Sixth and seventh newspapers drop Coulter -- editor of NC paper calls her CPAC comments "the last straw"
Media Matters for America has learned that two additional newspapers, The Sanford Herald of North Carolina and the Daily Chronicle of DeKalb, Illinois, have dropped right-wing pundit Ann Coulter's column following Coulter's appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where she referred to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards (NC) as a "faggot." On March 8, Media Matters published a list of newspapers that carried Coulter's columns, as well as the email addresses of those papers' editors.
In an email to Media Matters, Herald editor Billy Liggett said that the paper "will no longer run Coulter's column effective Sunday, March 11," and added, "The newspaper will run an explanation of its decision in that day's editorial." Earlier, on the weblog The Horse's Mouth, Greg Sargent had reported that Liggett said "he received 834 emails today asking the paper to drop [Coulter]." Liggett told Sargent that Coulter's comments at CPAC "were kind of the last straw -- they sealed the deal as far as our decision goes."
On March 9, the Daily Chronicle posted a statement on its website titled "Ann Coulter no longer welcome in the Chronicle," also noted by The Horse's Mouth. The statement said Coulter's CPAC remarks were "wrong and hurtful and stepped way beyond the line of human decency, much less political commentary." The statement went on to say that Coulter "could not or would not resist the temptation to offend, hurt and lash out at those voicing opinions that differed from her own" and that "not dealing" with Coulter's comments on the grounds that the comments did not run in the Chronicle "is a cop-out."
As Editor & Publisher reported, the Lancaster New Era (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), The Oakland Press (Pontiac, Michigan), and The Mountain Press (Sevierville, Tennessee) dropped Coulter following her comments at CPAC. On March 8, Media Matters noted that The Times of Shreveport, Louisiana, also dropped Coulter. Times editor Alan English said in a statement that Coulter's CPAC remarks were "the back-breaking straw for a decision we've openly discussed for some time."
Also on March 8, Media Matters received an email from the editor of the American Press of Lake Charles, Louisiana, reporting that the paper had dropped Coulter three days after her CPAC appearance, though he did not say whether Coulter was dropped as a result of her comments.
Is this a real world illustration of the "Domino Theory?"
One can only hope so.. Sometimes I would like to think it's just lazy behaviour on the part of the media. Of course there is always a financial incentive at work that motivates certain decisions but allowing Coulter a spot in the print media seems truly lazy. It's clear they fully understood the filth they were printing when they make comments like "breaking the camel's back." But they printed her for, oh so, long.
I wouldn't have a problem if they replaced her with another "conservative" (if you can call her that) opinion writer.. that would be fine. Hopefully the replacement is a rational and sensible thinker from the right.
It would be helpful, enlightening, if you would be so kind as to include suggestions of "rational, thinking" right-wing columnists to replace Coulter's column; as an avid consumer of political news from a variety of sources, I am unaware of any such journalists. Thank you.
Here's an easy to copy listing of email addresses to the newspapers still carrying Coulter. Please write to them!
Many are owned by Lee Enterprises in Iowa. www.lee.net, CEO is Mary Junck. email: mary.junck@lee.net
editor@avpress.com, steve.osullivan@sgvn.com, letters@tribune.com, editor@siskiyoudaily.com, editor@staugustinerecord.com, ldcroom@aol.com, bjacoby@cherokeetribune.com, letters@mdjonline.com,dcooper@magicvalley.com, letters@pantagraph.com, ikoch@daily-chronicle.com, dave.dawson@lee.net, heraldnews@scnl.com, mholmes@post-trib.com, mrainwater@bastropenterprise.com, ldcroom@aol.com, dhampton@clarionledger.com, dbdouglas@carolina.net, bliggett@sanfordherald.com,
gallpind@cia-g.com, editor@elkodaily.com, jkerr@reviewjournal.com, ataylort@nncogannett.com, chunnell@nncogannett.com, paper@sirinet.net cmcnickle@tribweb.com, psunyak@heraldstandard.com, mtrimble@dentonrc.com, platham@coxmnm.com, jyoung@wacotrib.com, pyates@dnronline.com, grayd@caledonian-record.com, news1@wdtimes.com, dailynews@conle ynet.com, pat.yack@jacksonville.com, jlacoe@timesleader.com, news@herald-zeitung.com, clark.walworth@casperstartribune.net , nathan.bekke@casperstartribune.net, dennis.derossette@TheSouthern.com, news@timesuniononline.comIn response to the Elko, Nevada paper saying that they would keep Coulter's column because they wouldn't be told what to do by gay and lesbian left wingers (see their editorial on daily kos).
