So, how do you draw the line between ethical and unethical. If lies boost the sales, long live America?
I don't put taste in the arena of ethics. When she told the gay joke about Edwards I think that crossed the line simply because it was pointless and not funny. However, since that falsehood was in no way intended to actually convince ANYONE that Edwards was gay she did not breach any ethics, imo.
It is unethical to tell a knowing lie for the purpose of convincing others of the truth of it. I happen to be on the FR Ann Coulter ping list and have been reading her columns every week for several months now. I have not yet detected a single lie. When she uses humor, there is a certain license there. So, when she makes some "outrageous" comparison, that is her opinion and cannot be considered a lie.
How is that different from businesses hiring illegal aliens out of greed and not caring what that does to America's security?
It is completely different, for the reasons above and also that the businesses are in direct violation of the law. If Annie was breaking the law, you don't think there are a million prosecutors out there who would stand in line to get her? :) ............ As far as security goes, I think Ann does a service to the country for pointing out the hypocrisy of liberals, and McCain (and Bush, whom I generally support) in their rhetoric on protecting the borders versus their actions.
I guess as long as we make a sale, the path doesn't matter. Truly revealing.
If you have sourced examples of Ann lying, or being unethical, I will be happy to try to respond to them. I certainly haven't read all of her work, but I do see a pattern from what I have read that is perfectly fine ethically and truthfully.
So, opinions are okay, even if they are defaming?
Well, here is my opinion about Ann Coulter.
First of all, I suspect, she calls herself conservative, Republican, and probably "Christian" in the Reformed sense, proud, arrogant, prejudiced, unkind, unforgiving, "assured," and what not.
I believe she is a perfect extreme example of such a "Christian," where all the characteristics of one are laid bare for everyone to see. No doubt, in my mind, she doesn't hold back because all her sins that she will commit have already been forgiven in her mind. She is the extreme example of the pecca fortiter (sin boldly) abomination of Luther's message.
I believe that she is the epitome of the Reformed perversion of Christianity in that there is absolutely nothing, no reason whatsoever, for Reformed Christians to not act carnally, sin as much as possible, lie, cheat, defame, steal, even kill, because in their mind all their sins have been forgiven.
And when they add to this God's purpose, convinced that they are not guided by their own will, but by God, then we have what I call a Christian Muslim: a fundamentalist mind with jihadist tendencies using a different God, but the same principle, imo.
All this has been pointed out on FR by Kolo, Mark, StF, myself and other Catholics and Orthodox on these forums. WE all believe to various degrees perhaps that the Reformed theology may not promote that which is carnal, but iyt intrinsically lacks any checks and balances that will make any individual stop and say "am I supposed to be doing this?" In other words, it does not seem to promote repentance (if one's sins have already been forgiven) because it is not needed and "makes no sense." I am firmly convinced that it is an inherently man-made, tailor-made for man inclinations, self-serving religion based on self-rigtheousness.
Her falsehood, in my opinion, is not intended to convince anyone, because it's glaringly false, but it is intended, I think, to smear and defame. I am no lawyer, but even I know that defamation is not just a "joke."
I happen to be on the FR Ann Coulter ping list and have been reading her columns every week for several months now
Fine company you choose, imo.
It is unethical to tell a knowing lie for the purpose of convincing others of the truth of it
A lie is a lie. It is always there for one purpose: to deceive, to hurt.
It is completely different, for the reasons above and also that the businesses are in direct violation of the law
And defamation isn't? Not all speech is protected. Not all opinions are allowed.
If Annie was breaking the law, you don't think there are a million prosecutors out there who would stand in line to get her?
Annie? I see her more like a seven-headed Beast, but that's juts my perception. With millions of illegals in the country, you'd think a lawyer of her character would have prosecuted some businesses for their unethical practices. Lawyers have jobs. They don't go around crusading.
Instead of meeting justice, which is what she went to law school for (I hope), she is much happier "stirring up the pot" as she says, and being in the limelight as one of the favorite conservative attack dogs (no gander insinuated here/s). Prosecuting business for hiring illegal aliens is real work. Who wants that?
I certainly haven't read all of her work, but I do see a pattern from what I have read that is perfectly fine ethically and truthfully.
Bu we already know that our concepts of truth and ethics are like night and day, FK. So, it doesn't surprise me one bit that you would consider "Annie" Coulter truthful and ethical.