Up and Down With Demonic [ANN COULTER's new book is a terrific read, except for...]

Canada Free Press ^ | Juune 25, 2011 | Jim O'Neill

[RonDog]

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Ann Coulter’s new book "Demonic" is a terrific read—with one glaring exception.

Overall, I give the book "two enthusiastic thumbs up," way up. More about the "glaring exception" in a bit.

A unifying thread that runs through Coulter’s book is the concept of Democrats as the party of the mob. She absorbed much of her knowledge on this subject from Gustave Le Bon’s 1896 classic, "The Crowd." Link...

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...The core, or heart, of Coulter’s book is (IMHO) Part II: "The Historical Context Of The Liberal," in which Coulter gives an informative, concise description of the French Revolution, and comparisons with the American Revolution—"the history you’ve never read."

For those who are unaware of the history of the French Revolution (or of the American Revolution for that matter) "Demonic" is worth purchasing, if for no other reason than to become informed about these two watershed movements—so similar, and yet so vastly dissimilar, at the same time. The one (French) a liberal revolution, and the other (American) a conservative revolution...

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...In addition, Coulter does a fine job of exposing the arrogant, puerile, self-centered pathology of the liberal mind-set in such chapters as "The Totalitarian Instinct and Sexual Perversity of Liberals." Speaking of mind-sets, it is not too far "off message" to note that I believe that the liberal mind-set tends toward insanity like a compass needle tends to swing north.

Given the blood-drenched history of the Far Left, to advance such a hypothesis is not exactly a daring gambit. Link

Be that as it may, now we come to Coulter’s "glaring exception."

I’m talking about the fact that Coulter disses the "birthers" in her book.

Et tu Ann? Say it ain’t so.

[oh8eleven]

For those who are unaware of the history of the French Revolution (or of the American Revolution for that matter) "Demonic" is worth purchasing,
if for no other reason than to become informed about these two watershed movements—so similar, and yet so vastly dissimilar, at the same time.
I've read the book and I couldn't agree more.

[Wuli]

Debating what respect Conservatives should or should not have for Ann Coulter is like debating the same issue with respect to Ayn Rand.

THEY ARE NOT PERFECT. DO MOT PUT THEM ON PEDESTALS. THEY DID/DO NOT RUN FOR OFFICE.

Their primary asset (for us) is their ability to inspire, and in our regard that means the ability to inspire a greater awareness of ideas, the ideas that help define our Conservatism.

For me, I wish Ann would keep herself more to the intellectual realm and her books, and be less active as a pundit on different Conservative/GOP politicians.

By the way, there is an equally good book out now.

It's "The Secret Knowledge" by David Mamet, full title: "The Secret Knowledge", subtitle "On The Dismatling of American Culture".

Who is David Mamet?

from wiki at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mamet

"Best known as a playwright, Mamet has won a Pulitzer Prize, and Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). As a screenwriter, he received Oscar nominations for The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997). Mamet's books include The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary, with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; and Bambi vs. Godzilla, a commentary on the movie business."

And what does he have to say in "The Secret Knowledge"?

"Hear him take on the left's sacred cows. Diversity is a "commodity." College is nothing more than "Socialist Camp." Liberalism is like roulette addiction. Toyota's Prius, he tells me, is an "anti-chick magnet" and "ugly as a dogcatcher's butt." Hollywood liberals—his former crowd—once embraced Communism "because they hadn't invented Pilates yet." Oh, and good radio isn't NPR ("National Palestinian Radio") but Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576347110395478634.html

"Mamet is to the world of arts and entertainment what David Horowitz is to Leftist politics - an escapee from the intellectual gulag of the Left." © Wuli 2011

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

With regard to the French Revolution; if you want to learn more than what Ms. Coulter presents read Thomas Carlyle's "French Revolution." It is the classic version for its subject, accurate and little improved upon over the years. Carlyle's writing style presents difficulties for present day eyes but one does become used to it. Well worth the effort-in fact I just took it off the shelf and am starting to read it again.

As to Ms. Coulter, "when she is good is very, very good and when she is bad she is horrid!" Her new book sounds interesting enough to buy.

[Jim Scott]

Debating what respect Conservatives should or should not have for Ann Coulter is like debating the same issue with respect to Ayn Rand.

THEY ARE NOT PERFECT. DO MOT PUT THEM ON PEDESTALS. THEY DID/DO NOT RUN FOR OFFICE.

I mostly agree. My only caveat is with the admonition not to put conservative writers on pedestals. That is logical and I don't do that but there are only a handful of popular, well-known conservative writers around and they are to be valued, not worshiped. I won't get into the debate over Ann Coulter's conservative credentials because I find them impeccable for a non-politician. She is a great asset in promoting conservative thought in America. However, as much I like Ann Coulter I don't always find myself in complete agreement with her. The Obama birth certificate issue is one area, although I believe that is a totally lost cause that should have been hammered back in the 2008 election campaign when it would have mattered. I also part company with Ann on her near-fanatical enthusiasm for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. I like Christies' fiscal policies but beyond that, he is far too liberal for my taste and I find Ann Coulter's cheerleading for Christie, somewhat odd. I assume that she is impressed with his near-belligerence on New Jersey fiscal problems and admires his courage in the face of Democrat attacks. The guy seems basically undaunted, which is what the GOP needs, but we already have it in Sarah Palin, who, unlike Chris Christie, hasn't ruled out a 2012 run for president.

[Berlin_Freeper]

What I recall is Coulter saying “If McCain is our guy then Hillary is my girl.”

People at the time was saying she was making a point but Coulter was very firm about it.

So I dumped her. LoL!

It is a waste of time, energy and money, for her to go after Birthers.

I got no regrets.

[Outlaw Woman]

Ahhh well you know out the mouth proceedth the thoughts of the heart.

To tell you the truth I’ve never cared for her style but some of what she says is spot on. But I don’t follow her and really dislike the fact that she was stating that we need to nominate ‘Christie’. I mean wth?

Anyway I was just curious. I did read something earlier that she was pretty harsh about the rabid libs attacking Palin and said she didn’t know if Palin was it for her or not.

[NotTallTex]

Yes, they were wrong just like those people who claimed Flight 800 was shot down by missiles. How dare they? The government told us what we were supposed to think about both of these incidents.

[Wuli]

“I also part company with Ann on her near-fanatical enthusiasm for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. I like Christies’ fiscal policies but beyond that, he is far too liberal for my taste and I find Ann Coulter’s cheerleading for Christie, somewhat odd. I assume that she is impressed with his near-belligerence on New Jersey fiscal problems and admires his courage in the face of Democrat attacks.”

I agree with you on every point you made, including your points on Christie; which is, in part, why I said what I did about Ms Coulter.

I'd prefer her focus concentrate on the great ideological activism she is brilliant at and keep herself out of the cheerleading and schisms over different political figures. If she could do that I think she would better serve herself and Conservative movements.

[bray]

I heard her say it on Medved’s show. She said that the only ones on the right that behaved like demonic mobs were Palin supporters and Ron Paul supporters.

Pray for America

[Outlaw Woman]

Well isn’t that special...

I knew there was a reason she rubs me the wrong way; guess I found it.

Thanks Bray (enjoy your posts btw)