This controversy has largely died down now, and this article is five days old, but it is worth noting again because of the final line of the article: “‘To them,’ Takruri said, ‘it’s clearly a matter of silencing hate speech, not free speech.'” This free speech/hate speech distinction is increasingly common. I encountered it last spring when I spoke at Cal Poly. The problem with it is that it is essentially saying that speech is free as long as it stays within accepted parameters — which is not really free speech at all. And who gets to set the parameters? The person who controls the public discourse controls the society. I hope we are able to have a discussion about free speech and “hate speech” before “hate speech” laws destroy the First Amendment in the U.S. But with our university students parroting this nonsense, the future doesn’t look exactly bright.
“Muslims Students Say Bill Maher’s Comments Promote Islamophobia On UC Berkeley Campus (VIDEO),” by Antonia Blumberg, The Huffington Post, November 3, 2014:
The campus petition to revoke Bill Maher’s invitation to speak at the University of California, Berkeley’s December commencement has been debated as a freedom of speech issue. But for these Muslim students the debate is more personal.
Dena Takruri of AJ+ spoke with Khwaja Ahmed and Marium Navid, two UC Berkeley students who have spearheaded a petition to drop Maher as commencement speaker. The students argued that the comedian’s anti-Islam comments have promoted a culture of fear and intolerance toward Muslims — even on their college campus.
“I sit in class and I am forced to defend myself because I am assumed to be a supporter of ISIS,” Navid said. “You wear and hijab and you walk on campus, you’re targeted on a day to day basis.”
At UC-Berkeley? I’m calling BS on this.
The students’ Change.org petition had garnered more than 5,000 signatures by Monday, though many voices have risen up in light of the controversy defending Maher’s invitation as a continuation of the university’s long-standing dedication to freedom of speech.
October marked the 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement, which swept the Berkeley campus with a series of student protests in the mid 1960s. On Wednesday the school administration noted this legacy in its announcement that Maher’s invitation would not be revoked.
“This university has not in the past and will not in the future shy away from hosting speakers who some deem provocative,” the administration wrote.
Maher responded to the petition, as well, saying, “We’re liberals. We’re supposed to like free speech!”
Ahmed and Navid acknowledged that the comedian has every right to share his beliefs on his show and in a forum that promotes dialogue, but argued that his stated bias against Islam makes him an inappropriate choice for commencement speaker.
“I would argue that the students freedom of speech is being shut down by elevating his voice,” Navid said. “You’re putting him in a setting where we can’t even question back. We can write op-eds, we can protest, but a commencement speech isn’t set up to have dialogue.”
Takruri told HuffPost that she was struck by the dilemma the students’ petition poses for Berkeley, given the university’s free speech history, so she zeroed in on an important distinction during the interview that not many have discussed in the debate.
“To them,” Takruri said, “it’s clearly a matter of silencing hate speech, not free speech.”
Thurman Pierre Reed says
“At UC-Berkeley? I’m calling BS on this.”
As a Berkeley alumnus, I must say you’re correct in your assertion Robert. Had she been an Israeli student wearing an ostentatious Star of David, yep, the harassment would be real, sadly.
Huck Folder says
Agreed, and more:
“I sit in class and I am forced to defend myself because I am assumed to be a supporter of ISIS,” Navid said.
“You wear and hijab and you walk on campus, you’re targeted on a day to day basis.”
Question: Why the change from first to third person? Illiterate or revealing?
Can she PROVE that first statement? In the second statement, the generalization suggests it happens to others, to many? Proof?
The HuffPo link has mostly negative comments against the attempted CENSORSHIP, with feeble counter comments, mostly from (Somali?) AbuZayd Jirde.
The ‘petition’ is interesting, about 15%? of the ‘votes’ are actually NEGATIVE. So before anyone tries to thrust this under the Regent’s or Chancellor’s nose, the recipient should DEMAND due diligence. The voters should be verified as real, and the votes should be tallied, for and against.
It would help if readers from here and from like-minded blogs – freedom loving, constitution protecting, patriotic CITIZENS – vote at change.org, and comment at HuffPo.
“To them,” Takruri said, “it’s clearly a matter of silencing hate speech, not free speech.”
