So achingly predicable. The media coverage of Ann Coulter seems to have concentrated on two things – that she’s paid $10,000 a speech and that she offended a young Muslim student. First the money. Al Gore is paid $200,000 a speech and demands that all questions are vetted by his people. Coulter takes all questions. Numerous Canadian liberal speakers charge far more than $10,000 and – important this – do so on the mainstream college circuit and are thus paid by your tax dollars. Coulter doesn’t condemn money and capitalism but many of the highest paid speakers do – while taking the cash quicker than you can say hypocrisy.
As for the young Muslim woman who has become the new poster girl for outraged Islam, her comment that Coulter, “stabbed her through the heart” with her opinions is a little odd. The people who actually stab you are those Muslims who throw acid in women’s faces if they do not cover their heads, who deny them basic healthcare and education, who forcibly circumcise them, who make them walk behind men and cover themselves, who murder their daughters if they date non-Muslims, who blow up aircraft and schools, who decapitate young Christian Indonesian girls on the way to class. Nice, though, that we haven’t lost perspective.
I’d like to ask that young woman in the hijab how she felt about Israel Apartheid week held just a few days ago at her university, which made some Jewish kids physically frightened to identify themselves on campus . I could be wrong but methinks it might not have “stabbed her through the heart.”
The young Muslim student was outraged? At least she has some recourse. She can complain to her student union. She can write letters into her student newspaper. She can have a keg party and complain to her campus friends.
I am sure she will find all kinds of support.
I attended Queen’s University from 1989 to 1993 and remember explicitly one incident where a prof said if only Hitler had done to Catholics what he did to the Jews the world would be a better place. The whole class, with the exception of myself and one obviously Italian Catholic girl, skulked down into our seats.
Of course we did not have any recourse because such comments were common at Queen’s at the time (and I suspect still are). To complain would be to “out” yourself and get you nowhere…fast.
Perhaps for one night, these progressive students are getting a taste of their own medicine. They should not worry. Today I am sure all is back to normal on their oh so “tolerant” campus.
“The whole class roared with laughter, with the exception of myself and one obviously Italian Catholic girl, who skulked down into our seats. ”
What I meant to write. Oh how I hate leaving comments too quickly.
Interesting, Fatimah isn’t the innocent darling she is projected to be.
She has suddenly lost interest in a Facebook group she was proudly a member of… till exposed to the light of day.
http://www.angilbertpress.com/2010/03/fatima-al-dhaher/comment-page-1/#comment-741
Nicol D:
You always have a recourse to your actions, you and your fellow classmates were just too cowardly to pursue it. At least this woman had the courage of her convictions to stand up in a crowd and say what she thought. You could have done that as well in the lecture hall but chose not to in order to protect your grade. What else are you willing to fall for?
Besides if Ms. Coulter has the right to say some of things she says then certainly your prof had the right to say what he thinks as well. Its free speech after all.
Stephen,
It is not courageous to stand up and speak when you have the power of the institution behind you. This woman’s “courage” is the courage of a raindrop calling itself wet during a thunderstorm.
And to speak up at Queen’s University against this professor at the time I was there would have meant far more than a bad grade. It would have meant a destroyed reputation, perhaps baseless accusations of falsified crimes and continual harrassment. To be more explicit here would not be appropriate on Michael’s blog but anyone who attended Queen’s from 89-93 knows exactly what I am talking about.
This woman became a “hero” on the 11 pm news.
Very different cultural context my friend. What current universty campuses have is not free speech but selective free speech. It seems to me that is the point of Coulter’s visit.
I went to the London event last night. Ann was wonderful. So was Ezra. The girl in question came with prepared text and it was designed to trap Ann. I thought Ann handled it well. While Ann was trying to answer the question the leftists in the crowd started jeering her to answer the question which she was doing. I wonder if the broken hearted victim believes in free speech? In the end Ann brushed her off as she should have. There were plenty of lame questions from people who didn’t pay attention or couldn’t grasp what she was saying. It frustrated the speaker and so it should. But I will say for the most part it was a very courteous crowd and a very worhtwhile event. I’d even go so far as speculate Ann and Ezra changed so hearts and minds once people actually got to hear the message first hand as opposed to MSM and internet spin.
