Ignore the Clown
The kerfuffle in Left Blogistan about Ann "The Hate-Monger" Coulter's comments at this year's CPAC lacks the correct focus, IMHO. Surely, it didn't surprise anyone, least of all conservative attendees and left-leaning critics, that Coulter made some ridiculously extreme comments. That's what she does; she's a hate-spewing clown. I don't know (nor do I care) whether she actually believes what she spews. She's an operator who is making a pile of money delivering her product -- hate-filled rhetoric. We've all seen people like this who are apparently willing to say or do anything to get attention -- be it good or bad -- and who (surprisingly, for the thoughtful among us) often receive approval for their outlandish actions. We only aid and abet the likes of Coulter by decrying her behaviour. We should be focusing our energies elsewhere.
What is significant is that she is well-known as a hate-monger and because of this is a featured speaker at CPAC, a regular on Faux News and a cover girl on Time magazine. It is not politically significant if a whack-job like Coulter claims to support a political candidate or party, nor should the candidate or party be held responsible for what such "supporters" say or do. However, when the whack-job becomes an invited guest, the object of gushing praise and the recipient of your applause, then you must take responsibility for what she says and does because you have now endorsed her.
It is not significant when anonymous people make outrageous statements in blog comments which subsequently get removed. It is clear to anyone who has their eyes and mind open (and I know how limiting that is) that the blogger does not endorse nor condone the statements. Yet the MSM gave a significant amount of coverage to this exact story claiming that this somehow was reflective of the character and politics of the blogger.
What should be the focus of the MSM's attention is that Coulter's predictable, hate-filled spew is why she appears at conservative events. It's the fact that this hatefulness strikes such a resonant chord with conservatives that is extremely (pun intended) significant. I would suggest that right-thinking, left-leaning people should ignore Coulter herself, condemn the values being exhibited by conservatives who endorse and applaud her and to throw the conservatives' hypocrisy in their faces when next they try to fake their righteous indignation.
UPDATE: see BooMan's take on this here.
What is significant is that she is well-known as a hate-monger and because of this is a featured speaker at CPAC, a regular on Faux News and a cover girl on Time magazine. It is not politically significant if a whack-job like Coulter claims to support a political candidate or party, nor should the candidate or party be held responsible for what such "supporters" say or do. However, when the whack-job becomes an invited guest, the object of gushing praise and the recipient of your applause, then you must take responsibility for what she says and does because you have now endorsed her.
It is not significant when anonymous people make outrageous statements in blog comments which subsequently get removed. It is clear to anyone who has their eyes and mind open (and I know how limiting that is) that the blogger does not endorse nor condone the statements. Yet the MSM gave a significant amount of coverage to this exact story claiming that this somehow was reflective of the character and politics of the blogger.
What should be the focus of the MSM's attention is that Coulter's predictable, hate-filled spew is why she appears at conservative events. It's the fact that this hatefulness strikes such a resonant chord with conservatives that is extremely (pun intended) significant. I would suggest that right-thinking, left-leaning people should ignore Coulter herself, condemn the values being exhibited by conservatives who endorse and applaud her and to throw the conservatives' hypocrisy in their faces when next they try to fake their righteous indignation.
UPDATE: see BooMan's take on this here.
posted by Bill at 6:13 PM
2 Comments:
She has been making the most treacherous of comments for years and she's been glorified as some conservative icon. I didn't understand when I was in college and College Republicans and Federalist Society cretons invited her to my school. She is met with praise and applause as she is invited onto hundreds of campuses and speaking events across the country. It boggles the mind.
I don't know if I've expressed this before, but I think it's 100% contrived. She is a graduate of Michigan Law and yet the simplest logic and rational thought escape her. She saw her ticket to the top being a female Rush Limbaugh and that's the role she's playing every day. I don't believe she believes a word of what she spews.
It's hate-speech as fun and it, like old-time bear-baiting, leaves me cold. I agree with your assessment that it's probably all an act but that just makes her a prostitute. I still think the less attention we give her except to hang her (figuratively) around the necks of conservatives (albatross-like), the better.
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