It is SO_O_O important to remember the power of language. Language is EVERYTHING. It will enslave you or free you, kill you or save you.
EVERYTHING depends on the definitions of FREE and HATE speech – which are also not opposites. To mo and sock-puppet allah, hence to the slavish, zombie worshippers of mo, ANY comment which is not laudatory about, mo, the umma, sharia, allah, the BoH, the cult of hate, mozombies… is automatically hate speech.
Knee-jerks at cair, pick up their hot-lines to the FBI and Eric ‘my people’ Holder, who are just sitting there waiting for their masters to call…
RonaldB says
How do you vote against a petition at change.org? As far as I see it, you either sign it or you ignore it. There is no way to have a negative vote. Perhaps that’s a flaw in change.org.
American says
You start your own movement to counter…but most don’t want to fight for freedom…like someone said, take it to the courts…make laws…petition in a larger scale
Know Thy Enemy says
@American, @RonaldB
There is already an open petition in support of Bill Maher at change.org. Here’s the link-
http://www.change.org/p/university-of-california-berkeley-do-not-withdraw-bill-maher-s-invitation-to-speak-at-the-december-2014-commencement
Mirren10 says
”There is already an open petition in support of Bill Maher at change.org”
Yes, I just signed it.
What is utterly **disgraceful**, however, is that the petition in **support** of Mr Maher has garnered less than 700 votes (so far) whilst the leftist, mohammedan anti-free speech petition has apparently got *five thousand*.
”The students’ Change.org petition had garnered more than 5,000 signatures by Monday”
That should tell you something about the support for free speech at UC – Berkeley.
Shane says
Maher is delusional if he really believes that liberals support free speech anymore. The left labels anything they disagree with as hate speech in order to silence people. Believing is free speech for only those who agree with liberal dogma is not the support of free speech.
somehistory says
Are they willing to be silenced when planning to speak hatefully against Jews and Christians? I think not.
If they don’t like what someone says, they have the freedom not to listen.
Richie says
Maybe if Muslims stop murdering people in the name of their religion and stop enslaving people and stop raping women, people would not have to talk about it.
But of course, once again muslims paint themselves as the victim
duh_swami says
I don’t think we should let Mahoundians define for us what kind of speech is what.
Jay Boo says
Every time Leftist bigots go after one of their own for stepping outside the pandering to Islam zone to appease CAIR supported Muslim students they open the door for truth. Apparently even Leftists have enough dignity left to only bend so far this time.
Useful Related info at campus-watch.org
http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/13685
IQ al Rassooli says
These ‘Muslim’ students are only following Muhammad’s Sunna which allows them to DECEIVE all none Muslim people by pretending they are VICTIMS
Not once in 1400 years of Islam were the followers of Muhammad Victims because throughout 1400 starting with Muhammad they were and continue to be the foremost AGGRESSORS on planet Earth
The Hadiths (traditions about Muhammad) painted him as a VICTIM of his Quraysh tribe deliberately ignoring the fact that it was Muhammad who started his mission by attacking, insulting and denigrating the religion (although pagan) of his tribe which did NOT retaliate by decapitating him for doing so over a period of 23 years
Any student who knows Muhammad’s Quran should have asked these Muslims:
Since you obviously believe in Sharia, you cannot ever accept the US Constitution because it is NOT from Allah nor be loyal to 97% of none Muslim Americans because they are INFIDELS/ Kuffar/
I wonder what these ‘muslim victims’ would say
IQ al Rassooli
Kafir & Proud!
Know Thy Enemy says
Why is Bill Maher chosen to be a commencement speaker at UC Berkeley? Is it because he is a reputed anti-Islam scholar, or is it because he is a popular comedian? If he is being invited for his skill as a comedian, then why are his personal opinions on other things a issue? We all have opinions on various things, though we have expertise only in select few fields.
The Muslims’ victim mongering only shows their own immaturity and lack of understanding.
From the article- “I would argue that the students freedom of speech is being shut down by elevating his voice,” Navid said. “You’re putting him in a setting where we can’t even question back. We can write op-eds, we can protest, but a commencement speech isn’t set up to have dialogue.”
What a stupid argument! Is Bill going to be lecturing on Islam at the commencement speech? Anyone who falls for this victim-mongering should return his college degree!
