Posted on 04/26/2005 5:52:33 PM PDT by wagglebee
Ann Coulter spoke at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, and, in terms that should have surprised no one, she flung barbs at liberal icons, calling Sen. Ted Kennedy "a human dirigible" and Sen. Barbara Boxer "learning disabled."
Climbing aboard the anti-free speech express, St. Thomas University president Rev. Dennis Dease wrote in the Bulletin, a university newsletter, that "although [Ann Coulter's] presentation may have been meant as an 'act' or a 'shtick' to entertain by provoking those who disagree, such behavior unfortunately contributes to the growing dark side of our culture - a disrespect for persons and their sincerely held beliefs.
"Such hateful speech vulgarizes our culture and goes against everything the University of St. Thomas stands for."
Coulter was a guest of the school's chapter of the College Republicans and a student newspaper, the Standard. There is no word on whether or not the Rev. Dease will take action against those groups.
Dease, curiously, was not present at the speech he so sternly criticized, but relied on others whose tender sensibilities were offended by Ann's remarks.
"I am told by many people," he wrote, "that Ms. Coulter was unsparing in her vitriolic criticism of 'liberals' and treated in a sarcastic, disrespectful and mean-spirited manner any audience members who challenged her viewpoints."
One offended attendee, Fr. Dease wrote, who "found both Ms. Coulter’s remarks and attitude to be appalling, had an interesting question. He understands the value of hearing 'controversial' speakers and debating issues, 'but where do you draw the line?' he asked. 'When do you say, We’re not going to invite this person to campus, especially if she isn’t going to respect others’ points of view?'..."
According to reports, he said he "heard from people whose views I respect suggest that her performance went far beyond the bounds of what is commonly accepted as civil discourse."
One person who was there told the Minneapolis Star Tribune he understood how Coulter's comments could have hurt others.
"I knew kind of what she stood for," said Dominic Kramer, a senior political science major. "One thing that disappointed me overall, from both sides, was the feeling of tension in the room. I think Ann was very well aware of that. That's what feeds her fire, if you will."
Given that Ann Coulter has made no secret of her antipathy toward liberals - an attitude generously and often humorously reflected in her books and in her campus appearances around the nation - one wonders what Fr. Dease expected from her in her appearance at his university?
If you invite a Hollywood liberal to speak, you're bound to get bloviation. That's what they do. If you invite a pyrotechnics expert, expect fireworks. That's what he's there for.
Memo to Fr. Dease: Don't let Michael Savage speak at your school - he plainly says liberalism is a mental disorder!
Skivvie Warrior calls Dennis Dease Article 'Uninformed.'
****
Sounds good to me.
Any thought's on the following before I mail it?
Civil discourse? When has any Liberal ever used "civil" discourse? In fact uncivil discourse is their SOP, just read the "Critical Theory of Society" and it will all come together for you. I am sick and tired of academic elitist's encouraging hate filled leftist progressive speech only to have their delicate sensibilities offended when it comes back at them. That is part of the inherent double standard you get when you try to equalize outcomes at the expense of individual freedoms, which is the mantra of the left. That being said, what did you expect with Ann? This is who she is and what she does, and what's more she is usually right on the money though granted with a style that is no doubt abrasive. Well I say good! It's about time we Conservatives had a voice in similar tone to the hate filled rhetoric directed at us. Listen to Howard Dean recently? Staying above it all has done absolutely nothing to tone down the ignorant speech of the left who seem to get a free ride on most campuses. It's just now that we have someone who will say all the things we know to be true and in a scathing manner that we love, because unlike the neo-marxist left we do generally stay above the rhetoric in public, because we also generally have jobs outside Academia World.
Pretty tough.
IMHO Ms Coulter excercised extreme sensitivity by using liberals instead of leftist moonbats.
bloviation
New word for me, kewl.
blo·vi·ate  ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bl  v - t )intr.v. Slang blo·vi·at·ed, blo·vi·at·ing, blo·vi·ates
[Mock-Latinate formation, from blow1.] blo vi·ation n. |
I think you miss the point. Dease is saying that Coulter should not be allowed to say what she said. That is anti-free speech. If Dease had simply disagreed with what Coulter said, THAT would be free speech.
Boofreakinghoo, Rev.
<< .... such behavior unfortunately contributes to the growing dark side of our culture - a disrespect for persons and their sincerely held beliefs. >>
The sincerely held beliefs, that is, to which all "persons" except Ann Coulter -- and around 225-million other conservative Americans -- are entitled.
This story covered her appearance the night before speaking at St. Thomas:
Ann Coulter's tongue is as tart as ever
Rochelle Olson, Minneapolis Star Tribune
April 18, 2005
NORTHFIELD, MINN. -- Columnist and author Ann Coulter, the tart-tongued conservative, waded into the adopted hometown of the late liberal U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, reeling off one-liners and exchanging sharp barbs with St. Olaf College students Sunday night.
Former President Bill Clinton is the first to have a presidential library with an adults-only section, she said during her 30-minute speech.
Coulter said liberals are "coalescing around the idea they didn't get their message out" as an excuse for losing the presidential election.
"I wonder why those 'I heart partial-birth abortion T-shirts' aren't working," she said sarcastically, implying that the Democrats' positions are not popular.
Her speech sharply, sometimes crudely, criticized many prominent Democrats from former President Jimmy Carter to Sen. Hillary Clinton to Sen. Ted Kennedy, whom she calls the "human dirigible."
"Howard Dean is chair of the DNC [Democratic National Committee], it just gets better and better," she said dryly.
