Posted on 03/05/2007 3:32:50 PM PST by Nasty McPhilthy
Always late to a party, it wasn’t until yesterday that I heard Ann Coulter’s remarks regarding Presidential candidate John Edwards. The video is available at this link, but, for those of you without the proper plug-in, she informed a Conservative Political Action Committee audience that she could not comment on the former Senator because “you have to go into rehab if you use the word f*ggot.” Predictably, a firestorm ensued. CBS News dubbed her words a “slur against gay people.” Mr. Edwards called her comment, “hateful, selfish, childish behavior.” He further noted, “What I’ve learned is that if you don’t have the courage to speak out against it — no matter who says it, and no matter who it’s leveled at — then it becomes tolerable. And it’s not tolerable, any more than the language I heard leveled at African Americans when I was young.”
As it turns out, the fringe candidate is wrong on all counts. F*ggot is not a term of hate. It’s a word sometimes used to describe gays as well as a bundle of sticks or branches, a type of meatball, and, way back when, it even represented a unit of measurement. As far as offensiveness goes, there is no reason why it would appall gays; particularly since it has “been employed by gay men in a defiant, self-consciously empowering or self-mocking way.” Gay advice guru Dan Savage, in his “Savage Love” columns, an adult version of “Dear Abby,” prefaced each query with the salutation of “Hey F*ggot.” A person coming across his columns, as I used to in The Chicago Reader, would never have considered the greeting to be a symbol of abomination.
I honestly think that when most people utter it they use it to describe something they regard as silly, goofy or embarrassing which, at its root, may have nothing to do with homosexuals. Consider Coulter’s statement for a moment. Does she really think that Edwards is gay? I seriously doubt it. She was using her enemies PC sensitivity as a means to provoke and incite—which is exactly what happened. The quip was an incendiary joke. Coulter is not publicity shy, and, given her background, must have known that furor would follow her heretical observation. Ironically, Howard Dean’s response—“this kind of vile rhetoric is out of bounds”—plays like made-to-order dogma. Like Dean, many leftists would like to send Coulter to places far fouler than rehab. Why is saying a word like f*ggot out of bounds? If a homosexual called Coulter a breeder or a black person called her a cracker, would we judge them “hate-filled and bigoted?” Of course not.
Many of her adversaries, those supposed lovers of diversity and goodness, can be seen on YouTube referring to her as a c*nt and a transvestite. I guess this goes to show that tolerance can only be tolerated when it is extended to the right kind of people. Some guerrillas sabotaged her wikipedia page by altering her biographical entry [they may have deleted the insertions by the time this piece is published] by fictionalizing her early history and mental status:
After her birth in New York City, she was taken to central park, where the family had built a sacrificial platform. Young Ann was then stoned and burned alive. Because obviously she fit all characteristics for being an evil satan spawn. It was however, found that her body was resilient and oppositely gotten stronger. After another attempt where her infant body was thrown down the laundry shoot…After observant careful study of Ann’s behavior, it is obvious her mental well being is not in check. Possibilities include: Manic-Depressive Disorder, Rare form of Gonnorrea which consumes your thoughts and logic over a long period of time.
Well, at least they weren’t being hateful.
Most humorous was Edwards’ exploitation of the situation. He put together a special webpage in which one can eradicate injustice by forwarding him a cool 100 grand which he’ll be happy to call “Coulter Cash.” Ambulance chaser fails to describe most lawyers, but John Edwards could smell a C-note even if it were encased in lead.
As for the offending agitator, Coulter responded by saying, “I’m so ashamed, I can’t stop laughing!” The hullabaloo is absurd but far from funny. Our media and politicians continue to be involved in a great race to prove which uncaring overfed yuppie happens to be the most sensitive and self-righteous of all. The general public has little interest in these pursuits, but are the only losers in the competition. Since the late eighties, we have been cowed into modifying our speech and thoughts as one can only view so many PC crucifixions before realizing the inherent danger of speaking truth to commissars. Sadness, as opposed to mirth, is the proper emotion for this circumstance.
