Open Letter to Academic Freedom Fighters: What Part of No Don't You Understand?

What part of NO
            don't you understand?

I wonder
            many
                 many
                      times
                           as I am berated
                                     over
                                          and over
                                                    Sign
                                                    Sign
                                                    Sign
                                                    Sign on the dotted line.

"Academic Freedom
                 includes everyone, you know.
                           You already have it"
                                     I am patronistically assured
                                                    by the King.¹
                 As an Aboriginal woman
                           I do not feel Included
                                               or Free.
                           Seventeen years a full-time academic
                                           with different institutions
                                           across disciplines
                                            Pressuring me to acculturate
                                             Disciplining me for resisting
                                              Has taught me otherwise.

They have offered
             "accommodation" as a possibility
                         they will "permit use of those cultural customs which
                        are well established
                         as being an appropriate part of the pedagogy
                         of a particular discipline."²
            When in Euro-Canadian colonial history
                        on this continent
                        in this world
                                has the Eurocentric hegemonic canon
                                            permitted Aboriginal philosophy
                                             Aboriginal pedagogy
                                                to be seen as appropriate?
                                                to be well established?

How can I collude in this ruse
                     to tighten the noose around our necks
                         to confine our already limited freedoms further?

Collegiality is Sacred
                        popular public discourse
                        Privileges only some
                                often used to Marginalize
                                Minimize
                                Control
                                            "mouthy"
                                             "trouble-making"
                                                     "Minorities"
                                                             many will acknowledge.
            I find the noncollegial stick
                                too convenient a weapon
                                            used to Bludgeon me
                                                into Submission
                                                    if I challenge white hegemony.

They argue
            Collegiality cannot unilaterally be removed
                        from tenure criteria.
                                We can't challenge Collegiality
                                            without Due Process
                                                     without an uproar.
                                "I'll personally bring it to the bargaining table"
                                                        the King solemnly promises
                                                         convincing nobody but himself.
                                 "You know many things get dropped in bargaining"
                                                         Rebecca³ speaks quietly.

"An External Complaints Mechanism
                    University won't hear of it.
                        They'll walk away"
                                            Pompous King roars.

"Let them" I say
                    I have been already victimized
                             by the infamous Smith⁴
                                              Internal
                                                         complaints inquiry.
                    I am slow to forget
                         how my pain was minimized
                                                         denied
                                                             objectified.
                        How Internal's version of my story
                                                             our story
                         was misused to deny my rights
                                                         "You cannot apply for reappointment"
                         was misused to cover up Discrimination
                                                             Racial harassment
                                                                    Homophobic abuse.

"'Bad faith' clauses are standard.
                     Of course it does not mean
                            that They will retaliate
                                            if They don't believe
                                                       Your complaints
                                                        of Racism
                                                         are justified"
                                                             King unconvincingly argues.
                    I know better.
                     I am here today
                            because The University retaliated against me.
                            Six years later
                                            they still think
                                             I am acting in "bad faith."

Believe it or not
it can get worse.
                            When we refused to agree
                                            to "bad faith" language
                                                as Reasonable
                                                    in complaints mechanisms
                                            "bad faith" is inserted
                                             in the proposed retaliation clause.
                                             They want the Right to retaliate
                                                    if we allege
                                                        they are retaliating.
                                             Now, if I Surrender
                                                  there will be no retaliation clause at all.

"It's the best we can do."
Sign
Sign
Sign
Sign on the dotted line.
Finally, after 6 years of delays
                                             one year of grueling internal processes
                                            four Association of University Teachers lawyer
                        changes
                                                  each of whom had to rehear my story
                                                         all over again
                                                              from beginning to end
                                                two arbitrators
                                                    one who resigned
                                                         barely a week before
                                                             opening arguments
                                               four months of Pressure-filled
                                                         Non-progressive
                                                         Non-settlement
                                                        Non-negotiations
                                                             Held in my Absence
                                                             Requiring my Consent.

THE day dawns.

I arrive in anticipation
            Fear tingling my spine
                        Blood boiling
                             close to the surface of my red
                                        too red skin.
                                        Stroke level high blood pressure
                                         remnant of victimization
                                                 I come here to remedy.

Restless
            sleepless I arise
                to meet Him
                       long anticipated
                       through years worth of delays.
                     HE is gray
                       small and lean
                       smiles a wee smile
                            gives a warm handshake
                              eyes twinkle
                                            "Finally we meet" HE says
                             Arbitrator may be a human
                                I gratefully muse.

No
                  We will not go ahead Today
                                        They decide.
                  We will have More
                       More un-settlement talks.

I am Misled to believe
                       something New
                                        Interesting
                                          has been offered by The University.
     Pressure has built
                            They...