HBO talk show host Bill Maher finds himself the target of a college protest over his scheduled commencement address at UC Berkley this December. That's right, apparently it's not just conservatives such as Ann Coulter and David Horowitz whose speech is squelched on college campuses.
The liberal atheist who has degraded Republican women with the most vile language imaginable finds himself in hot water, but not for his "war on women" monologues. No, his sin is suggesting maybe, just maybe, Muslim nations have a problem with basic human rights due to their strict adherence to Shariah Law.
Josh Feldman at Mediate has a breakdown of the petition that was posted at Change.org, imploring Berkley administrators to revoke their invitation to the "bigot and racist" comedian:
Bill Maher is a blatant bigot and racist who has no respect for the values UC Berkeley students and administration stand for. In a time where climate is a priority for all on campus, we cannot invite an individual who himself perpetuates a dangerous learning environment. Bill Maher’s public statements on various religions and cultures are offensive and his dangerous rhetoric has found its way into our campus communities.
It's insightful to examine what constitutes "racist and bigoted" hate speech on the petition. Here are some of the examples cited.
What, exactly is racist and bigoted about this:
Rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize that the solace and comfort that religion brings you actually comes at a terrible price.
Or this:
You have to understand, you have to embrace the values of Western civilization. They're not just different, they are better.
Or this:
For a lack of a better term I would say the feminine values are now the values of America, sensitivity is more important than truth, feelings are more important that facts.
To be fair, there are certainly some objectionable comments on the petition as well, but nothing you wouldn't hear directed at Christians or conservatives in your typical ethnic studies class at UC Berkley. The point is, now that Maher has raised concerns over Islam and how Shariah is used to oppress and abuse in Islamic countries, he's a bigot who must be silenced.
Funny how the petition doesn't mention hateful remarks about Christians or about Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin. No, it's Islam that must be protected from edgy criticism.