Firstly I think its wrong to prevent anyone from speaking, Jews,Arabs,Catholics,Liberals,Conservatives,Communists,Gays and anyone I’ve left out. I don’t understand bringing up Al Gore’s speaking fee. Isn’t that determined by who is willing to pay. If Ann Coulter wants to charge $200,000 go ahead.
You have to remember that the Muslims you mention (terrorists, acid-throwers, all-round evil people) aren’t the norm, they are the minority. Of course these are the only ones we hear about on the news which explains our perception of them. The rest of the world only thinks of Canada as a bunch of maple syrup eating hockey players, which is lucky. Imagine, if you will, if we replaced eating maple syrup with throwing acid and replaced hockey player with terrorist. It wouldn’t be fun to live live that. Everywhere you go people think you are evil incarnate due to your religion and/or country of origin. Ignorant people always generalize cultures they don’t understand and paint them all with the same brush.
If the girl who raised the issue isn’t throwing acid or committing acts of terror, it’s bizarre to associate her in any way with those who are merely because they share a religion.
Michael, surely you don’t wish to be lumped in with Christians who beat their wives, or commit armed robbery?
As for circumcision… it’s forced on male infants all the time by Christians and Jews as well.
Hugh:
You have to remember that the Muslims you mention (terrorists, acid-throwers, all-round evil people) aren’t the norm, they are the minority
Of course, but those “minority” Muslims are organized, well trained, well armed and consider themselves warriors fighting a war. The majority of Muslims are moderate which is just that. They don’t support the terrorists but they don’t fight them either. Not they way any “Christian terrorist” would be delt with in western society. This is why I can’t understand why Muslims are worried they may be “painted” this way. I think a lot of westerners excpect more from the moderates in trying to stamp out the extremests
Why would the rest of the world have any reason to refer to Canadians as terrorist?
Hugh for a minority they sure do make a lot of racket:
http://www.religionofpeace.com
Funny how the apologists always claim the “minority”, aka terrorist, don’t understand the true meaning of Islam and the Koran. If you learn more about dear Mohammed you realize they understand perfectly.
David heheh that was a gem. If you can’t tell the diff between male and female circumcision you need to do some googleing. As for the wife beating comment I doubt too many bank robbers, abusers do so in the name of their christian god-they’re jerks or insane. In many Muslim countries, thanks to shariah law, keeping the ladies in line is backed by the state.
Stephen Smith, like so many of your peers, you quote the notion of free speech as though you have some deep and meaningful understanding of the concept. When in fact it is only an idea you have acquired, like the rest of your knowledge, through the media. It is in someways extremely unfortunate that you and your minions, missed the opportunity to test you ideas in a Nazi or a Stalin governed society, or perhaps in North Korea. When you talk about something like free speech, make absolutely sure you can appreciate its value. I for one, am appalled that so many millions sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom speech, just so people like you could quote the notion, with no concept of its value.
“Gerry W. says:
March 26, 2010 at 8:14 am
Stephen Smith, like so many of your peers, you quote the notion of free speech as though you have some deep and meaningful understanding of the concept. When in fact it is only an idea you have acquired, like the rest of your knowledge, through the media. It is in someways extremely unfortunate that you and your minions, missed the opportunity to test you ideas in a Nazi or a Stalin governed society, or perhaps in North Korea. When you talk about something like free speech, make absolutely sure you can appreciate its value. I for one, am appalled that so many millions sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom speech, just so people like you could quote the notion, with no concept of its value.” And that’s the truth!
Dan, Gerry…stop it you’re making too much sense their heads will explode!
France captain Patrice Evra claims that coach Raymond Domenech dropped him from the squad for “no valid reason” and denied him the chance to apologise to the French public by reading out the players’ statement himself.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/800527/ce/uk/?cc=5739&ver=global
Arm the muslim women. Teach them how to kill in self-defense. Convert them to religions that honor and celebrate the fact that they too are made in the image of God. Do this, and we will eventually have victory over the muslim plague.
acai energy
No,I don’t think so.If you have seen this website http://musulman.biz ,you will never say something like that,I think.