I truly wish that someone would carefully define and describe, for me and others, what "academic freedom" means, why it is, seemingly for some or even many, of such high and even ultimate public importance, and why it is so important to faculty members.

Dr. Potter's article was an op-ed piece, at best an interesting perspective of his emotions and views on Montreal and Quebec society. It was not a well considered, nor a fact based, nor a peer reviewed, academic paper. Given this, his writing the paper, and the subsequent criticism, has nothing to do with academic freedom. It, simply, had nothing to do with being an academic, unless one presumes that being an academic allows one to offer opinions on anything, no matter what evidence or experience one has.

My best understanding of academic freedom is that it has somehting to do with the freedom to wisely choose and pursue one's research; but, it comes with an equal responsibility to be thoughtful, fact-based, and peer-reviewed in carry