The audience applauded loudly, with some yelling "Yea, Howard."
To which Coulter said, "Yep, you're never going to see the White House again."
Democrats don't understand evil, she said. To them, "the closest thing is someone who wears fur."
She called Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., the perfect presidential candidate for the Democrats because she is both a feminist and "learning disabled."
"If the Democrats want to get to the middle of the road, why are they clinging to Teddy Kennedy? Didn't he have trouble sticking to the middle of the road?" she said.
During a 30-minute question-and-answer period, the students treated Coulter's sarcasm in kind, criticizing the shortness of her skirt and inquiring as to the status of her virginity.
Coulter is touting her latest book, "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must): The World According to Ann Coulter." Her usual speaking fee is $25,000, but St. Olaf officials either didn't know or were unwilling to say what she was paid. Dean of Students Greg Kneser said security was tight for the event given recent pie and salad-dressing throwing at conservative speakers.
In October, Coulter dodged two custard cream pies thrown from the audience at the University of Arizona.
Her speech Sunday night packed Boe Memorial Chapel with about 1,000 guests. For every heckle and hiss, she had a comeback.
One student meandered in asking a question about Coulter's assertion that Muslims should be converted to Christianity. "What is your name?" she asked. "I'm sending it to John Ashcroft."
The crowd booed.
He continued, "Hatred, is that your message?" She said, "No. I've answered your question, now go away."
Another student asked whether she came to St. Olaf to pick a fight.
She said, "I'm just speaking. I wouldn't call that picking a fight. If you don't want to hear me, don't show up."
A Carleton College student asked the unmarried Coulter whether she was a virgin and whether she endorsed abstinence-only sex education.
She responded that the Democratic concept is, "You're going to use drugs anyway, so use a clean needle."
The crowd yelled for an answer to the virginity question. She responded: "You're right. That's a very good question. You liberals are getting smarter by the minute."
One man asked whether she was going to change her flame-throwing style of debate.
"No, I'm not," she said. "It's working very well. I'm making a lot of money."
Coulter is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m. today at the O'Shaughnessy auditorium at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Megan Blair and a handful of her friends who are Coulter fans sat in the front row Sunday night. Blair's T-shirt read, "I want to be Ann Coulter."
"I liked how she wasn't afraid to speak her mind," Blair said.
Phil Rossing wore a T-shirt that read, "Ann, will you marry me?" He said he read her books and "fell in love."
St. Thomas University president Rev. Dennis Dease wrote in the Bulletin, a university newsletter, that "although [Ann Coulter's] presentation may have been meant as an 'act' or a 'shtick' to entertain by provoking those who disagree, such behavior unfortunately contributes to the growing dark side of our culture - a disrespect for persons and their sincerely held beliefs...Apparently Rev. Dease was NOT as concerned about the "growing dark side" of the pro-Castro culture, from the Google cache of CNN.com:
Cubans continue to demand Elian's returnIn Havana, thousands of Cubans carrying torches took to the streets of Havana for a midnight march held to mark the birthday of Jose Marti, a leader of Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain.
But Elian's case drew much of the attention this year, with some marchers wearing T-shirts with Elian's image on the front.
At the University of Havana, a crowd of mostly students occasionally broke into chants of "Fidel! Fidel!" for Cuban President Fidel Castro.
"We continue in open, frontal combat for our (Elian), kidnapped in the claws of the mafia of Miami," said speaker Julio Martinez, a senior official of the Union of Communist Youth, to a tightly packed crowd waving Cuban flags.
"Return Elian to the fatherland! Socialism or death! Fatherland or death! We will triumph!" he shouted.
The Cuban government has staged events almost nightly for two months to demand the return of Elian.
Marching near the front ranks of the parade were baseball players from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. On Wednesday, the team played a game against the University of Havana. The university's president, the Rev. Dennis Dease, said he hoped Elian would be allowed to return to Cuba...
Only a blind, narrow minded, PC worshiping, blithering idiot would miss the hypocrisy in this statement.
...Hundreds of Minnesota college students and their professors -- from St. Thomas, Augsburg, Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus and St. Cloud State -- are watching their study trips to Cuba get scrapped. St. Thomas has been a pioneer in academic exchanges with Cuba.
The school's president, Father Dennis Dease, travels frequently to Cuba, and has encouraged cultural and academic exchanges with the University of Havana. Dease is saddened by the return to tight restrictions but also believes that this return to the past will be short-lived.
"I would imagine it will relax after the election," said Dease of this cynical campaign policy...
So long as colleges have people like Michael Moore speak and professors like Churchill this is nuts.
Ann is one person who really earns it. I know she enjoys the verbal fireworks, but it has to be grueling dealing with the Storm Trooper mentality at these universities. And I do worry about her safety -- leftists are simply not used to having their assumptions challenged and have a propensity to resort to physical assaults.
It was bad enough when conservatives were just mean-spirited...now it seems they are downright hateful. Liberals are such empty vessels...pardon the venomous observation.
I am not surprised at St. Thomas University president Rev. Dennis Dease's feelings (if you can use a liberal term) regarding Ms. Coulter!
It it possible to suffer from a mental disorder but one would need a brain, of which Ms. Coulter believes that liberals do not have?
To talk to a liberal, as it appears the Rev. is, you would be talking to a mindless fence out in the wastelands.
When the liberal elite educators disappear from the learning institution landscape our nation of young students will be far better off.
When is this Rev. going to give us a break and leave?
PLEASE no more photos of her gross bony legs! The Ann-as-sex-symbol routine is not working.
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