Ann Coulter Is Now the Victim of a Hate Crime, Says Ann Coulter

Who would have guessed that a letter from the University of Ottawa warning Anne Coulter not to be overly hateful when she speaks there would spawn a larger controversy? The answer is everyone, and everyone was correct. But before Coulter's event at the University of Ottawa yesterday, she first spoke at the University of Western Ontario on Monday. It was there that Coulter told a 17-year-old Muslim girl to "take a camel" if she didn't own a flying carpet -- a reference to an old Coulter remark about what Muslims should do after being banned from flying on planes. It's "satire," Coulter later told Canadian television.

Well, the students at the University of Ottawa, who already opposed Coulter's appearance there, thought it was more like Coulter being a racist she-devil. Hundreds of them massed at the entrance to the auditorium where Coulter was set to speak last night to protest her appearance. Ultimately, Coulter's bodyguard, in consultation with security, decided it was too dangerous for her to enter the building, and the event was canceled. It's kind of ironic, actually, that people expressing their right to free speech were deemed a threat to someone who was herself deemed a threat over her expression of free speech. Consider our mind blown.

Anyway, the best part of this whole thing is that Coulter is trying to claim that the initial letter from University of Ottawa provost Françoise Houle -- which was worded as carefully and Canadian-ly as humanly possible -- constituted a hate crime against her. "The provost simply believes and is publicizing his belief that conservatives are more likely to commit hate crimes in their speeches," Coulter says. "Not only does this promote hatred against conservatives, but it promotes violence against conservatives." No, Ann, not conservatives -- hateful people. Hateful people are more likely to commit hate crimes.

Coulter seeks prosecution in Canada over free speech [Washington Times]
"It's always the bush league schools,' Coulter contends [Canada.com]
Ann Coulter causes firestorm in Canada by telling Muslim to 'take a camel' as alternative to flying [NYDN]