Posted on 05/04/2005 7:33:16 AM PDT by Flightdeck
Arrest made at Coulter speech
Student arrested, charged with disorderly conduct after offensive question
By Yashoda Sampath
Incessant heckling and shouting culminated in an arrest Tuesday night during a speech by Ann Coulter, an extreme right-wing pundit, at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.
Shouts became so pervasive during the question-and-answer session that Coulter informed the organizers she would no longer take questions if the hecklers were not silenced. For a time, the shouts were considerably lessened, until the issue of gay marriage was broached.
Coulter said she supported the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman on the basis that a good woman civilizes and inspires a man to strive for something better, leading to a question that was met with a stunned silence.
"You say that you believe in the sanctity of marriage," said Ajai Raj, an English sophomore. "How do you feel about marriages where the man does nothing but f--- his wife up the ass?"
UT Police officers approached Raj to arrest him, resulting in a mass exodus of protesters chanting, "Let him go."
"The person had been disruptive the entire event," said Matt Hardigree, former Student Events Center president. "He took the opportunity to say something lewd and offensive and then made masturbatory gestures as he exited."
Hardigree said that Cheryl Wood from the Office of the Dean of Students spoke with some of the protestors before the event, and assorted members of the Distinguished Speakers Committee asked them to sit in the back if they had signs and to leave quietly if they wanted to leave.
According to Jeffrey Stockerwell, a friend of Raj, officers violently seized Raj and illegally searched him after his question.
Police have charged Raj with disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor.
Representatives of the Austin People's Legal Collective were taking statements from everyone at the scene, in case it should be taken to court.
Raj worked at the Texan on a volunteer basis for a brief time in March.
Before the speech began, the International Socialist Organization protested outside of the library, with about 12 people holding up signs with slogans such as "Racist, sexist, anti-gay, right-wing bigot go away" and "Stop the new McCarthyism."
The booing began early into Coulter's speech, when she issued a joke to pro-choice advocates.
"I wonder why those 'I Heart Partial-Birth Abortion' T-shirts aren't selling better," she said, followed by a combination of cheers and jeers.
Coulter went on to decry the conservative media bias she said liberals complain of, and she challenged the undemocratic actions of liberals with respect to Iraq and to the judiciary.
"They're always trying to act like they're oppressed," she said. "So let's do it. Let's oppress them."
One student asked Coulter why universities and institutions place microphones in front of Coulter when she advocates terrorism against liberals, prompting Coulter to mention the strength of her book sales. Coulter has had four New York Times best sellers.
The $30,000 event was co-sponsored by the Texas Union Student Events Center and Student Endowed Centennial Lectureship Committee.
Your screen name seems familiar. Are you a retread?
You're a conservative like Fidel Castro is a humanitarian
Liberals are such a lewd and vulgar bunch of gutter dogs aren't they....
Sucks to be you.
"I probably misconstrued it with this one..."
I see. So you were wrong. And the NYSlimes comment was clearly a joke, unlike for instance, Rosie O'Donnell calling Bush a war criminal.
Gay marriage is not an argument about sexual practices.
It's an argument about how "family," the cornerstone of a civil society, is going to be defined: As a partnership for procreation and the raising of children to productive adulthood, or as a sexual arrangement.
No matter how you look at it, one is just naturally more stable than the other.
I've decided that for many liberals, life really is just all about sex.
Sad day for Captain Carrot.
We've long said Austin was Berkley on the Colorado, but from now on I guess I'll call it "Leningrad on the Colorado"
It's been that way since at least the sixties. Now it's become Leningrad on the Colorado, although the real Leningrad (now St. Petersburg again) is probably much less left wing.
"Let's be honest here, sir. She advocated violence against professors and forced religious conversion. The exaggerated end all is not a solid argument."
Let's do be honest. If you are referring to what Coulter said on Sept. 12, 2001 that was fairly tame compared to the message sent here by the Jihadi's on 9-11-01.
Oh, and welcome to Free Republic.
:o)
I heard that Austin is a parasite nest of Democrats and other assorted scumbags.
Ann makes good money on the lecture tour, and she obviously earns it. While certain scumbags in the audience may bleat and cry and make complete ass clowns of themselves, Ann is laughing all the way to the bank.
Way to be, Ann!
As a matter of fact, Ann should chuckle and mention her fee ($25,000 to $50,000 per speech, according to TIME) whenever the heckling gets out of hand. That would simply drive the liberal Democrat ass clowns nuts!
Considering that they are probably Indian, they are probably as appalled as you are, maybe more. Indians tend to be more refined than that. Bad influences of UT faculty I'd say.
Ronnie Earle is too busy going after Republican politicians, most notably Tom DeLay, that he can't be bothered with ordinary street crimes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.