Ann Coulter: Not Showing UP for Free Speech is a Cultural Shutdown

I have been hard on Ann Coulter in the past.

I once called her “The Incredible Shrinking Ann Coulter” because of her vicious—and sometimes vulgar—attacks on long-term Presidential favorite Ted Cruz. She was right about Trump, though I still give Senator Cruz mad props for fighting the good fight. His latest legislative insight, civil asset forfeiture of Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo’s billions for the wall—is pure gold.

Coulter has written very provocative statements, and one tweet got her fired from National Review. On the flip side, she has written some of the most penetrating and erudite political studies, and never once has she feared bucking trends and upending narratives. For this reason, among others, I joined with Los Angeles County for Trump as well as other social media stars like Baked Alaska, Tim Pool, and Shuttershot45 to see Ann Coulter give a riveting speech about illegal immigration and our government’s needs to enforce its immigration laws.

Wednesday morning, in the Encino/Universal City section of Los Angeles, I was getting primed to join her in the culture war for freedom of speech. Friends and fellow fighters from throughout Los Angeles County were ready for another rumble in the hotbed of liberalism. Then the news trickled in: Ann Coulter was cancelling her speech, citing security concerns. The announcement overwhelmed social media like a deluge: her sponsors backed out, her legal team would not defend her, and the Berkeley police signaled that they would not be able to protect her.

I could not believe this. I had read one week ago that Coulter was the last conservative with guts. Then she backs out. What an epic fail. Ben Shapiro wrote the next day: Fascism Wins. Coulter joined Tucker Carlson later that night to explain the situation. I was left unimpressed. Whether anyone realizes it or not, freedom of speech faces unprecedented assault, especially in institutions where one would expect its sanctity to remain defended and inviolable. Churches, charities, and small businesses face lawsuits, threats, and bankruptcy for voicing their concerns and standing by their religious convictions. College Republican/conservative cubs must pay hefty security fees and assume all liability costs—which they can’t, so they don’t showcase keynote conservative speakers.

The assault on free speech has hit Main Street, too.

I have attended town halls and city council meetings throughout Southern California. When I called out the Mayor of Anaheim, CA Tom Tait for violating the Brown Act and for not enforcing the rules of decorum, I was thrown out. Aggressive liberals have invaded town halls, yelling and jeering for every time on the check-list of socialist goals. They don’t get sanctioned or thrown out. When I called out card-carrying Communist Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) for her numerous ethical violations, the rogue police immediately escorted out. Before that, they had ordered me to remove a banner on my shoulders because it violated the town hall rules of decorum, when it actually didn’t.

This is fascism with a smile on its face, folks, and it’s time for our leaders as well as the followers to take a stance. I will not be silent.

And neither should have Ann Coulter.

So, Los Angeles County for Trump took a private limousine-bus up to the People’s Republic of Berkeley, ready for anything, with or without Queen Anne. On the way up, we stopped in Central and Northern California, where so many Trump supporters came up to us. They embraced our passion and courage. The same refrain came out of their mouths: “I didn’t know there were other Trump supporters in California.” Especially in Los Angeles County!

Within minutes of our final stop on Bancroft Street at UC Berkeley, the local media interviewed us. Mind you, they were preparing a story on something else, but we became their featured report for the evening. Twitter sensation Baked Alaska spoke out: “We are here to be peaceful. We have no intention of starting violence.” That was true then, and it’s true now. Our team demonstrated the true diversity of the Trump movement in California. We had Asians, Blacks, and Latinos for Trump joining, including immigrants from Central America furious about millions of illegals clamoring for immediate amnesty.

I expected nothing less than peaceful victory the next day, and I was right. The makeshift free speech rally began at 2 p.m. in Martin Luther King Jr. Park. By 1 p.m., conservatives of all stripes swarmed the main plaza. One man held the American flag at the top of a dried-up fountain. He ensured that our banner yet waved above all other banners. Men and women draped in American flags, Trump gear, picture of Pepe the Frog, and most importantly riot gear of their own populated the entire square. This Trump supporter never felt so at home, and right in the heart of ultra-liberal Berkeley, California.

The conservative masses there were stumping not just for Trump, but for freedom of speech, for our rights as citizens, and for our great country. After eight years of Barack Obama and the insidious poison of silencing political correctness, We the People—especially in California—had had enough and staked out our stance. Other guest speakers, including Laura Southern and Gavin McInnes, spoke at the rally. McInnes even read Ann Coulter’s scheduled speech.

She should have been there. Granted, not building the wall along our southern border counts as government abandoning its core responsibility. But a conservative advocating for principles of freedom of speech as well as enforcement of our immigration laws needs to stand up and fight for these principles, even in the face of dire threats.

Antifa showed up, but with limited effect. Berkeley police, in full riot regalia, defended the streets, and free speech advocates won the day. Trump supporters signaled that they won’t rest until every right is secured, even in the most liberal bastions. If conservatism’s leading minds won’t step up, then We the People will. After all, Americanism is at stake. There is no America apart from the First Amendment.