Berkeley Students Protest Bill Maher Speech, Saying He’s A ‘Blatant Bigot And Racist’

Some students at University of California Berkeley are protesting an upcoming graduation ceremony speech by celebrity Bill Maher. The protesters claim that Maher “is a blatant bigot and racist” and, therefore, are asking that the invitation be rescinded.

By now the whole world knows that Maher has recently generated some controversy over his comments concerning Islam. The host of HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher has been critical of the Islamic faith as a whole, noting various instances in which countries governed by Muslims violate basic principles of human rights.

Those comments have incensed certain left-wing activists, some of whom are students at Berkeley. Accordingly, one of those activists has set up a Change.org petition to prevent Maher from speaking at the December ceremony. As of this writing, that petition has over 2,200 signatures.

Here’s how the petition reads:

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.

Purists might take issue with the fact that Maher is being called a “racist” in this petition when his recent remarks have been critical of Islam, which is a religion and not a race.

The petition goes on to cite examples of Maher’s “hate speech.” Included among those examples is this gem:

Religions are maintained by people. People who can’t get laid, because sex is the first great earthly pleasure. But if you can’t get that, power is a pretty good second one. And that’s what religion gives to people. Power. Power is sex for people who can’t get or don’t want or aren’t any good at sex itself.

As of this writing, there are no known plans to rescind Maher’s invitation to speak.

Berkeley Students Protest Bill Maher Speech, Saying He’s A ‘Blatant Bigot And Racist’