Bill Maher Slams Berkeley for Canceling Ann Coulter Speech: ‘Liberals’ Version of Book Burning’

[LeftofLeft]

It's pretty sad that liberals are so insecure that they can't even allow dissenting opinions to be voiced.

If conservative policies and opinions are so terrible, why not let them be heard and then exposed for how terrible they are?

Ahmadinejad is allowed to speak at Columbia...Coulter isn't allowed to speak at Berkeley.

Seems reasonable.

Ahmadinejad has a shared spirit with many at Columbia who hate US as much as he does......not to also mention the self-hating atheist Jews who hate Israel as much as he does.

 

[ColonelAngus]

It's pretty sad that liberals are so insecure that they can't even allow dissenting opinions to be voiced.

If conservative policies and opinions are so terrible, why not let them be heard and then exposed for how terrible they are?

Ahmadinejad is allowed to speak at Columbia...Coulter isn't allowed to speak at Berkeley.

Seems reasonable.

Ahmadinejad has a shared spirit with many at Columbia who hate US as much as he does......not to also mention the self-hating atheist Jews who hate Israel as much as he does.

He is a holocaust denier and delivers hate speech. There seems to be a double standard on hate speech.

I guess it all depends on your perspective on what defines hate speech.

I have no problem with Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia, and I have no problem with Coulter speaking at Berkeley.

It's great to let racists like Ahmadinejad speak his nonsense so that everyone on earth knows what Iran is all about.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

He's just saying that because he banged Ann in the past.

That's gotta be the weirdest damn friendship in all of history.

About the OP, I agree that RWNJs should be allowed to speak at colleges and universities but what in the hell would someone like coulter have to say that's listening to?

And, don't anyone hold their breathe waiting for any of the RWNJ fundie indoctrination centers they have the nerve to call colleges and universities invite a liberal, progressive, educated human being to speak.


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[ptbw forever]

Bill Maher is a clown and always will be. Freedom of speech doesn't apply to private places and institutions. People have a right to allow or deny someone the forum to speak.

A Christian university wouldn't have someone like Sam Harris speaking or someone like Bill Maher.

Berkeley is a liberal university. Ann Coulter has said lots of shady and bigoted things in the past. They have a right to deny her.

Majority of Berkeley students don't even want to see her.

Berkeley is a PUBLIC university....

 

[bripat9643]

That's where you're wrong. Those school receive government monies so by extension they represent the government. When they invite someone to speak, then prevent that speech they are violating the First Amendment. They are PUBLIC institutions.

Not really. The government is contracting them for a service... that service being to provide education for students or conduct research. That does not require them to provide a forum for anyone...

The government does not "contract" with Berkeley. The government of California owns Berkeley. It also runs Berkeley. As an arm of the government, Berkeley is required to follow certain laws, like not discriminating against people because of their political opinions.

Furthermore, most government contractors are required to follow all the regulations that government agencies must follow regarding civil rights

 

[bripat9643]

That's where you're wrong. Those school receive government monies so by extension they represent the government. When they invite someone to speak, then prevent that speech they are violating the First Amendment. They are PUBLIC institutions.

Not really. The government is contracting them for a service... that service being to provide education for students or conduct research. That does not require them to provide a forum for anyone...

If a student group invites a guest to speak and the school agrees to the contract the school and the speaker, they are contractually obliged to provide a forum. Which is what was done between Berkley and Ann Coulter. They are also obliged to provide adequate security for said forum. Berkley is in breach of contract if they later refuse her a forum.

Berkley, itself, is not in violation of the First Amendment unless they are trying to stifle Ann and prevent their students from hearing her speak, which doesn't appear to be the case. Berkley tried to arbitrarily set another date for her to speak, but they scheduled it when nobody was in school (sound kind of fishy to me).

The next question would be: Is Berkley's refusal to supply adequate security for Ann come from not wanting her to speak, or fear and cowardice in the face of Fascists/Anarchists threats of violence?

(Yes, I've altered my opinion on this issue.)

You must be fucking joking. Of course Berkeley is trying to stifle Coulter. Only a complete moron would deny it.

 

[LeftofLeft]

It's pretty sad that liberals are so insecure that they can't even allow dissenting opinions to be voiced.

If conservative policies and opinions are so terrible, why not let them be heard and then exposed for how terrible they are?

Ahmadinejad is allowed to speak at Columbia...Coulter isn't allowed to speak at Berkeley.

Seems reasonable.

Ahmadinejad has a shared spirit with many at Columbia who hate US as much as he does......not to also mention the self-hating atheist Jews who hate Israel as much as he does.

He is a holocaust denier and delivers hate speech. There seems to be a double standard on hate speech.

I guess it all depends on your perspective on what defines hate speech.

I have no problem with Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia, and I have no problem with Coulter speaking at Berkeley.

It's great to let racists like Ahmadinejad speak his nonsense so that everyone on earth knows what Iran is all about.

As the Left if Ahmadinejad delivers hate speech based on their definition of hate speech.

 

[JoeB131]

If a student group invites a guest to speak and the school agrees to the contract the school and the speaker, they are contractually obliged to provide a forum.

No, they aren't. In fact, quite the contrary, the university has every right to refuse to give a student group permission to host a group.

 

[Mac1958]

He is a holocaust denier and delivers hate speech. There seems to be a double standard on hate speech. I guess it all depends on your perspective on what defines hate speech. I have no problem with Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia, and I have no problem with Coulter speaking at Berkeley. It's great to let racists like Ahmadinejad speak his nonsense so that everyone on earth knows what Iran is all about.

