Specter cancels appearance at ‘anti-Islamist’ conference.
Specter cancels appearance at ‘anti-Islamist’ conference.
Last week, media reports announced that Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) was scheduled to speak at a conference, hosted by Daniel Pipes’s Middle East Forum think tank, looking at how “Islamist lawfare” is threatening free speech in America. However, Specter has now pulled out of today’s conference. ThinkProgress spoke to one of the senator’s staffers, who cited a “scheduling conflict.” “We canceled this event last week, Tuesday or Wednesday.” (The Council on American-Islamic Relations notes that as recently as yesterday, Specter was still listed as a speaker in media schedules for the event, although he is not listed on the materials at the conference today.) The Specter staffer also told us that the cancellation had nothing to do with the controversy over Specter’s participation.
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It all boils down to the usual culprit:
RACISM
It’s okay to defile the laws and constitution of the United States if your white and rich and claim to be Xtian.
Any other citizen with the same desire is labeled a “terrrrist”.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:46 amIslamist warfare? WTF happened to “Islamofascism”?
As for free speech being threatened. Remember THIS from Chimpy’s 1st press sec. Ari Fleischer:
“From now on, Americans need to watch what they say, and watch what they do(BECAUSE WE WILL BE)”
Good morning, campers
May 19th, 2009 at 11:48 amYou have to remember, when Specter scheduled the speaking engagement, he was a Republican, so the whole racism thing didn’t matter.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:57 amI’m still quite baffled by the previous question here.
I mean, wasn’t Bush’s big crusade intended to bring democracy and the rule of law to the Middle East and the Muslim world?
If so, then WHY is there a problem if people in the Middle East and the Muslim world use the tools of democracy and the rule of law to protect themselves and their faith from defamation? One would think that would constitute a victory for the Bush Doctrine.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:57 am.
What does it make a person when they attend an anti-Jewish rally?
What does it make a person when they attend an anti-Islam rally?
Any difference?
.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am.
A scheduling conflict appears to indicate that he still intended to attend the conference, but couldn’t because of other commitments. Funny that Specter didn’t CANCEL his invitation.
.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:03 pmOops, too much rant/rage. I guess he did cancel…
May 19th, 2009 at 12:09 pm… Resetting rant/rage levels for the day. :/
I wonder if someone from the (D) side of the aisle reminded Arlen which side of the bread he’s putting his butter on now…
May 19th, 2009 at 12:12 pmMax Anax junius -1 Says
May 19th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
… Resetting rant/rage levels for the day. :/
____________________________________________________________
Periodic recalibration should always be part of a comprehensive maintenance schedule. Just remember that having the threshold set too high is often worse than having it set too low.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:16 pmLooks like Specter is afraid that attendance at this event may have an impact on his chance of winning the Democratic primary next year. It wouldn’t matter because we will remind Democrats in PA of how disrespectful Specter was to Anita Hill.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:18 pmCFP: you’re too funny.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:30 pmYou should start writing that letter to Santa Claus right now.
Why wait for the Christmas rush to ask him for some smarts?
missmolly,
ROFLMAO!!!
I am over due for a tune up…
May 19th, 2009 at 12:33 pmThe Specter staffer also told us that the cancellation had nothing to do with the controversy over Specter’s participation.
YEAH right, I think Specter had a moment of clarity.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:48 pmYes, this is confusing, I thought we went into Iraq to free the Iraqi people from a dictator.
Has it occurred to these people that this kind of behavior also works to recruit more extremists? That they are not working toward a peaceful ending of violence but fanning the flames of it?
May 19th, 2009 at 12:51 pmTruth of the matter is Specter realized HE was being cancelled…
May 19th, 2009 at 1:00 pmConservativeForProgress Says:
It is highly misleading to label this an anti-Islamist conference. The conference is titled: “Libel Lawfare: Silencing Criticism of Radical Islam.” The subject is how some supporters of Radical Islam are using the courts to silence their critics. There have been similar conferences on how the Church of Scientology allegedly uses “lawfare” to silence its critics.
So who are the supporters of “Radical Islam” and what court cases have they brought to bear against those wishing to “silence” them?
Let’s see…from the site:
Islamists have launched a two-pronged effort to suppress free discourse on such subjects as Islam, radical Islam, terrorism, and terrorist funding:
* By filing predatory lawsuits.
* By passing “hate speech” and defamation laws.
Victims of these “lawfare” attacks have included the famous and the obscure, politicians, journalists, analysts and plain citizens.
This inhibition has great consequences, for when discussion of Islam and terrorism are limited, radical Islam is empowered and Western civilization is imperiled.
Issues to be discussed on May 19 include: A close analysis of Islamist methods; the possible need for legislation to protect free speech on these topics; a comparison of the situation in Europe and the United States; and ways to prevent the United Nations from curtailing discussion of Islam.
May 19th, 2009 at 1:25 pm_________________________________________________________
Please note CFP, that the whole outline of the event pretty well conflates Islam in general with terrorism. They also don’t actually seem to name any of the victims of the “lawfare” either famous or obscure. Don’t parse things up and claim that the post’s headline is misleading. You’re being dishonest.
I’m glad that he canceled. The big question for us, as we consider whether to vote for him as a Democrat, is what was he thinking when he agreed to give a hate speech in the first place?
May 19th, 2009 at 2:03 pmDNFP, what race is ISLAM? If Arabic is your answer your wrong!!! The majority of Muslims live in the far East in countries like Indonesia. The Arab Muslim is the minority. It just so happens the strongest beef with the Western World comes from the Arabic Muslims.
