[News] Brandon Univ. issues statement condemning honorary doctorate recipient Theo Fleury

[TheScorpion]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1435389749397708804

https://www.brandonu.ca/news/2021/09...t-theo-fleury/

Brandon University is steadfast in our support of academic freedom, academic inquiry, and of robust public debate around issues of consequence. These freedoms, however, must be balanced against responsibilities like honesty, like integrity, and like good faith. We are disappointed that honorary degree recipient Theo Fleury is, increasingly, not meeting that balance.

In 2015, Brandon University presented Fleury with an honorary doctorate, recognizing his significant contributions to combating child sexual abuse, and for his efforts, at that time, to promote healing and recovery. Fleury, a survivor of sexual abuse in his youth, was one of the key voices exposing sexual predation in junior hockey, and he continues to deserve both praise and understanding for that role.

More recently, Fleury has turned his voice to launching personal and political attacks and to the espousing of conspiracy theories. Over the weekend, he shared a reprehensible statement falsely linking vaccine passports to pedophilia, and he responded to criticism by brandishing a screenshot highlighting several of his past awards, including his honorary degree from BU.

Honorary degrees are awarded by Brandon University to recognize an individual’s significant achievements or contributions; they are not an academic credential.

Fleury’s significant contributions to exposing the rot in junior hockey, and to supporting other survivors of child sexual abuse through recovery, continue to deserve respect. It is understandable that he may struggle to trust authority, and that he may see dark motives in others’ actions. His recent statements, however, go beyond reasonable distrust and are a stain on his legacy, which saddens us.

One of the tragedies of abuse is how it perpetuates itself across generations. We call on Fleury to recognize that he is now a person in a position of authority, and to recognize that his actions as an authority put him in a place where he can cause harm to others. We hope he takes advantage of the resources at his disposal and seeks greater understanding of the science behind the pandemic and the essential public health role of vaccines.

Theo has been the talk of Twitter lately for all the wrong reasons...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1435010779284131843

https://twitter.com/user/status/1434591774312255488

https://twitter.com/user/status/1434613735075639299

[Bunk]

An empathetic, yet principled statement and stand. Well done.

[N-E-B]

People still haven’t put Theo on mute yet? I consider myself conservative and even I can handle his insanity.

[Strange Brew]

I have been a defender of Fleury’s hockey accomplishments while with the Flames and that on the basis of those accomplishments alone, his number should hang from the rafters.

But he’s making it harder all the time.

Well worded statement by the University of Brandon.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Very good statement.
It's sad to see the person Theo has become, looked up to him so much as a child.

[Point Blank]

The part that gets me is where he brandishes his awards as if that gives him authority to speak on issues of health and science. But then again, individuals like him rarely care about field expertise.

[djsFlames]

Bless you BU..

And what the hell is going on with Theo? The guy has gone off the deep end. To think I was onboard a jersey retirement for him not long ago..

Embarrassing comments from him. It is dangerous when he's an icon to certain people and pushing conspiratory nonsense on a daily basis.

People here are generally smart enough to block him out, but there are people out there more prone to being influenced.

[GreenLantern2814]

So, ‘bout time someone else gets to wear 14, eh?

[flylock shox]

Never meet your heroes, kids. Better they live in your dreams and memories.


One of the best to ever wear the flaming C, but not a chap I'd be keen to sit next to on a flight to Australia.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Never meet your heroes, kids. Better they live in your dreams and memories.


One of the best to ever wear the flaming C, but not a chap I'd be keen to sit next to on a flight to Australia.

I wouldn’t want to sit next to Theo on the bus.

[Ozy_Flame]

He keeps going I see a full revocation of that degree. Consequences aren't just threats that sit on the sidelines.

[Roof-Daddy]

Theo has always been my favorite Flame ever.

It deeply saddens me that he is a tinfoil hat wearing moron.

It's good that he gets some backlash for the stupid things he says.

[dino7c]

how can he possibly promote his charities now...pretty sad

Imagine the garbage he would spew at the golf course

[Sandman]

F Theo. I haven't liked him since I met him at an autograph signing when I was a teenager. He was a total rude jackass. Now he's just nuts.

[Beatle17]

The university should have done a little checking into the guys character BEFORE they gave him the honorary doctorate. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to the Fleury family.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I wouldn’t want to sit next to Theo on the bus.

Not even at the same bus stop waiting for 2 different buses . I know he's gone through alot but I also know people that had some same things happen too some involving family members and they aren't nearly has crazy as he has become.

[Knightslayer]

I still like and respect Theo no matter if I disagree with him on these subjects. What he went through likely caused him to develop irrational thoughts and don't think he is fully responsible for his actions.

The courts takes into consideration an offenders past especially first nations and I think it is reasonable we take into consideration his past.

[DeluxeMoustache]

His past is one thing

The problem is that his messaging now is actively dangerous

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Knightslayer

I still like and respect Theo no matter if I disagree with him on these subjects. What he went through likely caused him to develop irrational thoughts and don't think he is fully responsible for his actions.

The courts takes into consideration an offenders past especially first nations and I think it is reasonable we take into consideration his past.

I deeply disagree.

Every one is entirely responsible for their actions regardless of their pasts, traumas, and cultural background, as long as they are consciously aware of their actions and not impeded on a cognitive level by something that has been diagnosed.

The problem is - not everybody takes responsibility. Why? Because it's easier not to. Particularly when you've been trained into that mindset.

Theo got clean as far as we know and is able to recognize what he is doing and saying. That victim card is no longer applicable to his actions today, imho.

People who have been hard done by or victimized at some point in their lives do have a hard time taking responsibility, often because they've developed a sort of victim complex that comes with a sense of entitlement, feeling like they an exception to the rule because they were worse off somehow due to their experience. I think you find that people who have developed that outlook tend to blame others, authorities, institutions and outside circumstances for their predicaments, because that falls in line with the helplessness they experienced and the resulting identity they formed of themselves. The hardest thing for people that have lived for a time in the role of a victim is to recognize that how they conduct themselves beyond that point is entirely their responsibility still and to assume that responsibility fully.

Unfortunately a lot of people continue to live out that role in whatever form that takes on. In the case of Fleury, it's riding on the extreme ends of conspiracies and unpopular beliefs. Basically, the dude obviously has a deep distrust in the world around him and hasn't taken it upon himself to resolve those issues, and at this point in his life is unlikely to ever do so, unless he experiences something that opens him up to that kind of personal growth.

I hope he figures it out.

[Jacks]

It's pretty obvious that Theo has some mental health issues. It's not like it's unexpected with his upbringing, physical and sexual abuse, fame and drug abuse, etc.

Let's not pile on with bashing him.


Edit: nm with the above comment.