The irony is that it wasn't conservatives who tried to silence Bill Maher at Berkeley, but the liberal crowd in solidarity with some muslims who got offended. When Maher criticized Christianity, they hooted in support & extended him an invitation to the university... but the moment he criticized Islam, he became a social pariah. This is the biggest blind spot of liberals these days. Other than that, I mostly agree with his commencement address.

Thank you for not giving in to the anti-Mahr pressure.

"It is Berkeley, I hope I can speak freely here." Flash forward a few years...

"Liberals should own the 1st Amendment the way Conservatives own the 2nd" needs to be on a shitload of bumper stickers, t-shirts, and posters.

Thanks for uploading the high quality, official video of the speech :-)

Nowadays we listen to comedians and laugh on politicians !

One of the best speeches ever, and not only in a commencement but in general.. Kudos to Mr. Maher & also the free speech movement in UC Berkeley !

Bill Maher has achieved legendary status.

Never went to college but this speech makes me feel even more proud to be a liberal....Free thinkers and fighting against the oppression

"Dear admin, don't Maher out commencement." *Looks like some of them* *backed off at the end and they had to make do with what they could hold.* *Those kids will grow up to be a bitterish problem, eh lel.*

Glad Berkeley made the right decision!

As he often does, Bill Maher once again echoes George Carlin in one of his lines. When he talked about the importance of being a free thinker and questioning things, I couldn't help but think of when Carlin said: "it's not important to get children to read [...] much more important is to teach children to question what they read. Children should be taught to question everything.".

TRUTH and FREEDOM OF SPEECH: “Where else could we exist if not at Berkeley’s !”

Wow, good on Bill for being the bigger man and not even mentioning the criticism he got when it was announced he would be the speaker. Great speech, I still regret not sending in my application to Cal.

"It's Berkeley, I can speak freely here. At least I hope I can".

Go Bears! So fitting to have Maher speak given it was the anniversary of the free speech movement. His speech was tailored to the students w his views. Owning the first amendment is one of the first things I learned at Cal in my first protest. Proud of the university.

Thanks Berkeley. Lend your iron balls to kiss and hold to the others. Bill Maher, the epitome of wisdom and reality. My hero.

As a fellow Jewish-American, I embrace my Hebrew brother Bill Maher as he teaches truth.

Bill Maher using his platform well. Keep doing what you are doing Bill!

I'd been waiting to see this, thanks for posting. Awesome. No surprise there. So ok, by the end I was smiling and teary at the same time.

You kicked ass Bill Maher!!!! You are an intelligent man!!!

The first time I watched this (in 2014) I thought it was really tame and not that great. I remembered it as a perfectly standard and adequate commencement speech. Just watched it again about a year later and I have to say I think it's great. Seems like the kind of speech that is timeless and if anything will become more relevant. I really think Bill is a patriot in his own unique way.

This was a great talk, and I am glad/proud, that they decided to let him give it.

Very sage advice Bill. I hope they were listening.

Talking about the world being bleak in 2014 seems darkly humorous now in 2021.

It was a good speech. I am glad Berkeley 's invitation to Bill stands.

Why isn’t anyone talking about Mr. Einstein sitting next to Bill

Is the most memorable part about his speech only that amendment part for you people? Don't forget ... "because unless we solve that issue, there will be no issues." "In my house, the only thing we did not have tolerance for, was intolerance." "As you go down the path of life, ask what's true, not, who else believes it." Good job, Bill. P.S read Counterfeit Hope the book.

"Its Berkely. I hope I can speak freely here" Ben Shapiro "um, I couldnt"

People hate him becuase of his political attitudes and blocking him from the commencement speaking was nothing but censorship. His speach was fine, it is a great intro for graduating college students.

Oh 2014 Bill - You have no idea how bad things get 😂

15 minutes is too short.

Deservedly opined. Critically appropriate and a message that needs to be acted upon!

