Ann Coulter speech protests/cancellation

[Tsukasa Buddha]

I read Coulter's speech at another uni just a bit ago and considered posting about it. I was surprised at how trashy it was. Really, it was awful. If you want to start discussion, you don't invite Coulter.

Of course, now she can mock college students and universities. She wins either way. Just ignore her, this is all empty outrage.

 

[Praktik]

As for the United States, obviously no one has restricted anything Skeletor wants to say, which is why she's very, very rich.

HAHAHAHAH!

Great!

Glad to see I'm not the only one to see that connection, I've been referring to her as the Bride of Skeletor for some time now..

 

[Segnosaur]

Goodness me. Some of us actually reared-up. Actually, it's quite relevant. The problem (from a Canadian perspective) is that we have a non-Canadian (primarily States) perspective constantly cited as the be-all-and-end-all of how to do anything and it isn't like we don't have people in our own country attuned to something closer to the Canadian perspective as opposed to a U.S. carpetbagger like Coulter.

Why should the fact that she's American matter?

Some people in Canada wanted to hear her speak. She was willing to speak here. That should be the end of the free speech argument.

The fact that others may be tired of Canada vs. US comparisons is not relevant to the issue.

So, you want to ban ALL non-Canadian speakers at university? Or only ones that you disapprove of?

 

[rwguinn]

Obviously, a lot of folks do not understand the difference between "speech" and "action"

 

[Kevin_Lowe]

While I'm all for free speech, I have to say that anti-intellectual, populist opportunists like Coulter have no place at a university. She's a mascot for far-right idiots, not a serious contributor to any kind of intelligent discussion. You might as well invite Sarah Palin.

 

[TraneWreck]

It stood in place for nearly five years before it was finally overturned.

That was interesting, thanks for the post. I hadn't realized that McCarthy-era paranoia actually resulted in legislation. Glad that was eventually beaten back.

 

[Davidlpf]

Some people in Canada wanted to hear her speak. She was willing to speak here. That should be the end of the free speech argument.

Probably as a warning of how far is too far.

 

[Praktik]

While I'm all for free speech, I have to say that anti-intellectual, populist opportunists like Coulter have no place at a university. She's a mascot for far-right idiots, not a serious contributor to any kind of intelligent discussion. You might as well invite Sarah Palin.

Thank you...

Heck, Bill Bennett, why not Bill Bennett?

 

[Praktik]

Heck, I'd take Pat Buchanan in a heartbeat over Coulter if I was running things at that Conservative club...

 

[Neally]

While I'm all for free speech, I have to say that anti-intellectual, populist opportunists like Coulter have no place at a university. She's a mascot for far-right idiots, not a serious contributor to any kind of intelligent discussion. You might as well invite Sarah Palin.

So you support the students that effectively denied her freedom to speech, or you simply would not have wanted to attend the speech?

 

[Segnosaur]

While I'm all for free speech, I have to say that anti-intellectual, populist opportunists like Coulter have no place at a university. She's a mascot for far-right idiots, not a serious contributor to any kind of intelligent discussion.

Please explain to me how you can definitively differentiate between a speaker who is worthy of appearing at a university and one who is simplay a 'mascot for far-right idiots'.

You might as well invite Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin might be an idiot. However, she was a vice presidential candidate and former gov. of Alaska. Even if you hate her, she is a relatively significant historical figure.

 

[tyr_13]

I read Coulter's speech at another uni just a bit ago and considered posting about it. I was surprised at how trashy it was. Really, it was awful. If you want to start discussion, you don't invite Coulter.

Of course, now she can mock college students and universities. She wins either way. Just ignore her, this is all empty outrage.

She is highly over rated. Her arguments are extremely weak and easy to counter. Why she is held up as some sort of conservative powerhouse is beyond me.

 

[Achán hiNidráne]

Oh please, spare us the right-wing persecution complex! The protests (while their opinions on free speech) were peaceful, the university had NOTHING to do with canceling Coulter's "lecture" (that was her decision and the organization that invited her), and there is no proof that the pulled fire alarm had anything to do with her appearance. The only one talking about violence is Coulter and her cronies and they haven't offered any real evidence that these "threats" existed at all.

Face it, she saw that the venue was unfriendly, so tucked her reptilian tail between her skinny legs and ran home crying "evil liberals" all the way home. (Boo hoo. My heart weeps for the female dog.)

IMHO, this is the typical manufactured controversy that has been a hallmark of right-wing media since the Rush Limbaugh and his imitators first oozed their way on to the airwaves.

 

[ravdin]

She is highly over rated. Her arguments are extremely weak and easy to counter. Why she is held up as some sort of conservative powerhouse is beyond me.

Probably because she is seen as important enough by the far left to be barred from speaking publicly by means of shouting and physical intimidation.

I've always thought of Coulter as a performance artist and the world's unfunniest comedian. I also don't understand why her opponents (or anyone else) takes her seriously.

 

[fitzgibbon]

Why should the fact that she's American matter?

Some people in Canada wanted to hear her speak. She was willing to speak here. That should be the end of the free speech argument.

If you want informed discussion of Conservatism in Canada (which, as I said earlier, is politically to the left of the Democrats in the States), why not have someone with some credentials and knowledge of the Canadian lay of the land? That's the point I was making. Coulter has no special credibility in that department.

