[MolsonExport]

Read all about it. Here she is stirring up shit at the University of Western Ontario.

Right-wing U.S. firebrand Ann Coulter will file grievance with rights panel

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Right+wing+firebrand+Coulter+will+file+grievance+with+rights+panel/2716429/2711857.bin
Inflammatory right-wing pundit Ann Coulter took aim at a University of Ottawa administrator Monday night, saying an e-mail from the school warning her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” when addressing Ontario students during a speaking tour this week made her a victim of a “hate crime.”

London, Ont. — Inflammatory right-wing pundit Ann Coulter took aim at a University of Ottawa administrator Monday night, saying an e-mail from the school warning her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” when addressing Ontario students during a speaking tour this week made her a victim of a “hate crime.”

Speaking to students and academics at the University of Western Ontario Monday, Coulter said the e-mail sent to her Friday by Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost of the University of Ottawa, targeted her as a member of an identifiable group and as such, she will be filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission alleging hate speech.
...
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Right+wing+firebrand+Coulter+will+file+grievance+with+rights+panel/2716429/story.html

[MolsonExport]

Coulter tells Ont. Muslim student to 'take a camel'


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ImageShrinker?http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20100322/600_ap_ann_coulter_100322.jpg,430,241

Updated: Tue Mar. 23 2010 11:02:45 AM

CTV.ca News Staff

It didn't take long for firebrand U.S. conservative Ann Coulter to live up to her reputation on her Canadian tour, telling a University of Western Ontario Muslim student to "take a camel" as an alternative to flying.

Coulter made the comment Monday night after she received an email about the limits of free speech in Canada from the provost of the University of Ottawa, where she appears Tuesday.

...
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100323/coulter_canada_100323/20100323/?hub=OttawaHome

[Ramako]

Why are you giving her any more attention than she already deserves?

[240glt]

She's so nasty

^ but I agree, hardly worth even talking about her. It's not as though she's got anything even remotely intelligent to say

[duper]

That's one scary dude.

[MolsonExport]

http://www.autographdealer.com/images/AliceCooper9932.jpghttp://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ImageShrinker?http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20100322/600_ap_ann_coulter_100322.jpg,430,241
autographdealer.com

[Calgarian]

What a flake, someone should kidnap her and leave her in Iran, that would be funny.

[Gresto]

She really is an inimical creature. But she's a master at self-promotion, let's give her that. With a smirk, a husky voice, and a glassy stare, she says the most inflammatory things imaginable, gets airtime, and consequently sells millions of her poo-on-paper screeds to the empty heads who go for such dross.
I don't wish her death or injury, but I would celebrate her disappearance into oblivion.

[Deepstar]

One word for this thread:

Skybar

[frinkprof]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/giles/bot_093008/attention_whore.jpg

Except much uglier.

[Jimby]

Coulter should run with Palin on the Republican ticket next time. That should finish off the Grand Old Party for good.
She'll be spewing from orifices unknown about how horrid those Canuckistanis were to her on FAUX News for months.

[Bigtime]

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/2135/emotbarf.gif

[vanman]

That evil bitch should not even be allowed in this country.

Coulter said the e-mail sent to her Friday by Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost of the University of Ottawa, targeted her as a member of an identifiable group and as such, she will be filing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission alleging hate speech.

Hypocrisy at its finest.

[Calgarian]

Coulter should run with Palin on the Republican ticket next time. That should finish off the Grand Old Party for good.
She'll be spewing from orifices unknown about how horrid those Canuckistanis were to her on FAUX News for months.

lol, they would probably elect her in a landslide! unless some celebrity figure ran instead, the Americans will do anything for their celebrities.

[ozonemania]

Best thing would really be if no one showed up for her talks.

Yet we get a packed room of 800 cheering her on. In a way, it's more of an embarassment for the students of UWO and London. Well at least I'd be if it were in my city.

People defend her right to freedom of speech, but I think there are far more worthy individuals to put your banner behind in that cause than Ann Coulter. She is not a role model by any definition.

[MolsonExport]

Coulter and Kaa.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Right+wing+firebrand+Coulter+will+file+grievance+with+rights+panel/2716429/2711857.binhttp://www.winrosevet.com/images/kaa6.jpg


(maybe kaka rather than just kaa).


She hypnotizes you with her putridness.

[rousseau]

Andrew Sullivan said it best:

But the problem with Coulter is that she is a form of camp, is she not? The minute you take her seriously, you lose grip on her reality. She's not a social or political commentator. She's a drag queen impersonating a fascist. I don't even begin to believe she actually believes this stuff. It's post-modern performance-art. I think of Coulter in that sense as more at home on the pomo-left than the Christianist right (which is why the joke, ultimately, is on the Republicans who like her). Devoid of sincerity, detached from any value but performance, juggling rhetoric for its own sake, she is Stanley Fish's model student. Half the time, I tend to think that a Hannity or O'Reilly or Malkin actually believes their own rhetoric. With Coulter, I don't believe it for a second. And so her vileness cannot be taken seriously. She is worse than vile. She is just empty.

Coulter Kampf (http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2006/06/coulter_kampf.html)


But the far, far, far, FAR greater obscenity and offence in this whole brouhaha is that some phucking academic mandarin presumes to speak on behalf of me to make a veiled threat of censure against a public figure who holds the sort of far-right American views which most Canadians generally do not. Take out any references to Coulter in Houle's letter, and it seems to be a fair summation of the way Canadians generally tend to hold political discourse. But in its current context the letter is an act of incredible and indeed unbelievable presumption. Mr. Houle, you phucking phuck: who the phuck are you, you phuck, to phucking assume you can phucking speak for me by phucking telling people coming to this phucking country how they should phucking speak? You total phucking axxhole!

