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Ann Coulter: Not Showing UP for Free Speech is a Cultural Shutdown
Townhall.com ^ | April 29, 2017 | Arthur Schaper

Posted on 04/29/2017 4:52:18 AM PDT by Kaslin

I have been hard on Ann Coulter in the past.

I once called her “The Incredible Shrinking Ann Coulter” because of her vicious—and sometimes vulgar—attacks on long-term Presidential favorite Ted Cruz. She was right about Trump, though I still give Senator Cruz mad props for fighting the good fight. His latest legislative insight, civil asset forfeiture of Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo’s billions for the wall—is pure gold.

Coulter has written very provocative statements, and one tweet got her fired from National Review. On the flipside, she has written some of the most penetrating and erudite political studies, and never once has she feared buck trends and upending narratives. For this reason, among others, I joined with Los Angeles County for Trump as well as other social media stars like Baked Alaska, Tim Pool, and Shuttershot45 to see Ann Coulter give a riveting speech about illegal immigration and our government’s needs to enforce its immigration laws.

Wednesday morning in the Encino/Universal City section of Los Angeles, I was getting primed to join her in the culture war for freedom of speech. Friends and fellow fighters from throughout Los Angeles County were ready for another rumble in the hotbed of liberalism. Then the news trickled in: Ann Coulter was cancelling her speech, citing security concerns. The announcement overwhelmed social media like a deluge: her sponsors backed out, her legal team would not defend her, and the Berkeley police signaled that they would not be able to protect her.

I could not believe this. I had read one week ago that Coulter was the last conservative with guts. Then she backs out. What an epic fail. Ben Shapiro wrote the next day: Fascism Wins. Coulter joined Tucker Carlson later that night to explain the situation. I was left unimpressed. Whether anyone realizes it or not, freedom of speech faces unprecedented assault, especially in institutions where one would expect its sanctity to remain defended and inviolable. Churches, charities, and small businesses face law suits, threats, and bankruptcy for voicing their concerns and standing by their religious convictions. College Republican/conservative cubs must pay hefty security fees and assume all liability costs—which they can’t, so they don’t showcase keynote conservative speakers.

The assault on free speech has hit Main Street, too.

I have attended town halls and city council meetings throughout Southern California. When I called out the Mayor of Anaheim, CA Tom Tait for violating the Brown Act and for not enforcing the rules of decorum, I was thrown out. Aggressive liberals have invaded town halls, yelling and jeering for all the check-list of socialist goals. They don’t get sanctioned or thrown out. When I called out card-carrying Communist Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) for her numerous ethical violations, the rogue police immediately escorted out. Before that, they had ordered me to remove a banner on my shoulders because it violated the town hall rules of decorum, when it actually didn’t.

This is fascism with a smile on its face, folks, and it’s time for our leaders as well as the followers to take a stance. I will not be silent.

And neither should have Ann Coulter.

So, Los Angeles County for Trump took a private limousine-bus up to the People’s Republic of Berkeley, ready for anything, with or without Queen Anne. On the way up, we stopped in Central and Northern California, where so many Trump supporters came up to us. They embraced our passion and courage. The same refrain came out of their mouths: “I didn’t know there were other Trump supporters in California.” Especially in Los Angeles County!

Within minutes of our final stop on Bancroft Street at UC Berkeley, the local media interviewed us. Mind you, they were preparing a story on something else, but we became their featured report for the evening. Twitter sensation Baked Alaska spoke out: “We are here to be peaceful. We have no intention of starting violence.” That was true then, and it’s true now. Our team demonstrated the true diversity of the Trump movement in California. We had Asians, Blacks, and Latinos for Trump joining, including immigrants from Central America furious about millions of illegals clamoring for immediate amnesty.

I expected nothing less than peaceful victory the next day, and I was right. The makeshift free speech rally began at 2pm in Martin Luther King Jr. Park. By 1pm, conservatives of all stripes swarmed the main plaza. One man held the American flag at the top of dried-up fountain. He ensured that our banner yet waved above all other banners. Men and women draped in American flags, Trump gear, picture of Pepe the Frog, and most importantly riot gear of their own populated the entire square. This Trump supporter never felt so at home, and right in the heart of ultra-liberal Berkeley, California.

The conservative masses there were stumping not just for Trump, but for freedom of speech, for our rights as citizens, and for our great country. After eight years of Barack Obama and the insidious poison of silencing political correctness, We the People—especially in California—had had enough and staked out our stance. Other guest speakers, including Laura Southern and Gavin McGuiness, spoke at the rally. McGuiness even read Ann Coulter’s schedule speech.

She should have been there. Granted, not building the wall along our southern border counts as government abandoning its core responsibility. But a conservative advocating for principles of freedom of speech as well as enforcement of our immigration laws needs to stand up and fight for these principles, even in the face of dire threats.

Antifa showed up, but with limited effect. The Berkeley police in full riot regalia defended the streets, and the free speech advocates won the day. Trump supporters signaled that they won’t rest until every right is secured, even in the most liberal bastions. If conservatism’s leading minds won’t step up, then We the People will. After all, Americanism is at stake. There is no America apart from the First Amendment.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: dsj02

1 posted on 04/29/2017 4:52:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

They took away her date and her venue and the college Republicans rescinded her invitation. What was she to do? Milo couldn’t speak either.

