Ann Coulter..

[Contarini]

Huffington Post
Daily Kos
Chris Matthews
And let’s not forget Air America

The only one of these that meets the criteria I gave is Chris Matthews. Chris Matthews is also the one I’m least familiar with. I will accept provisionally that Mr. Matthews and/or his guests express themselves as badly as Ms. Coulter. I should watch occasionally–I mostly stick to CNN and Fox on TV, and NPR and BBC on the radio (though I mostly read BBC online).

Blogs are hard to compare because they are much less censored. I won’t disagree that there is a lot of nasty stuff said in comments. Generally the actual posts on those blogs strike me as characterized more by honest indignation and less by deliberate cynicism than Ms. Coulter’s remarks and those of other right-wing folks on Fox and in talk radio. The same would be true for Air America.

I do not object to sarcasm or anger. I object to the cynical use of nasty and dishonest rhetoric in order to “whip up” the faithful. I don’t defend the liberal media you have mentioned in this regard (they are certainly guilty of doing this to a considerable degree). And I have watched Fox more than I have watched, listened to, or read any of these, so I may well have missed a lot. But based on my experience I still find Coulter to be more reprehensible than anything *official *I have seen or heard in these sources (again, if you’re talking about the comments, then I won’t disagree but I will claim that this is not a fair comparison).

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

so you say… but you are … or must be speaking about religions like Unitarianism… orthe Church of Atheism…

No, I’m not. I’m talking about Catholicism for one thing. But certainly mainline and evangelical Protestant denominations. Only a very few, extreme fundamentalist churches actually require political conservatism of their members. The Catholic Church certainly doesn’t.

no true Christian

I consider this a presumptuous phrase and don’t use it, but to continue. . . .

can disagree with what she says… about the unborn,

I agree with her on abortion. It’s almost the only thing I do agree with her on. But this doesn’t justify the other atrocious things she says.

We can have a reasonable argument about whether general respect for someone such as Obama should allow us to support him even though he is horribly wrong about abortion. (I could not in good conscience have voted for him precisely for that reason, even though I generally like him and agree with many of his positions.) But it clearly doesn’t work the other way round. There is no reasonable case to be made that a person’s “prolife” stance on abortion justifies a general contempt for mercy, truth, and justice, such as is evident in the words of Ms. Coulter.

about just about everything…

Doesn’t work. You can’t cite the one good stance she takes to justify everything else. You have to defend her atrocious positions if you really want to answer those of us who strongly disapprove of her–beginning with her position on the forcible conversion of Muslims. You have to address the many points on which we consider her positions reprehensible instead of endlessly repeating the one point on which most of us on this forum agree that she’s right.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

envy…

that’s a sin, you know…

I do struggle with envy. (I envy my colleague in grad school who has now replaced our advisor as a professor at Duke, for instance.) I do not, however, envy Ms. Coulter. (Sure, I’d like to be a successful author of popular books–but not of her kind of books for any amount of money.) And the point is in any case irrelevant, since my sinfulness is an obvious fact and is not under dispute in this forum

is that your only complaint - she makes $$??

Of course not. That’s a remarkably silly remark. Surely you can do better. I only mentioned how much money she made because you cited her as claiming that the way to make money is to be a liberal.

I don’t object to her because her books sell. I object to the fact that her books sell because what she says is noxious trash.

I was not the one who claimed that she’d become a liberal if she could make more money that way. I don’t know if she would. I am inclined to presume that she wouldn’t. I have no reason not to think her sincere in her general belief that her ideology is right and true (she is extremely cynical and careless of truth in many of the specific things she says, but this is often true of people who are genuinely convinced of an ideological position). Charity does not require me to pull punches in describing the wicked things she says. (In fact, it requires me to call evil by its true name.) It does, however, require me to refrain from accusing her of wicked motives. She may well be motivated by a genuine desire for the welfare of the human race. But the means she uses are still wicked.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

.

Question for all Posters:

**How many of Ann Coulter’s books have you read cover to cover?? **

None. I base my remarks primarily on what I have heard her say on Fox, and what you and other supporters have either cited her as saying or have admitted that she has said.

From what I have seen of her books they appear to be of the same general tenor as her remarks on TV. Am I wrong?

How do you think that reading one of her books might change my opinion of her?

Edwin

 

[distracted]

No. You have to defend her atrocious positions if you really want to answer those of us who strongly disapprove of her–beginning with her position on the forcible conversion of Muslims. You have to address the many points on which we consider her positions reprehensible instead of endlessly repeating the one point on which most of us on this forum agree that she’s right.

Edwin

if she is SERIOUS about forcibly converting people to Christianity, then i agree…

but so far, i’ve read severl of her books and all i can see is that she uses hyperbole…

i can’t tell if she is seirous or not…

so i give her the benefit of the doubt… something a few others around here might want to consider…

 

[Fitz]

.

