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Free Speech Tag

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on April 27, 2017 33 Comments
In disturbing parallels to the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Weather Underground of the 1960's, we are seeing a small band of violent radicals attempt—and thus far succeed—in imposing their will on Americans.  The terrorist acts that the SDS and Weather Underground engaged in are what we most remember, but it's worth noting that they, too, started out with threats, riots, and destruction of property during their "Days of Rage."  They ultimately used violence as a means of condemning violence(?!) and of coalescing their "families" and "tribes" behind a "youth resistance," and we are seeing this all unfold yet again as violent radicals shriek about fascism while engaging in it themselves. In the wake of the violent riots that shut down speaking engagements by Milo Yiannopoulos and Heather Mac Donald, the violent radicals of the fringe left have notched up further "wins" in silencing Ann Coulter and in now causing the cancellation of the Avenue of Roses Parade in Portland, Oregon.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 27, 2017 25 Comments
UC Berkeley couldn't (or wouldn't) guarantee Ann Coulter's safety, so her speech has been cancelled. In this case, leftists used the mere threat of violence to silence another conservative voice. FOX News reports:
Ann Coulter cancels Berkeley event amid protests, says decision 'a dark day for free speech in America' The hecklers used their veto. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter told Fox News on Wednesday she would no longer give a planned speech at UC Berkeley after Young America’s Foundation pulled its support for the event amid threats of violence, calling her decision "a dark day for free speech in America."

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on April 22, 2017 31 Comments
One of the fondest dreams of the radical (and not-so radical) left is to undermine the First Amendment and ultimately to control speech.  Democrats have advocated the DOJ's investigation and even prosecution of climate "skeptics," condemned "hate" speech formally in the House, supported the criminalization and ban of "hate" speech, and as we see play out on college campuses across the nation, resorted to violence as a response to speech with which they disagree. This assault on one of our nation's most cherished foundational principles is ongoing and has most recently manifested in a tweet by former governor and former Democrat presidential candidate Howard Dean.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 22, 2017 14 Comments
For anyone who hasn't been paying attention, here's a quick recap of where we are now. If Ann Coulter or any other conservative wants to speak on a college campus, it's justification for a riot. If a professor decides to paint the president as beheaded, it's an important free speech issue. Got it? Campus Reform reports:
U Alaska art exhibition displays Trump’s severed head The University of Alaska Anchorage is displaying a professor’s painting that depicts Captain America holding the severed head of President Donald Trump. The work, created by Assistant Professor of Painting Thomas Chung, is being presented as part of a month-long faculty art exhibition in the university’s fine arts gallery, reports KTUU.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 20, 2017 8 Comments
As we mentioned in a recent Quick Take, conservative students at Berkeley decided to thumb their noses at campus SJWs by inviting Ann Coulter to speak on campus. First the school imposed a number of conditions, then banned Coulter's speech altogether. Ann is vowing to visit the school anyway. The Young America's Foundation has the story:
Berkeley Tries to Cancel Ann Coulter Event; Lecture Will Go On Young America’s Foundation, BridgeCal and Berkeley College Republicans have been working together to produce a lecture at UC-Berkeley on April 27, 2017, by Ann Coulter, a twelve-time bestselling author, whose book, “Adios, America!” – a No. 2 New York Times bestseller — is widely credited with shaping President Donald Trump’s immigration views.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 19, 2017 16 Comments
After Heather Mac Donald was recently shut down by a mob of students who support Black Lives Matter at Claremont McKenna, the president of Pomona College, which is part of the consortium of Claremont colleges, defended her and the importance of free speech. That didn't sit well with some students. The Claremont Independent reports:
Students Demand Administrators 'Take Action' Against Conservative Journalists In an open letter to outgoing Pomona College President David Oxtoby, a group of students from the Claremont Colleges assail the president for affirming Pomona’s commitment to free speech and demand that all five colleges “take action” against the conservative journalists on the staff of the Claremont Independent.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 16, 2017 20 Comments
The student editors at the Wellesley College (Hillary's alma mater) student newspaper wrote an editorial recently that rightly is getting much criticism and mockery. The Editorial is titled Free Speech is Not Violated At Wellesley.  The argument is that shutting down what the editors call "hate speech" is not a violation of free speech:
Many members of our community, including students, alumnae and faculty, have criticized the Wellesley community for becoming an environment where free speech is not allowed or is a violated right. Many outside sources have painted us as a bunch of hot house flowers who cannot exist in the real world. However, we fundamentally disagree with that characterization, and we disagree with the idea that free speech is infringed upon at Wellesley. Rather, our Wellesley community will not stand for hate speech, and will call it out when possible.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 08, 2017 26 Comments
Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute has been one of the leading voices defending law enforcement officers in the age of Black Lives Matter, particularly by showing that much of the rhetoric about police shootings is statistically inaccurate or misleading. Mac Donald's willingness to take on the foundations of the Black Lives Matter movement has earned her the ire of the movement. Mac Donald was supposed to give a speech at Claremont McKenna College but student supporters of Black Lives Matter went nuts. In a way, it was like a repeat of what happened at Middlebury College to Charles Murray. The College Fix reports Angry mob shuts down Blue Lives Matter speech at Claremont McKenna College:
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