The news that Michael Smerconish has been disinvited from speaking at Dickinson College struck a chord with me. I’ve never been “disinvited,” but I have been ghosted by my former college, and defamed by some lawyers at the Philadelphia Bar Association. I’ll explain.
Several years ago, around 2017, prior to the pandemic and Black Lives Matter, a Bryn Mawr student reached out to me and asked if I’d like to come and speak to students. As a known conservative from a very liberal alma mater, I was told it would be interesting to have the current students — many of whom did not believe in unicorns — actually meet one. I said “yes, absolutely.” And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
After a few months of hearing nothing, I emailed the contact to see what was happening. She said, a bit sheepishly, that she was in discussions with other students to see how we could set this lecture up in a way that wouldn’t disturb too many among the student body. I said “are you talking about me being there, or my topic choices, because I can work with you on the latter but can’t change the former.” She replied, “I’m sorry but it’s you. We are working on it.”
And I never heard from her again.
Fast forward to 2020. The Women in the Profession section of the Philadelphia Bar Association asked me to speak at one of their conferences. Here is the text of one of their emails to me:
“Thank you for agreeing to speak to the Women in the Profession Committee. We would like for the meeting to take place on Tuesday February 25, at noon at the Bar Association. Please let me know if that date or time works for you. If it doesn’t we can find something that works with your schedule.
“We can go with any format that you like. I think it would be interesting if you talk about what you do- your legal work and your media work as well as what forces impacted your views. As I read your work that might be your father, Bryn Mawr, your religion but you would know that better than I. If you prefer a question and answer format we can do that as well. A third option might be a point/counterpoint. I will let you choose what you prefer.
“As I said when we talked I think it is important that we all talk to each other during these stratified times. Yours is a voice that needs to be heard, and I want to facilitate that.”
When word got out that I had been invited, a back channel thread of outrage started circulating. I was not included on it, of course, but at least one of the female lawyers fomenting the rebellion proudly touted her lobbying to censor me and have me banned as a sign of her legal prowess.
She now holds an official position on the executive committee, and was elected in part because of her campaign to silence me. Call me shocked at the intolerance of liberal women with a JD, said no one ever.
I did end up speaking at the event, albeit to a very hostile audience of abortion zealots. It’s a shame, because these allegedly professional female lawyers couldn’t see beyond their uteri.
I write this to show two things:
(1) That women are often among the most illiberal and censorious creatures and
(2) Michael Smerconish just got a taste of the world conservatives have been living in forever
Christine Flowers is an attorney and lifelong Philadelphian. @flowerlady61
Christine,
You have many friends, like Dawn Stensland Mendte, that think Gov. Shapiro is a fine person. In September 2023, Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania has implemented automatic voter registration (AVR) for eligible Commonwealth residents obtaining driver licenses and ID cards at Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) driver and photo license centers. By implementing AVR, Pennsylvania joins a group of 23 states with leaders from both parties – including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia – “who have taken this step to promote election security and save taxpayers time and money.”
Can you, or one of your friends, write a story about how NGOs with the help of the Biden Administration are registering millions of non-citizens for government sanctioned programs like Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, giving them access to food stamps, lodging, other welfare types of programs including drivers’ licenses? How many of these programs have opt out voter registration? Is it probable that millions of non-citizens are being registered to vote, and the above referenced States have no ability to stop it? If it is true, can you and your friends start writing about it?
You do realize that Ms. Flowers specializes in immigration law.
Why does that matter. I feel like I missed something.
Mr. Sweeney has repackaged Replacement Theory/The Great Replacement Theory using a voter registration law as “evidence” that it is happening.
Judah, that is exactly why I asked her about the specific topic.
Judah is not interested in logic, Michael. And he has no idea about my expertise. I’ll respond to you privately.
So true to form Ms. Flowers refuses to explain her expertise and dismisses anyone who does not agree with her. It takes no effort what so ever to find the law firm you work for or that you specialize in immigration law. If I don’t understand your expertise feel free to enlighten your readership. You have noting to lose by doing so.
No one is silencing you, Christine. You are on social media day and night mocking women for their appearance, trolling celebrities, bragging that you cause them to block you because you’re harassing them. You scream that pro choice girls/women are “baby killers”. Ironically you are the biggest cheerleader for the Israel government to take out as many innocent children as they can. We’re not talking fertilized eggs, we are talking about real living children who are born into this world. You call everyone anti semitic who dares to question the government of Israel.
That is YOU silencing and canceling people for having a different opinion than your own. Where’s your outrage that you are paying for Israel’s abortions? Very telling that you don’t seem to mind that. Your social media presence is toxic, middle-school childish and appalling. You are very “liberal” with the F word and have the nerve to call others “classless”. I wouldn’t have you speak at a serious function either. You don’t know how to behave in public and you bully anyone who disagrees with you.
I can’t agree more. This is a typical Christine Flowers column where she turns someone else’s concern into something about her.
Ms. Flowers all to often claims that Italians are being discriminated against because the lack of celebrations for Columbus Day, even though it is still a Federal Holiday while ignoring the fact that Columbus never discovered America. She complains that Catholics are being discriminated against while decrying the Pope for being a Socialist because he is more focused on helping people in need rather than punish them for perceived sins.
