Hate Speech? I Call Bullshit.

Sigh. I like my gay people, you know? My best friend’s a gay guy, I’ve had lesbian and bi-sexual friends all my life, and I’ve been a staunch defender of gay rights since I was in my teens, long before it ever got popular. I think my mother thought I was a lesbian in training when I said, “But, Mom, people should be able to love whoever they love.” I mean, I was 14 and it wasn’t even 1990 yet.
Even though I like my gay people, I’m going to say a few things here that might get me in trouble.
Here in Vancouver, the Human Rights Tribunal is convening to investigate complaints that a comedian used hate speech when he flamed a couple lesbians at his show in May.
Here’s where we have a big ol’ class, boys and girls, about how Canada and the United States are different. So let’s digress and give y’all the crash course, okay, for where it pertains to the right to speak freely?
We Canucks have freedom of speech… sort of.
The USA has carte blanche on freedom of speech, so it’s no surprise we’ll hear hate-spewing fuckheads shouting racist remarks followed by “I got a right to speak free, man!”
Here in Canada, no such thing would occur. Why? Inciting hatred is illegal.
Hey, that’s what you like about us, after all. We’re nice, we’re polite, we’re Canadians. We even say please and thank you. And, we promise, when we talk smack about ya, at least we’ll do it nicely. (Most of the time.)
Aside from the incident last month, there’s another case quietly being heard in the courts, getting little press out there in the world, which is surprising, because it’s huge. MacLean’s Magazine dedicated an entire issue in 2007 to Islam in the world today, which was staggering in its slant against Islam. I mean, I’m open-minded, have known Islamic people, and even taught ESL to Saudi Arabian Muslims who I thought were, by far, some of the kindest and most generous people I’d ever met.
And, even still, after reading that issue of MacLean’s, because it was MacLean’s (Canada’s equivalent to Newsweek, and just as trusted) I found myself becoming slightly more anti-Islamic than I’d used to be, which shocked the hell out of me.
Now MacLean’s is facing a lawsuit from the public as well as the government, for spreading hatred. It’s been a long, long time since such a lawsuit has been heard here, though, and against such a venerable publication. And, in this instance, I’m proud and happy that our laws are speaking up and saying that MacLean’s biases against Islam, and trying to argue against it, are the equivalent of “mild-mannered” hate-speech. Good.
So into this current climate wades a new controversy. A human rights tribunal will convene to hear the case of Lorna Pardy versus Guy Earle and Zesty’s Restaurant.
The gist of it all? Basically, a comedian heckled some lesbians at his open mic night he was hosting.
There’s no Youtube video, unfortunately, so much of what transpired is he-said/she-said. What is claimed is that these lesbians were out on the patio all night, getting loaded with drinks, and then they came right into the “club” part of Zesty’s Restaurant on Commercial Drive, sat at the front, and started making out.
The comedian, Guy Earle, says he was pissed off by the disrespect of strolling into a comedy show just to make out — full tongues, everything, in the front row. He says he doesn’t care if you’re “gay, straight, or giraffes”, it’s just rude. He got pissed off and launched on them.
Apparently he made comments like “You’re fat, you’re old, you’re not even lesbian!” and brought up comments about sex toys and such. There’s not a lot of context being put towards these alleged remarks, so it’s hard to really beef it up. He admits he got angry, he says they took it up a notch too.
A question flying around Vancouver is, at what point does the age-old tradition of heckle-smashing in comedy routines become hate speech? Or does it ever?
And here’s where I might get myself in trouble here.
Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, where this went down, is considered many things — the counterculture capital of Canada, a hip place, a great restaurant street, little Italy, where to catch the World Cup of Soccer… but it’s also acknowledged as home to some of the most militant lesbians out there.
We’re talking really, really militant lesbians sometimes. I heard someone describe it as, “Well, comparing them to your average lesbian is like comparing an average black person to a Black Panther, minus all the violence and stuff. They’re just really out there.”
I find that statement a little over the top, but it’s certainly accurate to what the PERCEPTION is from some of the folks out there.
So, if some of them are that in-your-face, the question is, how much did the lesbians in question throw that in his face, and at what point does what you flaunt about yourself mean you’re permitting that to become a weapon against you?