Bravo, there it is. That's the beauty of open speech.

It's just a shame so many people can't see that. Or won't.
.

 

[NYcarbineer]

That's where you're wrong. Those school receive government monies so by extension they represent the government. When they invite someone to speak, then prevent that speech they are violating the First Amendment. They are PUBLIC institutions.

Not really. The government is contracting them for a service... that service being to provide education for students or conduct research. That does not require them to provide a forum for anyone...

If a student group invites a guest to speak and the school agrees to the contract the school and the speaker, they are contractually obliged to provide a forum. Which is what was done between Berkley and Ann Coulter. They are also obliged to provide adequate security for said forum. Berkley is in breach of contract if they later refuse her a forum.

Berkley, itself, is not in violation of the First Amendment unless they are trying to stifle Ann and prevent their students from hearing her speak, which doesn't appear to be the case. Berkley tried to arbitrarily set another date for her to speak, but they scheduled it when nobody was in school (sound kind of fishy to me).

The next question would be: Is Berkley's refusal to supply adequate security for Ann come from not wanting her to speak, or fear and cowardice in the face of Fascists/Anarchists threats of violence?

(Yes, I've altered my opinion on this issue.)

You must be fucking joking. Of course Berkeley is trying to stifle Coulter. Only a complete moron would deny it.

Coulter's books are in the Berkeley library. Coulter has a website that any Berkeley student can read. Coulter is regularly on tv shows that any Berkeley student can watch.

 

[JoeB131]

Bravo, there it is. That's the beauty of open speech.

It's just a shame so many people can't see that. Or won't.

Guy, you can cheer the Nazis all day... but they are still Nazis.

 

[NYcarbineer]

It's pretty sad that liberals are so insecure that they can't even allow dissenting opinions to be voiced.

If conservative policies and opinions are so terrible, why not let them be heard and then exposed for how terrible they are?

Ahmadinejad is allowed to speak at Columbia...Coulter isn't allowed to speak at Berkeley.

Seems reasonable.

Ahmadinejad has a shared spirit with many at Columbia who hate US as much as he does......not to also mention the self-hating atheist Jews who hate Israel as much as he does.

He is a holocaust denier and delivers hate speech. There seems to be a double standard on hate speech.

I guess it all depends on your perspective on what defines hate speech.

I have no problem with Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia, and I have no problem with Coulter speaking at Berkeley.

It's great to let racists like Ahmadinejad speak his nonsense so that everyone on earth knows what Iran is all about.

Conservative outrage and opposition over Ahmadinejad's appearance was rampant at the time. You're entitled to be an exception,

as long as everyone understands you're an exception.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Bravo, there it is. That's the beauty of open speech.

It's just a shame so many people can't see that. Or won't.

Guy, you can cheer the Nazis all day... but they are still Nazis.

At least the Ahmadinejad - Coulter analogy was apt.

 

[NYcarbineer]

I think we can figure out what Mac's position would have been had he been around during the Montgomery Alabama bus boycotts.

lol

 

[JoeB131]

Conservative outrage and opposition over Ahmadinejad's appearance was rampant at the time. You're entitled to be an exception,

as long as everyone understands you're an exception.

And whether you like it or not, Ahmadinejad was a head of state. So whether you liked his views or not, they were important to hear them, as he represented the views of a country that elected him.

Not that most Americans understand that we created him...

Coulter, on the other hand, is nothing. She's a loudmouth who makes money saying dumb t hings to other assholes.

 

[JoeB131]

Bravo, there it is. That's the beauty of open speech.

It's just a shame so many people can't see that. Or won't.

Guy, you can cheer the Nazis all day... but they are still Nazis.

At least the Ahmadinejad - Coulter analogy was apt.

I don't think it was... for reasons I stated in the last post.

 

[Correll]

I don't like Mahr, but I give him credit for this one:

“Berkeley used to be the cradle of free speech, and now it’s just the cradle for f—ing babies,” Maher said. “I feel like this goes on all over the country on campuses — they invite somebody to speak that’s not exactly what liberals want to hear and they want to shut her down. I feel like this is the liberals’ version of book burning. And it’s got to stop.”

Bill Maher Slams Berkeley for Canceling Ann Coulter Speech: ‘Liberals’ Version of Book Burning’

Kudos to Bill Maher for being in favor of Civil Rights.

Actually in favor of real Civil RIghts, not just using the words as props for some rhetorical tactic.

 

[Correll]

Strange comment. I've noticed you have a lot of homosexual fantasies. Might want to get that looked at.

so you think homosexuality is a mental disease that requires treatment? telling...

Interesting how they use homosexuality as a thinly-veiled insult.
.

I point this out to lefties all the time.

No matter HOW much I rub their face in their hypocrisy, they can't or won't admit to seeing it.


A buddy of mine has coined the phrase "Hypercrisy" to describe it.

 

[Correll]

He's just saying that because he banged Ann in the past.

That's gotta be the weirdest damn friendship in all of history.

About the OP, I agree that RWNJs should be allowed to speak at colleges and universities but what in the hell would someone like coulter have to say that's listening to?

And, don't anyone hold their breathe waiting for any of the RWNJ fundie indoctrination centers they have the nerve to call colleges and universities invite a liberal, progressive, educated human being to speak.


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It is sad that you consider their friendship odd.

I have many liberal friends.

 

[usmbguest5318]

The first Amendment gives everyone the right to say what they want. It does not promise them a forum.

This ^^. It's amazing how many people struggle with that not very subtle distinction, but struggle they do.