The American Mind

An Open Letter to CPAC Sponsors and Organizers Regarding Ann Coulter…

Conservatism treats humans as they are, as moral creatures possessing rational minds and capable of discerning right from wrong. There comes a time when we must speak out in the defense of the conservative movement, and make a stand for political civil…

[…] Speaking only for myself (though I suspect my fellow ABPers would agree), I am happy to sign on to Sean Hackbarth’s open letter to CPAC organizers. An Open Letter to CPAC Sponsors and Organizers Regarding Ann Coulter […]

[…] Sean Hackbarth, The American Mind James Joyner, Outside the Beltway Scott Schmidt, Boi From Troy Joy McCann, Little Miss Attila Kevin McCullough, Musclehead Revolution Fausta Werz, Fausta’s blog Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits […]

I disagree with Coulter’s remark, but you guys are starting to sound like the politically correct Left.

I agree completely. Coulter has become the Olbermann of the right; a shrill, mean spirited, specialist of the ad hominem attack. They are both examples of how celebrity erodes integrity. They have become a product or brand rather than a source for discussion of ideas.

Linked at Right Win Nut House.

http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2007/03/05/an-open-letter-to-the-acu-and-cpac/

Get over it already.

This dead horse does not need further flogging.

Chuck

Oh, for heaven’s sake. I think we should be spending our energy denouncing the slurs against our President and Vice President by the likes of Bill Maher and the Democratic leadership. Too big a deal is being made of Ann’s remark.

Please explain how, in the aftermath of the Oklahoma bombing, the following comment by Ann Coulter inspired “deeper thoughts”: “My only regret is that McVeigh did not bomb the NYT building”?

Or her suggestions that “Murtha should be fragged”, that “someone should poison Justice Steve’s creme brulee”; that “torture should be a spectator sport”, etc… The list is long.

Coulter has never said anything that inspired debates and deeper thoughts. Her latest utterance is par for the course. She is not a pundit, she is a foul-mouthed comedian. She is interested in one thing: getting attention and the money that comes with that attention.

The GOP has legitimized her, and now, it suddenly discovers that Coulter is a loose cannon. Whether you like it or not, Coulter — along with her counterpart, Limbaugh — is the face of the GOP.

Coulter’s vicious word choice tells the world she care little about the feelings of a large group that often feels marginalized and despised. Her word choice forces conservatives to waste time defending themselves against charges of homophobia rather than advancing conservative ideas.

Now, hold on just a minute. I have to call foul here. Sean, i’ve seen you in past entries on this blog refer to homosexual relationships as “less valid” than straight ones (maybe that’s not your exact word choice, but that was the sentiment. I don’t have time to dig up the exact post but i believe it happened during the gay marriage amendment debate). Maybe that makes you a little more civil in that you choose not to use epithets like “faggot,” but from my end of the spectrum, the difference isn’t all that great. You’re still marginalizing a large group by implying that they are somehow less than straight people (and your eventual “yes” vote on that amendment brought that home).

In fact–and this isn’t necessarily my view, but it should be addressed–that Coulter should almost be thanked, in a backhanded fashion, for going about her marginalization and hate in such a crass fashion that it forces people to talk about how disgusting it is, whereas your version of homophobia (and make no mistake, simply saying a gay relationship is “less valid” isn’t “fear” per se, but it does stem from the same place–a lack of understanding) is more subtle, more discreet.

Don’t get me wrong, i appreciate and support your condemnation of “Crypt Keeper” Ann Coulter, but from where i’m standing, based on past blog entries from you, this ultimately looks like a case of a pot and a slightly blacker kettle.

I invite you to correct me and set me straight regarding your newfound support for gay people and your belief that they are deserving of all the same civil rights and priviledges that straight people have.

Absolutely no left wing nut has any reason to throw stones, when their side has the absolute winners trophy for gutter speak in politics hands down.

I take offense to you attempting to equate Rush Limbaugh with Ann Coulter by your phrase:

“along with her counterpart, Limbaugh”

Rush Limbaugh does not comport himself in an anatagonistic manner as Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, and others are known for doing. Rush Limbaugh is mostly patient and very civilized in his discussions with liberals who phone call his show or send him e-mails.

What Ann Coulter said was stupid, however, it is equally dumb for CPAC to advocate banning her over 1 word.

Relentlessly taking Ann Coulter’s statements out of context in order to paint a picture of her as a loose cannon, is also wrong Devil’s Advocate.

There are websites devoted to taking Ann Coulter’s words out of context in order to get people to dislike her. These websites are run not by disgruntled conservatives, but by liberal left-wingers who fear Ann Coulter’s sarcastic wit.

I am hoping that an even larger number of Conservatives create and sign a petition in support of Ann Coulter rather than against her.
If such a proposal exists, I would sign it.

Not to suggest that what she did is correct, but to show that CPAC doesn’t own conservative thought. Conservative thought is owned by the individual. No one should be banned from expressing themselves. Criticized harshly, perhaps, but not banned.

The only thing Ann Coulter has ever added to the political landscape is intolerance and, as usual when her remarks go too far, she claims that she was “only kidding”. You can stop inviting Ms. Coulter to your events but what excuse can you offer for the fact that most of the people in attendance laughed and applauded after her Edwards remark? You can all try to ( finally ) distance yourselves from her ’til the cows come home but I think most Americans have figured out that Ann Coulter SAYS what most of you THINK; otherwise you wouldn’t continue to invite her to your events and you wouldn’t continue to respond to her remarks with laughter and applause instead of getting up and walking out.