"Come on it's berkley, i think i can speak freely here, i mean, i hope i can, hehe. " "if you are a liberal, fight oppression wherever it may come from"

Did you hear the cheering? And a standing 'O'. So glad to hear and see the youth of today embracing someone who can give them 'the rest of the story': Go Bill!

Watching this speech you can see that the protesters had nothing to be concerned about. What did they think he was going to do? Go in to a diatribe where he bad-mouthed Islam?! He wasn't there to give a speech about religion after all and like him or not, his speech was pretty inspiring.

Bill Maher is my hero-this is an excellent and inspiring speech. :)

So true to his words, and those words are true to themselves.

I think the opposition to Maher thought he was going to make this a propoganda platform. Though fans of his know he will take the event seriously. It's about the students and he gave a speech with much information and advice from his own experience. He of course did include his opinion from time to time but I doubt anyone can really deny the meat of this speech. Well done Bill.

great speech

very sweet guys

What a beautiful speech.

Great!

The problem with Maher's reasoning is that it is actually liberals who try to silence anyone who criticizes Islam and the ones that defend them and stand up for liberal principles are the conservatives. Ayaan Hirsi Ali for instance has been essentially driven out of the Netherlands by the "liberal" political class (they wanted to revoke her citizenship over some technicality and made her feel unwelcome) and is now working for a Neo-conservative think tank in the US. Fox news are about the only media outlet that give her the coverage she deserves and tries to defend her, whereas on the liberal news channels it is a field day for apologists of Islamofascism and other forms of Tyranny.

OMG I hope I get to see him during my two years there!

Bam! Nailed it! Viva Bill!

“The places you’ll go” isn’t a book for kids. It’s a guide for these guys.

Awesome speech

Oh my, almost 4 years and this is even more true and listening to Maher's advice even more important.W Climate change is the #1 issue facing the world. The polarization in this county will is?) crippling. We must make the truth popular!!

Love this man...glad the students and staff welcomed him like they should have.

Awesome

Ms. Bleak. I'm notorious for it. As a young child, I was referred to as, Jolly Polly. I carry my joy with me. I share, Bill.

brilliant!

Well done.

Great speech.

wow good speech

Why did some people say (with their colorful signs) "Don't Maher Our Commencement"??

bill maher is a champion , may u live longer bill maher

Guys with the signs "Dear Admin, Don't Maher Our Commencement" what purpose do your signs serve during the very commencement speech wirh the very guy you are protesting?

Such a great speech He is really a wise man

Bless your wicked heart, Bill.

Well done, Bill

9:30 ... Compassion and empathy isn't always a good thing ... When you are compassionate and empathetic you infantilise the person you are being compassionate for. You also view anyone who disagrees as an "evil" person.

This guy and his badassery..haha too good

In any other western country this speech would be considered sensible and reflective of the mainstream political view, possibly even a little mundane. Yet in America the right wing will paint this as extreme and dangerous. A country with such right wing lunacy should not hold so much power - they're completely out of touch with reality in a time when understanding and compassion is needed more than ever to prevent global disaster. Well done Bill and see you in London ;)

Brilliant, climate change should be the main focus. I love this man!

4:12 My favorite line!

Great Speech! A little bit more controlled than I thought it would be...but still great!

bill is fantastic!

This is awesome.

Hi all Our planet is populated by such a vast differentiation of people. That is who we are, very different from one another and yet the same. Where it shows is when people are not educated and principled. Some only want more of the same whilst others want more of the different other groups want only what they mind can cope with and others can cope with new material, information, ideas, issues and rationally ponder on this amalgame of life issues. c'est la vie et elle est belle, si tu la veux telle. such is life and she is beautiful, if you want it such. merci pierre

Where is the controversy ?

I'm a big fan of Maher but, with all the pre-speech hype, that was a pretty "milk-toastesque" address, especially the first 10 minutes of it. This was Berkeley? Did they ship students in from Utah to attend this commencement?

12:00

this is why people like bill maher.......

Good speech.

