Re: Questions regarding the Vaccine Resistance Network Event @SFU on March 12

[Sam Black <samuelb@sfu.ca>]

I very much agree with the principle articulated by Paul Percival. (The strategy of managing media publicity is something I know nothing about.)

The anti-vaccine movement has been around for quite a long time to poison the minds of credulous parents. The best way to advertise our ideals as a University to the broader community is for some knowledgeable faculty members to attend the session and debunk the junk science. This would also be a public service -- that might even save some children who would otherwise become very ill. 

As Paul also rightly emphasizes combatting error with argument is better than any available alternative mechanism for approving talks held in University-owned space.

Sam Black
Philosophy  


----- Original Message -----
From: Paul W. Percival <percival@sfu.ca>
To: Stacy Pigg <slpigg@gmail.com>
Cc: JD Fleming <jfleming@sfu.ca>, Nienke Van Houten <nvanhout@sfu.ca>, John O'Neil <joneil@sfu.ca>, academic-discussion@sfu.ca, Anke Kessler <akessler@sfu.ca>, Justin Ankenmann <ankenman@sfu.ca>
Sent: Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:14:46 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Questions regarding the Vaccine Resistance Network Event @SFU on March 12

I sincerely hope that there is no value judgment of venue rental 
requests.  Who would you trust as the arbiter of what is acceptable?  I 
agree that this group, Vaccine Resistance Movement, is spouting 
dangerous nonsense, but I defend their right to do so.  The original 
post by Anke Kessler gives the wrong impression with the phrase "an 
event that our institution is hosting".  Space is being rented by SFU, 
nothing more.

Nienke van Houten suggests that the University might make a statement 
disassociating itself from the opinions expressed by this group.  In my 
opinion that is not appropriate. Rather, I suggest one or more of the 
following strategies:
   Knowledgeable individuals might attend the event (without paying; the 
ad says that no one will be turned away) to challenge false claims made 
by the speakers;
   Individuals or groups may choose to protest (peacefully) outside the 
venue;
   The Dean of Health Sciences and other expert faculty could offer 
media interviews and write opinion pieces or letters-to-the editor 
providing evidence to counter the claims of the anti-vaccine lobby. 
Surely this is what we should do as academics: provide reasoned 
arguments, not outrage.

There is a danger, however, in making any response, namely that it might 
bring publicity to a group whose message we would rather went unheard. 
So be prepared, but play it gently, I suggest.

Paul Percival


On 01/03/2013 4:49 PM, Stacy Pigg wrote:
> As JD Fleming points out, this does appear to be a situation of the
> free-market renting of space. This is why I am curious to know whether
> such venue requests are somehow considered or judged or evaluated
> (whether SFU ever declines to rent space to groups on the basis of the
> content of the event).
>
> SFU is a "brand" (as we know by the major financial investment in
> rebranding that has occurred). Is the SFU brand being appropriated here?
> Is the SFU brand affected by hosting this group?
>
> Stacy
>
> On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 1:22 PM, JD Fleming <jfleming@sfu.ca
> <mailto:jfleming@sfu.ca>> wrote:
>
>     Glancing over the event website, I do not see any indication (unless
>     I am missing something) that this group has been invited by SFU
>     event planners or is claiming any academic association with SFU. My
>     assumption would be that they are paying for the very fine
>     conference space and services offered at market rates by SFU MECS,
>     just as many other non-academic and non-SFU groups do. However, this
>     case certainly does raise some interesting questions as to whether
>     SFU MECS may associate the university, willy-nilly, with groups that
>     do not pass smell test.
>
>     JD Fleming
>     English
>

-- 
Dr Paul Percival
Professor of Chemistry
Simon Fraser University and TRIUMF
percival@sfu.ca
percival@triumf.ca
http://chemistry.sfu.ca/people/profiles/percival


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Sam Black
Associate Prof. Philosophy, SFU