Devil’s Advocate is right, this is par for the course. Nonetheless, any efforts by conservatives to denounce bigotry and hate should be applauded, not just questioned. Our country deserves no less.

I hope that you won’t stop with Coulter- continue to denounce the many other conservatives and Republicans in the media who spew hate for a living. If you do, you’ll be quite busy for a while.

I personally think this is the Right’s “Sister Soulja” moment. We either completely toss her, or we accept the fact that she is one of our spokesnuts

Hmm…What is more pitiful is watching so-called conservatives adopting the lefts tactics at stifling dissent and speech. Whats next CPAC outlining some sort of “HateSpeech” code…you should be ashamed of yourself.

Those of us in the trenches wanting to stem the tide of PC nonsense have no one in the leadership willing to challenge the speech codes threatening to stifle free speech as they already have in Europe. Ann Coulter challenges those codes whilst folks like you, Malkin, Captain Ed, Instapundit, embrace them…you are not leaders you are sheep.

In challenging these codes we will from time to time run over the edge but that is far better than sitting around meekly accepting that there are words that cannot be said any more.

“What Ann Coulter said was stupid, however, it is equally dumb for CPAC to advocate banning her over 1 word.”

The post about this one was a litany of “stupid” things Coulter has said over the years. Now, all of a sudden, she is an embarassment?

If the shoe fits, wear it.

Certainly everyone is entitled to “express themselves”. But for conservatives to pay her to express these hateful ideas illuminates their values. As for her being taken “out of context”, that is a common bleat of conservatives called out for these types of statements. Rubbish.

You are free to add my name to the list.I will post it and trackback.

It was great to meet you at CPAC and I look forward doing all over again next March…minus the noise.

xoxoxo
Jane Stewart
www.seejanemom.com

“There are websites devoted to taking Ann Coulter’s words out of context in order to get people to dislike her. These websites are run not by disgruntled conservatives, but by liberal left-wingers who fear Ann Coulter’s sarcastic wit.”

Please explain specific comments that have been taken out of context. I’d like to know how I misunderstood telling a widow that she was enjoying her husband’s death, bombing the NYT building, etc.

And as a left-winger, let me say that I don’t fear Coulter’s “wit”, I simply find her dishonest and morally offensive. (I had an ex-conservative friend also say that liberals fear her - is that a conservative talking point listed somewhere?)

Some advocate you are devil.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2006, Coulter referred to Iranians as “ragheads.” She is one of the most prominent women in the conservative movement; for her to employ such reckless language reinforces the stereotype that conservatives are racists.
A stereotype generated by national media.
National media that conveniently forgets how the GOP fought to free the slaves from bondage.
National media that didn’t see a vice in apartheit black codes, and whistled into the air as the Democrats waged a 100 year guerilla war to keep the country from instituting the 14th ammendment. The same media which shuffles its feet when muslims across the planet riot for days over cartoons and turns a deaf ear to the question “what cartoons are the rioting over?” and then tells us there is no such thing as a monolithic muslim movement.
The same media who wouldn’t have mentioned CPAC now or in 2006 if it weren’t for bombastic Ann Coulter.

>>I am hoping that an even larger number of Conservatives create and sign a petition in support of Ann Coulter rather than against her.

And that is why “conservatism” is going down in flames. Ronald Reagan is spinning in his grave. The Reagan Democrats, the independents, socially moderate Republicans, and the libertarians are leaving the GOP in droves. And you wonder why? Or perhaps you don’t care? Extremists have taken over the GOP, and while that may delight 25% of the country, the other 75% of us are moving on.

Coulter and D’Souza are the face of the GOP: intolerant, shrill, hate-spewing, calling for people’s deaths, paranoid. Those people exist on the left, of course, but they aren’t the major figures in the “movement” — they are more likely to be anonymous blog commenters or Michael Moore. I don’t see Michael Moore — ever. Few Democrats would be caught dead with Moore. Coulter? She’s a rock star in the GOP.

Coulter is a hack.
And like their hack President, the Right adores her.

…the feelings of a large group that often feels marginalized and despised. Her word choice forces conservatives to waste time defending themselves….

On the defending part, please don’t waste your time or mine on this. Frankly, you could hold CPAC in San Francisco, drop your trousers and walk backwards down Polk St and the count of gays willing to have an open mind about conservatives would still not exceed zero (0).

Group that feels marginalized and despised? Please again. This group has a history of saying the most vile, inaccurate and disgusting things about conservatives imaginable. They virtually own US Universities, the entire DHIMMIcRAT party and most government bureaucracy. Gays may have been marginalized in the ’50’s, but upon having a strong cup of coffee and an open-eyed look around, you’ll find that there is no group less marginalized. Ever been to the Gay Day Parade in San Francisco?

If you want to bash Coulter, bash on, but please spare us the mythology. Tell it like it is, or keep it in your pocket.