I mean, if you’re acting like a militant lesbian, isn’t that the first thing someone who’s pissed off at you is going to notice and comment on? What, in the name of being politically correct and not hurting anyone’s “alternate lifestyle” sensibility, you’re supposed to try guessing at randomly arcane “safe” things to insult them about? Like, what, “I bet you take your library books back late, bitch”? Right, yeah.
Like, if some fucking asshole driving a Jaguar acts all entitled about making an illegal turn in front of you while driving his Jaguar, what’s the first thing he’s going to get insulted about? “Yeah, you fuckers and your Jaguars, you’re all entitled assholes,” right? Is it a stereotype? Yeah, but it’s a stereotype the guy perpetuated. If he was driving a Civic, you’d find some other obvious way in with the insults. It’s how we roll, man.
This is different, I think, than the Michael Richards tirade where he started launching into black men for being black, and calling them “nigger” and saying 50 years ago was better when they’d had forks shoved up their asses. This is very different than that. VERY different from that.
This is two lesbians walking into a comedy show and fucking making out in the front row. It’s fucking RUDE. If it was a STRAIGHT couple, I’d ask for their asses to be taken the fuck out of the club, ‘cos I think it’s uncalled for that someone sits in the front row and just goes at it full-out with their partner. Sit in the fucking back, you know? It’s the civilized thing to do. But because it’s two lesbians who, I think, deserved to be called out for walking in and disrespecting this other person’s career and efforts by sitting there and rudely making out in the front row it’s somehow homophobic?
These chicks were just wanting to start something, I think. A club on Lesbian Central, a couple militant dykes camping out front row after getting loaded on booze, and then smack-talking the comedian? Yeah, sounds like someone was button-pushing.
And it’s bullshit. If anyone is acting like a militant lesbian or a militant Christian or a militant Muslim or a militant racist or even just a militant dick, they deserve to be called out on what they’re acting like. If they’re being antagonistic and trying to use their beliefs or lifestyle as a get-out-of-jail free card because they pissed someone off and the other party has said something mean to them, then they oughta fuck right off.
They want to be all in-your-face about their beliefs and their lifestyle, then when someone calls ’em on it and comments and gets back in their face, then they want to turtle and claim the “offending party” is some big, bad meanie who’s spewing hate speech? FUCKING HYPOCRITE.
Comedians have always treated hecklers mean. It’s an unwritten rule of attending comedy: Keep your fucking mouth shut if you don’t want the comedian to spank you on the stage.
They’ll trash talk anyone who makes a scene — and that’s most particularly the job of someone like Guy Earle, who was the host of an open mic night, since he’s the guy who had to give a night full of amateurs a little structure. Why? Because everyone wants to show up and be the hot shit who makes the headline comic squirm. Anyone who goes to comedy shows knows this is true — there’s always some asshole with six beers in ’em who thinks they belong on stage, so they smack-talk comedians.
Like a reader in our local paper wrote about Lorna Pardy and Co: “Don’t pitch if you can’t catch.”
I loathe real hate speech. I support our laws against it. But bullshit whiners like these chicks, who go fucking looking for a fight then cry foul because they’ve lost, deserve to fucking lose and lose big.
As a Canadian who usually proudly appreciates the distinctions in freedom to speak between my country and the United States, because we shut down hate speech, I think there’s a world of difference between someone like Earle and someone like Michael Richards, and *I* am offended he gets lumped in with a true hate-spewing fucker like Richards, because it lowers the standards for what we, as a society, really ought to be offended by.
I think there’s a sad irony a case like this is coming up the week that George Carlin dies. Sigh.
What do you guys think? Am I blowing smoke out my ass? Am I secretly a homophobic bitch and this exposes it all? Eh?
Links:
Here’s a great page on Georgia Straight’s blog where they’ve posted both the controversial Michael Richards anti-black rant along with Guy Earle talking to a Toronto talk show about the Necking Lesbian Controversy here in Vancouver. Here’s the New Rebublic tackling this story, and the National Post. Guy Earle’s Myspace page. No info yet on how to contribute to his legal fund, something I hope is forthcoming soon, as I’d like this fight to get the support it deserves.

