[Angelinaaiiiiiiiii]

Yes - that sounds right. If the unviersity paid money, then the onus is on them to remove any disruptive people (and to make this policy known in advance). It is simply an economic matter of protecting one's investment, as opposed to any sort of legal or political matter, IMO.

Seems reasonable. In both cases I'm refering to, the PM appearances were during election campaigns and were not formal invitations as such.

[robinthesearchmasterh]

Seems reasonable. In both cases I'm refering to, the PM appearances were during election campaigns and were not formal invitations as such.

Then heckle away, by all means, I say. The audience filtering and loyalty oaths for rallies in public places during the US 2004 elections left a sour taste in my mouth about our so-called 'right to assemble and speak freely'.

[Spalax]

Then heckle away, by all means, I say. The audience filtering and loyalty oaths for rallies in public places during the US 2004 elections left a sour taste in my mouth about our so-called 'right to assemble and speak freely'.

You forgot the right to assemble includes keeping out those who you dont want. In addition how is heckling respecting someones right to speech? That is some twisted logic to claim that everyone should be able to speak, but its ok to stop other people from speaking.

[carline]

Coulter isn't exactly tolerant of liberal views and neither are her fans and followers. This just sounds like a case of two peas in a pod, the zin-and-zen of zealots.

I agree with you there and she has no tact.

[Obsententicab]

You forgot the right to assemble includes keeping out those who you dont want. In addition how is heckling respecting someones right to speech? That is some twisted logic to claim that everyone should be able to speak, but its ok to stop other people from speaking.

No one is preventing Coulter (or our Canadian PM's) from speaking. No one is denying their right of speech or interfering in any right of assembly.

Coulter, or our Canadian PM's have the right (maybe not the ability) to reply in kind. Indeed, Pierre Elliot Trudeau was a master at the art and it took a heckler with some guts to heckle Trudeau - as he tended to address the comment directly - often turning the crowd against the heckler with with a well placed witty barb. But most political figures are a much lesser breed than Trudeau and when faced with hecklers, either break down and cry, or run away and cry foul. No sympathy for the weak ones.

Democracy is not a system that ought to admit of elite control of the process. The electorate serves a more important function than as 'back-drops' for political announcements of the elites. The voting process may be designed to channel support to the elites - open speaking engagments have no such natural purpose (except in the USA apparently).

[GypeFeeshyTes]

lol, so is there a difference between Ivy League and Elite that I am not aware of?

I should think there is. The "ivy league" refers to a specific and short list of well established universities in the US north-east.

"Elite" schools would include the top end schools on the West coast as well as any other 'high-end' school in the USA.

Berkeley is a good example of an 'elite' school that is not 'ivy league'.

[StethyEntinic]

I should think there is. The "ivy league" refers to a specific and short list of well established universities in the US north-east.

"Elite" schools would include the top end schools on the West coast as well as any other 'high-end' school in the USA.

Berkeley is a good example of an 'elite' school that is not 'ivy league'.

OK, I see that. Funny you use Berkeley as an example, because I have always heard it considered a "liberal school". Maybe Ann Coulter considers elite = liberal?

*shrugs* I can think of better ways to spend my day than to decode the thoughts in her head, lol.

[Redys]

No, but the campus should have. Even despite that I think the hecklers were rude, the student govt spent $16,000 for Coulter to come speak, and that money essentialy went to waste, based on the actions of a few. I wonder why the campus security didnt remove the hecklers.

Weren't some of the hecklers also students, just as some of those in attendance to hear her speak were most likely students and non students alike. So if that is the case did the students not have a right to protest what they saw as a waste of some of their tuition money?

I wonder if you would feel this way when a liberal speaker you find particularly onerous comes to a school near you and recieves significant disruptions in his or her speach from hecklers in the crowd. I do not believe the constitution indicates that you have a right to free speech if and only if you are not bothering someone else.

[conurgenceDen]

Weren't some of the hecklers also students, just as some of those in attendance to hear her speak were most likely students and non students alike. So if that is the case did the students not have a right to protest what they saw as a waste of some of their tuition money?

I wonder if you would feel this way when a liberal speaker you find particularly onerous comes to a school near you and recieves significant disruptions in his or her speach from hecklers in the crowd. I do not believe the constitution indicates that you have a right to free speech if and only if you are not bothering someone else.

This is what happened when Michael Moore spoke at the University of Arizona.


Small groups in the crowd constantly heckled Moore during his speech, and he took it lightheartedly at first, using it as an opportunity to sarcastically respond to their political views, until it became so disruptive he told them directly to stop.

"Four more years? They are off by four years, it's only three more weeks," Moore said.

Moore commented on the fact that they wouldn't stop yelling, no matter what he said, even when he gave them 60 seconds to get the chants out of their systems.

"It's like AM radio and the Fox News Channel, all day long all they do is scream," he said.