For honest conservatives, the problem with Coulter is this: she has been given validation year after year, accepted as one of the luminaries of the conservative Republican movement. Just look at the two comments posted so far on this blog - for every one that decrys her, another one defends her, albeit in the guise of allowing free expression. That’s why this petition will go nowhere, Sean, and why Coulter will continue to be the face of conservatives both within and outside of the party. It’s too late to put the genie back in the bottle - her brand of “conservatism” has struck a positive chord with too many people.

Ann Coulter is out for one thing: the Ann Coulter brand name. By now her modus operandi should be obvious. She will advance that brand without shame and if it comes at the expense of the responsible conservative movement, she could not care less. She is out for herself alone. Anyone who defends her is a fool.

Devil’s Advocate: Is this an officially Politically Communist advisory that sarcasm is no longer permitted?

Yes, Ann Coulter behaved badly, but I had to admit that this reply of hers was funny: “C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”

The Shunning of Ann a Shame…

As the fallout from Ann Coulter’s remark continues, American Mind wants signatories to a letter to CPAC requesting that they not book her for next year.
An Open Letter to CPAC Sponsors and Organizers Regarding Ann Coulter
Conservatism treats huma…

Devil - umm, yeah…

…and Al Sharpton is the face of Black America….
…and Osama Bin Laden is the face of Islam…
…and Babs is the face of Hollywood…

Give it a rest. Whatever happened to the concept of not judging a group by the actions of an individual? …or does that only apply to official, DNC-sponsored special interest groups?

She did make a racial slur: she said that Bill Clinton was the first black president, “half white, half trash”. That means trash equals black.

Coulter never was a “wit”. And for you to quote the fat tub of lard, “Limbaugh has said again and again that ‘words mean things’”, shows you have a mocroscopic set of people to refer to.

Words mean things, how profound! Conservatives are pathetic.

[…] Sean Hackbarth The American Mind […]

The things that Ann Coulter says were once a long time ago insightful and edgy. She was able to sell books as a telegenic and provocative speaker/writer. Now she is just lazily using obviously racist/homophobic remarks to keep herself in the news.

She could spend one month writing a good article that is well researched and fun to read promoting a book, or she can go hack off some remark at a CPAC conference. Both get Coulter what she wants. She chooses the lazy low road to get attention. Other, far less cynical and less self involved conservatives, are forced to defend themselves because Ann wants some air time she could get with a little legwork instead of this facile rabble rousing.

One of these examples is Rush Limbaugh. Unfortunately for Rush he just ran a spoof on Fox News with Ann Coulter. Rush does a lot of the research and legwork that he needs to do to get attention without saying stupid things, and is one of those conservatives that is lumped in with her.

I am tired of being lumped in with Ann Coulter because I support the war and the president. It is time for the republican party and the conservative movement to grow up and get over some of the homophobia and racism that this country has dealt with in the past. Ann Coulter is a lazy hack. She should be required to pay all the other conservatives that are forced to deal with her lazy publicity stunts.

Thank you Sean. I agree 100%. I’m sick of having to explain that people like Ann Coulter are NOT the voice of the Republicans or the conservative movement.

[…] defending Coulter anymore March 5, 2007 Posted by daveintexas in Current Events, Politics. trackback I’m pretty much done,yeah. […]

Oh, please, DO try to get over yourselves!

This could easily have been a ploy to get the “so-called” republicans running for president to do a bit of self-culling based on how they will react to her comments.

Personally I found them funny. But that’s me.

CPAC knew exactly what they were doing, too! It’s not like Ann’s previous statements are secret and buried in some vault (like Hillary’s papers at university.)

They knew WHO she was and WHAT she might say. It was just a matter of WHEN she’d do it but they also knew WHY she’d do it.

Now let’s all start growing thicker skins and stop being so easily offended.

/rant off

It would be easier to take this column seriously if there weren’t links to Ann Coulter at the top of this page. She does big business among conservatives.

What is her ringtone anyway? “Hey faggot, pick up the phone”?

She is the face of modern conservativism in all its ugliness - you only now figured this out? Where was this self-righteous posting last year after the “ragheads” statement?

I’m getting fed up with people like Ann Coulter representing “us.” I put the word “us” in quotation marks, because I’m starting to have a hard time feeling included in what used to be a proud movement. The Republican party used to be a coalition of social conservatives and people like me, a libertarian who has been willing to compromise for the greater goods of smaller government and economic freedom. Now, it seems we got the worst of both worlds–Republicans who believe in big government who tolerate all sorts of pork and corruption, and increasingly intolerant social conservatism that I cannot condone or compromise with. People on the left already think the Republicans are a bunch of bigots. If _I_ end up thinking that, I’m gone. I’m still in the party, but I’m hanging by a thread. And people like Coulter are sawing at the edges.

[…] Sean Hackbarth The American Mind […]

>>…and Al Sharpton is the face of Black America….
…and Osama Bin Laden is the face of Islam…
…and Babs is the face of Hollywood…

Black America, Islam, and Hollywood aren’t political movements. See the difference? She isn’t the “face” of the new-new-GOP because I say so. She is the face of the GOP because she has such popular support on the right and the “movement” gives her a platform. They are making her the face of the right. Not me. The Democratic party didn’t give Ward Churchill, for example, a platform — no one ever heard of him and no one wants to.

Why soften this criticism by saying “[bigoted fighting words] may be tolerated on liberal websites”? If such tolerance were commonplace Coulter wouldn’t have a stereotype to attack by putting an anti-political-correctness frame around her so-called joke.