I replied to them: I am not a gay or lesbian reader. I'm the married mother of two young children and the daughter of a disabled veteran.
I have to ask you: what useful or productive dialogue does Ann Coulter bring to political discourse today? All she’s really good at is using hate speech for a cheap laugh. She will use anyone as a punching bag.Today, March 12, -- Here's a reply I got from the Southern Illinoisian, a Lee Enterprise owned paper. They may or may not drop her altogether, but the good news is that they will limit her exposure by rotating her instead of keeping her on a regular columnist.
Also heard from HRC.org that a paper in Roswell, GA dropped her.
Good news-- still making progress!
Dear My Name :
Thank you for your email in regards to columnist Ann Coulter.
In the coming weeks we will begin rotating conservative columnists in the place where Ann Coulter has been running. She may or may not be in the rotation.
This is the same thing we have done in the place where Molly Ivens’ column ran before her untimely illness and death.
Our approach is to provide a variety of columnists that represent a wide spectrum of opinions to help further the public debate on issues. We hope you and all other readers find this more interesting and informative.
Again, thank you for your email and thank you for reading The Southern Illinoisan.
Dennis M. DeRossett
Publisher, The Southern Illinoisan
710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901
Ph 618.351.5038
Email: dennis.derossett@thesouthern.com, dennis.derossett@lee.net
Coulter may have done more harm than good with her blunder, apparently.
Kudos to Bruce1Ace here, he predicted this. I was skeptical this would harm her, looks as though I underestimated the good sense of many newspaper editors around the country.
What did he predict?
He predicted that her comments would hurt her, looks as though they are.
Sure. I mean, there's only so much people will take. Also, it appeared as though she was ratcheting up her venom a bit there. The blood bubble had to burst eventually.
I was wrong, too. I guess coultergeist has less clout (and revenue generating influence) than I thought.
Could the conservative bloggers petition to have her excluded from future CPAC get-togethers had something to do with it, too?
I gotta admit Tommy...
All this happening to Coulter is making me "fuzzy" inside...lol
Poor Coulter. No worries, though. She'll continue to claim that it's the liberals fascists/socialists who are inhibiting her free speech. It's always 'their' fault.
Yes! I was one of those letters to the guys in Sanford, NC being that I live near there. Good for them.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
I love it!
Apparently I was not as nice as the rest of you when I addressed the editor of this small newspaper in Elko, Nevada. But remember we have a Governor who was elected after he sexually assaulted a cocktail waitress and said here locally that individuals that opposed the Iraqi conflict should be put on the front line. And what did we do here in Nevada was put him into office when the previous Republican governor was trying to get another candidate other then him.
Go newspapers! Drop-her-like she's-hot... but not in the good way hot...
Cruella DeVille is being cast back into the shawdows where she belongs...
Can you say fruedenschade?!?!
i'm trying real hard not to be happy for Ann's misfortune, but I can't help myself!
Anne reminds me more and more of Peggy Gravel in the film "Desparate Living" ... she is in a state of advanced meltdown ... hopefully she will kick the bucket the same way
OHMIGAWD! That's the funniest comment I ever read in any posting! Because it's so true! Coultergeist sold her soul to Queen Carlotta and has reaped the sound and fury of a total mental collapse -- either that or she just ran out of big words.
Come to think of it, Bush really MIGHT BE Edith Massey in drag!
Ann, Bush and all of his minions should be exiled to Mortville.
Outstanding
Thank you again Media Matters!!!!!!!!
Ya know, I have never watched her but for a couple brief moments. She reminds me of a spun crankster. No loss here....... No love...... BYE BYE!
Congrats to Media Matters and thanks to everyone here who took some action. It seems likely that "de-funding" hatemonger Ann Coulter is probably the only thing that will get her to clean-up her act.
while you libs are @ it, can you please campaign to remove all sponsors from dailykos? theyve used the f word a lot too - [link to www.cnsnews.com] site is a conservative one, but the proof is in the article (pictures).
