Ann and Jed
The news is out across the conservative blogosphere that Ann Coulter just called John Edwards a “faggot” at CPAC. Ed Morrissey put it best.
At some point, Republicans will need to get over their issues with homosexuality. Regardless of whether one believes it to be a choice or a hardwired response, it has little impact on anyone but the gay or lesbian person. We can argue that homosexuality doesn’t require legal protection, but not when we have our front-line activists referring to them as “faggots” or worse. That indicates a disturbing level of animosity rather than a true desire to allow people the same rights and protections regardless of their lifestyles.
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First, criticizing Coulter’s use of the word “faggot” is not a suppression of free speech; it is an exercise of free speech. We’re not advocating her arrest for using the word. We’re just saying it was stupid, unnecessary, and hateful. This is no different than Melissa McEwan calling Christians “Christofascist Godbags” and Amanda Marcotte’s incendiary hate speech about Catholics. We howled about that when John Edwards hired them; why do we defend Coulter’s appearance at CPAC?
Perhaps Ann Coulter should be called the Brother Jed of conservative activism, except that people somehow like Ann Coulter.
What did Ann Coulter actually say? Look it up.
Comment by Norm — March 11, 2007 @ 8:25 am
I must say Garrett I am quite surprised to see you take a stance like this against Ann Coulter. Granted, I know you’re not a bigot by any means but I had a feeling you’d be defending her “free speech.” I’m glad to see you are as disturbed by her actions as I and most others are. It is quite sad to see the conservative base rally to her defense for using a word that many people including myself find extremely offensive. Mark my words, there is going to come a day in the next few elections where politicizing homosexuality is going to cost people elections. If you look at Mitt Romney, I think it is part of the reason he didn’t run for reelection in Massachusetts. He tried to politicize gay marriage and other sensitive subjects and as a result the people of his state said “don’t bother running for a second term.”
Comment by Joel Shooster — March 19, 2007 @ 11:09 pm