“But Johnny did it first!” was a lousy excuse when you were seven. It shouldn’t work at all among adults.

For what it’s worth, I’ve always made my feelings about Ann Coulter perfectly clear.

Lincoln, who spoke with malice towards none and charity towards all, would be aghast at what the Republican Party has become.

[…] Sean Hackbarth at The American Mind has been the driving force, and James Joyner has the full list of signatories in his post. (I’m not even going to try to keep up with all of them here.) […]

When you run out of ideas, it is easy to make a group “straw men” to knock down and build yourself up.

Every time Limbaugh, or Greg Garrison or Ann use that swishy, lispy stereotypical “gay” voice in referring to a liberal position/speaker they drive me further away from the Republican party. They may be playing to their base, but in doing so they are playing into the hands of bigots and fascists.

Ann isn’t the only “media” face of the Republican Party to be guilty of gay bashing, but perhaps she is the most daring.

People, people.
It’s standup comedy.
The whole routine was outrageous.
Walk away shaking your head and laughing.

Well written letter which echos my sentiments.

Frankly I am disappointed with Coulter. She has become more shtick and less smarts. Her latest book, is a classic example of what’s wrong with Coulter. Specifically, she makes a valid point that the “Jersey Girls” were never elected to speak on behalf of all 9-11 victims, but then goes into this useless diatrobe how these women’s husbands who passed may not have wanted to be married to them. This is absolute idoicy, and worse than that, it pollutes a valid argument, one that Anne Coulter does not own herself.

The thing that annoys real conservatives, is when someone makes arguments we agree with, then pollutes them with self serving nonesence. As the letter states, its becoming more about Coulter and less about the movement.

I wish that someone close to Coulter, perhaps Limbaugh, Hannity, etc… would take her aside PRIVATELY, and read her the riot act.

Simply put Anne is becoming the Conservative’s version of the radical liberal blogesphere.

Let me conclude by saying this. Ann Coulter is a very smart women and excellent orator, when she isn’t acting like a liberal (in the context of behavior). I have watched Coulter Debate, and she is excellent. Her ability to recall facts on the fly, and deliver them in a short yet concise way, is a skill that is rare amongst most individuals. She is a good writer, and does a meticulous job with her research. Why she feels she has to go into the gutter, throwing aroud words like “Faggot” or even, worse writing a book where she personally insults a women who recently lost her husband in a terrorist attack is beyond comprehension. come on Ann your smarter than that!

People, people.
It was stand-up comedy.
The whole routine was outrageous.
Walk away, shake your head and laugh.

PaperTiger said: A stereotype generated by national media.
National media that conveniently forgets how the GOP fought to free the slaves from bondage.
National media that didn’t see a vice in apartheit black codes, and whistled into the air as the Democrats waged a 100 year guerilla war to keep the country from instituting the 14th ammendment. The same media which shuffles its feet when muslims across the planet riot for days over cartoons and turns a deaf ear to the question “what cartoons are the rioting over?” and then tells us there is no such thing as a monolithic muslim movement.
The same media who wouldn’t have mentioned CPAC now or in 2006 if it weren’t for bombastic Ann Coulter.

Uh, dude, do you live in the real world? The GOP defended South Africa’s right to apartheid. The southerners who supported segregation left the Dems and are now Republicans. I saw media coverage of CPAC long before the controversy of Coulters remarks came to light. In facts the media covers CPAC every year, often uncritically. Again, do you live in the real world?

Since 9/11 - when self-righteous anti-war liberals began referring to conservative Christians involved in the political process as “Christofascists”, conservative Jews as “neo-cons”, to Bush as “Hitler”, to 9/11 victims as “little Eichmans”, to America as “AmeriKa”, to anyone who didn’t agree with their peace-at-any-cost ideology as “warmongers”, “reich-wingers”, and “wingnuts” - in my estimation any left-wing fingerpointer whining about Coulter’s comments has no moral authority for doing so. And if they try to claim they’ve never THOUGHT of those despicable labels when “debating” conservatives, then I have a message for you, until you condemn each and everyone of those high profile radical left-wing name callers on your side of the aisle you’ll always be known by the company you keep. Pretty hypocritical coming here to complain about Coulter’s often provocative comments while your side, supposedly populated by “enlightened” “people of peace” continue spewing their name-calling venom. My goodness, what was the response of many liberals after the bombing attempt on Dick Cheney in Afghanistan, too bad the Muslim militants missed? It’s all over the blogosphere and can’t be denied. And if YOU didn’t say it there’s a good chance you thought it.

Given the liberal’s longstanding rhetoric, clearly liberals think conservatives are a bunch of incivil Neanderthals anyway, so why are conservatives being condemned for what comes natural? Like homosexuality, maybe it’s in our genes, right? What’s the liberal’s excuse for their own collective behavior since they’ve long claimed to be so enlightened and above labeling people? Hypocritical bigots!

Coulter has a great future in professional wrestling–just as soon as she learns how to properly work a crowd.