[link to www.cnsnews.com]
Nice try, Kernel Klunk, but no cigar. I'm just guessing, but I doubt that any of the bloggers cited are paid big bucks for their opinions. Thus, your example of liberal hypocrisy is bogus. Unless, of course, you want to rummage through the bile at Free Republic and count all the homophobic slurs and then compare...I didn't think so.
Context friend all in context. I don't care one whip about Daily Kos but the examples and weak attempt to expose "hypocricy" were way off the mark. Life's not black and white and one word uttered in front of a crowd in a hateful or deragatory way and a handful of bloggers using it doesn't mean the context is the same and demands the same level of outrage. When a gay man calls his pal a f***ot he is co-opting what is normally a slur. Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles comes to mind. Where slurs and sterotypes were mocked not celebrated. "We'll take the ni***s and the ch!nks, but no Irish!" was a funny line because it was so offensive it was obviously done to shock people to the reality that some morons actually speak that way.
I have suffered a negative side effect as a result of reading MMFA posts. Because of all the variations seen here(hypocricy, hypocracy, hypocrasy), I was at work the other day (writing on paper, no spell check), and I could not spell "hypocrisy".Let's all agree on one, OK?
I agree... It's spelled l-i-b-e-r-a-l.
You're a very bad speller,AA.
CNS News uses the term 'f*****" in the post you linked to. Media Matters uses the term "f*****" in this post. I just used the term twice in this comment.
Away with your sponsors, Loonz!
Go for it. You're free to do that if you wish. Just don't expect help from us.
"the proof is in the article (pictures)."
Pictures like the cartoons on the CNS site. Like the one that implies Hillary is a Communist. Or the one where an obese Hillary holds a rifle to Obama, who is caricatured with gigantic, brilliant-white teeth and donkey-ears. But, of course, those are just "jokes".
Are these the same cartoons as townhall prints? cuz I'm a big fan of the unfunny non-reality-based political cartoons.
Oh yeah, this is the same stuff-http://www.conservativecartoons.com/cartoon.php?toon=442
It's funny, because it's what Rush Limbaugh says is true!
2 Seperate campaigns at HRC about Coulter, plus some props to MMFA
Special thanks to Media Matters (www.mediamatters.org) for assembling this list of newspapers that carry Coulter's column.
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/coulter2
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/coulter
This was not, in my view, the most hateful thing she's said. It comes way behind advocating the assassination of a sitting President and serving Supreme Court Justice, to say nothing of her obscenely hurtful semi-praise of Timothy McVeigh. The reaction to it, however, just may be an indication that this country is less conservative, and more decent, than the pundits are telling us. I hope so.
It's also lovely that she's already gone on record as, I think her words were, "...not a fan of the First Amendment." Kind of hard for her to complain about her free speech rights being abridged.
I agree that this isn't the worst thing she's said. Maybe it's just that her imbecilic mewlings don't amuse the Troglodytes quite so much when they're out of power. It was much more fun to kick the Democrats when they were down.
Great work here by Media Matters...
Liberals are simply not going to take the filth anymore.
There are some Republicans who are decent, honest, misguided souls. And there are some Cons like Ann Coulter, who will cheat, lie, steal, and resort to any filth they think will give them an advantage. These are the real scumbug Repugs.
I'm sure that Annie will land on her feet somewhere. After all, if the Troglodyte marketplace richly rewards liars like Rush Limbaugh and bigots like Michael Savage, surely there's room for one more.
In my view, this isn't about liberals or conservatives, or Republicans or Democrats......this is about dignity, respect and common decency. People from all political inclinations and stripes should voice their displeasure and condemn words such as these in any public dialogue.
We are all free to exercise our freedom of speech, but along with that right comes responsibility - Coulter had every right to say what she said, and people have every right to express their feelings as well.
If anything good comes from this, it's that maybe people will think through what their words are capable of, that nothing good is served by comments like these, and that shock and self promotion are injurious - not only to others, but also yourself.
Well said Tommy.
I agree completely, Tommy.
'Nuff said :-)
Tommy,
I'm dissapointed. You, along with so many here have bought into the line that Coulter was insulting gays.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Her riposte was aimed at Edwards being effiminate. That is all.