BTW it is the Leftists and Islamists who shut down their opponents’ speech by ‘elevating their voices’ (shouts, drums, vuvuzelas etc)!
“To them,” Takruri said, “it’s clearly a matter of silencing hate speech, not free speech.”
Is Bill Maher going to be giving some kind of hate speech at the commencement? If no, then there is no Issue! I think Dena Takruri too should return her degree for failing to see this.
Loren Rosson says
“I sit in class and I am forced to defend myself because I am assumed to be a supporter of ISIS,” Navid said. “You wear and hijab and you walk on campus, you’re targeted on a day to day basis.”
[Spencer] “At UC-Berkeley? I’m calling BS on this.”
My reaction exactly, Robert.
Georg says
If I had to spend a semester listening to the anti-Western hate speech my Islam teacher spouted in college, she can listen to Maher for twenty minutes.
Seabeesrule! says
Hey rag head! You don’t like it go home!!! Unfortunately I think your us born but I’d deport u in a hot second all of you if I could! Love it or leave it sister!
fair_dinkum says
theyre always so hurt and outraged..
why? islam doesnt stand up criticism … shed a little light and they act like dracula.
somehistory says
Dracula…thanks for the laugh! A big bat comes immediately to mind.
Pam J says
…shed a little light and they act like Muslims. 🙂
Islam_Macht_Frei says
If you want to oppose hate speech, at least symbolically, then burn a Koran.
Salah says
Qur’an Burning:
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2011/04/one-great-american-woman.html
pumbar says
What’s that guy with the weird beard looking at in the photo?
terry says
Who pays for her education, and those with her?
Hindu American says
“I sit in class and I am forced to defend myself because I am assumed to be a supporter of ISIS,” Navid said.
That’s a classic negative-defensive argument by this woman used to getting her way. To be successful, such an argument requires that the audience be ignorant or uninformed of the original argument. To paraphrase, muslima attends a university (a liberal one, at that) but hates to defend her thesis (viz., I am not a supporter of ISIS) or effectively counter her position.
Well, just like Muhammad, her way or the highway. UCB, give her a PhD.
Lady, convince us otherwise (“I am not a supporter of ISIS”) or we will continue to assume that you are one because we are not ignorant.
Champ says
Right! Well, she’s a muslim, so ’nuff said …
Eunice Cary says
Muslim students should go to Muslim schools in Muslim countries. Problem solved!
Gary Fouse says
As one who teaches at UC Irvine, I can tell you that nobody bothers Muslim students. They know there would be an outcry and charges of Islamophobia not to mention lawsuits by CAIR. It is Jewish students on UC campuses that have to watch their backs if they dare to speak out and support Israel..
Dave J says
Bill Maher is factually correct about Islam, he invites Muslim guests for debate and is not a racist. Two Muslim students try to prevent him speaking at UC, claiming victimhood-in-advance, again. That makes them the bigots.
If anyone is looking askance at Muslims it is probably because of the daily toll of Muslim violence around the world. The petition starters are trying to silence free speech yet make no statement condemning the behavior that provokes it.
Jae M says
‘“I sit in class and I am forced to defend myself because I am assumed to be a supporter of ISIS,” Navid said.’
Well then, if she is not a supporter of ISIS then perhaps she should speak about how wrong they are and gather the other anti-ISIS Muslims together to show everyone how they do not support ISIS so we wouldn’t make “assumptions”. Bet that won’t happen though….
nothosaur says
The hate speech issue was laid to rest with RAV v City of St Paul.
George Romero says
The muslim say’s she is being targeted because she wears the head covering of the sharia compliant female and feels she is being harassed on a daily basis?
Does she condemn the hate fest that is called BSD on university campus all around the western world? , or hating only Jews and Israel on campus should be acceptable?
IQ al Rassooli says
Excellent point George
WHY has NOT anyone asked this Sharia compliant ‘nice’ person WHERE in all the Quran can she find the words HIJAB or NIQAB mentioned describing the covering of a female Muslim in any way shape or form?
Since such words do NOT exist, then how dare she DECEIVE her colleagues by asserting that it is part of her ‘religion’?
No one asks these SIMPLE but deadly questions
IQ al Rassooli
Kafir & Proud!