[…] Sean Hackbarth, The American Mind James Joyner, Outside the Beltway BoiFromTroy, Boi From Troy Joy McCann, Little Miss Attila Kevin McCullough, Musclehead Revolution Fausta Werz, Fausta’s blog Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits Ed Morrissey, Captain’s Quarters Jane Stewart, See Jane Mom […]

[…] Hackbarth, The American Mind James Joyner, Outside the Beltway BoiFromTroy, Boi From Troy Joy McCann, Little Miss Attila Kevin McCullough, Musclehead Revolution Fausta Werz, Fausta’sblog Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits Ed Morrissey, Captain’s Quarters Erick Erickson, Red State […]

I see someone put a post on here saying that Coulter should not be punished for her “one word”. I am a gay man, and “faggot” is not just another word. It is a hateful word that, as a teenager, made me cringe everytime I heard it, whether as I walked down the hall or as I was being thrown against my locker. It is the word-of-choice for teen boys when they want to hurt someone. It is well-documented that gay-teens are much more likely percentage-wise to commit (or try-to-commit) suicide than straight teens. So when you hear someone saying the word “faggot” you might want to picture a mother’s son hanging in his closet after the abuse of hearing the word “faggot” one too many times. “Faggot” is not just a word - it is mean and cruel, which is exactly what Coulter meant to be during her speech. And even worse, the room was full of young people that, when hearing a person that they admire use the word “faggot”, assured them that this was okay to call people. In fact, it was some how funny, as you can hear in the video. Shameless. As my name says, I voted for Reagan because of his true Conservative principles of staying out of people’s private lives (i.e., smaller government and less regulations). It seems clear to me that, if you are a true conservative, the modern-day Republican Party has left you. Though you might not agree with homosexuality, it is clear that homosexuality is - and always has been - part of the human condition. Having Coulter as a spokeswoman and role model for your party and its ideals, if you truly support your conservative values, should not and must not be tolerated. This woman is mean and vulgar, and besides the political ramifications of hurting your party, has no idea the harm she might be putting on young gay teens with her caustic words. This woman has no place in the party and ideals of Reagan-conservatism.

Thanks, in advance, for taking the time to read my letter. Sincerely, Scotty

[…] willing to accomodate AC . Posted By: Sister Toldjah in: Clueless Wonders | EMail This Post | Print This Post |    Trackback URI for this post:http://sistertoldjah.com/archives/2007/03/05/liberal-bloggers-who-have-used-the-f-bomb-and-gotten-away-with-it/trackback/ » […]

[…] And The American Mind. […]

The fact that Coulter was a huge draw at the convention, even after last year’s “raghead” remark, and the fact that her comment about Edwards was so well-received that she had to stop talking and wait for the laughter and applause to die down, shows that the “age of Coulter” is far from over. She knows her audience, and this publicity will help her sell more books and get more speaking engagements, etc.

You can say she’s not the voice of the republican party or the conservative movement, and that’s true in a purely technical sense, but you can’t deny that she knows her audience and says what many, many of them want to hear. That’s why she’s popular.

If you don’t feel comfortable being part of a movement within which a large number of members like the sorts of things Coulter says, then good for you. But you can’t deny that she knows her audience and says what many, many of them want to hear.

Ward Churchill wasn’t given a platform? Not good enough, I’m not aware of ANY liberal or Democratic mover and shaker in the Democratic Party condemning this man’s unAmerican lies … or his plagiarism. And the same goes for Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, or any other left-wing, unhinged rent-a-ranter.

It’s obvious the thing has been coming off the tracks for the far right loons (thanks O’Reilly) since the November election, and now with Coulter at the wheel it’s just a matter of time before she completely derails this thing into the train-wreck
we always knew it was. I say more prime time for Ann is good for America.

First, tell the truth. She did NOT refer to My Little Pony as a “faggot”. The point was, if she did, she’d be forced into rehab, as was the TV actor (who actually DENIED calling a fellow actor “faggot”). If you want to make sure that you have plenty of elbow room at CPAC, go ahead - ban Ann - you and the dozen who agree with you are sure to have a PC-swell time.

[…] Dan and I wholeheartedly endorse the following letter: […]

Rush Limbaugh is mostly patient and very civilized in his discussions with liberals who phone call his show or send him e-mails.

Like when he told a black caller to “take the bone out of his nose?”

I guess that does constitute the height of civil discourse on the right.

But, yes, let us keep in mind the context in which Coulter made her remarks - a cheering crowd. And suddenly she’s “not the face of conservatives?” Please. She said what she’s always said - and you guys cheered her, like always, until it became embarrassing.

Well the thing about Anne is this she has a long history of saying vile and meanspritied things about other human beings. Now in and of itself well that is not to bad, every day millions and millions of people say vile and meanspritied things about other human beings. The difference with Anne of course is that she is held in high regard by the conservatives in this country. When she says things of course she is going to be associated with the republican party becasue umm let me think OH YEAH THAT IS WHO IS GIVING HER A PLATFORM FROM WHICH TO GET HER MESSAGE OUT! Now if the Republican party and conservative want to have her around their necks well then they have to take the cosequences of that association and as time goes by the hatred and anger that Ann Coulter throws out into the world has to come back and roost where it was hatched in the first place. Do all republicans have the same sentiments as Anne of course not but if they do not stand up and say NOT AGAIN, then they are supporting her by their silence and that is how you end up with things like KrystalNachts it is a slow incidious porcess that always leads to tragedy. TImothy McVie was a small sampelling of how hatred festers and is fed by the likes of Ann Coulters and conversely Louis Farakhans each side can participate with tragic endings.