Bill Maher @ Berkeley Winter ❄️ 2014 Commencement Please click on the link below to listen: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hLZhqq2n2qeRdJ8.html Bill responds to the petition at UC Berkeley 3:14 Time Counter 1:17 Time Counter My god! I can’t make any comments on what Bill just said. Please click on the link below to listen: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rclyYN2n2LjXnI0.html The one only Mr. Bill Maher. One in a million!

See a response to this speech that aired on Bill Maher's show (+RealTime): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bOCPi7WcuJfTk6M.html

bullet like a speech

I teared up a bit watching this in 2021. The left has lost it's way. Almost none of these graduates, now all approaching 30, actually listened to and applied what he said. That is the same demographic of liberals now trying to cancel anything they don't agree with.

While I disagree with Maher on a personal level, and sometimes political, I can't disagree with him on his core beliefs. Nobody owns anybody, so nobody has the right to silence anyone.

Wow. Freedom of speech upheld at Berkeley! No caving to the proponents of censorship against anyone who criticizes Islam. A small victory for those of us who still believe in the freedoms established by our founding fathers to think for ourselves and criticize and dissent. This was eloquently stated recently in a posting by Greg Lukianoff, President, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education: "A common tactic used by the students who are critical of Maher is to label him a racist because he criticizes Islam. But, as Maher and everyone else is quick to point out, Islam is not a race. Islam is a religion -- a set of ideas and beliefs -- and debating ideas and beliefs is the lifeblood of freedom of speech. And there is no special carve-out for religion. To the contrary, modern ideas of freedom of speech were forged in the religious wars of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Those struggles were all about the right to be a religious dissenter, to be free to have your own ideas about religion, and to choose for yourself. That's why at the time of the founding of the United States, the Framers not only made sure that freedom of speech and of the press were protected by the First Amendment, but also the freedom to believe as you choose and the freedom from state-established religion. In a very real sense, the right to blaspheme is at the root of freedom of speech--because someone's religious dissent is by its very nature another person's blasphemy. And make no mistake about it, if we were to ban any speaker who was a blasphemer or heretic in someone's eyes, every single one of us could be silenced." It's just a pity that Brandeis University did not have its head on straight when it caved to the Islam supporting censors and revoked the honorary degree it intended to give to that heroic woman, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. A stain of shame on Brandeis that will last a very long time.

Bill Maher for President!!

helluva a lot better than my commencement speech!

I think it was awesome Speech!

It's interesting to see how seriously he took this. Usually commencement speakers have a lot of self-deprecating jokes about how boring and meaningless commencement speeches are.

bill maher for president

"But in every election in your life, there will be one choice that is better then the others, vote for that one" And Trump got elected.

I love this guy! So funny and inspirational "unlike the republicans"

Bill, I "like" your part of the truth

Bill Maher for POTUS!, I'd like to see him run

Bill says, "This is Berkeley, I don't think I have to worry about speaking freely here". Haha ask Milo and any student unlucky enough to not share liberal views about that

“The thing about smart people, they seem to be crazy to dumb people” ~S. Hawking.

I’m shocked he actually got to to give hie a speech at a university!

Glad he made the speech, despite the outcry by religious bigots.It was a great speech.I am a crazy person, but Islam is a religion which oppresses women. Christianity is no better. His speech had nothing to do with racism or religion, but with values essential to life and happiness.

Very nice, better than our speaker lol. Those guys in the stands should have been kicked out. It wasn't a rally, it was a graduation.

Great speech. All that hoopla for naught.

at one time UC Berkeley was the center of the "Free Speech" movement.

It is not the Universities. As Jordan B. Peterson says. Yes, People are not being taught to how to think independently from the group and/or status quo. The problem we have is people fundamentally do not know how to think as individuals and as one person. We are always seeking approval from others, and are also afraid to be an individuals who think completely independently from others, and are also afraid to be an individuals who act completely independently from others at the expense of the truth of what is. We are all caught in the game of follow the follower.

Didn't he say it would be about their day?