Her social media is where she shows her true colors. Her social media and columns are littered with snarky, childish comments that I would expect from a spoiled child not an adult with a law degree. Where she lives in an echo chamber surrounded by sycophants that play up to her narcissistic tendencies. On her social media if you disagree with Ms. Flowers and dare to use facts or faith to make your point. It is only a matter of time before you are blocked and mocked.
If Christine thinks that canceling a speaking request is a new thing then she is sadly mistaken.
Stalker, much?
Snark, much? You are a prolific published writer and the nature of your articles is common knowledge. If you can’t respond to an opposing view point with anything other than childish insults you should stick to being an attorney and avoid public responses.
You two should get a room and scream ‘I hate Christine Flowers’ at each other for a few hours.
It could be therapeutic for you both.
I’d even venture a possibility that there would only be one person there taking both speaking parts.
You venomously disdain her, but yet, here you are. In fact, by your comments, it seems that you follow her everywhere.
Very strange indeed for such hatred towards her.
To, two, too Judah.
Regarding her article, I’d guess that she is aware that Smerconish was a conservative until Obama ran for President.
He should know how the cancel culture works. He just embraced it when he was on the safe side of it.
Lately we are seeing more and more vocal liberals of the past questioning today’s liberal policies.
That was an amateurish attempt to do the written equivalent of putting your fingers in your ears and saying , “I can’t hear you”. It always easy to dismiss someone who speaks out about Christine Flowers as being nothing more than a sock puppet. I comment when she posts an article such as this, since they are no more than an airing of grievances and uses alternat facts.
Smerconish was a conservative until February 2010, 2 years after Obama took office. The motivation for this was a commentary in which, Smerconish urged the Republican Party to pursue “moderation on social issues in order to advance a suburban agenda for the GOP.” In June 2010, he authored an op-ed for The Washington Post in which he wrote, “Buying gas or groceries or attending back-to-school nights, I speak to people for whom the issues are a mixed bag; they are liberal on some, conservative on others, middle of the road on the rest. But politicians don’t take their cues from those people. No, politicians emulate the world of punditry.” In other words Republican politicians only hear people during an election, once they are in office they only they do the bidding of lobbyists.
Judah, have you now decided to pick up Margie’s mantle? Perhaps if you stop trolling and provide actual, reasoned argument (we would be very appreciative of actual, logical, sentient critiques, we conservatives) it would be worth an engagement. Until then, continue with the facile ad hominems.
I have engaged in reasoned arguments. Your disdain on certain subjects is common knowledge as is the manner in which you respond.
Thank you for this. It is a heavy burden, to be the center of the trolls’ world. But as someone else said, she persisted 😉
The interesting thing hear is, besides the ad hominem screeds is the characterization of all Republicans as venal hacks paying attention only to lobbyists. How does one categorize a whole group (I don’t know the correct noun of association) with a certain position and be assured that characterization’s is correct. It is a logical fallacy, to take a small representation and extrapolated that to an entire universe is just so medieval. Stop using political talking points and move on to real analysis. Remember: Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis.
The Republican Party has become the party of Trump. The moderates have either left, been forced out of office, or are to afraid to put country over politics. It took months to come up with a joint party border security bill only to have it tanked after Trump called on it not to be passed. Bills that would help are allies in Ukraine have been held up by the Putin Pac. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
It took a historic 15 votes to select Kevin McCarty as Speaker of the House and only 269 days to vote him out. We may be on the verge of seeing that again as it only takes one person to call for a vote. Then of course there have been the investigations by Republicans into various individuals and attempts at impeachment. Every time they announce that they have have whistleblower witness it turns out to be a dud.
And this is relevant to what part of my column?
Zero. He’s still stinging on my Smerconish comment and blaming Trump for ruining the Rino infested Republican party.
Seeking the middle with democrats just plays right into their hands. Lucy tees up the football for Charlie Brown. We all know what is going to happen.
Ukraine (‘are’ ally) is a bottomless pit for US taxpayer money being funneled into corruption with no audit. Burisma II. Joint border bills are heavily democrat weighted and taxing on America while feeding their voting base and not solving the problem. Why else would the democrats be propping up Rino Johnson: head of the Schumer fan club? The sham Trump trials are caving in, Smith, Fani and Bragg are a disgrace and may well go to prison. The J6 committee has been exposed as a farce. Green energy wind and solar is proven to be a waste and drag on the country, and Hamas appeasement by liberal Ivory towers and the Whitehouse is on full display and weighing heavily in upcoming elections.
Might as well just blame Trump, right Judah?
Stinging?? You would have had to actually insult me. Sham Trump trials, Ukraine is unaccountable, the January 6th Committee was farce. Standard rhetoric with no actual facts.
There is just so much deliberate ignorance I am not going to try to address all of it.
“Green energy wind and solar is proven to be a waste and drag on the country” – Renewables provide 21% of all power and that number is growing.
The sham Trump trials are caving in”. – I don’t see any of his trials “caving”. Except for the one where Trump appoint Judge Aileen Cannon has repeatedly put her thumb on the scale.