AA,
I never specifically anything about who Coulter was or wasn't insulting. Her entire schtick is make herself the story through controversial remarks and shocking "schoolyard taunts", directed at anyone she doesn't like. The term she used, regardless of who it meant or not meant to offend, was inappropriate at best, an intentional slur she used and had to explain later as some joke that people didn't "get".
Coulter brings nothing to the debate, her only interest is herself, and that's fine. Her shocking insults should be ignored, in my opinion, because their visibility and replay is what she craves and needs. It may have cost her some "capital" from her latest envelope pushing incident........but her comments don't deserve any place in decent, rational discourse. Neither does she.
Isn't this, in a sense, what happened to ruin Andrew Dice Clay's career? The wisecracking members of the reading audience may say that, "No, he just wasn't funny," but really - Ann Coulter's never been a columnist (political or otherwise) or a commentator any more than the Dice Man was ever a "comedian."
At some point, the shock factor wears off and is no longer amusing, and even liberal haters are beginning to look at Coulter and realize that her brand of hate isn't something they want to be associated with, which is a good thing.
It's a sad day when one does not argue with logic but can only characterize the other side with childish name-calling. You don't even have the defense of saying it is a joke.
Look in the mirror. You are no better than the people you insult.
ps. My comments were directed at debunked. Sorry for the confusion.
Debunked posted opinions relevant to the thread, and threw in "scumbags" at the end. It was part of the opinion.
A better example of no substance /only name calling would be your earlier post implying that Liberals are hypocrites unrelated to anything else here.
Look in your own mirror, AA.
Hahaha... I couldn't resist replying to such a wide opening... Thanks for being the 'straight' man on that one... hahaha
Has anyone had any luck getting on to her web site this week?? Seems that the connection is always "timing out". Tsk, tsk. Like the Wicked Witch in Oz, she's melting!! She's melting!! Bye bye, Annie
Conservatives offended...?
Is it safe to assume that newspapers that carried Ann Coulter's column served generally smaller, perhaps even rural, conservative communities? I would imagine that small-town conservatives, particularly religious conservatives, would be offended by crude and coarse speech, particularly from a glib, smart-mouthed city girl, regardless of political party affiliation.
Heck, Ann Coulter may be the great unifier this country needs. ;>)
Oh good for YOU, editors of The Daily Chronicle and The Sanford Herald! It's good to know you have lines after you've been carrying the columns of a woman who has called for the assassination of a Supreme Court Justice. And let's not forget her favorite babblings on "ragheads" and converting all Muslims to Christianity and such.
That's OK, but the gay slur hurled at John Edwards - that was your "last straw".
Just in case, you were doubting your decision, here was a another Coulter gem you must have thought was A-OK until her f-bomb...
From the webpage of Americans United for the Separation of Church and state, a comment from Ann Coulter made on March 3 in her address to the Center for Reclaiming America, a fundamentalist "Christian" organization.
"Noting that seven doctors and clinic personnel had been killed, Coulter said, “Those few abortionists were shot, or, depending on your point of view, had a procedure with a rifle performed on them. I’m not justifying it, but I do understand how it happened....The number of deaths attributed to Roe v. Wade about 40 million aborted babies and seven abortion clinic workers; 40 million to seven is also a pretty good measure of how the political debate is going.”
Just like Sinn Fein has always said it doesn't "justify" the terrorism of the IRA, it just "understands" it, Ann Coulter is apparently now appearing as the political arm of an official terrorist movement and "Christian" right associations like this Center couldn't be more pleased with her.
But really, Herald and Chronicle, at least YOU have lines.
The wingnuts are hard at work fashioning Anne's replacement - just as evil, but better looking - as we celebrate. And what do we celebrate? Oh, knocking out one, tired, infamous, mouthpiece of insanity, while two have been added to cable rotation? Anne probably had been musing about taking her 30 pieces of silver and retiring, anyway. This way, the 'nuts get to bash the liberals for "depriving her of her First Amendment rights" and her employment; all the while, secretly celebrating themselves, for being rid of one used-up lightening rod.
