Canadian publisher defends his right to publish prophet cartoon to HRC officer

[yys]

Here's a few clips of Ezra Levant defending his right to free speech and thought before a aptly named human rights officer, Mrs McGovern. Abso-fucking-lutly brilliant

This is his response to a question of "What was your intent?"
https://youtube.com/watch?v=3iMNM...eature=related

Opening Statement
https://youtube.com/watch?v=AzVJTHIvqw8

Attributes of Free Speech
https://youtube.com/watch?v=kHrtlO5Hg88

I don't answer to the state
https://youtube.com/watch?v=6n3SdV2cwn4

I bet they wish he didn't record this




I'd recommend watching the other videos he posted as well


For a bit of background on the case

Conservative who published Prophet cartoons faces rights commission
Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, January 10, 2008

CALGARY - Outspoken conservative commentator Ezra Levant will be before the Alberta Human Rights Commission Friday defending his former magazine's 2006 publication of a series of Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

Members of Calgary's Muslim community were outraged when Levant's now-defunct publication, the Western Standard, published the cartoons in February 2006, shortly after their initial appearance in a Danish newspaper led to rioting and protests around the world.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/st...f0acb1&k=90175

[Cyrano]

Canadians do not possess a genuine right to freedom of expression or speech, our constitution is crap.

[buzzy]

It's not free speech it's about respect. If 1.5 billion people across the world get offended because a drawing of their prophet is forbidden then at least have the courtesy to give that respect.

It's free speech to make fun of the holocaust but if you do that in central europe you will get in prison, what happened to free speech then? Sure it is up to him if he wants to make cartoons of the Prophet but at the end of the day all he is doing is making alot of people unhappy unnessicarily imo.

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by buzzy

It's not free speech it's about respect. If 1.5 billion people across the world get offended because a drawing of their prophet is forbidden then at least have the courtesy to give that respect.

It's free speech to make fun of the holocaust but if you do that in central europe you will get in prison, what happened to free speech then? Sure it is up to him if he wants to make cartoons of the Prophet but at the end of the day all he is doing is making alot of people unhappy unnessicarily imo.

You're an idiot. Oh, sorry, did I hurt your feelings? Should my ability to speak freely be muzzled preemptively?

[D]

Originally Posted by buzzy

It's not free speech it's about respect. If 1.5 billion people across the world get offended because a drawing of their prophet is forbidden then at least have the courtesy to give that respect.

It's free speech to make fun of the holocaust but if you do that in central europe you will get in prison, what happened to free speech then? Sure it is up to him if he wants to make cartoons of the Prophet but at the end of the day all he is doing is making alot of people unhappy unnessicarily imo.

It becomes about "free speech" the moment you get a government involved.

I don't think it's possible for the government to legislate/enforce "respect" without infringing on freedom of speech.

Great snippets, imho. Gotta love people that go to bat for the important issues, and don't just lay over.

[Socks]

My first reaction was that posting these cartoons does nothing but negative things, and can easily be avoided.

My current reaction is that in the western world some of us hold our right to freedom of speech and personal opinion almost as highly as the Muslims hold their religious views. It makes us just as mad when these liberties are taken away from us. That's why people like this fight for it.

[buzzy]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

You're an idiot. Oh, sorry, did I hurt your feelings? Should my ability to speak freely be muzzled preemptively?

Hmm, I try to give a polite and dignified response but you reply with that. Whatever. Too many kids on gfy these days.

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by buzzy

Hmm, I try to give a polite and dignified response but you reply with that. Whatever. Too many kids on gfy these days.

I was attempting to establish a point.

[BoyAlley]

Originally Posted by buzzy

It's not free speech it's about respect. If 1.5 billion people across the world get offended because a drawing of their prophet is forbidden then at least have the courtesy to give that respect.

It's free speech to make fun of the holocaust but if you do that in central europe you will get in prison, what happened to free speech then? Sure it is up to him if he wants to make cartoons of the Prophet but at the end of the day all he is doing is making alot of people unhappy unnessicarily imo.

Yes let's let Muslims dictate to us what we can and can not say or do.

Because they've proven to be very rational people.

Just like the Christians Evangelicals we have here in the US.



Muslims and Christians both get VERY offended by pornography too. In fact, in most Muslim countries you'd be put to death for publishing it. Perhaps you should stop doing that too? Because at the end of the day, all you're doing is making a lot of people unhappy.



Someone needs to find a pill to cure whatever the hell's fucked up in all of these people's heads.

[Socks]

There is a pill that will fix their heads - it's called cyanide.

[starpimps]

those cartoons were funny as hell

[buzzy]

Originally Posted by BoyAlley

Yes let's let Muslims dictate to us what we can and can not say or do.

Because they've proven to be very rational people.

Just like the Christians Evangelicals we have here in the US.



Muslims and Christians both get VERY offended by pornography too. In fact, in most Muslim countries you'd be put to death for publishing it. Perhaps you should stop doing that too? Because at the end of the day, all you're doing is making a lot of people unhappy.



Someone needs to find a pill to cure whatever the hell's fucked up in all of these people's heads.

No we shouldn't let Muslims dictate to us what we do BUT it seems the only purpose of these cartoons is to take the piss or to provoke people which is stupid.

[Shey]

Originally Posted by buzzy

No we shouldn't let Muslims dictate to us what we do BUT it seems the only purpose of these cartoons is to take the piss or to provoke people which is stupid.

Oh please, these are the same people that get provoked by a teacher allowing CHILDREN to lovingly name a teddy Bear Mohamed. Yeah, I'm sure that if the cartoons would have been thoughtfully made they would have had no problems with it...