCs or by invoking some made up regulation based on hurting someone’s feelings.
If he did mean it, he should be marginalized by soiciety, that is, all his students should drop out, his 100 grand salary lost due to lack of interest for being an asshole, his peers rebuking him and ignoring any further contact for being an anti-Semite, and his name being made synonymous with being an anti-Semitic loser who went from having a 6 figure salary to living off his savings handing out double-doubles at Timmy’s because he thought he’d be a smart ass and push the societal envelope.
Keep the law and the kangaroo courts out of this, let the public vilify him in the court of public opinion where such retarded outbursts need to be addressed…if it is all true of course.
There are professors at York U. who actually think they have some scruples. Some are Christian, some are not.
How many would resign rather than work alongside this foul, demeaning creep? Or even raise a finger? Or say one word?
Can I ask what he said after this? from someone who didn’t walk out (i.e. most people) I just want to know if he was trying to use this explicitly for its shock value…or to see if it specifically DIDN’T elicit a response in some…]
Its irresponsible (and really shoddy journalism, I should add) to post such a serious accusation with no proof, evidence, follow up, or actual story. You should have made an attempt to find out what actually happened before going public.
look, either we have free speach or we don’t, period. If you want this guy shut up then don’t bother standing up when the thought police try to shut Steyn up. He stated it was his opinion, and that he was entitled to it. He is.
I was in this class today and this article is false in so many ways.
Professor Johnston’s comments are taken so far out of context here it’s hard to figure out where to begin responding.
He explained how his course is NOT about opinions but sticks strictly to the course texts. It was explained that it is common in this culture to think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to then assume that what matters in a university class is expressing your opinion. But then he pointed out that opinions can be harmful if they are abstract and are just what you think. For example, if someone were to have the opinion that “jews should be sterilized”, we would all agree that not all opinions should be allowed.
Obviously the student who reported this wasn’t listening carefully and left before the example was elaborated further, though I thought it was pretty clear beforehand anyway.
And another note of falsity here – no student noticeably walked out after he gave this example and there were certainly no attempts to get people to walk out.
Thank you, Sassywire, for proving that old saying that a lie can make it around the world before the truth has time to get its pants on. In fact, the professor is being completely misquoted and your post is nothing but alarmist claptrap from a foolish little girl who lacks basic listening and comprehension skills.
Everyone realizes that he meant it to be provocative! The reason why this story has gone viral is because of the fact that he could put JEWS and STERILIZED in the same sentence out of ALL the other examples in the world is an OUTRAGE!!! What would the reaction be had it been directed at any other religion or group? It would be the same or even worse.
The fact that this has been reported and that it was at York is not in the least surprising to me. What would be surprising or even extraordinary would be if something was done about it.
Pingback: Professor clarifies comment amidst hate speech accusations | Excalibur Publications
Excalibur talked to both sides of the issue, and put together the article you can find here:
http://www.excal.on.ca/news/professor-clarifies-comment-amidst-hate-speech-accusations/
I hope this provides the answers that everyone has been looking for!
The Criminal Code of Canada has clauses with teeth in them that prohibit things like incitement to racial hatred, incitement to riot. The student needs to report this to the NOT campus police and if necessary swear out an information in front of a Justice of the Peace to get the ball rolling. It is my opinion that this was possibly a shock tactic in a sociology class or a civics class to prove that everyone has the right to their own opinon.
Sort of like hollering out FIRE! FIRE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! in a crowded theatre.
The rights of all Canadians AND AMERICANS FOR THAT MATTER are guaranteed under the Charter or the Constitution respectively BUT are tempered by the requirement to use good judgement in making statements that are for the better good, as it were.
There are NO possible answers to making a statement like this, even in a sociology or political science class without prefacing it judiciously before making it. To do so, is, in my humble opinion, a criminal offense. Tempered by stupidity but arguably the resulting in mens rea making it a pretty good shot for slapping this buffoon on the wrist sharply.
The fact that fellow students did not walk out in support of a brave soul simply reinforces my personal belief that we, as Canadians, are SHEEPLE and deserve what we get. When the terrorists come knocking at Western doors, Canada will be at the top of the list as we are unable to defend ouselves and unwilling to do so.
