UPDATED: Ann Coulter cancels her speech at UC Berkeley

[DonViejo]

Last edited Wed Apr 26, 2017, 01:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters


26 APR 2017 AT 12:53 ET

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has canceled her speech planned for this week at the University of California’s Berkeley campus after a dispute with university officials, who feared violent protests, over whether a safe venue could be found.

“There will be no speech,” she wrote in an email to Reuters on Wednesday, saying two conservative groups sponsoring her speech were no longer supporting her. “I looked over my shoulder and my allies had joined the other team,” she wrote.

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Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/ann-coulter-cancels-her-speech-at-uc-berkeley/

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UPDATE:

Ann Coulter speech at UC Berkeley canceled, again, amid fears for safety

By Susan Svrluga and William Wan April 26 at 1:23 PM

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter said Wednesday that her planned speech at the University of California at Berkeley this week was canceled amid mounting concerns about potentially violent protests.

Coulter said in an email that the Young America’s Foundation canceled her appearance scheduled for Thursday, ordering her not to go to the Berkeley campus. Coulter wrote that the university realized the group “wasn’t serious and dropped ongoing negotiations over a room,” she wrote. “Everyone who should be for free speech has turned tail and run.”

The university sent a message to the campus community Wednesday, in the midst of uncertainty over whether, or when, Coulter might come to campus. After the university originally canceled her speech for Thursday and instead invited her to speak there next week, Coulter had vowed to speak anyway; with the university not offering a venue, campus Republican groups had been discussing her possibly appearing on a public plaza, where security would have been challenging.

Though no arrangements could be worked out, Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks emphasized that the university has two nonnegotiable commitments, to free speech and to campus safety.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/04/26/ann-coulter-speech-canceled-at-uc-berkeley-amid-fears-for-safety/?pushid=5900d94505210a3c0000001d&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.2e238f718443

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Sad Ann had a sad.

E-I-E-I-O

[uppityperson]

2. Your allies aren't your allies?

[underpants]

3. So she became a victim of their victimfest

That's a lot of victimization

[lisby]

4. Boo hoo hoo hoo NT

[Sculpin Beauregard]

5. Good! And Ann, go fornicate yourself.

[George II]

22. Or as Sheldon Cooper might say, "have coitus with yourself"!

[nycbos]

6. This kind of thing is so counterproductive.

Last edited Wed Apr 26, 2017, 04:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Ann Coulter is a troll. She craves outrage and attention. She has gotten way more publicity by having her speech canceled than she would have gotten if she actually gave her speech.


The biggest was to say FU to someone like Coulter to completely ignore her. What if she gave a speech to an empty room. That would have been a powerful statement.

[FSogol]

8. +1, Exactly. n/t

[leftynyc]

12. +1000

[LisaM]

13. +100

She should have gone and just spouted off to a tiny crowd of losers, and, also, been given no media coverage whatever. That clearly was not what she wanted.

[LuckyLib]

31. Yes! In the world of folks and issues to protest

Coulter is a big zero.

Young people of Berkeley, focus your energy. Coulter should have gotten a "Meh."

[beam me up scottie]

37. Agreed.

[Archae]

7. "Ha ha!"

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. Who needs allies?

I thought Coulter was her own person.

Evidently not.

[kirene1957]

10. Ann Coulter cancels her speech at US Berkeley

GOOD! Based Stickboy as he calls himself will not have the opportunity to start more riots in order to make himself appear to be manly. No beating up on women this week fool!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. There's no more publicity to be had? Apparently she's milked it for all it's worth. NT

[YOHABLO]

14. Of all the right-wing guests they could have invited, why Ann Coulter. She's insane.

She just an attention whore.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. OFFS just saw the NYT breaking

Ann Coulter Says She Will Pull Out of Speech at Berkeley

By JEREMY W. PETERS APRIL 26, 2017

Ann Coulter said Wednesday that she is canceling her planned speech at the University of California, Berkeley, because she had lost the backing of conservative groups that had initially sponsored her appearance. Ms. Coulter, in a message to The New York Times, said, “It’s a sad day for free speech.”

Despite insisting that she would go to Berkeley regardless — even after the university said it could not accommodate her on the date and time it had initially scheduled her because of threats of violence — Ms. Coulter said she did not see how she could go forward. The school said she could speak only at a later date and an earlier time of day, when there were likely to be fewer students on campus and less of a likelihood for violent outbreaks.

Late on Tuesday, the conservative group that was helping Ms. Coulter in her legal efforts to force Berkeley to host her, Young America’s Foundation, said it could no longer participate. “Young America’s Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students,” the group said.