Don't yell "Fire!" in a theatre. Don't tell the Tutsis that they should go out this very day and slaughter one million Hutus. That's hate speech. Coulter made her famous (and famously stupid) remark about bombing "their" countries and converting "them" to Christianity the day after September 11th. Which probably was hate speech, but was immediately condemned by all and sundry.

Ann Coulter has always been an empty and vile political circus. I loathe her to the core of my being. Ergo: don't phucking tell her what she phucking can and phucking can't say! Phuck!

P.S. This rant to be read with the voice of Al Pacino in Glengarry Glen Ross.

[Jay in Cowtown]

The dirty old cougar's coming to town eh? wonder if she'd like to take a ride on my discostick! :D

[MolsonExport]

Andrew Sullivan said it best:



But the far, far, far, FAR greater obscenity and offence in this whole brouhaha is that some phucking academic mandarin presumes to speak on behalf of me to make a veiled threat of censure against a public figure who holds the sort of far-right American views which most Canadians generally do not. Take out any references to Coulter in Houle's letter, and it seems to be a fair summation of the way Canadians generally tend to hold political discourse. But in its current context the letter is an act of incredible and indeed unbelievable presumption. Mr. Houle, you phucking phuck: who the phuck are you, you phuck, to phucking assume you can phucking speak for me by phucking telling people coming to this phucking country how they should phucking speak? You total phucking axxhole!

Don't yell "Fire!" in a theatre. Don't tell the Tutsis that they should go out this very day and slaughter one million Hutus. That's hate speech. Coulter made her famous (and famously stupid) remark about bombing "their" countries and converting "them" to Christianity the day after September 11th. Which probably was hate speech, but was immediately condemned by all and sundry.

Ann Coulter has always been an empty and vile political circus. I loathe her to the core of my being. Ergo: don't phucking tell her what she phucking can and phucking can't say! Phuck!

P.S. This rant to be read with the voice of Al Pacino in Glengarry Glen Ross.


:tup: :jester:

19Wai1QjP_o

[MolsonExport]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/giles/bot_093008/attention_whore.jpg



^this girl can give me a speech anytime! :slob:

[kool maudit]

That evil bitch should not even be allowed in this country.


why on earth not?

[Yume-sama]

I don't see how she's much different from a shock jock radio personality. Other than the fact she's actually serious...

Actually, I guess that's kind of troubling. But if you didn't know she was serious, you'd think she was HILARIOUS!

And yes, let's ban people from Canada because we don't agree with them. That's not a slippery slope.

[Bigtime]

The dirty old cougar's coming to town eh? wonder if she'd like to take a ride on my discostick! :D

Oh Jay... http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4830/emotughh.gif

:)

[Darkoshvilli]

I've always seen her as a joke, thus never got offended by anything she says. Some people actually think she's relevant?

[MrOilers]

I want her to spank me.

[manny_santos]

As a Western grad I am embarrassed that my alma mater allowed this useless windbag to speak to students. Western really does not look like a fine institution of higher learning by allowing her to speak there.

If she had anything intelligent to say, I'd say they were right to have her there to present a certain point of view to students. But she has nothing intelligent to say.

[Gresto]

The dirty old cougar's coming to town eh? wonder if she'd like to take a ride on my discostick! :D
As this proves, these urban forums are largely populated by gays (not that I have a problem with that).

Of course she should be allowed to speak. That anyone, let alone 800 people, were there to listen, is a depressing commentary. And she was all over the news, thus achieving her goal of pushing her rancid publications.

[Darkoshvilli]

As this proves, these urban forums are largely populated by gays (not that I have a problem with that)..

I've noticed this lately as well, what with all the gay ghetto threads and the photo threads here and on ssc. I was actually shocked at how many gay guys there was in that ssc photo thread. I have nothing against gays, I just found it interesting that so many are into these types of forums.

[MTLskyline]

She filed a human rights complaint? Well played. :worship: I love it when people make a fool of our bloated government bureaucracy. I'm sure that University of Ottawa administrator would not have sent a similar letter to a visiting speaker on the other side of the spectrum with equally strong opinions (say some loony 9/11 conspiracy theorist for instance).

I can't believe some people don't think she should be allowed in the country though. It's not like she poses a threat to public safety. And she has every right to speak here wherever she is invited.

[Darkoshvilli]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Coulter+event+shut+down+security+concerns/2718231/story.html

[MTLskyline]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Coulter+event+shut+down+security+concerns/2718231/story.html

That's ridiculous! Just another sign that these lefty protester types only value freedom of speech when it is one of their own who is talking.

[MolsonExport]

Her views are repugnant, but I believe that the greater good is served when she is allowed to speak. Now, as to those cheering UWO students...:hell:
.

[Only The Lonely..]

The dirty old cougar's coming to town eh? wonder if she'd like to take a ride on my discostick! :D

I want her to spank me.

Don't do it..

PSPtSEIlp8A

[urbandreamer]

Am I the only person that thinks she's rather hot? Sure she's getting older, but a smart, outspoken woman like her...yeah: hot! :D

And btw, the HRC is a joke!

[eternallyme]

Am I the only person that thinks she's rather hot? Sure she's getting older, but a smart, outspoken woman like her...yeah: hot! :D

And btw, the HRC is a joke!

