Ann Coulter: An Insult to America

2007-03-07T16:57:00-07:00

When was the last time you heard the word “faggot”? For me – at least until this weekend – I think it must have been about 25 years ago, listening to some mean kid on the playground rant at a classmate. It was offensive and preposterous at the time, and that was when it was coming from the mouth of a 13-year old punk.

The latest airing of the term was by another punk. But this one was uttered by a grown-up (at least in chronological terms) and educated (at least in diplomas awarded) woman: Ann Coulter. She was speaking last Friday at a televised session of the Conservative Political Action Conference, where she “joked”: “I was going to have a few comments about John Edwards but you have to go into rehab if you use the word faggot.”

Again, let me reiterate, this was the year 2007 – and on television – and spoken by an adult and outspoken leader in the conservative movement.

Coulter is now trying to deny that she meant to use the word as a slur against gays, but that is patently ridiculous. Here is Dictionary.com’s definition of “faggot”: “Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. A male homosexual.” The other definition refers to “a bundle of sticks,” which applies to John Edwards just about as well as the slang version does.

Ann Coulter’s comment was not offhand, and it was not accidental. It was premeditated, and uttered, as they say on the cop shows, with malice aforethought. That may be good for selling books and getting her on tv, but it crossed a line of acceptable behavior. Serious people just don’t do that in this country any more. As Edward’s himself put it, Ann Coulter’s remarks were un-American.

Not incidentally, Coulter’s words also do not have resonance with most Americans today. The numbers are startlingly good: nearly 90% of Americans now believe gays and lesbians should have equal job opportunities, a broad majority of Americans (around 80%) support gays serving openly in the military, and over 70% approve of expanding hate crimes law to include protections for gays and lesbians. Forty-nine of Fortune 50 Corporations include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies. America in 2007 is simply no longer open to Ann Coulter’s vile remarks.

But somehow she is forgiven by her fans – the CPAC audience APPLAUDED her remark – for spewing schoolyard venom at homosexuals.

Conservatives of goodwill simply must not continue to feed this beast. Stop buying Ann Coulter’s book, stop putting her on the air, and stop paying her thousands of dollars to speak at your gatherings.

America is a caring, decent nation that believes deeply in equality and the golden rule. With her blatant disregard for these core values, Ann Coulter has earned a place in the dustbin of history.

Third Way Dispatch: Ann Coulter: An Insult to America

Ann Coulter: An Insult to America