Coulter's Crudeness

Boston Globe ^ | 6/19/06 | Cathy Young

[pissant]

SEVERAL years ago, left-wing cartoonist Ted Rall published a cartoon mocking the ``terror widows" -- the bereaved of the Sept. 11 attacks as well as Marianne Pearl, the widow of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl -- as a bunch of greedy and shallow attention-seekers. The outrage was universal. A number of press outlets, including The New York Times website, pulled the cartoon. Subsequently, when the Times and The Washington Post stopped carrying Rall's work, conservatives called it a victory for decency.

Now, the right has its own Ted Rall in the infamous Ann Coulter. In her new book, ``Godless: The Church of Liberalism," Coulter takes a whack at the ``Jersey Girls," four Sept. 11 widows who have been highly critical of the Bush administration. She refers to them as ``self-obsessed women" who ``believe the entire country was required to marinate in their exquisite personal agony," and then concludes with this zinger: ``These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief -arrazies. I have never seen people enjoying their husband's death so much."

A number of conservatives, including prominent Republican blogger and radio talk-show host Hugh Hewitt, have denounced Coulter's statement. Unfortunately, many others have rallied to her defense. Radio and Fox News talk-show host Sean Hannity has mildly suggested that she may have gone too far, but has avoided condemning her outright and has given her plenty of airtime on his show.

Bill O'Reilly, the host of the Fox News show ``The O'Reilly Factor," has been harshly critical of Coulter's comments. Yet several of his conservative guests vigorously defended her. Republican strategist Karen Hanretty opined,

[Non-Sequitur]

Coulter could no doubt have filled 20 pages with rebuttles to their positions without speculating on they joy at losing their husbands. But that's not Coulter, thoughtful discussion doesn't sell many books.

[Sisku Hanne]

They are enjoying the celebrity borne of their husbands' demise, in exactly the same was Cindy Sheehan has enjoyed the celebrity borne of Casey's ultimate and brave sacrifice.

[pissant]

I haven't heard a peep about that one. They are too busy defended the "sacred cows" that Ann lambasted. LOL

[Nonstatist]

Globe offers up for their "conservative"

She's actually a "libertarian", for what its worth, editor at Reason mag.

[pissant]

I got it for Father's Day. Read about 1/3 of it last night. She is right on the money.

[Hildy]

She did, actually. But the left just picked up a couple of sentences. She didn't say they were filled with joy at losing their husband, she said they were enjoying all that came with losing thier husbands. And that's just the truth.

[GOPJ]

The only real pornography in America, so far as liberals are concerned, is political speech.

Good one... good enough to be a tag?

[Restorer]

Apparently the choices are to have reasonably worded arguments ignored or to have inflammatory arguments discredited by their wording.

I can't help believing there must be a third option out there somewhere.

As far as I can see, the uproar over this issue doesn't advance any cause other than Ann's book sales.

Any reasoned criticism of these four women will only bring up Ann's over-the-top comments. The net effect has been to make them more untouchable than ever.

[pissant]

But the explosive reaction PROVES her point about the harpies.

[drjimmy]

If the widows signed a form agreeing not to sue the airlines in exchange for cash from the taxpayers pocket, I have think they sold their honor for a chunk of silver.

And if the administration agreed to give the widows taxpayer money for signing such a form, it has sold its honor as well.

[pissant]

After they go bankrupt and have to re-organize, they may get the idea.

[pgyanke]

So saying widows are greedy and oportunistic is OK so long as you keep the number small?

It's not strictly a numbers game... it's making sure you're talking about the right widows.

[pissant]

ROFL. I try to forget that that clown exists.

[ArGee]

I believe Rall painted with a broad brush and insulted hundreds of women.

Does anyone have a link to the "offensive" cartoon? Does it, perhaps, make fun of Mohammed?

Shalom.

[Nonstatist]

So saying widows are greedy and oportunistic is OK

She makes the case in her book that these 4 women are. Perhaps you can cite your reasons for why you think they are not. (You can mention their political activities, revenue stream, press conferences, use of their names in political ads, and so on.)

[jonrick46]

What is typical of the Left is they will find every little nuance statement from conservatives to make people think that even conservatives are offended by Ann Coulter's book.

Nice try.

[Reactionary]

Good enough, brother.

[blitzgig]

I don't think they become more untouchable. I think the uproar simply attracts more publicity for Ann's book, and people will see exactly what she means. And now that Ann has called out the libs on their tactic of using "untouchables," it sets a precedent for conservatives not to let them control the debate.

[pissant]

Ann has a soapbox. Her goal is to destroy modern liberalism. And she is succeeding

[soccermom]

The author is right. We all criticized Rall. Heck, Ann criticized Rall. We should be intellectually honest about this. If it were Michael Moore using those words about Bush-supporting widows, we would be outraged.