I'm one of the few here that agrees with you! I do agree that planning the events at universities was not smart, since they are dominated by the political left.

[DHLawrence]

The best way to shut blowhards like this up is to let them say what they want--to an empty room.

[eternallyme]

The best way to shut blowhards like this up is to let them say what they want--to an empty room.

There are many that wanted to hear her though...a university campus is just not the place to do such. Some community centre, hotel conference centre or something would be a better place.

[Boreal]

If she charged money for admittance she'd be a stand up comic. The students are getting a free show, are they not. Why we would deny financially strapped students a free outing is beyond me. The only real question should be, "is there popcorn?" Ann Coulter is totally benign. A massive blow-hard to be sure, but it's not like she is a crowned queen of a gang of evangelical christian conservative militants. She's Rush Limbaugh with estrogen. Let her talk, if you don't want to see the show, don't go. You know ahead of time what her routine is.

[Rumors]

Am I the only person that thinks she's rather hot? Sure she's getting older, but a smart, outspoken woman like her...yeah: hot! :D

And btw, the HRC is a joke!

I think she's smokin, and yes I would. :yes:

[O-Town Hockey]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ann-coulters-speech-in-ottawa-cancelled/article1509793/

I'm proud that the students from my alma mater made enough of a fuss today that she wasn't able to speak. I believe in freedom of expression, but the things she says are not just contraversial, they are also hate-provoking and filled with racist sentiments. I have no room for idiots like this in my country and those that feel she is the victim of some kind of hate crime can invite her over to their trailer for dinner as that would be a much more appropriate venue for her talk than our institutions of higher learning.

A few Coulter quotes from the Ottawa Citizen: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Previous+comments+Coulter/2713917/story.html

Let's just hope that the students of Calgary don't fulfill any Alberta stereotypes by giving her any form of warm welcome....

[Cambridgite]

Am I the only person that thinks she's rather hot? Sure she's getting older, but a smart, outspoken woman like her...yeah: hot! :D

She's decent looking for her age, but I'm sure she has a bit of a bitch complex. :haha:

She'd be more attractive if she didn't talk.

[Jay in Cowtown]

As this proves, these urban forums are largely populated by gays

WTF?!?

[waterloowarrior]

WTF?!?

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/c/c/coulter_adamsapple.jpg
(I think this is what he's referring to)

[Jay in Cowtown]

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/c/c/coulter_adamsapple.jpg
(I think this is what he's referring to)

:haha: Fair Enough!

[gammell]

And the modern Canadian university system lives up to its burgeoning reputation as a bastion of free(ish) speech (as long as its agreeable) and the liberal exchange of (approved) ideas. Death by caveat. How far we've come.

[Spocket]

http://www.autographdealer.com/images/AliceCooper9932.jpghttp://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ImageShrinker?http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20100322/600_ap_ann_coulter_100322.jpg,430,241
autographdealer.com

Okay but who's the guy on the right ?

All kidding aside , she's a bit vulgar for my tastes but a lot of the time she's just saying what a lot of people are too chicken-sh!t to say themselves. So be it and it doesn't mean I necessarily agree with her about much but I'm all for her right to voice her opinion even if I don't like it. As long as she's not inciting violence then she does have the right to speak freely. I realize that most university faculty members over the past twenty years or so have decided that only approved ideas are tolerated but the more Ann Coulters we have , the less they're necessary.

[Aylmer]

Good on UofO! At some point, speech ceases to be free and becomes hateful.
She doesn't tell me what I want to hear, but I didn't protest Bush! She is a disturbance of the peace.

BTW, what the hell was she doing in Canada?

:)

[shreddog]

Good on UofO! At some point, speech ceases to be free and becomes hateful.
She doesn't tell me what I want to hear, but I didn't protest Bush! She is a disturbance of the peace.While this may be true, what U of Zero did broaches the line of censorship.

IF she did breach the hate laws, then charge her, HOWEVER it is just because we don't like the message, then it is censorship.

Personally I find her despicable and totally disagree with what she is saying BUT I don't know if it crosses our laws about hateful speech. If it does, expel the beatch, if not, we have to let her flap her pie hole.

BTW, what the hell was she doing in Canada?
Trying to make money. Her handlers contacted a number of universities to set up speaking dates.

[ac888yow]

LOL at UofO and all of the cute little students who protested and won this impressive battle. Congratulations on stifling free speech, something that you purport to support. Bunch of fascists ...

If she breaks hate laws while spewing her garbage, then charge her, convict her, and lock her up. Until then, she has every right to say the things that she does. Don't like it? Ignore it, don't attend, don't read, change the channel ... whatever.

I hope she succeeds in pursuing her human rights complaint against UofO. This episode has exposed the sad state of 'free' speech in our country.

[MrOilers]

And the modern Canadian university system lives up to its burgeoning reputation as a bastion of free(ish) speech (as long as its agreeable) and the liberal exchange of (approved) ideas. Death by caveat. How far we've come.

Agreed.

I think Coulter is an idiot, but I think it's shameful that she couldn't give her speech because of threats from these students who somehow felt threatened.

I also think it's ironic how the left usually criticizes the right for their "censorship" of things that don't agree with their conservative values, yet the left does just as much censorship through "political correctness" to "censor" everyone else into line with their ideologies. This is simply a case of the latter.

[MrOilers]

Also, these protesters just turned her into a martyr. Her and her ilk now have LOTS of ammo from this episode. She's already beaking off about how conservatives are being suppressed, and how this is an example of it. Way to go, guys. Way to go.

