"As the Student Regent for the University of California, I cannot stand for any action that makes our students feel unsafe. Bill Maher should not be honored for his bigotry and sexism by being invited to be a speaker on our campus. If Berkeley values campus climate and the way its students feel, it will stop Maher from being present at the Fall Commencement."
-Sadia Saifuddin UC Student Regent
Change.org reader thread
On December 20, Bill Maher is scheduled to give the commencement address at UC Berkeley's Haas Pavillion. It appears that Muslim students are gearing up to protest the event.
http://www.breitbart.com/california/2014/10/31/uc-berkeley-muslim-students-association-prepares-to-wage-pr-war-against-conservative-administration/
I have sad news for the little rascals: Even if you consider what Maher has said about Islam to be hate speech, it is still protected (free) speech under the US Constitution. I suspect the students who made that statement have been sitting in on too many of Professor Hatem Bazian's classes. Bazian, not surprisingly, is leading the move to try and have Maher's appearance cancelled. This is a guy who has called for an intifada in the US. Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, to date, has insisted that Maher speak. Maher himself says he will not back down. He has sent a message to Berkeley that, "This is not about me. This is about you."
While I don't often agree with Maher, he is right. This is shaping up as a major test of American's right to speak freely about Islam, a subject of universal importance given what is going on in the world around us. Maher's speech would represent a major statement to the 56-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is still pushing the UN to pass a Defamation of Religions measure that would call on all member states to outlaw criticism of religion (in reality only Islam). On the other hand, if Maher does not speak at Berkeley, it will be a major victory for the forces of fascism on college campuses who want to shut down any speech with which they disagree. Christians, Mormons and Jews for years have listened to Maher insult their religions without calling for censorship. We have taken it not because we like it, but because we understand what free speech is. It is about time Mr Intifada Man and his band of youthful followers learn that too.
My appeal to Bill Maher is this: Don't back down. As you said, this is not about you any more. It is about UC Berkeley- and a whole lot more.
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