C’mon, it’s not easy to do political comedy and get your delivery 100.00% right on every line.

I’ll stand with Ann.

Sign me on.

A healthy development this but I’m not sure whether it’s because you all are truly upset by a stupid and inflammatory remark by Coulter or that you’re embarrassed by the attention it’s caused. I watched the video, the remark was pretty well received. I find that much more offensive than the remark itself.

[…] Conservatives are dropping the hammer on Ann. It’s good to see. […]

First, Kudos to those of you who have started and signed this petition. It’s nice to know that all Republicans aren’t despicable, and you’re showing people that they aren’t. But Jennifer Crawford (Unless she’s kidding) is a perfect example of the pathetic hypocrisy of the Right. And Paul A’Barge’s post is just hilarious! Gays own universties? Who knew? That danged Left wing MSM just won’t report that! Look out Paul, there’s a gay under your bed! He’s gonna eat your children while you go to your male bible study class!

It has nothing to do with politics or ideology. It’s publicity. She makes these outrageous remarks in order to sell books.

You’re being used by someone who doesn’t care a whit about the conservatism. Reread Conscience of a Conservative. Did Goldwater talk like this? 20 years from now she will be retired to her condo by the sea and you will still be trying to explain that hate is not the central tenet of the conservative movement.

PT Barnum would be proud of you. You’re just a bunch of suckers.

Hear, hear. The only pity is that Ann Coulter chose conservatism rather than liberalism as the platform on which to build her public image. I don’t care if, in the depths of her heart, she thinks she isn’t racist, homophobic and violent - in her speech she is all of those things. She promotes evil. I hope she never again appears as an invited speaker at CPAC or any other conservative forum.

[…] March 5th, 2007 Even when calling on a ban from CPAC 2008, critics of Ann Coulter can’t help throwing in a barb at liberals (emphasis mine): At CPAC 2007 Coulter decided to turn up the volume by referring to John Edwards, a former U.S. Senator and current Presidential candidate, as a “faggot.” Such offensive language–and the cavalier attitude that lies behind it–is intolerable to us. It may be tolerated on liberal websites but not at the nation’s premier conservative gathering. […]

How come everybody applauded when she said that?

Could it be that conservatives don’t like gays and enjoy humiliating them?

Don’t try to pretend that you are some high and mighty people. Conservatives are cruel, racist and hateful people.

[…] More: Captain’s Quarters, The American Mind, Public Secrets, Gay Patriot, On Tap, The Moderate Voice, Say Anything, Outside the Beltway […]

So, in order to “make a stand for political civility,” who do you quote? Rush-freaking-Limbaugh! Funny stuff.

[…] The American Mind’s Sean Hackbarth blogged the most about CPAC by far. Like last year, he was the first (or one of the first) to blog about Ann Coulter’s poor choice of words. Earlier this morning Sean wrote an open letter to CPAC asking them not to invite Coulter back. […]

Sign me up!

Shunning Coulter has nothing to do with “silencing speech” and everything to do with denying lefties one of their favorite clubs against conservative ideas.

Coulter doesn’t speak for me. She detracts from the marketplace of ideas - every moment spent talking about her is a moment lost for the debate.

Reading the comments above, you can see how much the left would rather talk about Coulter. They don’t have anything new - they avoid debating ideas honestly because they don’t have the ammo to do it.

This isn’t about the First Amendment (no government actor involved) or even the concept of free speech (the audience has the same right; if it wants to boo or disassociate itself with a speaker who offends, it has every right to do so).

This whole notion that criticism from the audience somehow stifles the free speech rights of the speaker is so juvenile I have a hard time believing those who toss the argument out are serious.

Let the McCarthyism roll!

Have you now or ever support Ann Coulter?

She will be silenced, you hear, silenced!
Unite with the wackado left, silence Ann Coulter! Silence her NOW!

[…] CPAC sponsors, the Age of Ann has passed. We, the undersigned, request that CPAC speaking invitations no longer be extended to Ann Coulter. Her words and attitude simply do too much damage. Credentialed CPAC 2007 BloggersSean Hackbarth, The American Mind James Joyner, Outside the Beltway BoiFromTroy, Boi From Troy Joy McCann, Little Miss Attila Kevin McCullough, Musclehead Revolution Fausta Werz, Fausta’s blog Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits Ed Morrissey, Captain’s Quarters Jane Stewart, See Jane Mom Alexander Brunk, Save the GOPOther Right-of-Center Bloggers Owen Robinson, Boots and Sabres N.Z. Bear, The Truth Laid Bear Michael Demmons, Gay Orbit Mark Coffey, Decision ‘08 Russell Newquist, The Philosopher’s Stone Marshall Manson, On Tap Rob Port, Say Anything Matthew Johnston, Going to the Mat Timmer, The Daily Brief Rick Moran, Right Wing Nuthouse Rob Port - Say Anything […]

Coulter isn’t your public face?

C’mon.

Too bad people cheered her. Too bad people laughed when George Allen called the kid “macaca.” Too bad Limbaugh gets taped all the time saying awful things about people and wishing for the deaths of various liberals in the public sphere.