[MolsonExport]

Her contention of equating that letter from the UofO with a hate crime does not make it so. I disagree with the letter, but it is very far from being a hate crime.

[Gerrard]

The sad thing is, I think as performance art -she's brilliant -but that's not the way her fans see her, they take her completely seriously.

Honestly, no right thinking person can take her seriously and if she tweaked her punch lines, she'd be a great comedienne. And for the record I don't think anything she says would fall under the umbrella of hate speech, no matter how incendiary it might seem.

I'm also dumbfounded how a group of UofWO students can sit there with straight faces and applaud her when she attacked Obama's Health care Bill. Probably 90% of those students applauding were delivered at birth with the help of socialized medicine and without their parents' or gov't support would not be sitting in a convention hall listening to that wretch speak but slinging hash at some roadside diner.

[Gerrard]

Agreed.

I think Coulter is an idiot, but I think it's shameful that she couldn't give her speech because of threats from these students who somehow felt threatened.

I also think it's ironic how the left usually criticizes the right for their "censorship" of things that don't agree with their conservative values, yet the left does just as much censorship through "political correctness" to "censor" everyone else into line with their ideologies. This is simply a case of the latter.

Those students were exercising their rights of free speech too. It was her decision whether she decided to speak or not. And had she decided to speak despite the protests, I would have completely respected that.

Most Reich-wingers such as herself think free speech only flows in one direction. No one was actually stopping her from speaking. They were voicing their opposition to what she says.

And it's not a left/right thing when discussing people like Ann Coulter. It's: crazy versus sane. If the right has been reduced to people like Ann Coulter, Michelle Bachmann and Rupert Murdoch media holdings then it's no wonder the right appears to be losing it's grip on the hearts and minds of the majority. These aren't the william F. Buckley, P.J. O'Rourkes of the world...

I should add, if you ever actually listen to anything she says or read anything she writes, there's no substance to anything that comes out of her mouth or keyboard. She's a master at spin and soundbites and victim mentality when the reality is the left does not control anything (the left can barely agree on how to tie its collective shoes).

[kool maudit]

I believe in freedom of expression



no you don't.

[eternallyme]

Also, these protesters just turned her into a martyr. Her and her ilk now have LOTS of ammo from this episode. She's already beaking off about how conservatives are being suppressed, and how this is an example of it. Way to go, guys. Way to go.

If you listen to the talk radio station in the Ottawa area, they sure are angry today...

[240glt]

I can see why some might find her a tad offensive (from C2E)

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war.

We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors.

I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East and sending liberals to Guantanamo.

Not all Muslims may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims.

These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them... I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ deaths so much.

[duper]

How have Ann Coulter's rights been violeted? He's really pretty sensitive, isn't he?

One wonders why the Young Conservative brought him to the university. I don't really see the educational value of shouting and name-calling.

[kool maudit]

I can see why some might find her a tad offensive (from C2E)

she is extraordinarily offensive.

you can't, however, say "i believe in freedom of expression," then add the word "but" and a recommendation that she be barred.

it's not that bad being offended.

[240glt]

What's really offensive is that she's managed to get filthy rich spouting off the types of quips and observations that any backwoods yokel could make. Some legacy.

[O-Town Hockey]

no you don't.

Yes I do believe in freedom of expression. If all it takes for an idiot spin doctor like Coulter to cancel her speach is a few university students speaking their minds, none of whom were threatening any violence, then I applaud those who stood up to her. It's not that I wanted the U of O to refuse to let her speak, but if the educated masses of my city sat silent while she spewed her rhetoric then I would be very disheartened. Qui tacet consentiret; silence is consent. There was no reason she couldn't continue with her talk and I would be surprized if she hasn't faced larger and more violent protests than that in her day.

[Doug]

Her contention of equating that letter from the UofO with a hate crime does not make it so. I disagree with the letter, but it is very far from being a hate crime.


It is not a hate crime, and neither was the publishing of comics depciting Mohamed a few years back. If anything, this episode could lead to the muzzling of the over-reaching Human Rights Commissions.

I actually like Coulter - her speeches are a great comedy routine.

[MrOilers]

The protesters and threats that prevented Ann Coulter from speaking reminds me of the protests and threats from Muslims that prevented cartoons of Mohammed being published.

There is no reason for anyone to be proud of this.

[Calgarian]

I commend people for standing up to this nut job and trying to prevent her from spreading her nonsensical, hateful rhetoric. She has the right to say what she wants, and citizens have the right to say what they want.

I seriously doubt she was in any real danger, the university just over reacted because Canadian universities aren't used to dealing with this kind of situation.

[flar]

I wonder if she actually believes in the stuff she says? Is she so crass that she consciously crafted this schtick as a career? I think it's incredibly irresponsible on her part if she is deliberately spreading these hateful and ignorant views for her own personal and financial gain. Maybe she does believe in it. Nevertheless, her views are still ignorant and hateful.


I do believe in free speech though, and I think you should be able to say or think whatever you want even if it's hateful and ignorant. Shame on the UofO students who silenced her just because they disagree with her, hiding behind the amorphous notion of "hate speech." They have the right to protest and stand up for what they believe in, but they are in the wrong if the threat of violence silences someone else's opinion.

[Jay in Cowtown]

There is no reason for anyone to be proud of this.

No, not at all... in fact it's fucking embarrassing!