How bout we get guns off the street by making the laws for the illegal possesion of firearms have some serious teeth? How about permitting upstanding Canadians to protect themselves and their loved ones by permitting the concealed carrying of handguns as they are now doing in the USA with tremendous success. Terrorists will think harder about attacking the US these days as a result. In Canada, our politicians and beurocrats have neutered any hope we might have had of defending ourselves against terrorist attack in future. It is ten years. Get your hard hats and water reserves in order. We are not living in a polite society. And you know what George Washington said about how to make a polite society…. look it up.
And by the way… I’m not bothered by your opinion unless it exceeds the bounds of what a polite society is willing to tolerate or unless it incites riot, hatred, etc., contrary to the Criminal Code. It is mens rea that tempers my reaction to your statements along with the consequences of the statement. In this case, there can be no excuse if the statement was not prefaced by that comment; to comment after the fact is folly as would be hollering FIRE! in a crowded theatre to make the same point. What an idiot – I would expect nothing less at York University these days.
Oh. How about this for a quote? “I believe that any professor making inciteful statements or exhibiting terminal stupidity needs to be manually sterilized with hedge clippers”. Of course it is not within the realm of reality nor any action that I would take nor expect anyone else to take… but without preceeding the comments with such commentary they are repulsive, perhaps criminal. And besides I don’t own a set of hedge clippers so I would have to borrow someone’s or use our weed whacker. Ya. That’s it. Use the wee whacker. I’ll sleep better tonight having made these shocking statements. Everyone learn from them!
I just read more of the comments and it seems that PERHAPS the prof meant it as an example. STILL, I think the Jewish students should have put their foot down as soon as he said it , to let him know that even if he speaks like that out of context, the students will realize such. ..I would have liked to see see how a black student body would react to remarks about blacks and chains…..context or no context. THEY get it. WE DON’T.
According to Professor Johnston, his comments were taken out of context, and were meant to be an example of what he considers to be outrageous and unjustified opinion.
Blazing Cat Fur has his statement, if you haven’t seen it yet.
Cheers!
My name is also Sarah Grunfeld and I found out about all this because I keep getting facebook messages from people thinking it is me. People who work in the area of social science are usually working against inequality and racism so it really would be appalling if this were true and he should resign but we cannot judge too quickly it would have to be brought to court to be proved true. Until then calm down, If the prof is telling the truth you wouldn’t want to destroy his career, but at the same time I have no doubt in what Sarah believes to be true.
This is such crap.
The professor made a logical statement of an example of unacceptable opinion. The girl misunderstood what he was saying, and instead of waiting for or asking for him to clarify his remarks, she went all PC and made obviously unfounded accusations against has character and reputation.
Idiots like this girl should be sent to a legal class where they can learn the consequences of their reckless actions with disregard for truth.
She needs to get a brain.
Jim – This professor is clearly hiding a deep core of self-hatred! Why else would he want to be sterilized?
Ha! Interesting how quickly this overwrought blog cleanses comments that don’t line up with its official ideology. Classy, Sassy! Don’t concern yourself with the truth, or anything–keep on puke-posting and demagoguery, Sassy–and remember, never research anything, examine the other sides of arguments, or hesitate for a second before you press “publish”.
Oh brother. Mike, I published Johnston’s statement, CIJA’s statement and the Excalibur article. Also, if you read my blog you’ll see that I’ve refused to accuse Johnston of being anti-semitic. Read before you spew.
Wow, Mike… you’d think a blog like this would be overly concerned about heavy handed censorship. What with freedom and equality being at issue, here.
For the love of God, you boys need to do YOUR research a little more thoroughly. Sheesh.
“For the love of God, you boys need to do YOUR research a little more thoroughly. Sheesh.” – Sassy
THE IRONY IS KILLING ME! ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH….
Mike, I really want to understand what your beef is. Is this just about the Toronto Star article? Help me out here. What do you think I should be posting here that hasn’t already been covered?
Wow, Mike. Really, you seem quick to anger. Anti-semitism is a deep rooted problem in Western society. It’s important to protect the freedom and safety of members of the jewish community. Sassy is doing a great job of creating a free thinking dialogue on the topic. Back off… and good job, Sassy. They should fire that prof.