"The wingnuts are hard at work fashioning Anne's replacement - just as evil, but better looking - as we celebrate"
Good one: "Yess, it's alive! And even more attractive tthan the old one. The brain is also 2% larger, it's more agressive and has better use of grammar. It's response calculator has an incredible 4 gigabytes, making it four times as powerful as the old one."
"Thank you, doctor, I think this will give us the necessary edge. Those libs won't know what hit them..."
Here's an easy to copy listing of email addresses to the newspapers still carrying Coulter. Please write to them!
Many are owned by Lee Enterprises in Iowa. www.lee.net, CEO is Mary Junck. email: mary.junck@lee.net
editor@avpress.com, steve.osullivan@sgvn.com, letters@tribune.com, editor@siskiyoudaily.com, editor@staugustinerecord.com, ldcroom@aol.com, bjacoby@cherokeetribune.com, letters@mdjonline.com,dcooper@magicvalley.com, letters@pantagraph.com, ikoch@daily-chronicle.com, dave.dawson@lee.net, heraldnews@scnl.com, mholmes@post-trib.com, mrainwater@bastropenterprise.com, ldcroom@aol.com, dhampton@clarionledger.com, dbdouglas@carolina.net, bliggett@sanfordherald.com,
gallpind@cia-g.com, editor@elkodaily.com, jkerr@reviewjournal.com, ataylort@nncogannett.com, chunnell@nncogannett.com, paper@sirinet.net cmcnickle@tribweb.com, psunyak@heraldstandard.com, mtrimble@dentonrc.com, platham@coxmnm.com, jyoung@wacotrib.com, pyates@dnronline.com, grayd@caledonian-record.com, news1@wdtimes.com, dailynews@conle ynet.com, pat.yack@jacksonville.com, jlacoe@timesleader.com, news@herald-zeitung.com, clark.walworth@casperstartribune.net , nathan.bekke@casperstartribune.net, dennis.derossette@TheSouthern.com, news@timesuniononline.comIn response to the Elko, Nevada paper saying that they would keep Coulter's column because they wouldn't be told what to do by gay and lesbian left wingers (see their editorial on daily kos).
I replied to them: I am not a gay or lesbian reader. I'm the married mother of two young children and the daughter of a disabled veteran.
I have to ask you: what useful or productive dialogue does Ann Coulter bring to political discourse today? All she’s really good at is using hate speech for a cheap laugh. She will use anyone as a punching bag.This is a very special day. Maybe history IS being made here. Maybe Shammity, Billo, and their friends really CAN be stopped after all.
*Begins to sing*
When you walk through the storm...
We're losing her, Captain Annie!
Abandon ship, or abandon hope!
It's amazing to me ( though it shouldn't be ) that so many purveyors of news have actually become purveyors of anything-that-will-make-money. " It's what the public wants", they say, as if that were a valid reason to pander to humankind's baser instincts. I remember when the MSM's credo was: " It's the public's right to know." That was a time when you could trust them 80% of the time and you read between the lines for the other 20%. With the free press of the mid-twentieth century, you believed that the truth would out, sooner than later. Ms. Coulter would have been considered an abominable aberration and would never have survived the disgust evoked in the public by her inherently vitriolic nature.
It is said that, historically, civilization has moved from the East to the West. Sometime in the last quarter of the 1900s, it seems to have reversed direction.
While I'll agree with your assertion that Coultier doesn't belong in the mainstream, your historical references on the print media are questionable at best. Perhaps you should look into the history of "yellow journalism" before you tout the reportage of the past.
I dont have to look into yellow journalism I know it quite well. Actually that is a good point. It still has as one of its underlying causes media consolidation. William Randolp Hearst was one of the purveyors of what came to be seen as yellow journalism. The sensationalism and personifying of news has given way to selective sensationalising of some parts of the news and ignoring of other important news items. It may be more accurate to see journalism as going through periods where they eschew what had been seen as their role in democracy that is to inform the public letting the chips fall where they may. I think, and freely admit its my opinion that journalists should follow the rule of justice when writing stories. They shouldnt judge what the story might bring short of security issues. Let justice be done though the heavens fall. Let the people decide the consequences and just inform us, just give us the truth, facts, lets us decide what their import is. Let us do the analysis. Just inform us and stop treating us like children that have to have the news digested for us or decide what is good for us to know.
