Anne Coulter, a woman who (we think/hope/pray) says offensive things to get attention and sell books, has been warned by the University of Ottawa not to be, um, you know, too much like herself when she speaks there next week. In a letter to Coulter, the school’s vice-president and provost, François Houle, suggests that the conservative flamethrower study up on the country’s free-speech limitations before she visits:
For example, promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges. Outside of the criminal realm, Canadian defamation laws also limit freedom of expression and may differ somewhat from those to which you are accustomed. I therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind.
We love how the letter doesn’t make any mention of the reason that Houle felt Coulter needed to be warned — as if they send this letter to everyone who gives speeches in Canada — which is, we’re guessing, her history of making inflammatory remarks about Muslims. Coulter famously said after 9/11 that America should invade Muslim countries and convert them to Christianity. She’s also referred to Muslims as “ragheads,” “Jihad monkeys,” “camel jockeys,” and “tent merchants.” Oh, and she called John Edwards a “faggot” (wrong!).
So Canada — sweet, gentle Canada — just wants a little civility. Coulter’s snarky but expletive-free, slur-free rebuttal is a good start. “I was hoping for a fruit basket, not a threat to prosecute,” she wrote on Big Government. The comments on her post, though … not as civil:
Tell them to go suck on it, Ann!
Canada — America’s Ass Hat! We should add them to the Axis of Evil.
University to Ann Coulter: Please watch your mouth [National Post]
