Coulter speech cancelled because of protestors

[crazy canuck]

Well a university is a collective institution. Such invitations are usually sent at the initiative of some fringe group or an individual, who just manages to push it through the right bureaucratic channels and people just sign off on this without thinking until the shit hits the fan. We had a similar case in Warsaw recently, when a university invited Paul Cameron and this was approved because most of the people who signed the relevant red tape had no idea who he was.

That is not how a Canadian University functions.  People within the university community can invite who they wish.  It sounds like universities in Poland have a built in censorship system so I can understand now why you take the position you do having been educated in that system.

[frunk]

Academic freedom is not "freedom to spew any idiocy no matter how baseless or retarded". Paul Cameron is a great example of this. His "findings" about homosexuality have been slammed by pretty much every scientific body or organization, because his "method" is completely faulty and unacceptable. This "academic freedom" you are advocating is like giving a fair hearing to a supporter of homeopathy and healing crystals at a serious medical conference.

Red some of her quotes. There is not a shred of "political debate" in this blather:

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ann_Coulter

Why are you spreading the speech of someone who so obviously should be censored?

[crazy canuck]

I was  going by this statement, from you, which I have read in the news also.

The pro-isreali talks were cancelled because of protests.  This doesn't mean the university has a problem with protests. It  means the speakers could not physically give their talks because of the protestors.  For example at York university the protestors turned violent.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

So Coulter was threatened, or the security types just figured they couldn't deal with the protests, because they somehow knew they would be violent. That's kinda siding with the douchebag there. Should just let her speak and let the chips fall where they may. If people fall for here nonsensical rantings they are the suckers, who in the long run are going to feel stupid, more than they are "right" Pun intended.

[Faeelin]

I don't understand. Did she cancel because of protests?

Someone in the protest group pulled a fire alarm so the building had to be evacuated and then they tried to enter the hall where she was to speak so that her talk could not be held.  The report I heard was that after about an hour delay the police and University security officials finally cancelled the talk.  I am not sure what their reason was.

So in other words, a student pulled a fire alarm like a jerk, and so the school cancelled it, and so students who are expressing their rights of freedom of speech and assembly to call the bitch out on her beliefs are censoring her?

[Strix]

This story my be of interest to Languishites.

You all know Coulter.  She is on a speaking tour of some Canadian universities.  Last night her talk was cancelled because of the actions of a large group of protestors.

Here are some links for more details.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/ann-coulter-speech-cancelled/article1510516/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/ann-coulter-controversy/article1508968/

and here is a Blog opinion I agree with.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/silver-powers/coulters-shutout/article1510505/

There is a growing trend in Canadian university student bodies of intolerance to opposing views.  For example Canadian universities (particularly in Ontario and Quebec) have had considerable problems whenever pro Israeli speakers are scheduled.  Many times these events also have to be cancelled because of large protests.

I wonder if this kind of intellectual intolerance is being experience on campuses in other countries.

It's been that way in the US for awhile now. Most campuses are controlled by the liberals.

[crazy canuck]

I don't understand. Did she cancel because of protests?

Someone in the protest group pulled a fire alarm so the building had to be evacuated and then they tried to enter the hall where she was to speak so that her talk could not be held.  The report I heard was that after about an hour delay the police and University security officials finally cancelled the talk.  I am not sure what their reason was.

So in other words, a student pulled a fire alarm like a jerk, and so the school cancelled it, and so students who are expressing their rights of freedom of speech and assembly to call the bitch otu on her beliefs are censoring her?

No, that would not be an accurate summary.  Did you look at the links?

[crazy canuck]

It's been that way in the US for awhile now. Most campuses are controlled by the liberals.

It used to be that liberals were the people most concerned with freedom of expression.  In Canada it now appears that such freedom will only be extended if the speaker says things that are not considered offensive.

Somewhere things have gone terribly wrong.

[crazy canuck]

That's kinda siding with the douchebag there. Should just let her speak and let the chips fall where they may. If people fall for here nonsensical rantings they are the suckers, who in the long run are going to feel stupid, more than they are "right" Pun intended.

University security and police are put into a difficult position.  With the history of protests turning violent, the large group of protestors trying to disrupt the speech (which is not simply excercising a right a free assembly as Faeelin seems to think) it becomes a bit risky to simply let events run there course.

I agree with you that in an ideal world the protestors would simply chant outside and Coultier would do her thing inside.  As was planned she would then take questions and the protestors could then attack her ideas on an intellectual basis - since it is a university.

[grumbler]

It used to be that liberals were the people most concerned with freedom of expression.  In Canada it now appears that such freedom will only be extended if the speaker says things that are not considered offensive.

Liberal used to mean something a lot different than it means now.  Liberal used to mean "anti-authoritarian" and now means "left-authoritarian."  This is exactly the behavior one expects from left-authoritarians.

[crazy canuck]

Liberal used to mean something a lot different than it means now.  Liberal used to mean "anti-authoritarian" and now means "left-authoritarian."  This is exactly the behavior one expects from left-authoritarians.

Good point.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

It's been that way in the US for awhile now. Most campuses are controlled by the liberals.

It used to be that liberals were the people most concerned with freedom of expression.  In Canada it now appears that such freedom will only be extended if the speaker says things that are not considered offensive.

Somewhere things have gone terribly wrong.

I think this is true. I blame people like Coulter (and yet am willing to let her blather, I can change the channel) for turning the right into a hate speech group. There has been a growing political correctness movement in Universities since back in my day... I think outside of Uni there is a backlash now against pol. correctness like this taken too far, but as always big lumbering institutions lag behind.

To the mind of any reasonable person, Beck, Coulter, Limbaugh are simply clowns. But People have become so ingrained to be intolerant of intolerance that they can't see their own intolerance, or taste any of the delicious irony therein..

[Neil]

While I think freedom of speech in a legal sense is a good concept, that does not mean that universities or any other similar bodies are legally or morally obliged to provide a podium or a pulpit to any lunatic and hate monger. Ann Coulter is a real life troll. She is in no way thought-provoking or inventive - she just puts her idiotic views into books that sell to idiots like her. I fail to see how she should be given room to speak at universities, any more than some crazy islamist imam.

If she was gay, you'd be weeping and gnashing your teeth.

This is typical behavior from activist university students, who these days resemble nothing so much as a pack of low-rent brownshirts.  If I had my way, every single university student in the country would be executed.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

It used to be that liberals were the people most concerned with freedom of expression.  In Canada it now appears that such freedom will only be extended if the speaker says things that are not considered offensive.

Liberal used to mean something a lot different than it means now.  Liberal used to mean "anti-authoritarian" and now means "left-authoritarian."  This is exactly the behavior one expects from left-authoritarians.

so true... this is why I have such a hard time being "for" either of these extremes. When I was younger I never felt that the Tories or the Liberals were really that far apart from each other, both governing from the centre. But the centre has moved along without me.

[viper37]

There is a growing trend in Canadian university student bodies of intolerance to opposing views.  For example Canadian universities (particularly in Ontario and Quebec) have had considerable problems whenever pro Israeli speakers are scheduled.  Many times these events also have to be cancelled because of large protests.

AFAIK, one particular university in Montreal, namely Concordia, one of the two english universities there.