Looks Like Freedom but it Feels Like...?

Leonard Cohen might have said death, but the furor over Ann Coulter's cancelled Ottawa appearance feels, to me, like something else entirely.  Coulter, that right-wing political agitator whose words too many less-than-intelligent individuals take as gospel, is screaming human-rights-abuse because the provost of the University of Ottawa took it upon himself to inform her about details of Canadian law that could be relevant to her planned speech.

Coulter is well-known for her extreme social Conservatism, and for her derogatory comments towards Muslims, Canadians, Democrats, and, really, anybody who does not fit into the Conservative American WASP Republican ideal.  The KKK likely wants to set up a national holiday in her name.  She justifies her views by citing that illusive concept of 'free speech' that, in the rhetoric of herself and many others of her ilk, seems to demand that right only for those who espouse a similar ideology.

Again, Coulter has proven herself a hypocrite in her reaction to the situations in London and Ottawa.  It was her public recommendation that freedom be restricted for those of certain ethnic and religious backgrounds, regardless of their political leanings, that set off the firestorm in the first place.  The protestors in Ottawa were exercising their own rights to freedom of expression by protesting.  Seems as though Coulter's belief in the rights to free speech extend only to those of her worldview, for it was Coulter's people, not U of O, who then chose to cancel the appearance.  Apparently she can dish it out, but is unwilling to take it in a forum where she is not assured of coming out on top.

Coulter has publically blamed Francois Houle, the University of Ottawa Provost, for promoting hatred against her by sending her a private email that informed her of the details of Canadian law that forbids hate speech.  Ezra Levant, the tour's organizer, cited this email as the reason for the Ottawa protest against Coulter.  Interesting, how Coulter has claimed that this missive, sent directly from Houle to herself, 'promotes' hatred against conservatives.  She was the sole intended audience of the note, which simply informed her of Canadian law and the possible ramifications of breaking it.  It was Coulter herself who made the discussion public.  Personally, I'd be grateful to somebody who quietly let me know something that might keep me out of prison, rather than publically screaming for the execution of the messenger.

Canada has laws against hate speech.  If these laws are somehow inappropriate, then it is up to Canadians themselves to lead the way in having them altered, rather than an American whose public statements have never gone beyond discussing Canada beyond its usefulness to furthering the Conservative American agenda.

Seems to me that Coulter's real problem is the fact that she was inconveniently reminded of a law she does not respect, made by legislators she does not respect, in a country she does not respect.  So now, of course, the result will be a human rights complaint, based on the delusion that it is because she is female, supposedly Christian, and conservative, that led to a university official informing her about certain laws, and other individuals protesting because she chose to break those laws.  If this actually does go through the tribunal, it may indeed be death, after all.