I hear worse race jokes on Howard Stern every morning, and he's considered a Liberal... it's just how oversensitive & pussified this country has become. I think the bitch is funnier than hell!

[Gresto]

These aren't the william F. Buckley, P.J. O'Rourkes of the world...
Precisely. Add to those two people like Pat Buchanan and Charles Krauthammer, with whom people like me on the lower left can vehemently disagree on many issues, but who nevertheless represent their points of view respectfully, rationally, and intelligently. I watch Buchanan every week on "The McLaughlin Group", and he's downright endearing, self-effacing, and often reasonable and bipartisan, despite a longstanding reputation as a far-right nutjob.

[agrant]

Can't she just write it in a blog or something like everyone else?

[jeremy_haak]

Just for the record, on the afternoon show on CBC today it was reported that apparently it was Anne Coulter and her security team which made the decision not to speak, not the University. If she had wished, she could have gone right ahead and kept the engagement. Also, what threats were issued against her? She should hardly be phased by a little (big) protest by now. Anne Coulter stifled her free speech, not the University. The protesters exercised their free speech.

[vanman]

Am I the only one who thinks that freedom of speech should have its limitations?

Vilifying entire nations and races sounds like hate speech to me. If Hitler or Stalin were alive would we allow them to speak in Canada?

[ac888yow]

Just for the record, on the afternoon show on CBC today it was reported that apparently it was Anne Coulter and her security team which made the decision not to speak, not the University. If she had wished, she could have gone right ahead and kept the engagement. Also, what threats were issued against her? She should hardly be phased by a little (big) protest by now. Anne Coulter stifled her free speech, not the University.Ah yes, the reliable CBC chiming in. It was also reported on non-CBC media (CFRA news) that numerous blogs supporting these protests called for attendees to bring items that would serve to disrupt or otherwise be used in an offensive manner (i.e. as weapons). I guess you were either too captivated by the CBC news and didn't hear those other reports.

Regardless, I wonder what you'd say if the event proceeded as planned, the protest turned violent (as was probable), and subsequently someone got hurt or killed. I bet you'd come on here blaming the protesters for misbehaving all the while applauding Coulter for having the stones to proceed with her free speech.

The protesters exercised their free speech.Are these protesters exercising their free speech when they trash businesses, assault officers, and cause chaos in cities hosting visits by dignitaries? We see that time after time, too, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there are parallels between the people in these groups.

[RTA]

Are these protesters exercising their free speech when they trash businesses, assault officers, and cause chaos in cities hosting visits by dignitaries? We see that time after time, too, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there are parallels between the people in these groups.

That's quite the fallacy, there, assuming all protesters are the same, or even that all protesters are the same people every time.

[wco]

Am I the only one who thinks that freedom of speech should have its limitations?

Vilifying entire nations and races sounds like hate speech to me. If Hitler or Stalin were alive would we allow them to speak in Canada?

I agree with you that there should be limitations, so you aren't the only one.

[niwell]

Are these protesters exercising their free speech when they trash businesses, assault officers, and cause chaos in cities hosting visits by dignitaries? We see that time after time, too, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there are parallels between the people in these groups.

Yeah because some university students who decided to protest something they disagreed with (rightly or wrongly) are the same as black bloc anarchists. Whatever.


Just for the record, on the afternoon show on CBC today it was reported that apparently it was Anne Coulter and her security team which made the decision not to speak, not the University. If she had wished, she could have gone right ahead and kept the engagement.

Not surprising at all. Playing the victim is part of her shtick.

[MrOilers]

I don't think there should be limitations on speech at all.

Hate-mongoring idiots should be left in the open to get publicly trashed and ridiculed, not stifled and turned into martyrs for their cause.

[Gresto]

Hate-mongoring idiots should be left in the open to get publicly trashed and ridiculed, not stifled and turned into martyrs for their cause.
Agreed, but unfortunately she isn't publicly trashed and ridiculed nearly to the degree she should be. If she were, she might crawl back under her rock and never emerge. The media treat her like a legitimate public figure.

[Dado]

The Ottawa Citizen's Dan Gardner interviewed her about an hour before her speech was supposed to begin and he was in the lobby with the mob. Here he weighs into the issue of the cancellation:

Who pulled the plug on Ann Coulter? (http://communities.canada.com/OTTAWACITIZEN/blogs/katzenjammer/archive/2010/03/24/who-pulled-the-plug-on-ann-coulter.aspx)

It seems that "disorganization and confusion were rampant" and his best guess is that the bodyguard, whom he had also spoken to earlier, was the one who pulled the plug.


I'm certainly glad the UoO is not my alma mater.


Apparently she had this to say about the UoO:

"The University of Ottawa is really easy to get into, isn't it?" she said in an interview after the cancelled event. "I never get any trouble at the Ivy League schools. It's always the bush league schools."

That's got to hurt a bit for the university that decided to brand itself "Canada's University".

[Calgarian]

What a gong show. Sadly this will all play into her favour. It would be awesome if nobody showed up to her Calgary speech.

[MTLskyline]

B’nai Brith Canada condemns free speech double standard on campus as Coulter talk is cancelled in Ottawa
Posted On 03/24/10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

B’nai Brith Canada condemns free speech double standard on campus as Coulter talk is cancelled in Ottawa

TORONTO, March 24, 2010 – B’nai Brith Canada has condemned the free speech double standard that exists on university campuses across Canada and has resulted in the cancellation of recent events due to safety concerns emanating from campus radicals. Yesterday evening, an event featuring American right-wing pundit Ann Coulter was cancelled at the University of Ottawa due to the fact that thousands of protestors came out to protest the event and security could not adequately guarantee Coulter’s safety. In late February, York University cancelled an event planned by Imagine With Us, a B’nai Brith Canada-led multi-faith coalition of Christian and Jewish organizations focused on maintaining Canadian values, after the university, fearful of the actions of anti-Israel agitators on campus, said it could not guarantee the safety of the event’s speakers without a large security and police presence paid for by the student organizers.