I'm very affraid....I've agreed with you twice today. Am I turning BLUE?
No Savage we are going to disagree quite a bit but not always. What I see and perhaps my bias is coloring things you have taken one of the two paths that those rightwingers who come in here with an agenda to teach us poor uninformed liberals how the cow eats the cabbage take when they find out that there are quite a few intelligent and well informed liberals here and we dont disagree because we dont know what is going on but because we see things differently. You seem to be taking the high road or at least starting down it. You are going beyond repeating the talking points and begun to listen to us. Listen then give YOUR take based on what you THINK about what we say. This usually mainfests itself in stopping with the stereotype attacks and rude mischaracterisations about liberals and an actual discourse, so much can be gained when that happens. A dialectic is the goal. We look at YOUR take you look at ours. The best parts of both can be maintained and the weakest parts of both can be either jetisonned or adjusted and a better idea than either began with can evolve. That is a beautiful thing when it happens but it cant begin with partisan attacks and mischaracterizations. I applaud your more reasoned tone which I have seen in more posts than this one. I hope it continues perhaps we can do each other some good
Well said, I have been trying to tone down the rhetoric and listen more to the other side. One thing is, I'm a college student so I'm aware that I don't know every side of every issue. I consider myself a 100% independent in that I am liberal on many social issues (gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, and even want to pull out of Iraq immediately). But some other issues(illegal immigration, man-caused global warming, abortion, etc.) I'm a con. I did come into this site thinking that all libs were how many cons are, ill-informed, however I've noticed that many libs here are well informed while there are others that fit into my preconceived notions.
Hey Solon,
I too agree regarding the news. I like the internet news services because they generally do it right. Just the facts.
However I do like opinion too. I like to read it and discuss it even if I disagree with it. That is why I enjoy this website. I also enjoy reading opinion columns from both the left and right as they many times bring up interesting points that go beyond the news.
Coultier should have known better. While she WAS trying to make a joike (poking fun at the "PC" police) to use that particular slur is tanamount to career suicide. The fallout might very well continue and perhaps it will help her gain the realization that it would behoove her to "tone it down". I'm not a fan of Coutier's so it doesn't really effect me at all.
Savage,
As many here might have guessed, I am a fan of Coulter. However her comments don't affect me either.
I can see where she was going with her comment and I can see that so many here take satisfaction in not accepting it for what it is, (using a politically incorrect word with an alternative meaning to make fun of a politician,) but rather view Coulter through their pre-conceived prism as some sort of hate-monger.
Many here disagree with me, many times hurling accusations of me using talking points, (which I'd like someone to point out to me where they are listed,) while at the same time repeating ad infinitum the same old shopworn insults toward Coulter in every thread. They don't even realize that they are far more lock-step, kool-aid drinkers than me.
Hey, I know people can disagree with Coulter, (and to a lesser extent, to me,) but so many here do so only based on her zingers and not on her underlying arguments. Her books are very well researched and provide a very interesting read. Yes, Coulter uses her biting wit to make fun of her ideological opponents, (that has always been acceptable except now with her.) Think about it.
People should just view her the same as Franken, Maher, Trudeau or any other commedian who mixes politics into their routine.
We need people like Coulter and Maher and political cartoonists and commedians from every side of the ideological spectrum. The perform a service to the rest of us by showing the failings of politicians in a manner that makes us use a different part of the brain and entertains us at the same time.
ps. I think Coulter is in a class by herself as far as mixing wit and commentary. Actually I can see why so many liberals get so upset at her. She regularly skewers their foibles. On the other side of the coin there are few liberal columnists I like. However since this site is so dominated by those on the left, I'd like to know if anyone thinks there are liberal/progressive columnists who are funny while at the same time expressing opinion.
The problem with your argument AA is that you are assuming ann was making a clever joke. (Which BTW that word due to its context, history and modern usage, should never be used.)
By her own actions and words, ann was not making a "witty" remark or social commentary. She was using a homophobic word to "bash" or put down a liberal. She drew the comparison between her use of the word and Grey's Anatomy's Washington, therefore logically since he used the word to refer to his gay co-star in a negative light, she is also using the same word in the same light. (F + F = F)
"COULTER: Oh, and I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards. But it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word "f#ggot," so I'm -- so I'm kind of at an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards. So I think I'll just conclude here and take your questions."
