Berkeley Cancels Ann Coulter Speech Over Safety Fears

[eieio 1,594]

Another "outstanding" professor attending an event. 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2017 by eieio

[OriZ 3,165]

7 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

i wouldn't pay thousands of dollars to listen to either of them speak. but if i had to choose between the two, a former president of iran over a cultural fart noise? i think a former president has more to offer, no matter the level of whackadoodle. see our current president, cray cray.

A former president who is responsible for many deaths. Last I checked Coulter didn't murder anyone. Again goes back to the discussion of do we stop people from speaking merely for their views or for their actions? Even still, I think he should have been allowed to speak, but only as long as they let the other side speak as well. That way people can decide for themselves which whackadoodle they prefer to align themselves with. But if you don't let one speak you shouldn't let the other.

 

As far as what he has to offer, again and I quote this time:

 

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday challenged a university audience to look into "who was truly involved" in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, defended his right to question established Holocaust history and denied there were gay Iranians.

 

When pressed about the harsh treatment of women, homosexuals and academics who challenge Iran's government, Ahmadinejad painted a rosy picture, saying, "Women in Iran enjoy the highest levels of freedom," he said.

He elicited laughter and boos from the audience at Columbia University when he said, "In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country."

His remarks, which lasted about an hour, made several general references to God, religion and science. He portrayed himself as an academic, misunderstood and unfairly criticized in the United States.

 

Refusing to back off of his stance on Israel, Ahmadinejad again questioned whether the Holocaust happened.

"If the Holocaust is a reality of our time, a history that occurred, why is there not sufficient research that can approach the topic from different perspectives?" he asked.

 

What a clown. Personally I'd rather listen to Coulter speak. 

[smilesammich 10,727]

8 minutes ago, OriZ said:

A former president who is responsible for many deaths.

find me one who isn't.

[OriZ 3,165]

17 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

find me one who isn't.

We weren't comparing him to other presidents(although I'd say it's a safe bet he's worse than most), we were comparing him to her. The amounts of attempts at spins I see on this forum daily is just crazy. Mind you there's very little common ground I can find with either of them, but like you said if you had to choose...well I would choose her. If I did go to listen to him speak it would only be so I can laugh in his face every time he opens his mouth.

Edited April 21, 2017 by OriZ

[smilesammich 10,727]

1 minute ago, OriZ said:

We weren't comparing him to other presidents(although I'd say it's a safe bet he's worse than most), we were comparing him to her. The amounts of attempts at spins I see on this forum daily is just crazy. Mind you there's very little common ground I can find with either of them, but like you said if you had to choose...well I would choose her. If I did go to listen to him speak it would only be so I can laugh in his face every time he opens his mouth.

yes, i know what we were comparing. that's why i said i'd rather a former president than a cultural fart noise. i'm not trying to change your mind, just stating my choice - same as you.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

53 minutes ago, eieio said:

The point is Berkeley receives millions of taxpayer dollars.  The previous riot by the "left" caused 100,000 dollars in damage….that also gets paid by taxpayers. This was a result of Berkley's policy of telling the police to stand down and just let the rioters do what they want.

 

 

Yeah but millions of dollars on nuke search, defense research, looking for a cancer cure, building the next gen networks..and then maybe a speaker series.

[Dashinka 25,843]

2 hours ago, ccneat said:

Who used the term worthy? I thought the issue was public safety.

So the question is why does a conservative speaker require the big security bill, but a socialist speaker does not (at least on a college campus)?  Are the members of the MDL much less tolerant?

[Dashinka 25,843]

2 hours ago, smilesammich said:

a great majority of voters supported bernie sanders and democratic socialism. either kids go to school to be indoctrinated or they go to school to be exposed to a host of ideas and think for themselves. which is it? probably up to the individual student but MDL, sure why not.

So you contention is that indoctrination does or could not occur on a college campus?  I think when students are exposed to only one view point it is certainly possible.

