Freedom of Speech or Is It?

Oh Canada! by Ann Coulter, March 24th 2010, in the anncoulter.com website. This blog entry has been prompted by Ms Ann Coulter's resent visit to the University of Ottawa in Canada.

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing if used with respect, dignity, and civility, no one should be made to second guess what is going to come out the mouth of a conservative, or liberal. To knowingly promote hatred is simply not freedom of speech!

Fore-warned if fore-armed, so rocking the boat and then crying foul is not the best way to use intelligence, but research and arming oneself with relevant information on the country to be visited would be the way to reflect knowledge as well as integrity and a wish to promote peace.

As America's freedom of speech is not the blue print of the world's freedom of speech, Ms Coulter should have educated herself on the rules and regulations to be followed when visiting Canada. As a result of first delivering a hate speech, Ms Coulter has received an unsolicited piece of mail with a reprimand. University of Ottawa's letter to Ann Coulter.

Speeches can still be delivered effectively without any hatred or diatribe. Delivering a speech with clean, easy to understand language always proves to be more effective. Leaders, educators, and journalists who keep their cool when they have the audience's attention seem to find more popularity than those who stir up anger emotions in a crowd.

The old saying, "when in Rome do as Romans do", still applies to all of us especially when we are representing our country of birth. If we carry ourselves in a respectful manner away from home, we show the world that we come from a country of civilized, educated, as well as respected individuals. This may not be so, if we chose to portray bad behavior in the name of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is not a ticket to talk down or show our hatred for different nationalities. As Americans, we can prove that we are ambassadors of peace, and that we do not just preach it, but we live it.

I believe it is not too late for the writer to redeem herself as she is a very intelligent person, who could really make a difference in the world if she chooses to do so.

Ms Coulter, travels with body guards to her different speaking engagements, so if hers is truly free speech and not hate speech, she should be free to deliver it without any body guards.