I think we’re all in for a real treat in the future with ISLAM. For once we’re going to get to see the Unlimited Potential a focused group of people can bring to a society. They will make us a much stronger and better structured society. Things should really flourish once we all get on the right path and embrace it. No more kids wearing saging pants, no back talk from our women, no more fighting in the Middle East with our brothers, finally some decent respectful music, no more stealing. I’m gonna go and get my copy of the Koran today since everybody seems to now know what our leaders know. Resistance is futile!
May 19th, 2009 at 2:30 pmSheepdog 19
As to paragraph 1: Thank you Captain obvious. Did you know water was wet?
P2 You are a bigot. Thanks for playing. Stupid, bigoted and brainwashed is no way to go through life. Save yourself now.
May 19th, 2009 at 3:47 pm21.
Obvious obviously doesn’t seem to have any bearing on you.
You are a bigot, thanks for playing. Pulling the moral superiority card out and proclaiming another culture with a different socialization brainwashed is no way through life. Unfortunately there seems to be no hope for you. Just do the world the biggest favor you can.
Make like your namesake and get yourself into the loony bin.
May 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pmNologicINyourbrain
I dont DO requests MORON. Look we get that you are stupid and cant really say anything anyone would waste their life taking seriously but do try to maintain some level of coherence. Someone as patently ignorant as you will of course find that hard to do. You babbling is not clever in fact someone as stupid as you is never going to BE clever. Clever is reserved for those of us with the capacity for higher brain function and we both know that is just not in your future. Face it you were born stupid and you will die stupid and your life is an unremitting march of your stupid. Not my problem
May 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pmOh by the way MORON. Eugene Debs didnt go to any looney bin it wasnt THAT kind of sanitarium. There was never anything wrong with his mental faculties. He went to a healthcare facility to get what today we would call hospice care to die. Not really suprised you are too stupid to know what you are talking about
May 19th, 2009 at 5:36 pmSo who are the supporters of “Radical Islam” and what court cases have they brought to bear against those wishing to “silence” them?
First of all, you’re twisting things, it’s the “supporters of “Radical Islam”" who are bring cases to “silence” folks, they’re not being silenced..
Secondly, as for actual cases…
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hilden/20071224.html
“The Ehrenfeld/Mahfouz Case: How “Libel Tourism” Undermines the First Amendment and, in the Internet Age, Compels An International Solution”
“Ehrenfeld’s book Funding Evil: How Terrorism Is Financed – and How to Stop It, published in 2003, claimed that Mahfouz is an al Qaeda financier. He is adamant, however, that he has nothing to do with al Qaeda. If he is right, one can hardly imagine a more damaging allegation. He has used, or threatened to use, the British courts dozens of times to sue writers and publishers who have claimed such a connection. ”
This case, sparked the drive for protective legislation, now moving through Congress.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h1304:
For another case..
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/01/13/hate_speech_laws/index.html
The Noxious Fruits of Hate Speech laws
“I’ve written several times before about the oppressive, dangerous hate speech laws which are common — increasingly so — in both Canada and Europe, whereby the Government is empowered to punish as criminals citizens who express offensive or otherwise prohibited political views.” – Glen Greenwald
You can fuss over the views of who’s bringing the issue up, but “Libel Tourism” is getting out of hand, snice the internet is basically allowing you to be sued -anywere- in the world your writing might be read..
May 19th, 2009 at 6:18 pmLogickilledyourbrain and Eugenedebs, are you guys on the same sheet of music or are you now arguing about who’s gonna bash me 1st. Love to see your likes fix a leak on a sinking sailboat 5 miles from the coast. THAT WAS HILLARIOUS SHIPMATES!!!
EugeneDebs, you’re obviously a woman so under the future of Islamic Law we all face, I’m gonna save time and ignore you now.
Mr. Logic, just so I don’t offend you let’s play a game and not mention any of those bad words like “RACES” or “RELIGIONS”. I’ll call one group of people group X and another group of people group Y. Group X has enjoyed a certain identity for a couple hundred years. All of a sudden group Y comes along and says, I’m going to use the laws of group X’s land against them so that I can do whatever I want wether they like it or not. Now you know it ain’t human nature for group X to just say, hey move on in buddy and do what you want. To quote Lee Armey, “Hell I like you, you can come over to my house and #### my sister!” You’re probably in denial about this concept, but think about the time you got your 1st black neighbor, or the Vato Loco Lowrider Chicano in the grocery store line with you, or the time you had your fat dubbage in your jean pocket with a cop standing 10 feet from you. You felt like your ways and your space were about to get violated. Sorry to offer you an opposing view in this MOST CERTAIN LIBERAL HAPPY WEBSITE. You guys are so “tolerant” of other views.
May 19th, 2009 at 7:45 pmSheepledog you are obviously a moron as well as a bigot so it will come as no suprise you are wrong I am not a woman. You however clearly ARE ignorant. You are stupid. Face it. A stupid bigot without any sense of shame or decency. A bigot and a brainwashed moron. Your life is a waste. You have no brain. You have nothing worthwhile. You are ignorant and disgusting. You are staggeringly stupid. Nothing you post is worth the waste of life it takes to read. You dont KNOW anything and you dont care. You are a liar and a fool and think that is clever. Your idiocy isnt clever it is sad and pathetic like your life. You arent ever going to be clever OR make sene because you are stupid. You always WILL be stupid so there it is
May 19th, 2009 at 10:39 pmEugeneDeb, go pop another pill for that depression of yours, woman!
May 20th, 2009 at 8:23 pm