“Hamas appeasement by liberal Ivory towers and the Whitehouse is on full display ” – Jewish students at, multiple universities are suing, the Federal Department of the Education has already several of these schools with multi-million dollar fines, and they are hemorrhaging donors the most recent being Robert Kraft who cut ties with UPenn.
As far as Mike Johnson goes, look for an article “How Rupert Murdoch quietly helped Mike Johnson survive Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ouster attempt”. How are Democrats Keeping Mike Johnson as the Speaker when Republicans have a House majority.
“Wind and solar account for account for 43% and growing
“Take the blinders off with the Trump trials. Who’s finger is holding them together? Liberal TDS infected judges.” Liberal TDS Judges”?? You mean judges that actual require Trump and his lawyers to act accordingly in court the same as every other citizen. TDS?? What a precious snowflake you are that you are triggered by Trump having to follow the same laws as everyone else.
How is colleges being fined, facing lawsuits, and losing large donors to little to late? Along with students being arrested, suspended from school, or expelled to little to late? I’m not concerned over the long term effects by a bunch of rag tag protestors. I am more concerned about Trump’s statement that American Jews are disloyal if they don’t vote Republican. Or his support of the Christian Nationalist Movement who want Christian Sharia law to replace democracy.
I wasn’t responding to you, it was directed to George Knoll.
And I was responding to CF.
The facts are all around you if you take the blinders off. More and more every day.
My comments weren’t meant to ‘insult ‘you.
Pot: meet Kettle.
21% renewable, with over half of that being hydro and biomass. Wind and solar wouldn’t even be surviving if weren’t from taxpayer subsidies. Offshore wind is currently struggling in the US, and we haven’t even figured out what to do with all the dead batteries and spent solar panels and broken fan blades that are starting to pile up.
Take the blinders off with the Trump trials. Who’s finger is holding them together? Liberal TDS infected judges.
Too little, too late on Hamas supporters. The damage is done on that, and now the Whitehouse is turning it’s back on ‘are’ greatest ally in the ME.
Regarding Rupert: money talks. 163 democrats voted to keep him. They must like him.
Judah and Christine Flowers should have lunch together and work out their differences
Dutch treat.
I have no interest in having lunch with a snowflake unless she is provided with an emotional support puppy, a coloring book, and crayons.
I will supply the crayons and coloring book, lol
I just saw your response dated 5/10. Talk about sticking fingers in your ears and screaming: you must have put a stock pot over your head and bang on it with a wooden spoon. Snowflake is as snowflake does. I could puke up a bowl of alphabet soup and piece together a better retort. Debating you is like playing chess with a pigeon: you knock over all the playing pieces , crap all over the board, and strut around saying ‘I win!’.
Trump trials are a joke. The judges and prosecutors will be under judicial review. Merchan’s daughter works for the Biden / Harris campaign. No conflict there, huh.
Engoron is being investigated by NY State judicial review. Ex parte conversations regarding Trump. Really? That’s illegal.
Fines and reverse policy at colleges are not going to put that Hamas genie back in the bottle. The true sentiment of Ivy and democrats was embarrassingly exposed to the whole world. Trump is right to tell them that Democrats do not care about them. Christians do not have Sharia Law. ‘To little to late’. To, Too, Two: 4th grade grammar.
43% wind and solar are no numbers that even the US Dept. of Energy are quoting. Stuff that number right back from where you pulled it.
campus porYou used so many metaphors in your opening I don’t know where to start.
You are tight one of Trump’s trials is a joke. The one handled by Judge Cannon who was appointed by Trump, clearly a conflict given the way she has repeatedly put her thumb on the scale to the point of delaying until after the election.
Out of the 21% of power provided by renewable energy 43% comes from solar and wind. Learn to read.
The Campus protestors are not the real problem, search for “@stopanitsemitism” and look at their Twitter feed. The people they are dealing with are the real problem.
No such thing as Christian Sharia Law. All I have to do is look at book bans in Southern States and Abortion bans that do not make an exception for life of the mother, rape, or incest.
Less than half of the one fifth total energy is solar and wind. By all means – blow the trumpets, slaughter the fattened calf. I told you that on May 10 at 11am. I guess you cant read, or you lost your abacus.
Cannon’s trial – is that the one where discrepancies of legal sequencing of their evidence by that dope Jack Smith that is riddled with inconsistencies and evidence tampering? Cannon put the brakes on the Justice department’s ramrod sham trial until all the liars are in the room. But hey – why the rush? You’d think there was an election coming up or something that depends on the outcome.
I never said that the protestors were the problem. Comprende much? They’re just paid actors. It’s how the Ivy’s and the Whitehouse appeased it.
Biblical law is not the same as Sharia law, and banning books that are inappropriate for grade school children isn’t either, but liberals like you don’t care about children, born or unborn, unless you can use them as a chip, funding prop, traffic-ee or a shield, right? You do know that the left’s end game on abortion is a national law for on demand abortion right up until birth, right? What type of country would even allow that? There’s no middle ground dealing with your cabal. You better step up your game if you want to play in this sandbox.