I was a victim of vicious descrimination in the workplace – anti-semitism like that… when I did return to the job it wasn’t the same. This girl is doing the right thing, trying to make it safer for Jews.
Would love to Sassy, but not going to bite. Taking a further tour around your incendiary blog suggests to me that I have nothing to gain in arguing with you, and it’s likely you’re not interested in listening anyway.
And I sincerely hope these posts by Alfred Deyfus are a joke (why haven’t you censored them?). The Dreyfus affair was a serious historical incident worthy of study; this York crap was a misunderstanding (you report on your own blog that the The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs confirms this) by an ignorant student who didn’t like their professor, and made larger by unscrupulous social media sites that play on people’s fears, anger and righteous indignance.
That you would censor my link to a genuine media report on the issue but not Dreyfus’ calls to fire to the prof only confirms my beliefs to this extent.
Good day to you all.
“Taking a further tour around your incendiary blog…”
Ah, I see what you’re all about. Good day to you too, now fuck off.
Sarah Grunfeld is an idiot. She should learn to listen more closely before flying off the handle. The best part is she “may have misunderstood”, and doubts he’s Jewish, but it doesn’t matter because he said such a terrible thing! What a child.
The whole internet is laughing at you, Sarah Grunfeld!
http://gawker.com/5840101/jewish-professor-accused-of-anti+semitism-by-students-who-dont-listen
Deeply sad for York U. What’s most concerning about this story is that Sarah Grunfeld is a FOURTH YEAR student. She has most of her York education BEHIND HER. Her mind is already been subjected to York’s curriculum.
“Deeply sad for York U. What’s most concerning about this story is that Sarah Grunfeld is a FOURTH YEAR student. She has most of her York education BEHIND HER. Her mind is already been subjected to York’s curriculum.”
Yeah really. Clearly York has substandard classes if a fourth year student still cannot be bothered to pay attention in class. She should have been kicked out of the university for her lack of effort long ago, though I suppose as long as you are willing to keep giving them money, some universities will accept anyone.
This York U Prof. should be interacted to put down his ‘Mein kampf’ book and take his cyanide pill medications as prescribed. I seems he missed his last dose. Or better yet, just hang on a soccer goal post. That should STERILIZE the situation.
As someone who was in that class on Monday (see above comment) I’m so glad that the truth is so clearly out there now. It is unfortunate that he had to deal with this nonsense at all.
she is a moron that doesn’t listen. learn the facts people. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1053247–jewish-prof-forced-to-defend-himself-against-anti-semitism-claims?bn=1
I tried to lend a little humour to the situation. Hope it worked – http://www.torontosatire.com/
Wow, the JDIF is working overtime.
Did the professor suggest that Jewish doctor do the sterilizations?
Note to readers. The person who made this claim was just some dumb girl who wasn’t paying attention in class, thought she heard the professor say that statement, then started her crusade. When it became obvious to the people involved that she simply wasn’t paying attention and didn’t know what she was talking about, she just played dumb.
She’s got a persecution complex a mile wide. Don’t be tricked by her lies she is saying simply because she doesn’t want to admit that she was wrong.
Ahaha, Fortunately, I go to a university where people practice the art of common sense. You can’t throw a fit every time someone says something that you think hurts your feelings. Don’t be a baby. He has the right to free speech, and the very statement he made was simply a device to prove that point. NO normal human being can possibly be so naive as to go to such lengths as walking out and protesting against a single verbal comment.
For God’s sake (yes, God. I do believe in God. Don’t like it? Protest :P)
I mean, while you’re at it, you might as well go ahead and protest against that one guy who left the toilet unflushed! Ridiculous, some people are.
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This story and comment thread is AWESOME! A bunch of retards (and I don’t mean that as if someone else was saying it) come climbing out of the woodwork ready to tar and feather a teacher when they have no clue what the real story was. Great job, victims! The KKK said your hoods are all ready.
I see that people say he meant this as an example well people a prof should know better then to use something like that as an a example if not at first making sure to aknowledge it as an example. i belive he meant what he said and only now states it was an example to save his own hide.