Only in Canada: Ann Coulter Silenced

[suebee]

Ann Coulter was *not* given a resounding welcome to the University of Ottawa. Protesters, estimated to be as many as 2000, prevented her from speaking, saying that her message of hate was not welcome there. Story here (http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/cp-article.aspx?cp-documentid=23714006).

While part of me is pretty much tickled at this, I have mixed feelings. Personally, in view of many of the things she's said in the past, I question whether she should have even been allowed into the country. We have strict anit-hate laws here. Phelps et al were banned from entering last year when they planned on "protesting" at the funeral of a victim of a violent crime. But where does free speech begin and end?

Personally I find Ann Coulter's "logic" so asinine I can't believe people actually listen to her, but that's another whole thread.

[Linus]

Well, I found it funnier that she was going to a human right commission investigate Western and UofO for "discriminating" against her (http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2710026). Uh. Wut? She believes no other speaker has to face this, just her.

[Martina]

Go Canada!

[Random]

I'm a firm beliver in the concept of Shunning, Isolation and The will of the people..

You can spout what ever you want, but we don't have to listen..
You can do what ever you want, but we don't have to put up with it..
If you can not act in a manner that the people have deemed to be in their best interest, then we invite you to leave this place and go to where your actions are better tolerated..

Free speech, in my mind, means I can state my point of view.. It doesn't mean that I can put a box up in the middle of a road to do it... Location isn't part of free speech.. In my mind..

[Andrew, Jr.]

Folks like Ann Coulter, Rev. Fred Phelps, Rush Limbaugh, and others really bother me. I like it when their hate is silenced. It is not necessary in this day and age to spew hatred.

[Mitmo01]

Talking Heads like this idiot have a right to express thier opinion in this country. We also have a right to not listen..what gets slippery is when you have a pulpit to espouse your views like fox news, talk radio, tv and your voice has sway over the millions of sheeple that buy the crock of shit that your spewing.....personally I think that ann coulter and rush limbaugh are assinine idiots but they have every right to say what they want as much as i have the right to say to them, I dont want to hear what your saying....

sometime the end result is horrible, ie--the denver radio talk show host Alan Berg..who got murdered for what he was saying...

but id rather hear the stupidity than have it be silenced outriight by the government because where does that stop?

[Linus]

Talking Heads like this idiot have a right to express thier opinion in this country. We also have a right to not listen..what gets slippery is when you have a pulpit to espouse your views like fox news, talk radio, tv and your voice has sway over the millions of sheeple that buy the crock of shit that your spewing.....personally I think that ann coulter and rush limbaugh are assinine idiots but they have every right to say what they want as much as i have the right to say to them, I dont want to hear what your saying....

sometime the end result is horrible, ie--the denver radio talk show host Alan Berg..who got murdered for what he was saying...

but id rather hear the stupidity than have it be silenced outriight by the government because where does that stop?


The Constitution is what stops it. Basically, in Canada you can say what you want but if what you say advocates violence against others (e.g., "Kill the <insert epitath>!! The holocaust was a lie!!") then, no, you can't say that. In Canada, that is akin to yelling Fire in the theater.

Honestly, it can work in Canada because of the way the society was made and because of the attitude there. It would never work in the US based on what I've seen thus far.

[SuperFemme]

can't you edit out Kill the M-Fing......

bad example man.

[Linus]

can't you edit out Kill the M-Fing......

bad example man.

Apologies and good point.

[SuperFemme]

Apologies and good point.

Thank you. I hope she opens her mouth too wide and gets arrested. I like the image of Coulter in hand-cuffs.

[AtLast]

Ann Coulter was *not* given a resounding welcome to the University of Ottawa. Protesters, estimated to be as many as 2000, prevented her from speaking, saying that her message of hate was not welcome there. Story here (http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/cp-article.aspx?cp-documentid=23714006).

While part of me is pretty much tickled at this, I have mixed feelings. Personally, in view of many of the things she's said in the past, I question whether she should have even been allowed into the country. We have strict anit-hate laws here. Phelps et al were banned from entering last year when they planned on "protesting" at the funeral of a victim of a violent crime. But where does free speech begin and end?

Personally I find Ann Coulter's "logic" so asinine I can't believe people actually listen to her, but that's another whole thread.


Free speech rights have such a thin line. I agree. Inciting hatred that leads to violence cannot be condoned, I believe. But, free speech has been the catalyst for so much good change historically in both your country and mine.

What I have a big problem with here in the US, is a mega-billionaire owning so much of cable news and other right-wing wealthy people controlling other media and using it as a propaganda pulpit for their views. And now in the US, the Supreme Court has given the wealthy corporations free rein with political contributions. This is not equal representation, nor is it free speech! Groups, individuals with opposing opinions that are not rich cannot reach the masses.


Coulter is an opportunistic, spoiled, rich, privileged white girl! Reminds me of Phyllis Schaffer (circa 1960's). To me, she is the rich, snotty, thin, blonde white girl with the BMW her father gave her for HS graduation riding off to an Ivy League university believing that is how everyone lives!!! And that this is her God given right. THAT is the basis of her internal logic! Just exercising my right to free speech... I’m glad the protestors shut her up!!!

[suebee]

Free speech rights have such a thin line. I agree. Inciting hatred that leads to violence cannot be condoned, I believe. But, free speech has been the catalyst for so much good change historically in both your country and mine.