9 thoughts on “Hate Speech? I Call Bullshit.

  1. a

    steff- of course you’re right, and you know it. i too have been following this case about Guy Earle closely, because it really IS bullshit. as for the mclean’s thing, it’s about damn time it is being heard. any major publication like that one needs to provide a balanced view on any topic, lest people take a biased view on a subject without proper information.

    i am looking forward your upcoming posts.

  2. C.J. Strata

    Since I wasn’t there for the event, don’t know the people involved, haven’t been in Vancouver since I moved when I was nine, and have read nothing beyond what you’ve stated here, I am hesitant to so quickly brand the couple as a pair of militants. That said, however, I do agree with you on principle 100%. To quote 2 the Ranting Gryphon (and while he was speaking of disabilities rather than sexuality, the train of thought bears some similarity), “If you are a leper? Fine. If you are a leper in a bikini then I tell you to put some fucking clothes on!”

  3. Brian

    Yep, I call bullshit too. I live off the Drive, great place. Two pissed up assholes looked to get a reaction from the artist. They got one. Their ‘lifestyle choice’ is irrelevant. They’re still assholes. Don’t be cry baby’s now.

  4. D.P.

    I completely agree with you. One correction about U.S. law as it applies to individual States (that is, every State has a law on the books referencing this); you said:

    “The USA has carte blanche on freedom of speech, so it’s no surprise we’ll hear hate-spewing fuckheads shouting racist remarks followed by “I got a right to speak free, man!”

    Here in Canada, no such thing would occur. Why? Inciting hatred is illegal.””

    It is illegal, by law, to incite a mob [via speech] in the U.S.; it differs in wording per state. This law was used/abused quite frequently in the 60’s, and will rarely come up today. It’s one of those laws that, if someone takes the time to take it to Federal Court, will be overturned.
    There is, also, a still-ill-defined Federal law (or series of laws) on hate crimes that may or may not cover hate speech in the U.S. Hate speech laws have cropped up in individual States, and, in a case that amazed me, some municipalities will charge people with hate speech under disturbing the peace laws. That’s even more rare, and I don’t see it holding up in any State Supreme Court.
    I wonder though–and I’m agreeing with you, but in a more fundamental legal way–if this “militant lesbian” lawsuit might actually be a public intoxication/disturbing the peace issue.
    I think you’re entirely right that this is bullshit. And I suspect a good judge will detect that, and a good lawyer will focus in on the disturbing the peace/public intoxication issue, because that applies regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, etc. Since it casts a wide legal net, it seems it would supersede any kind of civil rights issue, particularly with the facts in this case.
    And you’re spot on when it comes to open mics at comedy clubs: good clubs always have a veteran on hand to deal with the hecklers/behavior issues, much to the delight of the crowd, and in defense of the newbies’ ego.
    Reading the Constitution closely in terms of free speech–not to mention the Federalist Papers, the best resource we have on the thought process behind the writing of the Constitution–the right to free speech is to provide a “marketplace of ideas” in order to fight things like hate speech. It’s an interesting balance (a common theme in the Constitution; one power balances the other).
    What is galling in the U.S. is that it is becoming increasingly rare that when the freedom of speech in abused (hello, Bush II’s false propaganda), no one is counterbalancing it (i.e. that is why the press has certain rights).
    Al Gore hits on this a lot in the “Assult on Reason.”

    Great post!

  5. Seraph

    I agree with you, Steff–this is not a gay rights issue, it’s a “people being assholes” issue and those two women are definitely the assholes.

    However, c.j. strata, I’m uncomfortable with this comment: “If you are a leper? Fine. If you are a leper in a bikini then I tell you to put some fucking clothes on!”

    It implies that people who are not “normal” should hide their differences to avoid “offending” normal people. It comes too close to saying “gay? fine. But if I see you holding hands with your boyfriend in public…” or even “I like black people, as long as they know their place.” I get what you mean–that these women were flaunting their difference in an obnoxious way and shouldn’t be surprised when people pick up on that–but there are some people who can’t help but “flaunt.” Trans folks, for instance, or femme gay guys, or people with accents that brand them as foreigners, can’t hide their difference to keep from offending you.

    Sorry to take up so much space on your blog, Steff, that comment just rubbed me the wrong way :-\

  6. C.J. Strata

    Suffice why I specified I was quoting somebody. πŸ˜‰ I understand that there are things people can’t help, and that they shouldn’t be begrudged for that. That said, there is a difference between not hiding your ‘irregularities’ and flaunting them. To move away from the leprosy idea and more towards the main topic here, there’s nothing wrong with being lesbian. And while I’m not much of a supporter of public displays of affection, I’ll grant that holding hands, maybe even a light kiss here or there, is acceptable, regardless your gender. Making out in an obviously public place in the middle of a theatrical (sorta) performance? We’ve crossed the borders of Being-Yourselfland into the vast, irritating fields of Throwing It In Peoples’ Faces.

