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THE VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH THAT COLLIDED WITH CANCEL CULTURE
A valedictorian from a university in Mexico is finally receiving his degree and license to practice psychology after a group of faculty members tried to end his professional career before he could even get started by labeling his valedictory address as “hate speech”
Professors at the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) in Mexico demanded that the school withhold Christian Cortez Pérez’s academic degree and psychology license for what he said during his commencement speech, according to ADF International, a faith-based legal advocacy organization.
At the top of his class at the university’s School of Medicine and Psychology, Pérez earned the right to deliver the commencement address at his graduation ceremony last June. In his speech, he expressed his deeply held moral convictions regarding the state of the world today on many issues, including the importance of the family, and the sanctity of life. Cortez Pérez also called for the rejection of the redefinition of the family and radical gender ideology.
“Today we are deep into a real anthropological struggle to redefine the human being, the human person, man, through the implementation of ideologies and fashions of thought that always end up undermining dignity and freedom,” he said. Pérez also quoted G.K. Chestertonon the destruction of the family: “People do not know what they are doing; because they do not know what they are undoing.”
He further noted that “to attack life and the family is to self-destruct, it is an attack on civilization itself,” calling on his peers to live in solidarity with one another: “You have to love, no one seeks the good of the other if he does not love him.”In response, a group of professors published a “manifesto,” calling for an effective ban on his professional practice as a psychologist. They called on the university to sanction Pérez’s so-called “hate speech” by 1) withholding his academic degree and professional license 2) withdrawing his merit award, and 3) alerting psychology associations across Mexico regarding his actions.
The university followed through with the requests by initiating formal proceedings to address withholding his professional license, withdrawing his merit award, and alerting psychology associations across Mexico about his statements. Cortez Pérez submitted a counterclaim to protect his rightful interests.
“If the campaign to punish Christian is successful, it shows that anyone who dares to speak in public in Mexico is in danger. This is a clear violation of international human rights law, reminiscent of dictatorships, not democracies,” Kristina Hjelkrem, legal counsel for ADF International, said at the time.
Pérez stated, “What happened to me shows how dangerous it is when professors with agendas try to punish students with whom they disagree. Academic institutions must respect the free speech rights of all students, and this is a great win for fundamental freedoms.”
The University Council ruled that, “The arguments presented by the aggrieved party are unfounded, as well as the sanctions requested, for which reason the appeal filed is dismissed.” Now Cortez Pérez is finally able to move forward with his psychology practice.
“I am overjoyed that the University has recognized that I committed no wrong in exercising my free speech rights to speak about issues of profound moral concern from the graduation podium,” he said.
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www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2022/september/professors-tried-to-strip-valedictorian-of-his-future-for-having-a-biblical-worldview-but-nowwww1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2022/september/mexico-university-grad-could-lose-license-to-practice-psychology-after-giving-a-speech-with-biblical-worldview