Names and faces
Ann Coulter said Wednesday that her speaking event planned today at the University of California at Berkeley is “canceled” but implied she might still travel to the city or campus anyway. As concerns grow about violence on campus whether or not Coulter turns up, the conservative pundit lost the backing of groups that initially had sponsored her appearance. In an email, Coulter wrote “Berkeley canceled” when asked to confirm whether she would appear at the campus. She added, however, “I have my flights, so I thought I might stroll around the graveyard of the First Amendment.” Coulter was invited by campus Republicans to speak at Berkeley and her speaking fee was to be subsidized by a conservative group called the Young America’s Foundation, which pulled its support Tuesday citing concerns over potential violence. Berkeley officials have said they are bracing for possible violence on campus whether Coulter comes to speak or not. Campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said university officials had not heard directly from Coulter on Wednesday. But he said even if she cancels, some groups that support or oppose her still could turn out on campus. “We have serious concerns and we’re acting accordingly,” Mogulof said. “We’re taking the steps that our law enforcement officials believe to be necessary in order to provide safety for our students, members of the campus community and the public.” He said police were taking necessary steps to protect the campus, but he declined to elaborate.
Pope Francis warned the powerful to act humbly or risk ruin, using the first-ever papal TED talk to urge the world to show more solidarity with the poor and the weak. TED, short for Technology, Entertainment and Design, organizes conferences around the world aiming to spread ideas through short talks. Francis made his comments in a videotaped talk to a conference in Vancouver on “The Future You.” The Vatican released the video Wednesday. In it, Francis outlined his vision of the interconnectedness of humanity, saying that with age he has grown increasingly convinced that “none of us is an island.” “Please allow me to say it loud and clear: The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more you are called to be humble,” he said. “If you don’t, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin others.” Francis also pleaded for greater solidarity in political, economic and scientific endeavors. Francis’ participation in the conference marked a new era for the Vatican’s communications operation, which has increasingly sought to get the pope’s message out through social media and nontraditional news sources.