The hecklers toned down about 45 minutes into Moore's speech, only after several groups were ushered out of the stadium by security.

The Dean of Students formally warned some groups and some people were escorted from the stadium because they were so disruptive, said Allistair Chapman, ASUA president.

"That's fine outside, but inside, freedom of speech only goes so far before it's disruptive," Chapman said.

Much of Moore's speech focused on bashing republicans, partly in response to the hecklers.

"I thought (the republicans) were immature and I don't think democrats would go to their speakers and do that," said Madeline Froning, a political science senior. http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/36/01_2.html

Notice the irony? I think that those doing the heckling are showing disrespect not only to the speaker but to those that wish to hear what the speaker is saying. I don't want to hear Moore or Coulter because I think they're both lunatics but if I had to be in the audience, I would certainly respect those that want to listen.

[Ikrleprl]

This is what happened when Michael Moore spoke at the University of Arizona.



http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/36/01_2.html

Notice the irony? I think that those doing the heckling are showing disrespect not only to the speaker but to those that wish to hear what the speaker is saying. I don't want to hear Moore or Coulter because I think they're both lunatics but if I had to be in the audience, I would certainly respect those that want to listen.

Actually I do not have a prolem with the hecklers on either side. If you are going to take extreme positions like both of them do you will have to expect it. Hell most of these types count on it because it is what makes them seem more like martyrs for the cause to their supporters. Both sets of hecklers should have been allowed to heckle to their hearts content as far as I am concerned, as long as it didn't put anyones life in danger.

[Diwokfkq]

Actually I do not have a prolem with the hecklers on either side. If you are going to take extreme positions like both of them do you will have to expect it. Hell most of these types count on it because it is what makes them seem more like martyrs for the cause to their supporters. Both sets of hecklers should have been allowed to heckle to their hearts content as far as I am concerned, as long as it didn't put anyones life in danger.

I understand what you're saying but the difference is that the "conservative hecklers" were reprimanded and escorted out while the "liberal hecklers" were allowed to remain.
I still don't think that ANYONE has a right to disrupt a public speaking event. The person at the podium has a right to be heard and if the hecklers want that same right, they should do it in the proper forum.

[Arximedus]

I understand what you're saying but the difference is that the "conservative hecklers" were reprimanded and escorted out while the "liberal hecklers" were allowed to remain.
I still don't think that ANYONE has a right to disrupt a public speaking event. The person at the podium has a right to be heard and if the hecklers want that same right, they should do it in the proper forum.

Actually Mrs. M the constitution gives us all the right to say pretty much what we want. It does not guarantee that we will, or have to be, listened to. Those hecklers, both on the right and left have that same right. The Universities that invited both speakers, or whoever invites these types, knew what they were getting into when they sent out the invitations.

[Lotyqnag]

Actually Mrs. M the constitution gives us all the right to say pretty much what we want. It does not guarantee that we will, or have to be, listened to. Those hecklers, both on the right and left have that same right. The Universities that invited both speakers, or whoever invites these types, knew what they were getting into when they sent out the invitations.

I know that everyone has the right to speak but does that actually give us the right to trample the rights of others? That's where common courtesy comes in and if someone is speaking, we've been taught by our mothers that's it's impolite to interrupt. Hecklers have forgotten common courtesy!!!

[rfceicizgm]

Weren't some of the hecklers also students, just as some of those in attendance to hear her speak were most likely students and non students alike. So if that is the case did the students not have a right to protest what they saw as a waste of some of their tuition money?

I wonder if you would feel this way when a liberal speaker you find particularly onerous comes to a school near you and recieves significant disruptions in his or her speach from hecklers in the crowd. I do not believe the constitution indicates that you have a right to free speech if and only if you are not bothering someone else.

Yes, I wouldve felt the exact same way, although I may not have iniated the outcry. I only have time to defend conservatives. Its the dems job to defend themselves. But I think its rude and uncalled for to disrupt someone from speaking in a closed event. If they did not like what she had to say, they should have not gone. But their goal was to stop her from speaking, regardless that the majority of people wanted to hear her speak.

[ebonytipchik]

Yes, I wouldve felt the exact same way, although I may not have iniated the outcry. I only have time to defend conservatives. Its the dems job to defend themselves. But I think its rude and uncalled for to disrupt someone from speaking in a closed event. If they did not like what she had to say, they should have not gone. But their goal was to stop her from speaking, regardless that the majority of people wanted to hear her speak.

ANd conservatives try to shut liberals up. Welcome to politics in the new millenium.

[Discus]

I know that everyone has the right to speak but does that actually give us the right to trample the rights of others? That's where common courtesy comes in and if someone is speaking, we've been taught by our mothers that's it's impolite to interrupt. Hecklers have forgotten common courtesy!!!

Ah yes while I do not disagree with you, possibly because I was taught to place the same value on courtesy by my parents you were by yours, the constitution doesn't mention that anywhere.