“The free speech double standard that we are witnessing on Canadian campuses has to stop,” said Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President of B’nai Brith Canada. “It seems to be the case that when a speaker tries to come on campus with views that campus left-wing radicals and anti-Israel agitators disagree with, our university administrators are cowed into either canceling the event altogether or placing insurmountable obstacles in the way of the organizers.

“Both York University, which cancelled our Imagine With Us event, and the University of Ottawa, the campus where agitators effectively shut down Coulter’s opportunity to speak, this year hosted the hate-fest known as ‘Israeli Apartheid Week.’ A hate-fest which seeks to demonize and delegitimize the world’s only Jewish state, and is condemned by politicians and legislatures across the country, is allowed to proceed unhindered, but digressing viewpoints are silenced. Something is definitely wrong here.”

-30-

For more information, please contact, Dan Rabkin, Communications Officer:
416-633-6224 X 140 / cell: 416-312-9173

B’nai Brith Canada has been active in Canada since 1875 as the Jewish community’s foremost human rights agency
http://www.bnaibrith.ca/prdisplay.php?id=1643

[Aylmer]

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Islam. We won't be punctilious about locating and punishing only President Obama and his top officers. We'll carpet-bomb American cities; we'll kill civilians. That's war. And this is war.

We need to execute people like Benazir Bhutto in order to physically intimidate moderates, by making them realize that they can be killed, too. Otherwise, they will turn out to be outright traitors.

I think the government should be spying on all christians, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout New England and sending moderates to the slaughterhouse.

Not all christians may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Christian.

These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 2003 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them... I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ deaths so much.

Now would we let someone like that ANYWHERE? By changing 15 words, I've turned Free-Speech-Coulter into a Interpol-wanted Jihadist. She is no better.

:)

[agrant]

Am I the only one who thinks that freedom of speech should have its limitations?

Vilifying entire nations and races sounds like hate speech to me. If Hitler or Stalin were alive would we allow them to speak in Canada?There has to be limitations. She is border line inciting riots. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure you can't go to that extreme. We have limitations on forums... she wouldn't last a day here.

[MTLskyline]

What an embarrassment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuhz43FwEsA

[O-Town Hockey]

The Ottawa Citizen's Dan Gardner interviewed her about an hour before her speech was supposed to begin and he was in the lobby with the mob. Here he weighs into the issue of the cancellation:

Who pulled the plug on Ann Coulter? (http://communities.canada.com/OTTAWACITIZEN/blogs/katzenjammer/archive/2010/03/24/who-pulled-the-plug-on-ann-coulter.aspx)

It seems that "disorganization and confusion were rampant" and his best guess is that the bodyguard, whom he had also spoken to earlier, was the one who pulled the plug.


I'm certainly glad the UoO is not my alma mater.


Apparently she had this to say about the UoO:

"The University of Ottawa is really easy to get into, isn't it?" she said in an interview after the cancelled event. "I never get any trouble at the Ivy League schools. It's always the bush league schools."

That's got to hurt a bit for the university that decided to brand itself "Canada's University".

That's laughable. Anyone who would use Ann Coulter's opinion on a university to decide which one to go to is likely not going to get very far in life. This lady is a grade 'A' bitch whose ideas and reactions to criticism resemble those of a 12 year old girl who just happens to be a member of the KKK.

[Calgarian]

So Faux News is defending Coulters right to insult people and say that muslims should be killed? this is hilarious, we are being judged by Faux for protecting people from being the victims of hateful speech.

[niwell]

Really, this is exactly what Coulter wanted to happen. It's more publicity for her (read:money) and gives her a chance to rant about something new. Her debates have never been about open discourse so I don't really see freedom of speech anything but a constructed issue on her part.

[Andy6]

What an embarrassment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuhz43FwEsA

Wow. That NOW reporter certainly represents the polite-society view in Canada very well. It's frightening that we've sunk to such a level ... where a university provost can be almost bursting with pride as he informs Ann Coulter about the restrictions that government puts on our right to express ourselves and where a journalist -- of all people -- insists that a belief in free speech is a form of dangerous extremism and that our country itself is distinct from the U.S. in not being founded on a belief in human freedom of any kind (other, I suppose, than a freedom not to be offended or to be made to feel uncomfortable in any way, even at a speech that you would hear only if you voluntarily attended it). It's also disconcerting that she thinks that universities are the places where the smallest amount of free speaking and free thinking should occur, rather than the greatest amount.

Anyway, I've probably said too much. I take it I'm supposed to express my conservative views only within the confines of a government-approved "conservative think tank".

I would add, though, that in my experience, it's seeing this sort of thing that makes a lot of U.S. liberals realize that Canada is not quite the paradise they imagine it to be. Most of them still have a pretty strongly ingrained belief in free speech and the result is a far more vigorous national intellectual and political life. This sort of view (the NOW reporter's) would also come in for sharp disagreement and ridicule in other countries like England and Australia, I think. I'm not sure what's gone wrong with Canada.