What I have a big problem with here in the US, is a mega-billionaire owning so much of cable news and other right-wing wealthy people controlling other media and using it as a propaganda pulpit for their views. And now in the US, the Supreme Court has given the wealthy corporations free rein with political contributions. This is not equal representation, nor is it free speech! Groups, individuals with opposing opinions that are not rich cannot reach the masses.


Coulter is an opportunistic, spoiled, rich, privileged white girl! Reminds me of Phyllis Schaffer (circa 1960's). To me, she is the rich, snotty, thin, blonde white girl with the BMW her father gave her for HS graduation riding off to an Ivy League university believing that is how everyone lives!!! And that this is her God given right. THAT is the basis of her internal logic! Just exercising my right to free speech... I’m glad the protestors shut her up!!!

While I was eating lunch in a little diner I could see on their TV that Fox "News" was running this story pretty-much non-stop. I couldn't hear what was being said, but it's interesting they'd pick up on such a small incident in - Canada - of all places! :) The one thing I did hear was that Coulter was blaming the University Provost for inciting the students, as he had sent Coulter an email warning her that criminal prosecution is possible if she were to flaunt the anti-hate laws here. Ummmmm - I do believe it was Coulter herself who leaked that message to the media.......the self-serving, dull-witted........ Grrrrrrrrr!!!

[NJFemmie]

She did leak it to the media and she supposedly canceled the speech - not the University as the media is making it sound.

What's "funny" is ... when a person like this opens her mouth, those who disagree or oppose her thinking WISHES someone would shut her up - and in this case, someone did. Ironically - she did it, and now cries she was discriminated against.

WTF?!?!

This "woman" is a fucking basket case.

That's MY opinion, freedom of speech and all.

[suebee]

Her version of the truth, as per usual, is a little bit inflated. Here's CBC's evening article on the story (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/24/ottawa-ann-coulter-university.html).

[Hudson]

Ray Charles silenced her from beyond the grave, right here in America.

YouTube- Ray Charles interrupts Ann Coulter at Bridgeport Tea Party

[Linus]

Just... Wow.

I'm... Wow.

[Corkey]

Is there any doubt tea-baggers are racist? No didn't think so. Bunch of scum.

[Soon]

YouTube- Ann Coulter, Canada, & Vietnam

[evolveme]

YouTube- Ann Coulter, Canada, & Vietnam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmcZG87Fmxc)

This just made my fucking day, man.

[Cyclopea]

Ray Charles silenced her from beyond the grave, right here in America.

YouTube- Ray Charles interrupts Ann Coulter at Bridgeport Tea Party (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abg01gokXqY)

HAhahahahaha! Too funny!
Love me some first amendment...go Ray!

[suebee]

YouTube- Ann Coulter, Canada, & Vietnam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmcZG87Fmxc)

Yeah. She's a real intellectual. :sheep:

[SuperFemme]

Columnist calls it as she see's it.

YouTube- Ann Coulter Got What She Deserved?

[Corkey]

Who's the blond dumb-ass, and why does she think Canada wants our "free speech" ?

[SuperFemme]

Who's the blond dumb-ass, and why does she think Canada wants our "free speech" ?

I don't watch Faux News, dunno.

[Corkey]

I don't watch Faux News, dunno.

Me either, hence the ?? At lease I know it's faux news ty!

[Gemme]

YouTube- Ann Coulter, Canada, & Vietnam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmcZG87Fmxc)


I"ll get back to you on that. :blink:

[Soon]

YouTube- Ann Coulter To Muslim: Take A Camel

[Soon]

Coulter's Calgary Cry: 'Save the Good Canadians' (http://news.aol.ca/article/coulters-calgary-cry-save-the-good-canadians/789926/)

[EnderD_503]

With all the ranting on American news channels and by Coulter herself about freedom of speech, what they all failed to address was the right to protest. I am a firm believer in the right of the people to voice their discontent, whether it be with the government or with anything that occurs in their own nation, on their national soil, no matter their opinion. I don't actually have any qualms with people like Coulter publicly expressing their opinions (despite the fact that I don't agree with them), but the Canadian people have the right to protest against that opinion. What did she want to happen? The police to go in, in full riot gear, firing rubber bullets and tear gas into a crowd of 2,000 students? I'm afraid she's mistaken Canada for a police state. While police are present at protests, they generally don't start taking violent action against protesters unless the protesters do, and while they may have threatened violence, they didn't actually physically harm anyone.

That said, I'm not sure if I agree with what the protesters did or not, since I do believe that everyone should have the right to free speech no matter their opinion. Some liberals and left-wing types really do give themselves a bad name by acting just as fanatical as their right-wing counterparts. But it was good to see people take action in a country that is often apathetic. When I was a teenager (so not even a decade ago...hell barely half a decade lol) there were far more protests here in Canada, and in the last few years it's like people stopped caring unless it was about something that was happening in a foreign country. It's good to see Canadians stand up for something going on on their home turf...now if only we could drive Stephen Harper out of Canada the same way...Not surprising that Coulter was such a big hit in Calgary though. They've always been pretty ultra-conservative over there.

[Random]

I don't watch Faux News, dunno.

Hah!!! I knew it was Faux News and I didn't even have to see a logo...

*smirk*

[Allison W]

I don't blame Canada for not wanting our problems.

It is not intolerance to refuse to tolerate the intolerant. It's just self-defense.