The most important thing to remember about this incident is that Coulter has not, and hopefully will not, apologize. Thank God there are a few conservative millionaires out there who possess the financial and mental wherewithal to actively defy societal convention. Their presence helps to delay the date of PC’s eventual victory over free speech as the totalitarian nature of our Therapy State becomes more apparent with each passing day. Indeed, this morning I awoke to discover that high school officials in Washington State are now considering banning fan booing during games due to its supposed cruelty. I have a better idea, why don’t they just mind their own f*cking business? That’s a better government “solution” than any other in history.
People should have the right to say what they want to in our society, and when we disagree with them we have the right to respond. Mumbling a few cacophonous syllables does not align one with the forces of evil. In my opinion, more fearless commentators like Ann Coulter—on both the right and the left—are precisely what this country needs.
But Ann calling The Breck Girl a faggot is a slur...
Actually, I think she has been rather niggardly with her use of politically incorrect words/statements.............
She's a polemicist, you flea-brained twit. This is her stock in trade. If you don't like it, don't listen to it.
I believe that's her point. The hypocrisy of it all - the right will be accountable to PC tactics but NOT the left.
PC is a creation of the libs.
Buring the flag, protesting ROTC and military recruiters on campus, teaching 5th graders about gay sex, calling infantacide "choice" and yet we are all supposed to be horrified by Annie.
God Bless you Ann.
It's heating up for 2008. It'll be a contest between the far left and the far right flame throwers over which can send more voters into the opposing camp. Dissuasion over persuasion.
Just like 2004 ... only, I predict, fierier ... Flame retardant suits will become de riguer.
Lowest common denominator, surely. But that's how our political discourse has be devolving for years. Style over substance uber alles.
Why we're so coy about this NOW is puzzling. I guess coy is cute and has become it's own stylistic gesture.
Meanwhile, others (eg Newt Gingrich) are trying a different tac but are getting virtually no buzz in the media.
The n-word....hmmmmm.
Niggardly...?
I doubt Ann would ever use THE word (THE word that must never be spoken by a white person) anyway.
and she does not have to "pass off" anything.
Remember the exchange between Chevy Chase and Richard Prior on SNL - ?
And what do you have now? Someone used the F***** word. OMG!
Makes you shake the noggin at what is going on today.
JMO.
I finally figured out how to get Ann out of this mess once and for all!!!!
Ann, I hereby issue you 25,000 Politically Correct credits for your use. For every time you say something decidedly inpolitically correct, I will abstain from repeating your phrase to others and will otherwise refrain from making a similar comment, thereby negating the negative impact of your lack of political correctness. I'm honored to provide this service to you to counter those mean-spirited media types that just don't understand the big picture.
Use your credits wisely!
that is alredy my personal goal
Why Is There Air? (1965) is the third album by Bill Cosby. It was recorded at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It won the Grammy Award in 1965 for Best Comedy Album. Jerry Seinfeld states in the inner sleeve of his album I'm Telling You for the Last Time that this was the first comedy album he ever listened to and subsequently helped inspire him to become a stand-up comedian. Seinfeld was finally able to meet Cosby in person in 2002. The track "Hofstra" is actually an expanded re-telling of the track released on I Started Out as a Child as "T.V. Football", showcasing Cosby's growing ability to tell a story.
The Feminist cause suffers a set back each time a another word is declared to be the "most vile" in the English language.
A couple years ago I dug the spinner out of the depths of storage, hooked it up and listened to several of the Coz's records.
My kids could not get over the fact that this was, indeed, the very same Bill Cosby.
The boy really liked the, "Great Coin Tosses in History"....
"Sorry Cus, you lose....."
lol
Thank goodness! I can sleep soundly knowing that Miss Coulter is out there calling people names.
Edwards had implied that childish behaviour is 'hateful'. That's a slur against children! Senator, do you hate children?!
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