[O-Town Hockey]

What an embarrassment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuhz43FwEsA

I am absolutely delighted that Ann Coulter hates the U of O and will never be returning and I am blushing at the fact that FUX News doesn't agree with the Canadian view on free expression, however skewed to the other extreme that NOW woman's views were.

Calgary has moved their talk for tonight to McMahon Stadium to hopefully avoid the rath of liberal university students who actually think about the detritus she is spewing rather than laughing at her hateful, racist banter. I will be very interested to watch the news tonight and see what happens.

[Andy6]

Really, this is exactly what Coulter wanted to happen. It's more publicity for her (read:money) and gives her a chance to rant about something new. Her debates have never been about open discourse so I don't really see freedom of speech anything but a constructed issue on her part.

Why should speech have to be in the form of "open discourse" before it's protected? Was the KKK given a right to reply to the "I Have A Dream" speech or was Robert E. Lee invited to respond to the Gettysburg Address or Goebbels to Churchill's wartime speeches? I would have thought that such occasions were among the most important exercises of freedom of speech in human history and yet they don't seem to have the characteristic of being "open discourse", to the extent that that term has actual propositional content.

Coulter will "rant about something new" because something new has occurred that gives her every right to do so (read: on principle). By responding in this way, the University and the protesters have given her an issue to legitimately "rant" about. I hope she does. The U. of O. deserves to be a laughingstock among universities -- not that it has ever been far from such a status, but this should put it over the top.

What exactly is a "constructed issue"?

[niwell]

Why should speech have to be in the form of "open discourse" before it's protected?

I never suggested that and it certainly doesn't. But it was ostensibly the purpose for Coulter to be making these visits. And a point of contention in the media for this cancellation.


Coulter will "rant about something new" because something new has occurred that gives her every right to do so (read: on principle). By responding in this way, the University and the protesters have given her an issue to legitimately "rant" about. I hope she does. The U. of O. deserves to be a laughingstock among universities -- not that it has ever been far from such a status, but this should put it over the top.

What exactly is a "constructed issue"?


Because she is the one that has invoked freedom of speech in a thinly veiled attempt to criticize the level of freedom in Canada (which, if you haven't been paying attention is something she's been doing for years). It's pretty transparent, as is her entire act.

Yes, it was a representative of the University that informed her not to cross the line - so to speak - with regards to Canada's free speech laws. While perhaps not in the best taste, informing a speaker at a semi-private institution of legalities regarding content is not inherently stifling. And lets not forget it was her party that decided to cancel the event, even if it was due the protestations of students. Students who were by all accounts permitted access to that space at that time.

If some level of government or the University actively prohibited her speaking than this would be a fairly serious issue. But they didn't. Events get canceled all the time due to "safety concerns" even if it leaves a sour taste.

Really, the only thing I can fault UofO on is the level of security they provided. But then again, from the videos that crowd did not look exactly threatening. Certainly no black bloc types.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Wow. That NOW reporter certainly represents the polite-society view in Canada very well. It's frightening that we've sunk to such a level ... where a university provost can be almost bursting with pride as he informs Ann Coulter about the restrictions that government puts on our right to express ourselves and where a journalist -- of all people -- insists that a belief in free speech is a form of dangerous extremism and that our country itself is distinct from the U.S. in not being founded on a belief in human freedom of any kind (other, I suppose, than a freedom not to be offended or to be made to feel uncomfortable in any way, even at a speech that you would hear only if you voluntarily attended it). It's also disconcerting that she thinks that universities are the places where the smallest amount of free speaking and free thinking should occur, rather than the greatest amount.

Anyway, I've probably said too much. I take it I'm supposed to express my conservative views only within the confines of a government-approved "conservative think tank".

I would add, though, that in my experience, it's seeing this sort of thing that makes a lot of U.S. liberals realize that Canada is not quite the paradise they imagine it to be. Most of them still have a pretty strongly ingrained belief in free speech and the result is a far more vigorous national intellectual and political life. This sort of view (the NOW reporter's) would also come in for sharp disagreement and ridicule in other countries like England and Australia, I think. I'm not sure what's gone wrong with Canada.

Nothing's wrong with Canada. This woman got what she deserved. There simply have to be limitations on free speech with regards to racism and hatred. Granted, we do get carried away sometimes as the Human Rights Commission has shown us time and time again, but for the most part, it's a good thing.

[ac888yow]

Yeah because some university students who decided to protest something they disagreed with (rightly or wrongly) are the same as black bloc anarchists. Whatever.That shoe fits just a little too well. Just putting two and two together.

Nonetheless, I'll ask for your forgiveness. I didn't realize you were there, knew every protester personally, and can vouch for their non-violent intentions.

all this has done is make a martyr out of ann coulter.Exactly. They (protesters, university officials) may think they won something, but in fact all they did was prop her up even further. Sadly, these budding little fascists are too dumb to realize that the best way to defeat someone like Coulter is to ignore her and let her speak to more audiences, as often as possible. In doing so she'll either eventually slip and say something that criminal that lands her in jail (or worse, gets her killed), or people will grow tired of her little show and eventually she'll be speaking in empty rooms (as someone mentioned earlier).