Without any support, Ms. Coulter said, she was left with little choice. “Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away,” she said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/26/us/ann-coulter-berkeley-speech.html

She was able to extend her reality show drama for almost a week in the news cycle.

[ProudLib72]

17. Now there's an idea

She could speak at 4am.

The school said she could speak only at a later date and an earlier time of day, when there were likely to be fewer students on campus and less of a likelihood for violent outbreaks.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Or between 3 am - 4 am

I have found that is about the quietest time of day!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. They could schedule her for March 11, 2018 at 2:00 am.

Talk not to exceed one hour.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. And reserved tickets only.

[mreilly]

24. "Ann Coulter Says She Will Pull Out..."

It's too bad Ann's father didn't pull out of Ann's mother before conception occurred! Assuming she was fathered at all and didn't merely pop out of toxic nuclear sludge.

[George II]

16. .

[asiliveandbreathe]

21. I love how they spinnnnn' - she probably was told she would have to pay for

security....can't do that...hey Berkeley - what do mean I have to pay for security? - or damage?..hmmm

[Kber]

23. Ugh - this free speech argument bugs me!

The first amendment provides that the government will not punish people for their speech. That's it.

That said - neither you nor I, nor Ann has the *right* to a platform, microphone or audience.

She had no *Right* to sponsors, listeners, or advertisers.

She has no *right* to an invitation to address students at Berkeley or any other private institution.

Losing a radio show or having students convince organizers to cancel a speech isn't censorship - it's the consequence of the free market of ideas and she lost.

When she gets arrested or the state of California tries to shut her down, let me know.

Until then, someone get this snowflake back into the freezer.

[mr_liberal]

27. Berkley gets public funds though which means they are in a way a part of the government.

Last edited Wed Apr 26, 2017, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

I think she probably would have a case in court. Also it was because of threats of violence not because students did "convincing".

EDIT: It wouldn't matter if it was just convincing anyhow,

if the policy of the school is to allow student groups to invite speakers then all groups and speakers have to be treated equally, so they actually do have to provide a platform or it is a violation of the 1st Amendment.

[Lanius]

34. But is hate speech protected by the First Amendment, and does Coulter engage in hate speech?

I mean, some think hate speech violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

[hardluck]

35. Short answer is

yes, "hate speech" is protected speech under the First Amendment. If the Westboro Baptist Church can engage in its offensive protests, Coulter's speech is certainly protected speech as well.

[Lanius]

36. I don't know about that. Reading more about it, there might be a case to be made that certain forms

of hate speech are not protected and might violate another person's rights. Also, speech that causes violence, breach of peace or discrimination are not protected.

In actuality, I have no problem with Coulter talking anywhere she wants to talk. UC Berkley is a public institution, and public universities are considered "limited public forums." So, UC Berkley should let anyone speak, as long as their speech doesn't incite violence.

As a public university, UC Berkley can determine when and where she can speak, so they can give her a venue when, basically, no one is on campus, and that would be legal. I'm sure there are other rules and restrictions a public university can impose, but I'm not privy to them.

[Dr. Strange]

40. Yes, hate speech is protected.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/04/21/no-gov-dean-there-is-no-hate-speech-exception-to-the-first-amendment

[Paladin]

25. Bill Maher will probably have her on as a guest this Friday.

To let her spew about all the meanies at Berkeley; then Maher can deliver yet another "Why Liberals Suck" scolding. As always, Coulter is a waste of space and oxygen.

[Thinkingabout]

26. Good news, Coulter speaks without thinking, she incites those who are weak to think and work like

she does. Her plan is wrong.

[elmac]

28. Darn! all that wisdom going to waste

[bucolic_frolic]

29. If your speech or presence is so spontaneously disruptive

maybe it's best you don't say it because maybe you haven't got anything good to say?

[Nitram]

30. Ha! I doubt she had the balls to speak in a public space

[joeybee12]

32. She's made playing the victim an art form..nt

[rockfordfile]

33. Well she's just doing that to incite violence

I notice some of the un-American far right extremist are coming from outside the state.

[riversedge]

38. good to hear. I feared someone would get hurt or worse.

[GreydeeThos]

39. Let Coulter put a pod-cast on the internet

With the right wingers poised to counter protest, Berkeley is queued up for an ugly event. There is no sane reason for Coulter to perform the equivalent of shouting [font size =5] FIRE! [/font] in a crowded theater.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

41. Just breaks my heart