Canadian Civil Libertarians Defend Coulter

[Ramirez]

Ahh...much clearer....thanks



(Sorry this is going to sound wicked ignorant) Do you folks have a legal/chartered right to free speech? Or were you saying so in reference to an overall freedom?

Sorry for the questions...I'm finding the conversation interesting and just want to be clear that I'm not interpreting something the wrong way.

We have a charter of rights and freedoms , not sure how free speech is addressed in it though.

 

[Ramirez]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectio..._of_Rights_and_Freedoms#Freedom_of_expression

 

[Ken Morgan]

Is your friend Ezra Levant Ken? I have to ask why your friend would think it would serve any useful purpose to bring Coulter to Canada?

Nope! Someone else!

Folks think of something. You can hire anyone to speak for any event.
I think Ann is 10K a pop. Pay her fee, sell 800 tickets @ 25? 50? $75 dollars, rent a hall, hire security, advertise, and you make a good bit of coin.

This has very little to do with politics and much to do with making $$. I've seen many famous people speak, everyone of them were paid good money to do it. I've organised events and paid speakers, its all very easy to do. Do it right, and you can end up with a years salary in your pocket. do it wrong and you can lose your shirt.

There was a great deal of money spent organising this event, someone owes the organisers a good bit of coin. If I'm the organiser I'm making a phone call to the University, to the city, to the studnets and to my lawyer. I want my expenses covered.

 

[SensibleManiac]

i would deny her right? I didnt say ban her. I just wouldnt spread out my arms and wrap her in a hug.

Not even a bear hug? :uhyeah:

 

[Scott T]

...which is funded by the Province of Ontario, the employees of the University of Ottawa are Provincial employees, btw.

But..either way, I never intended to mean it was Ottawa the seat of government that shut her out, I was referring to the city/uni itself.

Oops.

 

[Blade96]

Fair enough. Sounded like you were saying the opposite, my bad.

*laughs* Oh no! Dont mean that. Wouldnt ban her. What I think is, Ok, let her talk. but considering what she believes in and she really aint here for anything good dont like...Oh I dont know. Fix her a turkey dinner or something while she's here. or take her home and bake her a sweet potato pie. let her come let her talk but dont go overboard with the welcome....like wrap her in a hug :uhyeah:

Not even a bear hug? :uhyeah:

maybe if a bear was doing the hugging....Kidding!

 

[Ramirez]

Nope! Someone else!

Folks think of something. You can hire anyone to speak for any event.
I think Ann is 10K a pop. Pay her fee, sell 800 tickets @ 25? 50? $75 dollars, rent a hall, hire security, advertise, and you make a good bit of coin.

This has very little to do with politics and much to do with making $$. I've seen many famous people speak, everyone of them were paid good money to do it. I've organised events and paid speakers, its all very easy to do. Do it right, and you can end up with a years salary in your pocket. do it wrong and you can lose your shirt.

There was a great deal of money spent organising this event, someone owes the organisers a good bit of coin. If I'm the organiser I'm making a phone call to the University, to the city, to the studnets and to my lawyer. I want my expenses covered.

All this over a frickin concert tour? Tell your buddy to book Deep Purple instead next time!

 

[Ken Morgan]

All this over a frickin concert tour? Tell your buddy to book Deep Purple instead next time!

Dude she's a stunner, she can book whomever she wants....

 

[Ramirez]

Dude she's a stunner, she can book whomever she wants....

The digital age demands pictures.

 

[Ken Morgan]

The digital age demands pictures.

If you know where to look, they're all over the net....

 

[Andrew Green]

Ahh...much clearer....thanks



(Sorry this is going to sound wicked ignorant) Do you folks have a legal/chartered right to free speech? Or were you saying so in reference to an overall freedom?

Sorry for the questions...I'm finding the conversation interesting and just want to be clear that I'm not interpreting something the wrong way.

It falls under "Freedom of Expression", but hate-speech is not covered or protected, and in some cases (ex advocating genocide) can be considered criminal.