The fact that others may be tired of Canada vs. US comparisons is not relevant to the issue.

Actually, it's relevant although not central.

So, you want to ban ALL non-Canadian speakers at university? Or only ones that you disapprove of?

Get over yourself. Who made that suggestion aside from you?

 

[Segnosaur]

Oh please, spare us the right-wing persecution complex! The protests (while their opinions on free speech) were peaceful, the university had NOTHING to do with canceling Coulter's "lecture" (that was her decision and the organization that invited her)...

First of all, nobody claimed it was the university itself that canceled the speech. Its been stated multiple times that it was the organizers themselves canceled it. Claiming that the university was responsible was a straw man argument. (I find it rather ironic that you would accuse the right wing of 'manufacturing controversey' when you bring up incorrect information yourself.)

Secondly, not sure how exactly you characterize the protests as 'peaceful'. I've seen some videos of the event on YouTube. The crowd there was very noisy, and from what I've heard many of the protesters were in the hall as well (not exactly a good opportunity for anyone to make a speech.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOP_kbU7XxA&feature=player_embedded

Lastly, as I have stated before, while it was the decision of her security to cancel things, I believe it was recommended by the Ottawa police that the current site was not approprite. (Oh, and by the way, her security has dealt with 'hecklers' before; why exactly do you automatically assume that they are being dishonest when they think the situation was unsafe?)

...and there is no proof that the pulled fire alarm had anything to do with her appearance.

You're right, there is no proof. But don't you think its suspicious that it just happened to happen right before her speech?

 

[fitzgibbon]

Sarah Palin might be an idiot. However, she was a vice presidential candidate and former gov. of Alaska. Even if you hate her, she is a relatively significant historical figure.

Who'll be forgotten in 8 years. Her relative significance is only in comparison to the average poster on JREF; even that's debatable.

 

[Segnosaur]

Why should the fact that she's American matter?

Some people in Canada wanted to hear her speak. She was willing to speak here. That should be the end of the free speech argument.

If you want informed discussion of Conservatism in Canada (which, as I said earlier, is politically to the left of the Democrats in the States), why not have someone with some credentials and knowledge of the Canadian lay of the land? That's the point I was making. Coulter has no special credibility in that department.

Still irrelevant. Even if she's the most incompetent person when it comes to conservatism in Canada, you still have the fact that some people wanted to listen to her talk, and she was willing to give a speech. Its not for you or anyone else to decide whether her opinions are worthy of listening to.

The fact that others may be tired of Canada vs. US comparisons is not relevant to the issue.

Actually, it's relevant although not central.

Nope, still not relevant. The people that wanted to listen to her talk had no problem with any sort of Canada vs. US comparisons. If you don't want to listen to her, then don't attend her speeches, don't watch her on TV, etc. But nobody should have the authority to say "I'm not going to let you listen to someone whom I disagree with/think is wrong".

So, you want to ban ALL non-Canadian speakers at university? Or only ones that you disapprove of?

Get over yourself. Who made that suggestion aside from you?

Well, you used the phrase "U.S. carpetbagger like Coulter". If country of location wasn't the issue, why did you bother specifying her as a U.S. citizen?

 

[GreNME]

This thread is hilarious. The lengths being gone to in order to defend Coulter chickening out are laughable, especially given how opposite those same posts would be stance-wise were the speaker who backed out Rachel Maddow or someone along those lines.

Face it, Coulter backed out of an appearance when it became obvious that she wasn't going to be facing heavy opposition, the same as she has more than once when she's appeared on television and gotten backed into a rhetorical corner. This instance is no different behavior for Ann Coulter than the following video:

 

[Segnosaur]

This thread is hilarious. The lengths being gone to in order to defend Coulter chickening out are laughable,

So, you think the local police were idiots when they recommended she not give her presentation at that hall on that night?

You think it was just a coincidence that the fire alarm was pulled right before the event?

You think that all the loud yelling by protesters (you DID watch the video link I gave earlier, didn't you?), many of whom were actually in the hall, would actually have stopped when she actually started to give her speech?

...especially given how opposite those same posts would be stance-wise were the speaker who backed out Rachel Maddow or someone along those lines.

Uhhh... no. Some of us actually believe in the concept of free speech regardless of the message or the person giving the speech. I'm not familiar with Maddow, but I'd feel the same way about someone like Michael Moore if he were to give a speech up here. Moore is an idiot, but if he were invited to give a speech here and others wanted to listen to him, then he should be free to do so.

Face it, Coulter backed out of an appearance when it became obvious that she wasn't going to be facing heavy opposition, the same as she has more than once when she's appeared on television and gotten backed into a rhetorical corner.

Ummm.... not sure if that sentence makes sense...

Did you actually mean she backed out when she was going to be facing heavy opposition?

A couple of things should be noted:
With free speech, you should be able to deliver your message without being shouted down. You are also under no obligation to allocate time during your message to opposing views.

During her previous appearance, she both gave a speech, and engaged in a Q&A with the audience. If students at the university really wanted to challenge her, they could have listened to whatever B.S. she slung in her speech, and then raised questions during the Q&A to point out her failings. Or, like I said, they could have brought in their own speakers, wrote letters to newspapers, etc.