Question for all Posters:

**How many of Ann Coulter’s books have you read cover to cover?? **

I have read two of her books, and I tend to like many of her ideas. Her presentation on TV lacks at times. She likes to cause a commotion and to stir things up. I think if you can get beyond that, then you can like her. Otherwise you will find her abrasive. I heard her talk about her dad right after he died last year. He was Catholic and devout. He mom was not, but Ann respected her dad a lot.

 

[Indyann]

if she is SERIOUS about forcibly converting people to Christianity, then i agree…

but so far, i’ve read severl of her books and all i can see is that she uses hyperbole…

i can’t tell if she is seirous or not…

so i give her the benefit of the doubt… something a few others around here might want to consider…

Most of the time, she is just throwing the opposition’s words back in their faces. The one statement that I thought was over the top was about the 9/11 widows.

I don’t think that was necesary.

 

[distracted]

I do struggle with envy. (I envy my colleague in grad school who has now replaced our advisor as a professor at Duke, for instance.) I do not, however, envy Ms. Coulter. (Sure, I’d like to be a successful author of popular books–but not of her kind of books for any amount of money.) And the point is in any case irrelevant, since my sinfulness is an obvious fact and is not under dispute in this forum

well, i give you credit here… (just don’t get used to it )… for being truthful and humble… and not pouncing on me for saying what i said… i just speak my mind and kinda let the chips fall where they may… whether that is good or bad kinda depends but in any case…

I don’t object to her because her books sell. I object to the fact that her books sell because what she says is noxious trash.

trash?? that implies what she says is totally without merit… HOw can a Christian say such things? Ok… we maybe should throw out the sarcasm… Ok, maybe we should inject a little kindness… but to say it is utter trash… that’s going too far… (Hey - i just realizd that’s waht the liberals say about her every comment… NEVER MIND!! )

I was not the one who claimed that she’d become a liberal if she could make more money that way. I don’t know if she would. I am inclined to presume that she wouldn’t.

i “know” she wouldn’t… she was, as she says herself… almost living under a bridge at one time because she couldn’t get published… which reminds me, maybe you should direct your indignant anger at the publisher… No one else would publish her… it seems… because she was NOT liberal… kinda scary when you think about that… those liberals don’t seem to respect free speech…

I have no reason not to think her sincere in her general belief that her ideology is right and true (she is extremely cynical and careless of truth in many of the specific things she says,

how so? at best we cannot prove every thing she says, whether it is true… one way or the other… You should give an example of something she has not been truthful about…

s

She may well be motivated by a genuine desire for the welfare of the human race. But the means she uses are still wicked.

Edwin

i don’t think so at all… I think some people just take her entirely too seroiusly…

do you think it is a sin not to have a sense of humor???

i kinda do… or more to the point i htink lack of a sense of humor points to something else not being exactly “kosher” …

I say this because there was a time in my life whne i didn’t have a sense of humor, to speak of…

and now that i love Jesus more (etc etc)… i have one… so uh… wht gives??

 

[distracted]

Most of the time, she is just throwing the opposition’s words back in their faces. The one statement that I thought was over the top was about the 9/11 widows.

I don’t think that was necesary.

yes, i kinda tend to agree… but i think the point was that these women were blaming Bush for it… and for darn-near everything!! that’s wht got her ire up… and i don’t blame her a bit… that bush bashing was getting SO tirsome (to put it midly)… No one ever seems to say anything about the hate coming from the Left… (except her) Some of those lefties hated Bush with a pathological ferocity… which, again,… is scary… & downright weird. When people hate that much… maybe its time to get away from politics… "If your foot causes you to stumble… "

anyway… i kinda thought she went over the line on that one but on the other hand… i think people should be able to let some of that go like water off a duck’s back…

then again, if i had gone through waht those women went through… i would be offended to say the least… Even so… i think it is kind of ironic that thye supported the Left against Bush… when bush was the one who d***id ***something to actually stop or at least discourage terrorism… namely he got Saddam…etc… something he doesn’t get credit for very often with those people… When things go right it is obviously in SPITE of Bush… When things go wrong its because of him… Oh puuuulllllllleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaazzzze…

gets SO incredibly tiresome… and i htink that is where she’s coming from… just plain sick and freaking tired of it all…

as I am . and that’s why i support her so whole-heartedly

 

[distracted]

I have read two of her books, and I tend to like many of her ideas. Her presentation on TV lacks at times. She likes to cause a commotion and to stir things up. I think if you can get beyond that, then you can like her. Otherwise you will find her abrasive. I heard her talk about her dad right after he died last year. He was Catholic and devout. He mom was not, but Ann respected her dad a lot.