As for the whole "rehab" thing with Washington. I really wish cons would do a little research about (a/any) topic before using it as an attack. Washington was not sent into "rehab," he meet with representatives of various gay rights groups, to talk about how he could repair any damage he may have caused with his statements.
He volunteered to do so (possibly at his agent's asking) as an attempted PR move. They are talking about having him do some public service announcements, etc. Will this change his views or his using the word at home? Probably not. Will it heal the wounds he caused with his fellow cast members? Maybe, maybe not.
But the real question is, will it help a gay/lesbian kid who was negatively affected by his comments. Lets hope so. Maybe it could also show other's in the public spot light that the use of these words do more damage than they know of.
The Republicans right now are very, "Let's all work together, lets all be united, etc." (mostly since they lost power). How do Ann's comments further that goal?
I like some of the conservative view points in many editorials, but what I read in Ann's little rants, they don't offer anything constructive or really informative. She spends most of her space, attacking groups, political parties, etc. Where is the constructive advice or actual (I'm trying to think of the right word, but this time change thing is messing with my mind :) informative, research based critique of policy or ideals?
Its like having a car repair column in a newspaper, but instead of offering actual information or solving people's car problems, you instead write 200 words slamming Ford's poor performance history and ranting about how since the model T they haven't built a decent vehicle. What's the point? While its great that you can share your opinion, how does this really help people with car problems?
(Side Note: as a resident of Michigan I am required by State Law (137.1.23) to say, "Ford cars are the best vehicle ever made, unless you are comparing them to GM or Chrysler. In that case they are all equally great!")
ADM,
Hey I understand your point. My take is that Ann was ridiculing Edwards at the expense of Washington.. and the PR attempt at rehab. It looks like Washington had to do that to save his job in PC Hollywood. I caught something the other day saying he probably lost his raise due to the flap. Who knows.
She used a forbidden and socially charged word in a way to illustrate the silliness of Washington's situation and used Edwards feminine side as a means of getting two for the price of one. However I did not see her use of the word as derogatory. The F word has been used by both straight and gay people for some time to describe overly feminine men. It is simply in that context that the joke should be taken. The broader implication is to understand that by using words in this fashion, Coulter detoxifies them. She is all about putting forbidden subjects in the realm of public discourse. (We all remember her comments regarding the Jersy Girls.) You may agree or disagree with her, but she brings to the public forum words and attitudes that everyone else is afraid to mention.
Coulter is not part of the "lets get along" crowd. We all know that. She is very much opposed to liberals and many of their beliefs. What I admire about her is she says it like she sees it. No pussyfooting around for her. ;-) (will that be censored?)
On another note, I grew up in Michigan, went to college there, and lived in the Detroit area for a number of years. I still have many relatives who live and work there. I think I'm one of the few who have never owned a foreign car. Glad to see GM make a profit this last quarter! I love Michigan and all the people there!
I'm new here, but I have to say that I was very much disgusted with her use of the F word. I know she would never refer to Cheney's daughter with the F word, or her being a Lesbian, because that would really turn the conservatives against her. Or would it? As long as she is basing liberals, then I guess it's ok to do so. But if she attacked someone like Cheney's daughter, then the conservatives would have her head. I've never liked her and have never seen an argument of hers that can be justified. I guess Hannity, O'Reilly and Fox News can do that for her. But she has crossed a line, and she needs to be called on it, not praised for it.
The two biggest papers by far on the list are the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It is great to see her lose half a dozen smaller papers, but these are the critical ones.
While I share the general sense of Schadenfreude here, I fear not much tangible good will come of this. To the choir to which she preaches, it's just another one for the "PC liberal media". Just one more example of how biased the mainstream news is. They'll give up on all print media and only watch Fox News.
Lap,
All the more power to MMFA and their 'band' in trying to rid Coulter of the few newspaper media outlets who carry her column. I love to see liberals using the free market.
My guess is that those of us "in the choir" for the most part already get our weekly Coulter fix via the web.
Ahhh what sweet music the band and the choir make! God bless America if your are a conservative and ...and... uhm help me out here. What the heck is the liberal equivilent to "God bless America"?
;-)