"Political philosopher Leo Strauss, in On Tyranny, warns us that the suppression of free thought can emerge even in liberal democracies, not always through overt authoritarianism, but through more insidious means. Perhaps Strauss was right. Liberal democracies can, and do, take on tyrannical traits—and we are witnessing it now."
April 23, 2025
To the Brandon Sun newsroom,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to thank you for publishing the Canadian Press article on April 23, 2025 titled: “Offer ‘academic refugees’ from U.S. a safe haven in Canada, profs urge party leaders.”
The article is timely and balanced, highlighting a very dangerous trend rising in both Canada and the United States: the criminalization of pro-Palestinian solidarity, including the detention of student protesters and threats to revoke visas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for example, is seeking to revoke Mahmoud Khalil’s green card due to his role in leading pro-palestinian protests at Columbia University. He has been detained since March 8, 2025. Similarly, Rumeysa Ozturk was detained on March 25, 2025 while walking to an iftar with friends for co-authoring an op-ed calling on her university to disclose and divest from ties to Israel.
Your article also rightly noted similar tactics proposed by Pierre Poilievre, who has pledged to crack down on antisemitism and hate crimes by introducing tougher laws—including measures targeting acts of vandalism. While framed as public safety efforts and efforts to address the rise of antisemitism, such proposals risk contributing to a broader crackdown on academic freedom and political expression, stifiling any legitimate criticism of Israel — an apartheid state accused of committing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip — and conflating antizionism with antisemitism.
Political philosopher Leo Strauss, in On Tyranny, warns us that the suppression of free thought can emerge even in liberal democracies, not always through overt authoritarianism, but through more insidious means. Perhaps Strauss was right. Liberal democracies can, and do, take on tyrannical traits—and we are witnessing it now.
All in all, I thank you again for shedding light on state repression against pro-Palestinian solidarity in academic spaces. At a time when peaceful advocacy is being criminalized, journalism that resists complicity and upholds principles of fairness and balance is needed now more than ever.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East