[smilesammich 10,727]

1 minute ago, Bill & Katya said:

So you contention is that indoctrination does or could not occur on a college campus?  I think when students are exposed to only one view point it is certainly possible.

my contention is that some young adults are more susceptible to indoctrination during the college experience than others. i do not subscribe to the idea that "liberal" colleges are corrupting youth via indoctrination. i also don't subscribe to the idea that coulter is a proper voice of the conservative platform. but i'm not a conservative, so if the right says she's creme de la creme mouthpiece of the conservative ideal, news to me. she's always been a joke in my book.

[IAMX 3,055]

3 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

So the question is why does a conservative speaker require the big security bill, but a socialist speaker does not (at least on a college campus)?  Are the members of the MDL much less tolerant?

Huge understatement. 

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

6 hours ago, ccneat said:

What does that mean in this context? 

Something that is cited in a lot of articles is that to many UC Berkeley is known to many as the birthplace of the free speech movement. What's happening now is that it is going backwards and rioting against free speech, clearly these students are being misguided. So if professors and others educate in this manner then California should pick up the bill for the rioting damage.

 

I don't have to like what a person says but that free speech is protected. Milo maybe a bit off the scale and I may not like what he says, It still doesn't give me the right to wreck the place, and seriously why even bother to threaten more riots because Ann Coulter is coming to speak. 

 

Berkeley has lot the plot, is this what a great education teaches you? 

[IAMX 3,055]

12 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

Something that is cited in a lot of articles is that to many UC Berkeley is known to many as the birthplace of the free speech movement. What's happening now is that it is going backwards and rioting against free speech, clearly these students are being misguided. So if professors and others educate in this manner then California should pick up the bill for the rioting damage.

 

I don't have to like what a person says but that free speech is protected. Milo maybe a bit off the scale and I may not like what he says, It still doesn't give me the right to wreck the place, and seriously why even bother to threaten more riots because Ann Coulter is coming to speak. 

 

Berkeley has lot the plot, is this what a great education teaches you? 

Well said. 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

4 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

Something that is cited in a lot of articles is that to many UC Berkeley is known to many as the birthplace of the free speech movement. What's happening now is that it is going backwards and rioting against free speech, clearly these students are being misguided. So if professors and others educate in this manner then California should pick up the bill for the rioting damage.

 

I don't have to like what a person says but that free speech is protected. Milo maybe a bit off the scale and I may not like what he says, It still doesn't give me the right to wreck the place, and seriously why even bother to threaten more riots because Ann Coulter is coming to speak. 

 

Berkeley has lot the plot, is this what a great education teaches you? 

In these discussions I see something interesting that gets conflated from my perspective: 

1. University of California Berkeley a massive institution spanning multiple states, with budgets larger than some nations 
2. The City of Berkeley that bears the brunt of of the cost for riot control , first response and damage 
3. Folks protesting on campus
4. Folks protesting in the city of Berkely 
5. Folks who are associated with the University who are acting out
6. Folks who come from surrounding areas who are acting out who are associated with Right Wing, Left Wing, Anachist and general nut case groups
7. The sponsored speakers series for the University that rarely has politics as a topic and never has a partisan view that I can see
8. The variety of other speakers that come on to speak that are sponsored by clubs that the University does not really control but has accountability if they are on campus

# 6 and # 8 are the problem  in my perspective.  Possible Solution: Let those speakers like Milo go reserve a hotel ballroom off campus...why bring trouble on campus?

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

16 minutes ago, Mr&Mrs G. said:

 . So if professors and others educate in this manner then California should pick up the bill for the rioting damage.

 

 

What we saw last week did not point to Berkeley professors as the source of the problem.  The protesters appeared to be mostly  from all over Central Cal

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

4 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

So the question is why does a conservative speaker require the big security bill, but a socialist speaker does not (at least on a college campus)?  Are the members of the MDL much less tolerant?

I dont think that should be the case..all groups should be treated with the same set of rules.  Absurd example:  If proponents of the MLB designated hitter rule met at NYU and passionate fans ripped apart the venue and each other, do you think that U CAL should look a little critically at the track record of bringing that group on campus?