    As for people who can’t help but flaunt….eh. I agree with some examples and disagree with others; leave it at that.

  7. Scribe Called Steff

    CJ– I’ll get yer next comment, since I think it was better said. πŸ˜‰

    Brian– Exactly.

    DP– Yeah, yeah. I know inciting a mob’s illegal down there, but it’s just too much to add to all my postings. Crash courses are crash courses for a reason. πŸ˜› But thanks for clarifying. Ha!

    It’s just booze and instead of saying “Yeah, we were both being dicks” she decided to slap him with a lawsuit.

    Some people wanna fight more than they wanna just live and be, I’ve gathered.

    Freedom of speech is getting totally abused down in the States right now with all the bullshit that’s flung so haphazardly on the web. It’s really time that law was revisited for a modern spin. Things have chaaaaanged.

    Seraph– I agree with all your issues with that quote, and just assumed Brian a) hadn’t thought it out, or b) wasn’t meaning it in that way and just lacked a more apt quote to use. πŸ™‚

    But good on you for calling it. I figured someone would so I wanted to see what got said. Nice. By all MEANS, have discussions. It’s what the comments are for.

    That, and praising me, of course! πŸ˜‰

    CJ– Better. Yeah, I hated the quote too, and would’ve probably thought the comic a dick. πŸ˜›

    BUT.

    Yeah, the woman were just being dicks, is all, from what I can gather. It happens. Alcohol does that.

    Too bad they can’t see it that way.

    WHAT I DIDN’T SAY IN MY POST AND SHOULD HAVE:

    This bothers me because here’s a guy barely getting by, working clubs that aren’t even comedy clubs, isn’t Mr. Bigshot Comedian, he’s JUST A GUY.

    And now he’s going to blow any savings he has, defending himself against bullshit like this?

    It’s not right.

  8. No Manbitch Am I

    Wow. That is a lot of opinion about an incident that has only heard one side of the story…
    And none of it from either victim.
    Oh, yes. Then there’s the latest change in Bad Guy’s story–now there were THREE lesbians ‘heckling’ him, AND the other comics.
    Perhaps reading the XtraWest.com story (search Zesty’s), and viewing Guy Earle’s live podcast interview on Straight.com will add some insight. He was the only one booed by most of the comics on site, and the shocked audience, and the TWO described victims…when he just went ‘sideways’.
    He was drunk, in a foul mood, didn’t want to be there, had a low opinion of the other comics, hoped this controversy would drum up a lot of free PR for him, and tried to slither out of his jam by saying his employer at the time was the one who is 100% responsible for the incident.
    What a hero for Free Speech!
    What a flash in the pan wanna-be…who, in my opinion, is no different than other assailants in the past that said; “She was asking for it”–“She really meant ‘yes’ when she was saying NO”.
    The patio was closing and the ladies were directed to their table by the waitresses, and the comedy show was ending. That was enough of a distraction to put Bad Guy over the top. Had it been a bunch of senior citizens who had been targeted, as it easily could have been, the ‘comic’ would be facing a lynch mob.
    I don’t think the kissing issue would have come up if it was a man and woman/man and man kissing…as this ‘comic’ wouldn’t want some guy to come up on stage and walk a mud hole through him. But two WOMEN? Well, here we are eh?
    Big Bad Guy. What a man!
    Many years ago someone told him he was funny and should be a comedian…the poor Guy believed it. Sarcasm still escapes him.

  9. Scribe Called Steff

    I think using the “hate speech” blanket to throw over someone like this is a stupid fucking waste of something that should be saved for more important causes, like the lawsuit against MacLean’s magazine.

    I think this is a bullshit waste of time by a BUNCH of people who probably shouldn’t drink so fucking much, whether it’s Guy Earles or the women involved.

    DRUNKS say stupid shit, and I think convening a fucking HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL for it is a waste of everyone’s time, no matter how much you wanna bang your little drum, there, honey.

    And I don’t give a shit about each other’s sides. This is a stupid fucking case that never should’ve been launched, and that opinion won’t be changing anytime soon.

    IF the women wanted to make a stink in the press, then go for it. No worries.

    Convening a human rights tribunal? Get real. Christ.

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