Journalists for Thought Crime
In the wake of the Ann Coulter fiasco, the most astounding letter appeared on the pages of the National Post Wednesday. From one Denise Cooke-Browne, a former journalist/human rights investigator (i.e. thought police-woman), the writer professes to be all for free speech. With a tone of, “well the proletariat twits will speak so we may as well let them,” she defends free speech as being a) in her favour and b) a fundamental freedom as defined in the Canadian Constitution, in that order.
The rest of the letter falls into the “be that as it may” form of argument. Ann Coulter, Cooke-Browne argues, should be charged for her uttering’s. Hell, she should be charged, in Canada, for what she said in the USA. She is a section 318 thought criminal and immoral as she finds the noose, an exception could be made.
The thing is, free speech isn’t just two little words in isolation which, depending on your inclination towards interpretation, could mean should be available at no cost on the internet. The phrase “free speech” is a contraction of the sentence “all speech will be free of prosecution.” You can’t be in favour of speech being free of prosecution and prosecuting Ann Coulter for her speech. It’s rather like being in favour of free love and thinking it’s OK to stone adulteresses… oh wait…. It’s rather like being a librarian in favour of book burning… no that won’t do…
If you want a peek into the minds of the the insufferable twitsour betters who run the HRC’s in Canada, have a peek at today’s letters page in the National Post, and see what former Newfoundland Human Rights Investigator Denise Cooke-Browne has to say. Frighteningly absurd posturing wrapped up in official condemnation.
Denise Cooke-Browne says “If any Canadian spoke like Ann Coulter, he’d be jailed.” I’m fairly certain Ann is female so Denise is either guilty of gender bias towards all men (surely a hate crime), doesn’t know what gender is, or even as an ex-journalist, is incapable of writing non-gender sentences.
Denise Cooke-Browne says “What seems to be missing here is that while the Canadian Constitution allows for fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, Ann Coulter has crossed the line and infringed on our rights to be safe, secure and not discriminated against.” Denise has, of course, cited no evidence to back her claim but then as a former human rights investigator she would be used to working without facts, after all, truth is not a valid defence when it comes to HRCs.
Denise Cooke-Browne says “All Canadians should be insulted by her words and behaviour and ashamed that our universities allowed her in.” No Denise, what we should be ashamed of is the university involved threatening Ann with an CHRC complaint and then failing to provide a safe environment. What Canadians should be ashamed of and apologize for is the boorish display put on by a group of students who have no respect for opinions other than their own.
Denise Cooke-Browne said “She needs to be charged with hate crimes under the Criminal Code of Canada; Sections 318, for advocating genocide, (for saying Muslim clerics should be killed) and 319, for publicly inciting hatred.” As usual, no quotes or facts merely rhetoric from Denise. Given that Ann wasn’t allowed to speak maybe Denise could at least provide quotes from where in Canada Ann made whatever outlandish comments the self-appointed defender of all that is Canadian, Cooke-Browne, finds so troubling.
Finally, something Denise says that I can agree with “The best way to deal with this hate monger is to not listen. Don’t show up at her talks. Don’t fuel her fire. That would send a strongest, clearest message.” So denise, don’t listen, please make sure all the other nutjobs who don’t want to hear Ann’s message don’t attend any of her speeches so that those of us who might want to hear what she has to say, even if it’s only for a good laugh, have the opportunity. denise, you and your ilk are infringing on my right to hear what others have to say since the potential threat of violence by the nutjobs makes the environment unsafe for those of us who actually believe and practice free speech.
The only people who should be jailed are the likes of this idiot and the other left wing thugs who created this fiasco. The rectum, vice rectum of the uni should be fired along with the police chief who allowed his/her officers to chicken out.
Denise Cooke-Browne said it all: “If any Canadian spoke like Anne Coulter, he’d be jailed.”
That statement alone sums up the sorry state of freedom in this country. When have you ever heard such totalitarian crap espoused so openly in this country? Jailed for speaking your opinion! The idea of jailing someone simply because they spoke their mind has only come about over the last decade or so as the politically correct, left-wing zealots and their Stalinist sycophants have co-opted the agenda.
P.S. Note to Ms. Cooke-Browne: It was a woman who so offends you, so why demonstrate your obvious bias by stating “he’d” be jailed. Where is your gender neutrality? As a male, perhaps I should launch a complaint to the tyrannical HRC since that comment engenders hatred toward a specific group…men.