[amor de cosmos]

this reminds me of this goddamn idiot on FOX:
PngGhH-6d6M

he had only a 1/2 slot on FOX, at 3am or something, & his previous job was at maxim mag & the guests on his show were just some comedians. what does it say about canada when people get so upset about something he said about us? why does anyone even care?

what else do people expect from ann coulter anyway? does she really have anything interesting to say? fuck 'em. it's not like secretary of state clinton told that student to ride a camel. all this has done is make a martyr out of ann coulter. why are people doing things to make me defend her :(

What an embarrassment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuhz43FwEsA

that anchor lady makes a great point at the end; columbia university invited ahmadinejad of all people to speak there, and not only that, he was introduced by the university president & not some student. & (iirc) he also wasn't heckled or anything (& he made a fool out of columbia's president incidentally), and he's 3rd on the US' "most hated" list maybe after Saddam Hussein & OBL. why is anyone upset that ann coulter was just being ann coulter?

[niwell]

Forgive me. I didn't realize you were there. Can you give me a detailed summary of all those protesting? Of course not, but thanks for posting. 'Whatever'.

The type of protesters who like to break stuff are pretty obvious. Generally because they are breaking stuff and generally trying to make a scene. Luckily they tend to be in the minority and also have a habit of pissing off many others who do protest.

I haven't participated in a protest of either sort (generally don't agree / see the point) but gone to photograph a few. And happen to know a few people who do participate and even assist in organizing such events. Based on this I tend to get a bit irate when the media and uninformed characterize anyone who would attend any form of protest as the type to vandalize or incite violence.

Thanks for being passive aggressive!

[waterloowarrior]

Coulter will be on the O'Reilly Factor tomorrow

[O-Town Hockey]

Quote from the Globe and Mail:

Commentator Ann Coulter: "You guys used to be so cool. You were smokers. You had epic hockey fights. We had half our comedians from Canada. Now you’re all a bunch of girls named Francois."

It's so funny that these kind of idiotic comments shouldn't even be paid attention to, but in some kind of schoolyard bullying sorta way it pisses me off. Not to mention the comments by Andy6 about U of O. I was trained by top notch professors at the U of O, got my medical degree there, and am now a practicing physician in Ottawa. Where has your university training gotten you Andy?....other than having a stick up your a#% and putting down schools that you likely know nothing about.

that anchor lady makes a great point at the end; columbia university invited ahmadinejad of all people to speak there, and not only that, he was introduced by the university president. & he also wasn't heckled or anything (& he made a fool out of columbia's president incidentally), and he's 3rd on the US' "most hated" list maybe after Saddam Hussein & OBL. why is anyone upset that ann coulter was just being ann coulter?


Despite his radical opinions and anti-semitism, Ahmadinejad is a foreign dignitary and was treated as such. Coulter is foreign white trash and was treated as such.

[Rumors]

:)

[amor de cosmos]

Coulter is foreign white trash...

& therefore has lots of interesting things to say?

[ac888yow]

The type of protesters who like to break stuff are pretty obvious. Generally because they are breaking stuff and generally trying to make a scene. Luckily they tend to be in the minority and also have a habit of pissing off many others who do protest.

I haven't participated in a protest of either sort (generally don't agree / see the point) but gone to photograph a few. And happen to know a few people who do participate and even assist in organizing such events. Based on this I tend to get a bit irate when the media and uninformed characterize anyone who would attend any form of protest as the type to vandalize or incite violence.

Thanks for being passive aggressive!I wasn't being passive agressive. I was being dismissive, just like you. Don't go protesting to have me muzzled now ...

And hey, the shoe fits a bit too well. They (who participate in such protests) have nobody to blame but themselves for their poor image. I'm referring to everyone involved; the so-called minority who behave that way, and the implied majority who keep their company.

And I'll re-iterate once more since you missed the point while in your state of emotion. Someone came on and said that she could have proceeded if she wanted to, but instead chose to stifle her own free speech by bailing. I then replied by saying that the event was cancelled because officials could no longer guarantee security for anyone, especially Coulter, and that proceeding would have been irresponsible given the clear escalation of the protest. Then you chimed into a discussion that didn't involve you with your infinite wisdom and, well, here we are.

[O-Town Hockey]

From CityTV: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/national/article/73036--calgary-readies-for-coulter-country-still-fascinated

About the so-called danger Coulter was in and the violence in the crowd:

Coulter and her team, including Canadian conservative Ezra Levant, cited "violence" in the crowd at the University of Ottawa and claimed that the police had shut it down. Ottawa police spokesman Alain Boucher said they saw no violence, arrested no one and had only advised Coulter's entourage they should find a bigger space to accommodate everyone safely.


This basically sums it up:

Conservative strategist Tim Powers, who has been teaching at the university for the past decade, said he has always regarded the institution as a free marketplace of ideas and views.

But he thought the way it handled the Coulter appearance was unfortunate.

"People look at her with some passing curiosity, but that's about it," Powers said. "She's not seen as a serious commentator or a serious thought leader. For that reason, the University of Ottawa . . . should have let the clown perform, and she would have shown herself to be a joke."

Ottawa New Democrat MP Paul Dewar said he had no problem with Coulter's right to speak, but was amused by how she portrayed the situation.

"There was an offer for her to speak there, she could have attended, it was her call, and at the end she felt it wasn't a welcoming environment to speak," said Dewar.


Poorly handled by the university no doubt, but by no means an attempt to muzzle her right to free speech. She didn't like that 90% of the crowd was against her and chose not to speak....I probably would have done the same.

[someone123]

Comments about a lack of dialogue seem strange to me given the fact that neither side has had trouble finding a platform from which to complain.

My big complaint about how these things tend to unfold is that I don't feel that we should have to defer to the NOW magazine woman or incoherent activist undergrads when it comes to deciding who should be allowed to speak or who is allowed to attend.