You guys have been quietly standing by while people like Coulter daydream about the assassination of Democratic pols or people from the NYTimes. You’ve allowed your movement to be hijacked by wackos. Now that it’s becoming politically inconvenient to have Coulter slandering 9/11 widows and gays, you want to push her away, but that applause is all the proof you need of how much work you have ahead. Its great that you decry calling John Edwards a “faggot,” but where were you during any of the last 1000 smears?

I used to be more of a conservative, before being conservative meant that you supported the GOP 110% and were an authoritarian cultist. I didn’t think of myself as liberal until conservatives made a habit of supporting bigger and bigger government and abandoning Constitutional principles. Nowadays, if Cheney says the sky is orange and the world is flat, an army of conservatives start demanding that we all believe the same thing and saying that liberals don’t believe it because they hate America and want the terrorists to win.

You guys are reaping the fruits of a climate you’ve allowed to be sown before your very eyes. Hate is not a family value, and I’d put my lefty New York family’s values up against one of those cheering CPAC clone’s any day.

[…] The American Mind is petitioning the Conservative Political Action Conference to stop inviting Coulter to speak at CPAC events, One of the points of CPAC is the opportunity it gives college students to meet other young conservatives and learn from our leaders. Unlike on their campuses—where they often feel alone—at CPAC they know they are part of a vibrant political movement. What example is set when one highlight of the conference is finding out what shocking phrase will emerge from Ann Coulter’s mouth? How can we teach young conservatives to fight for their principles with civility and respect when Ann Coulter is allowed to address the conference? Coulter’s invective is a sign of weak thinking and unprincipled politicking. […]

I say let her speak every year. She is emblematic of the “ideas” coming from the right these days. Why not throw in that insufferable whelp Dinesh D’Souza who is now slithering around on a book tour claiming that Liberals caused 9-11 — i.e. we need to kill or imprison them. Wasn’t the CPAC convention invented for people like this?

Now granted CPAC has never really been more than an opportunity for the paste eaters in the class to dress up in their blue blazers and feel comfortable and accepted for once — but I was even surprised that a speaker calling one of the opposing candidates a “faggot” would be greeted as discourse worthy of applause. I think Ann Coulter is right at home.

Wow, pulling out something that happened THIRTY YEARS AGO! That’s impressive. From Snopes:

“However, a helpful reader provided us with a copy of that Newsday article (from the 8 October 1990 edition), and that article does report Rush Limbaugh as admitting he felt guilty for once having told a difficult-to-understand black caller to “take that bone out of your nose and call me back.” (This incident occurred not on Rush Limbaugh’s now-familiar talk and political commentary radio program, but at the beginning of his broadcast career back in the early 1970s when he was hosting a Top 40 music show under the name “Jeff Christie” on either WIXZ or KQV in Pittsburgh.)”

Jim - if you think Ann Coulter is the darling of the right, you haven’t been paying attention to things that occur outside the echo chamber…or did you not read Sean’s piece? This whole “face of the conservative movement” is your mental construct…or do you really think that “movements” have “faces”…get real! It’s verbal short-hand for “everyone on the right is just like her,” which is obvious BS…not to mention offensive, intellectually lazy and entirely illiberal.

Good on ye. Coulter is out of control. She does in fact need to go into some sort of rehab. She does a disservice to the noble conservative movement.

Gunga–this may all be true, but i still haven’t read any condemnation anywhere of the audience members who laughed and applauded her comment. What’s your take on that?

Also, please point me to any blogs or pieces that have condemned the audience. I may have missed them.

I consider myself to be a progressive. I live in a very conservative community, and consistently find myself in the minority when it comes to discussing most politically or socially relevant issues. Among my conservative neighbors and co-workers, Ann Coulter is a true celebrity. It’s also clear to me that she is validating many of their core fears and anxieties. They can have it both ways, by dismissing her views and comments as ‘humor’, yet continuing to hold her in high esteem. She is their surrogate hate-monger.

Ann Coulter has become a poster child for conservatism. True conservitives, commited to the causes described in the open letter, would do well to keep her at arm’s length.

Ann Coulter is also the darling of the left because she is the image you seek to tag
to conservatism.

The idea of saying Ann represent’s the “face of the conservative movement” is silly.

The fact that a straw poll conducted over the weekend showing attendees choosing Guliani as there likely nominee for president show’s that not everyone is on Ann’s side.

It is telling that the only Republican candidate to ever where a dress and do drag got the most votes.

“Absolutely no left wing nut has any reason to throw stones, when their side has the absolute winners trophy for gutter speak in politics hands down.”

No “left wing nut” I am aware of has ever even once called for conservatives to be killed, beaten, or tortured. Coulter has regularly stated such things about liberals. Conservatives are far more abusive and hostile in their language about liberals than liberals ar about conservatives.

She’s a man, baby!

Why are the conservative Republicans denouncing Ann Coulter? She is the poster child of your whole movement. Republicans have squeaked out victories in elections from 2000 to 2004 by flogging the gay marriage issue and homophobia. The Karl Roves, Ken Mehlmans, Jeff Manwhore Gannon, Tom Foley, Ted Haggard, Ann Coulter and the whole army of Republican self-hating faggots are the true face of the Republican Party. After the Senate rout in 2008 when you lose half of the 20 seats you have to defend AND the Presidency to Hillary Clinton will spell the death knell of the Republican party. And thank your drunken frat boy idiot manchild president for the leading the charge into oblivion. Why do you hate America? Why did you destroy our country? It will take generations to undo the damage Republicans have done to America. Good riddance.