Inciting hatred or advocating violence against a group of people is not protected speech and is a criminal offense. However I suspect it is a rather hard thing to get yourself charged with under ordinary circumstances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech_laws_in_Canada

 

[Ramirez]

If you know where to look, they're all over the net....

huh? PM me.

 

[Phoenix44]

As I understand it, Coulter was specifically told that hate speech is illegal in Ottawa, and that she could be arrested for hate speech--not for her conservative views. There's a big difference.

But it's the CCLA who are the liberals. I can't stand Coulter myself, but I defend her right to express her imbecilic ideas. The ACLU defended Rush Limbaugh's right to privacy, too.

 

[Scott T]

While the Canada's Charter doesn't have a freedom of speech clause, it does guarantee your freedom of expression.

Coulter and her ilk can express whatever views they wish, they just have to be a little more circumspect as to how they go about it.

 

[CoryKS]

As I understand it, Coulter was specifically told that hate speech is illegal in Ottawa, and that she could be arrested for hate speech--not for her conservative views. There's a big difference.

But it's the CCLA who are the liberals. I can't stand Coulter myself, but I defend her right to express her imbecilic ideas. The ACLU defended Rush Limbaugh's right to privacy, too.

That's precisely the problem with hate speech laws - all the controlling party has to do to suppress dissent is to declare certain viewpoints to be hate speech.

 

[Andrew Green]

That's precisely the problem with hate speech laws - all the controlling party has to do to suppress dissent is to declare certain viewpoints to be hate speech.

Hate speech laws are rather hard to really breach. Holding a racist view is not going to trigger any legal action, but trying to recruit others and encourage violence against a group might get you in trouble.

So you should be ok with saying "Elbonians are pigs", but putting out fliers on the best ways to beat or kill a Elbonian, that might get you a visit.

To be honest, I'm rather ok with the fact that someone that promotes genocide isn't legally protected.

 

[Phoenix44]

That's precisely the problem with hate speech laws - all the controlling party has to do to suppress dissent is to declare certain viewpoints to be hate speech.

I disagree.

Saying you're against same sex marriage is a viewpoint. Calling John Edwards a "F@&&0T" as Anne Coulter did, is hate speech.

Disagreeing with the Israeli policy of building new settlements in disputed territory is expressing your viewpoint. Saying that Jews "need to be perfected," as Coulter did, is hate speech.

Saying you want airport security to profile young Muslim-appearing males is a viewpoint. Telling a Muslim woman she should "take a camel" instead of flying, as Coulter did, is hate speech.

Hate speech is usually defined as speech that specifically disparages a person or group based on some characteristic such as religion, race, gender or sexual orientation. It's not at all the same as dissent.

 

[CoryKS]

I disagree.

Saying you're against same sex marriage is a viewpoint. Calling John Edwards a "F@&&0T" as Anne Coulter did, is hate speech.

Disagreeing with the Israeli policy of building new settlements in disputed territory is expressing your viewpoint. Saying that Jews "need to be perfected," as Coulter did, is hate speech.

Saying you want airport security to profile young Muslim-appearing males is a viewpoint. Telling a Muslim woman she should "take a camel" instead of flying, as Coulter did, is hate speech.

Hate speech is usually defined as speech that specifically disparages a person or group based on some characteristic such as religion, race, gender or sexual orientation. It's not at all the same as dissent.

Well, if calling John Edwards a ****** is hate speech, then I would also want all those witty freethinkers who called our last president "Chimpy McBushitler" rounded up too. Somehow, I doubt it would work both ways. That, again, is the problem.

 

[Scott T]

Well, if calling John Edwards a ****** is hate speech, then I would also want all those witty freethinkers who called our last president "Chimpy McBushitler" rounded up too. Somehow, I doubt it would work both ways. That, again, is the problem.

Calling the Shrub "Chimpy McBushitler" (btw, I like that. Can I use it?)wouldn't be hate speech anymore than you calling me an @$$hole would be, however openly calling for his assassination would definately have some hate-speech laws violated.

 

[Blade96]

so what was her speech like and what did she say in it? anyone know?