I suspect he’s still not a fan of Ann’s and to laud Senator Cruz who sneakily got with the program after running down to the border with teddy bears? Ha! Ha-Ha! As Stanley Kowalski used to say.


2 posted on 04/29/2017 4:58:25 AM PDT by miss marmelstein
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To: Kaslin

What turned me off of Cruz was that he fell apart under attack. He is not presidential material now when a really strong personality is required. In the Senate he is a real and important asset.


3 posted on 04/29/2017 5:03:12 AM PDT by arthurus
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To: Kaslin

Cruz?Remember Chicago and his criticism of Trump with those psychopathic protesters?


4 posted on 04/29/2017 5:08:03 AM PDT by Lent
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To: Kaslin

Coulter has punked out before.Coulter supported Romney through the primaries in 2012. She is not reliable. She is not so courageous as she tries to project.


5 posted on 04/29/2017 5:08:42 AM PDT by arthurus
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To: Kaslin
She should have been there.

Or, she very cleverly shone MORE light on the issue but not showing up.

6 posted on 04/29/2017 5:09:02 AM PDT by donna (God's standards, like it or not, are the basis for the laws that led to western civilization.)
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To: Kaslin

The Coulter *I* know would have shown up anyway.


7 posted on 04/29/2017 5:23:10 AM PDT by gaijin
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To: donna

By not showing up, she turned the light on herself and then left the stage!

When her invite was cancelled, she should have shown up anyway with lots of security- even if she stood on a ‘soapbox’ and gave a speech....

So they won again! Fox, Coulter, Milo— who/what’s next??


8 posted on 04/29/2017 5:26:39 AM PDT by homegroan
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To: homegroan
By not showing up, she turned the light on herself and then left the stage!

Agreed. She should have demonstrated the courage of her convictions, even if there was a risk.

No sainthood for Ann.

9 posted on 04/29/2017 5:44:35 AM PDT by nonsporting
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To: Kaslin

What a wuss, this Arthur Schaper. . .He wants the girl to get bloodied?! Him and Shapiro are mad because a woman felt threatened. . .WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED TO FEEL THAT WAY. . .but it seems these wussy boys don’t get it. If this punk was a real man, he would not embarrass himself like this. . . Oh, he’s a big man. . he goes to town halls and get thrown out. ..oh woooo, what a hero, in his rented limo-bus ready for anything. . .what a warrior Arthur is. . .yea. Hey Arthur. . .Antifa thugs could care less about an Arthur Schaper-yapper. Quite a difference between Ann showing up and Arthur showing up.


10 posted on 04/29/2017 5:47:04 AM PDT by McBuff
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To: Kaslin
She'll charge ya' $125 (or more) in order to hear herself exercise her God-given right to freedom of speech (if you'll agree to paying that much).
11 posted on 04/29/2017 6:00:59 AM PDT by BlueDragon
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To: Kaslin

For better or worse Ann has put herself out there as a face of Conservatisim and as such she should have delivered that speech come what may. If duly constituted authority didn’t want to ensure speech and to otherwise keep the peace Ann should have called for volunteers who were willing to shoulder the burden


12 posted on 04/29/2017 6:02:52 AM PDT by TalBlack (Evil doesn't have a day job....)
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To: TalBlack

The left is no longer throwing pies as they did here in Tucson. Now its Molotov Cocktails. Big difference.


13 posted on 04/29/2017 6:26:49 AM PDT by Don Corleone (.leave the gun, take the canolis, take it to the mattress.)
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To: Kaslin

Ann is old. The kids, like Lauren Southern, are on the street. And she has a target on her.


14 posted on 04/29/2017 6:38:43 AM PDT by Stentor
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To: Kaslin

Arthur Schaper

Just who the hell are you, Arthur? How many anti liberal
books have you penned? On how many TV or radio programs has
your likeness and/or voice appeared to call out or taunt
liberals? True, those on the right are split when it comes
to Coulter. However, those on the left are totally unified
when it comes to her and that makes all real conservatives
at least some degree of happy.

Arthur, when it comes to Coulter, why don’t
you get in the game before you pop-off? As far
as we all know there could be a very compelling
back story related to her cancellation.


15 posted on 04/29/2017 6:58:34 AM PDT by Sivad (Don't believe in ' /s ' tags)
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To: TalBlack

also this....

http://www.galganov.com/editorials/4-28-2017/archives/you-reap-what-you-sow/#.WQSjCtIrLIU


16 posted on 04/29/2017 7:29:25 AM PDT by kerry431
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To: Kaslin
"I still give Senator Cruz mad props for fighting the good fight. His latest legislative insight, civil asset forfeiture of Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo’s billions for the wall—is pure gold."

Civil Asset Forefeiture should be applied to all illegal aliens it would just about pay off the Federal debt. Plus it would open up jobs for the unemployed eliminating much of the welfare burden.

17 posted on 04/29/2017 8:26:13 AM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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