Coulter Never Said, "Convert 'em at Gunpoint!"

Me ^ | October 3, 2001 | 537 Votes

[537 Votes]

Just to clarify a little point here: Ann Coulter never said, "Convert Muslims at gunpoint."

This is what she actually wrote in her recent, controversial column ("This is War", Sept 12): "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."

Now, let's think about this. Just exactly what are we planning to do with Osama bin Laden and the Taliban?

Well, we're going to invade Afghanistan. So yes, just Ann Coulter said, we ARE going to invade their country.

Then we're going to kill the leaders. Yes, I know: we'll have a fair trial. And if -- wonders beyond belief -- it turns out they're innocent, we'll let them go. But whoever did do this, we certainly will kill their leaders. It's called the 'Death Penalty.'

Or in the words of George W. Bush: "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

So once again, we intend to do exactly what Ann Coulter said we should do.

Finally, are we going to allow Christian missionaries into Afghanistan? Yes.

Then is it possible that they'll convert Afghans to Christianity? Yes.

Just like Ann Coulter said. So what's the problem here? The way she said it -- or the way certain people read it? Well, we can only go so far in appeasing those who can't read simple sentences in standard english. Beyond a certain point, our hedging and qualifying will only make us look like Girlie-Men.

In his recent editorial, 'L'Affaire Coulter,' Jonah Goldberg states that his primary complaint about Coulter had to do not with what she said, but with her 'sloppy writing.' Yet, as shown above, she stated exactly what we're going to do, and she stated it precisely.

"Sloppy writing" is hardly an accusation that Goldberg should fling around, but that's another story. Suffice to say, under his inspired leadership, NRO -- inheritor of what was once the biggest name in conservative media -- gets about as many hits as LewRockwell.com. Or, about 1/30th as many as the Drudge Report. As Wired Magazine would say, "The eyeballs have spoken."

[OWK]

Top notch rationalizing.

[parsifal]

Shame on you for invading TLBSHOW's personal space!

[TLBSHOW]

BUMP

[TLBSHOW]

I need or should I say the right needs to stand with Ann against the liberals attempt to silence her. Who do you think sent emails to NR the most? LIBERAL COMMIES

[ConsistentLibertarian]

I think you've just rediscovered Jonah Goldberg's point: "The problem with Ann's first column was its sloppiness of expression and thought."

[Illbay]

"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."

Sorry, but it says what it says:

"We should invade their (the Islamic peoples') countries, kill their (Islamic peoples') leaders, and convert them (Islamic people) to Christianity."

[Non-Sequitur]

Nice spin job. Now explain away the 'girlie man' comments and NRO will probably be begging her to come back.

[Mr. Lucky]

...but she called her editor a girlyman and he was going to hold his breath until she was fired. What choice was there?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Any liberal with a brain would not want to silence Ann. Far from it. Strategically the best possible thing that could happen for liberals is for the Ann Coulter to become identified in the public mind as one of the leading conservative intellectuals in the country.

[Spiff]

So??

[B-Chan]

"We should invade their (the Islamic peoples') countries, kill their (Islamic peoples') leaders, and convert them (Islamic people) to Christianity."

Yes. Miss Coulter is exatcly correct; that is precisely what should be done. And if we don't, we'll be sorry later.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Ann's always been sketchy on the details. How exactly do you propose we convert Islamic people the world over the Christianity? And will this be part of our domestic policy as well? Thanks for clarifying.

[SpringheelJack]

If it takes that many words to explain Ann's meaning, then Goldberg probably has a point that her writing was "sloppy". Some people think she meant "convert them forcefully," others "convert them peacefully," others think she was just being hyperbolic. At any rate, with all that tangle of opinions, it is obvious she did not clearly express herself.

[Alberta's Child]

I think you've just rediscovered Jonah Goldberg's point: "The problem with Ann's first column was its sloppiness of expression and thought."

"Don't ask me," Goldberg went on, "why I allowed such a sloppy, poorly-written article to be published on my website. Maybe I really am a girly-boy, or maybe I'm just a f#cking idiot who didn't do my job and must now blame Ann Coulter for my shortcomings."

/sarcasm off/

[ConsistentLibertarian]

You left out the part about how can't distinguish between emoting and thinking ...

[LarryLied]

I think you've just rediscovered Jonah Goldberg's point: ...

Jonah Goldberg never has a point. He rewrites what others say. His mommie got him the job.