i didn’t know he died… I’ll pray for him… that’s sad…

the first time i read one of her books… i just KNEW there was someething Catholic about her…

anyway you say She likes to cause a commotion and to stir things up.

not sure she* likes* it… but it is not always wrong to cause a commotion… If someone is not outraged by abortion, something is wrong… ditto the Muslim problems… too bad not many got too angry about the jews being exterminted in WWII… Lack of anger means apathy…

people get tired of accepting baby killing. So you don’t have to have an abortion yourself… It pains the pro-lifers to know tht there are babies being killed every minute in this country… and elsewhere… It causes depression… it makes it seem like there is no love in the world… etc etc…like life is cheap…like you are only worth what you have in the bank…

gets tiresome… so wearying…

and yet we cannot get weary…

we must stay as it were… Is God not angry with the baby-killing??? Does he ever stop thinking about it all?? or the victims of terrorists?? (abortionists are terrorists) Does God ever stop caring? No, and neither should we…

i love Ann Coulter… I think she is misunderstood, even by those who support her sometimes… but then… so was Jesus…

 

[distracted]

so far only one person has answered the Question:

how many books have you read by her?

 

[Indyann]

so far only one person has answered the Question:

how many books have you read by her?

zero. zip. Just watch her on T.V.

 

[Lynn-D]

Then she’s a much worse hypocrite and peddler of falsehoods than I thought.

It’s patently obvious that she and other “conservative” icons of the popular media make lots of money.

Edwin

And Sorus and his ilk don’t make lots of money??? At least Ann pays income taxes unlike some not only nominated to be Health managers in the current administration but also in charge of Treasury issues. Who then is the real hypocrite I might ask?

 

[distracted]

zero. zip. Just watch her on T.V.

cable?

i don’t have TV but am thinking about changing my mind…

i just hate 99% of what is on TV

 

[distracted]

And Sorus and his ilk don’t make lots of money??? At least Ann pays income taxes unlike some not only nominated to be Health managers in the current administration but also in charge of Treasury issues. Who then is the real hypocrite I might ask?

how can they not pay taxes?? lots of tax write-offs? for “business” expenses?

or what??

i thought taxes were as inevitable as death…

and tooth decay… and…

me living without sex for the rest of my life… and… etc…

 

[Indyann]

cable?

i don’t have TV but am thinking about changing my mind…

i just hate 99% of what is on TV

Yes, she is frequently on some of the cable news shows.

I agree about the garbage on TV, but I cannot do without EWTN and local and national news. I would feel completely isolated.

 

[Convert66]

Distracted,

I have read three of her books, and enjoyed each of them immensely. She is a polemicist, which is a little too much like a “meany britches” for our age’s senitive kindergarten-esque ears. She has gone off a few times, but so what? So’s your momma, you know? (Not directed at you personally)

The thing about carpet-bombing should’ve never got past the editors, but she had her best friend killed the day before in the plane that went into the Pentagon, so I’m willing to cut her some slack. Emotions get the best of us all at times.

And yes, she is rich. Not Al Gore or Bill Clinton rich, but she does well.

All my best . . .

 

[distracted]

Yes, she is frequently on some of the cable news shows.

I agree about the garbage on TV, but I cannot do without EWTN and local and national news. I would feel completely isolated.

maybe god is speaking to me through you because i’ve been thinking of getting cable for some time and been procrastinating… I’m fairly isolated myself… but i wonder if God likes it tht way… or it is just me or what???

hard to tell sometimes… what god wants…

thanks…

 

[distracted]

Distracted,

I have read three of her books, and enjoyed each of them immensely. She is a polemicist, which is a little too much like a “meany britches” for our age’s senitive kindergarten-esque ears. She has gone off a few times, but so what? So’s your momma, you know? (Not directed at you personally)

The thing about carpet-bombing should’ve never got past the editors, but she had her best friend killed the day before in the plane that went into the Pentagon, so I’m willing to cut her some slack. Emotions get the best of us all at times.

And yes, she is rich. Not Al Gore or Bill Clinton rich, but she does well.

All my best . . .

thanks… but what is the carpet bombing thing??

 

[Convert66]

Distracted,

Ms. Coulter is often criticized for her column of September 12th, 2001, in which she said we should carpet-bomb (or something like that) their (meaning Islamic) countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. A call for a new Crusade, as it were. Well, she deserves some of the rub, but it must be remembered that her best friend and fellow lawyer and wife of the former US Solicitor General was killed when her plane crashed into the Pentagon. That is why I said that her editors should have asked for a change before they put out her column, but I suspect they were thinking “controversial=ratings=profits”. Her emotions were marketed, and she still gets grilled over it constantly.

She was mad as hell, and she wasn’t gonna take it any longer. I think most Americans felt a lot of that around the 11th and 12th of September, 2001.