I have never heard of your blog until just two minutes ago, but I am glad I now do. I am a 39 year old proud father of two, happily married husband for seven years, and a liberal Democrat. Of course, I despise the things that folks like Ann Coulter say, but (A) she of course has the right to say utterly childish and asinine things and (B) I have the right to ignore those things, since they are utterly childish and asinine. While it is easy for someone like me to pass Ms. Coulter off as simply an irrelevant fool, CPAC by definition confers relevance upon her by giving her a plum speaking spot at their annual signature event. Therefore, it is refreshing to see conservatives standing up against such ridiculous dialogue. Her comments do nothing to enhance what should be a viable, serious conversation about the different ways that conservatives and liberals would like to see the nation governed. This is an important debate and is one that should be undertaken with mutual respect, professionalism and vigor. That The American Mind has seen fit to take an important step in furthering such a debate is enough to make me pause, tip my hat and say “Thank you.”

[…] Update:  It’s catching on!  Today I salute righty bloggers who reprinted this: An Open Letter to CPAC Sponsors and Organizers Regarding Ann Coulter […]

Beating up on one’s own is not smart. You dopes are not advancing the conservative cause with this stupid letter, you are helping to defeat it.

What is wrong with you? Coulter cracked a joke. That’s all. You have created a PR nightmare over the weekend, and end up with an image problem.

The simple fact is that if we conservatives put up with stuff like this from Coulter, we will lack the moral standing to criticize it coming from the left.

For he most part, the right side of the ideological spectrum is, these days, the tolerant, open, live and let live side.

But Coulter is messing with our message, and hurting the cause.

I don’t like Edwards, but I’m now going to contribute to his campaign. I was a life-long conservative pre George Bush. Now his supporers have removed the scaes from my eyes, and I’ll be a flaming liberal until the pendulum swings too far to the left. I will never return to what passes for “conservativism” in this country. The left is not the only reason that capitalism is the unknown ideal.

As a lifelong Democrat (of the middle-of-the-road variety), I think every conservative think tank and political organization in the country should go out of their way to invite Ann Coulter to their various functions, and encourage her to be every bit as “thought provoking” and “edgy” as she cares to be. I can think of no greater ally to the cause of political moderation than to put this coarse, shrill, attention-addicted woman with the snug sweaters and middling intelligence in the absolute forefront of all things Republican. Go Ann!

>> if you think Ann Coulter is the darling of the right

Yeah, of course she isn’t. That’s why she was at CPAC yet again this year. That’s why her books sell so poorly and why she regularly appears on FOX.

>>or did you not read Sean’s piece

I commend Sean for his piece, but he is in the minority on the right when it comes to Coulter. In fact, most of the criticism I’ve seen of her comment is purely a question of tactics: “She makes us look bad by saying what we think too plainly.” I didn’t see any criticism of her when she called Gore a “fag” on national TV.

You would think that someone whose “arguments” consist of calling virtually anyone she disagrees with a “faggot” would lose some credibility. Or someone who calls for the murder of members of Congress and Supreme Court justices, for example. You would hope someone like that wouldn’t still be invited to CPAC. But she’ll be back on Hannity within two days and this whole story will morph into something inane like “liberals hate free speech” or “liberals can’t take a ‘joke’.”

I guess I see how this works: “I would say that Bush should be poisoned, because he’s such a Nazi faggot — but the right would claim I need therapy — so, kind of an impasse here…can’t talk about Bush.” Oh, I was “joking.” Can’t you take a “joke?”

If any pundit on the “left” said that — a pundit, not an anonymous blog commenter — they would be banished, and rightly so, from our political discourse. No one would touch them. Their reputation would be ruined. Funny, I don’t see that happening to Coulter. And this is hardly an isolated case. She has been spewing this venom for years.

>>or do you really think that “movements” have “faces”…

Of course they do. Political movements usually have faces. MLK was the face of the civil rights movement. Bill Clinton and Tony Blair were the faces of the “third way.” Goldwater was the face of a certain strand of Republicanism. Coulter is becoming the face of the new GOP. That doesn’t mean she is the GOP or the right; it means she is a prominent “face” of the right because of her popularity and because the right gives her a platform and a megaphone, usually without any criticism whatsoever.

>>It’s verbal short-hand for “everyone on the right is just like her,”

I said no such thing. However, when you see so many on the right promoting and defending her and her ideas, I think it is safe to say that a large segment of the right thinks like she does.

“First they cam for Ann Coulter…and I did nothing. Next they came for Rush Limbaugh and I did nothing. And then they came for me…and there was no one left to care.” Or something like that.

I am very disappointed with my fellow Republican-Conservatives. How can you abandon Ann, at her time of need? Ann has always been there for us, nurturing and articulating our cherished conservative principles….and this is the thanks she gets?

No one has done more than Ann to give our movement the sweet smell of victory. I regret that you are now flushing our gains down the political toilet.

Yeah, But You All Do it Too!…

Normally, I wouldn’t waste time by writing about Ann Coulter, but the latest controversy is just too rich. No, I’m not surprised that Coulter called presidential candidate John Edwards a “faggot.” That’s mild compared to …