Anne Coulter comes to Canada

M.Dancer · March 25, 2010

Globe editorial.

When protesters at the University of Ottawa derailed a planned speech by the conservative U.S. pundit Ann Coulter this week, the forces of intimidation won out over public inquiry. It was a defeat of the university's basic mission to educate and enlighten.
Universities have an obligation to protect the free exchange of ideas on campus, however offensive to someone those ideas might be. Today it is Ms. Coulter being silenced. Who will it be tomorrow? Anything that challenges people may offend someone. Therein lies the possibility of social change.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/a-university-fails-in-its-mission/article1511279/

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

Globe editorial.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/a-university-fails-in-its-mission/article1511279/

The editorial is flawed based on the fact that it assumes that the University cancelled the event. It didn't, the Coulter camp did. Furthermore, the facts have come out that no one was really intimidated. Even then, the Coulter camp was in charge of security. Why is it the University should be blamed for protestors?

Edited March 25, 2010 by nicky10013

Alta4ever · March 25, 2010

First of all, who rolled over? Second of all, even if someon did roll over, what's the difference? That doesn't excuse Harper's behaviour. Conservatives complain that there's a double standard, but dismissing the actions of this government while complaining about Anne Coulter is an example of the same double standard, is it not?

I expect free speech for all, and at times you have to be vocal about that right, if these people didn't want to be silenced why were they? Anne and Ezra, aren't allowing themselves to be censored or silenced so why did these people.

M.Dancer · March 25, 2010

The editorial is flawed based on the fact that it assumes that the University cancelled the event.

Your criticism is flawed.

(When police and security officials felt the event could not go on safely in the face of unruly protests, organizers cancelled the speech.)

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

I expect free speech for all, and at times you have to be vocal about that right, if these people didn't want to be silenced why were they? Anne and Ezra, aren't allowing themselves to be censored or silenced so why did these people.

Because unlike you in frothing at the mouth about Coulter, these people had something to lose IE their jobs and livelihoods. They can scream about it in the media all they want, it isn't bringing back an income they need to live on. Leave it to you to turn freedom of speech into such a black and white issue.

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

Your criticism is flawed.

Even then, the blame clearly falls on the school when all they did was offer the space to have the talk. Nobody was intimidated and now it's the school's fault? It doesn't make sense.

M.Dancer · March 25, 2010

Furthermore, the facts have come out that no one was really intimidated.

I know you are in the habit of making unfounded assumptions

and I don't want to adopt your habit, so instead of assuming you are psychic and have the ability to read minds...how do you know coulter or or her staff didn't feel intimidated?

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

Furthermore, the Police have denied there was any threat. The issue seems to be over the fact that there were more people wanting to get in to the event due to poor event advertisment, not due to any threats. No one but Levant apparently has been able to find these mythical facebook threats.

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

I know you are in the habit of making unfounded assumptions

and I don't want to adopt your habit, so instead of assuming you are psychic and have the ability to read minds...how do you know coulter or or her staff didn't feel intimidated?

If they were, there was no evidence of it. The only person who brought it up was Levant. They were "acting on police advice" due to threats but the Ottawa Police have specifically said that the crowd wasn't unruly and they weren't made aware of any threats.

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2010/03/ann-coulters-adventures-in-ottawa-so-what-really-happened-last-night.html

Shakeyhands · March 25, 2010

Furthermore, the Police have denied there was any threat. The issue seems to be over the fact that there were more people wanting to get in to the event due to poor event advertisment, not due to any threats. No one but Levant apparently has been able to find these mythical facebook threats.

posters probably would have helped that.

Alta4ever · March 25, 2010

Because unlike you in frothing at the mouth about Coulter, these people had something to lose IE their jobs and livelihoods. They can scream about it in the media all they want, it isn't bringing back an income they need to live on. Leave it to you to turn freedom of speech into such a black and white issue.

We have whistle blower protection in this country.

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

We have whistle blower protection in this country.

Does this make it any better what the Conservatives are trying to do? No it doesn't. You complete ignored the fact that this is another example of the same "double standard" that conservatives whine and complain about.

Alta4ever · March 25, 2010

Does this make it any better what the Conservatives are trying to do? No it doesn't. You complete ignored the fact that this is another example of the same "double standard" that conservatives whine and complain about.

Its not a double standard because I don't condone everything the conservative government does.

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

Its not a double standard because I don't condone everything the conservative government does.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH. That's HILARIOUS!!! Of course you do! You even flip flop when they do. Name one policy you don't condone.

This should be good.

Shady · March 25, 2010

posters probably would have helped that.

You mean the posters in which the U of O members systematically tore down in the days before the scheduled event?

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

You mean the posters in which the U of O members systematically tore down in the days before the scheduled event?

It happens to everyone. Trust me.

Shady · March 25, 2010

It happens to everyone. Trust me.

Really? When? And have they actually been banned? Like posters advertising Coulter's appearance were?

I mean seriously, how do you people continue to make excuses and apologies for this type of behavior? It's quite pathetic.

Shady · March 25, 2010

It happens to everyone. Trust me.

And does that make it right?

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

Really? When? And have they actually been banned? Like posters advertising Coulter's appearance were?

I mean seriously, how do you people continue to make excuses and apologies for this type of behavior? It's quite pathetic.

Banned for what? On most university campuses the poster process is usually a self-governing process. Political posters are torn down in terms of both "left" and "right" events. We had Al Gore give his an inconvenient truth lecture at U of T and I personally noticed some of his posters ripped down. There is video of students who support the unions who are decidedly to the left tearing down posters of all ilk, not just political ones. Then there are the posters that are torn down specifically because events may be on the same night with certain groups fearing the competition.

It happens all the time and not just to conservatives. It's not right, but to accuse people at univerisites of only doing this only to conservative events is just wrong.

Alta4ever · March 25, 2010

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH. That's HILARIOUS!!! Of course you do! You even flip flop when they do. Name one policy you don't condone.

This should be good.

I hate the copyright policy they have been trying to pass. Not to fond of the internet monitoring legislation either.

I am throughly disgusted with Jim Prentice in the environment role. I hated last years budget.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you shill.

Shady · March 25, 2010

Banned for what?

I'm not just talking about ripping down posters.

Student volunteers at the University of Ottawa were also banned from advertising Coulter’s speech with posters. President of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa Seamus Wolfe tried to get the speech banned entirely, then settled for banning any advertising of the event
Link

capricorn · March 25, 2010

Really? When? And have they actually been banned? Like posters advertising Coulter's appearance were?

I heard a number of UofO students on call in shows in Ottawa say that the event organizers had paid for the posters that were prohibited from being displayed and in some cases removed. I don't know if the payment was made to the student union or to the university. Do you know if the student union have its own printing facilities on campus?

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

I hate the copyright policy they have been trying to pass. Not to fond of the internet monitoring legislation either.

I am throughly disgusted with Jim Prentice in the environment role. I hated last years budget.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you shill.

Shill? Is that really the best you could do?

nicky10013 · March 25, 2010

I heard a number of UofO students on call in shows in Ottawa say that the event organizers had paid for the posters that were prohibited from being displayed and in some cases removed. I don't know if the payment was made to the student union or to the university. Do you know if the student union have its own printing facilities on campus?

Student Unions usually have photocopiers. You can either use them for a price or go off campus and pay for them to be photocopied. I would imagine that's what they mean by having paid for the advertisements.

As for the Student Union, they were dumb. That doesn't change the fact that it happens to everyone; both left and right. Leave it to the whackos here deseperate to start a conspiracy to ignore that, though.