"Free Speech" in America and out of America

Two articles in today's Washington Post show us just how delicate free speech is in America and how it does not exist in some countries that believe they are the model for the world's freedoms.

Palin event canceled due to 'an onslaught of personal attacks
By Emi Kolawole

Former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was scheduled to speak at an event for a Colorado nonprofit group May 2, but the event was canceled the day after it was announced due to "an onslaught of personal attacks" against Palin.

Palin was to speak at the Patriots & Warriors Gala at the Infinity Park Event Center in Glendale, Colo., which was billed as an awards banquet and fundraiser for military families in need and for a grief camp for children who had lost loved ones in combat.

But the event, sponsored by the Sharon K. Pacheco Foundation, was canceled Saturday, a day after it had been announced to the media. A press release posted on the sponsoring organization's Facebook page reads, "Due to an onslaught of personal attacks against Gov. Palin and others associated with her appearance, it is with deep sadness and disappointment that, in the best interest of all, we cancel the event for safety concerns."

The press release goes on to say that no direct threats were made against Palin, nor were any made against members of the organization's staff, but in light of the shooting rampage in Arizona last month, the negative rhetoric "raises concern for her safety and the safety of others despite the call for civility in America."

"The organization deeply respects Sarah Palin," reads the release, "and appreciates her willingness to come and honor our military. The organization plans to host the event at some point in the future, featuring another speaker."

The cancellation of the speaking engagement frees Palin to attend the NBC/Politico Republican presidential primary debate at the Reagan Presidential Library in California, also scheduled for May 2. But none of the potential 2012 Republican candidates have said they will attend.
(h/t Denver Post)

What a spoiled lot we are when we do not allow free speech of an opposing view to ours.
The same is true for the organizations who threaten and bully in Switzerland.  You will notice though, it was organized by an organization based in New York.  I am ashamed for some of my country men.

Bush trip to Switzerland called off amid threats of protests, legal action
by Peter Finn

A planned trip to Switzerland by George W. Bush was canceled after human rights activists called for demonstrations and threatened legal action over allegations that the former president sanctioned the torture of terrorism suspects.

The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights and several European human rights groups said they were planning to file a complaint against Bush and wanted Swiss prosecutors to open a criminal case against him once he arrived in the country. (ed.note there is nothing like a holier than thou to make the issues clear, politics is the issue)
In what would have been his first European trip since leaving the presidency, Bush was scheduled to speak in Geneva on Feb. 12 at a dinner in honor of the United Israel Appeal. A lawyer for the organization said Bush's appearance was canceled because of the risk of violence, and that the threat of legal action was not an issue.

"The calls to demonstrate were sliding into dangerous terrain," the lawyer, Robert Equey, told the Swiss daily Tribune de Geneve.

A spokesman for Bush said the former president regretted that his speech was canceled.

"President Bush was looking forward to speaking about freedom and offering reflections from his time in office," David Sherzer said in an e-mailed statement.

Sherzer said that Bush has traveled to Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East since leaving office.

Organizers of a rally outside the Hotel Wilson, where the speech was scheduled to take place, had called on demonstrators to each bring a shoe, an effort to echo the assault on Bush during a news conference in Baghdad in 2008 when an Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at him. ( oh yes, definitely politics!)The Center for Constitutional Rights said in a statement that they had planned to bring the complaint under the Convention Against Torture on behalf of two of men, Majid Khan, who remains at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Sami al-Hajj, a former Al Jazeera cameraman who was released in May 2008. The 2,500-page complaint will not be filed in court, but will be released Monday at a media event in Switzerland."Whatever Bush or his hosts say, we have no doubt he canceled his trip to avoid our case," the Center's statement said. "The message from civil society is clear: If you're a torturer, be careful in your travel plans. It's a slow process for accountability, but we keep going."

A Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman told the Associated Press that the country's Justice Ministry had concluded that Bush would have immunity from prosecution for any alleged actions while in office. The Center for Constitutional Rights disputed that interpretation, arguing there is no such immunity under the Convention Against Torture.
The Center, and its European partners, earlier filed suits against former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials in Germany and France. Those cases were dismissed.

A Right to Free Speech

Ace of Spades blog has a post on the pastor who wanted to burn the Koran. Well, maybe he still wants to but a lot of pressure is being put on him not to do it. Including the FBI. Read this:

Why Was The FBI Dropping By The Wannabe Koran Burners?

by DrewM

I think I've made it pretty clear I'm not a real big fan of the whole Koran burning thing. What I'm even less of a fan of is government coercion of legitimate, if abhorrent speech.

FBI agents visited Thursday with a minister of a small Florida church that plans to burn the Quran on Sept. 11, as public safety became a paramount concern and President Barack Obama added his voice to the chorus of opposition.

...The FBI spent about a half hour talking with Jones, but church spokesman Wayne Sapp would not disclose what they discussed. Agents leaving the church wouldn't talk to an Associated Press reporter.

Jones said earlier this week that agents have visited him twice since he announced his plans in July, the last visit about two weeks ago.

Now, I suppose it's possible Jones is caught up in something else unrelated to the Koran burning plans that has the legitimate interest of the FBI. However given the nature of this story and the unprecedented involvement of government officials in this matter (more in a minute on that), I think AG Holder and/or President Obama need to come out right away and make it clear that federal law enforcement officers are not being used to intimidate Jones.

[.........................................................]

I hope Congressman Daryl Issa adds this to his list of things to investigate come January of next year.

Until it's clear that the FBI was there on unrelated matters, I'm not giving this administration the benefit of the doubt.

Go here to read between the ellipses.

It's Official -- Free Speech on the "Threatened List"

Update to this piece (10/04/2010)
-- The Muslim Revolution org in NYC removed the posting referenced below due to grassroots pressure.
-- YouTube removed the interview with Parker and Stone due to Muslim pressure.

------------------------------
Go read it for your self.

First -- Comedy Central censored the creators of South Park and wouldn't let them portray the prophet Mohammed in a bear suit due to death threats from Muslims (see website).

Read the threats from the Muslims (and justification of their threats) here on their blog -- which is allowed by free speech, by the way: http://revolutionmuslim.blogspot.com/

Then, if that weren't bad enough, in this interview, creators of South Park (Matt Stone and Trey Parker) talk about the hypocricisy of the media -- saying "It's open season on Jesus" you can say anything you want about him, but you can't make fun of the Muslims because you're afraid of them blowing you up." They go on to talk about how they are disappointed in Comedy Central.

They make the point very clearly -- Comedy Central is a business and has the right to censor their show all it wants -- as a business. But Comedy Central does not have free speech because they are getting threats for mentioning or even portraying Mohammed.

In this blog/threat the Muslims say defending the Muslim faith and killing those who insult Mohammed is not negotiable.

Free speech is not negotiable.

As much as we don't want to admit it, this is the beginning of a battle for basic rights. And someone must lose this fight.

Free Speech Not Welcome at Yale

How tragic that Yale University students jeer and criticize a cartoonist -- blaming him for the violence instead of the Muslim extremists who actually do the violence.

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard (the one who published a depiction of Mohammed and has thus far lived to tell about it) appeared at the Master's House at Yale's Branford College last week.

His audience of Yale students blamed him for causing violence and harm, saying he needed to take responsibility for it. There was not mention of the responsibility of the Muslim extremists who have put a price on his head. And who continue to blow up themselves and other innocent people in the name of their religion.

Read an interview with , Rabbi Jon Hausman who witnessed this event -- which reveals many things about the leftist hypocricy students are endoctrinated with. It is a world gone mad with political correctness, double-standards in the name of tolerance and a total lack of logic for where the real danger is: inhibiting free speech and enabling archaic, violent religious groups. And it is a world event not covered (yet again) by the mainstream media.

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/8452