Canadian University Students to Ann Coulter

[Rob King]

STFU and GTFO!

I've been having some interesting facebook conversations surrounding this.

There was some disagreement whether she should have been let into the country a few days ago.

Then there was disagreement about whether the University was right to remind her of hate speech laws in Canada, and request that she stay respectful and exercise discretion with regards to what she says.

Now, there's the conversation about whether protesters forcing the cancellation of her talk bodes ill for free speech in Canada.

Thoughts?

 

[sixpackshaker]

What a screwed up article. I mentions threats of violence form dangerous Canadians. With out any evidence that there were any threats.

I am shocked from time to time, that she can still get airtime on American TV.

 

[Cajungal]

It doesn't bode ill for the protesters' free speech, anyway.

Really, though, I might have more to say, or I might care more, if I thought that this woman had a scrap of wisdom to offer. Seems like the majority won in this situation. Most people didn't want her there. The minority who demanded her and cried "shame" on the protesters didn't get their way, and I guess that sucks for them.

 

[Rob King]

Well, a friend-of-a-friend from the US had a bit to say via Facebook on the matter. He was of the opinion that this was a violation of free speech. Well, he was of that opinion a few days ago, before her talk was even canceled, because people had asserted that she shouldn't have been 'allowed' to give that talk. I think he referred to the debate that went on in the House of Commons about how she should have been barred from entering the country.

All of this, he argued, if they weren't violations of free speech, they were toeing the line.

Now, I don't know very much about these sorts of situations in the 'States, except that it seems like networks just give out microphones and film crews to morons all the time. But there has to have been an instance in your country where some 'undesirable' intellectual, or speaker, or political figure was barred from entering the country.

 

[Troll]

But there has to have been an instance in your country where some 'undesirable' intellectual, or speaker, or political figure was barred from entering the country.

Not that I'm aware of. The government takes freedom of speech seriously here. The people aren't always so strict about allowing unpopular opinions to be heard, but the government is. The only thing I could think of that would bar a political figure from coming here would be if they were convicted or suspected of terrorism, violent crime, etc. And even then I can't think of an example.

 

[Frank]

Not that I have a problem with people protesting the smug ****, the charter of rights and freedoms only protects free speech until the point it becomes hate speech or can incite harm to a person or group of people. Canadian free speech is different than American free speech.

 

[Rob King]

If I understand it right, I like Canadian free speech better.

 

[Troll]

If I understand it right, I like Canadian free speech better.

They both have their own pros and cons.

 

[SpecialKO]

If she had been physically, or legally, prevented from appearing and speaking, it would be a violation of free speech, IMHO.

But if there was no violence, or indications of violence, as the article seems to indicate, the whole "she was threatened" argument is bullshit.

Any university is perfectly within their rights to remind any guest speaker of local circumstances and laws, or express displeasure at a viewpoint. That's not forcing anyone or constraining anyone.

Until someone can make a credible claim to her being prevented from expressing her point of view besides her organizers being butt-hurt that Canadians don't like her, it's just more anti-intellectual crap like usual.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

There was some disagreement whether she should have been let into the country a few days ago.

That whole thing in Parliament wasn't even about her, Coulter was just the excuse for crticizing the government for the previous time someone political-ish was barred from entry. Did you bring up that point in your facebook conversations?

Then there was disagreement about whether the University was right to remind her of hate speech laws in Canada, and request that she stay respectful and exercise discretion with regards to what she says.

I sure as hell hope that when I visit another country someone advises me on pertinent laws that might affect me. I'll make my own decisions after that, but it's nice to know what I'm getting into.

Now, there's the conversation about whether protesters forcing the cancellation of her talk bodes ill for free speech in Canada.

Yeah. I'm not terribly concerned that an American isn't able to speak at a university. If she gets arrested for it or disappeared, then I suppose I might care. If she wasn't American.