Ann Coulter said:

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,'..."

A lot of conservatives have repudiated Ann's remarks.

Ann herself, however, did not. She clarified them as follows:

"'Faggot isn't offensive to gays; it has nothing to do with gays," Coulter said on "Hannity and Colmes" Monday night. "It's a schoolyard taunt meaning 'wuss,' and unless you're telling me that John Edwards is gay, it was not applied to a gay person."

Well, since she's 45 years old, I imagine the first part of that is true for her. Being 40 years old myself, it certainly was for me. Although we inevitably shortened it to fag, since one-syllable insults somehow seem more insulting.

And let's not forget that in 1985, there was a #1 pop tune with a #1 pop video - Dire Straits "Money For Nothing" - that used the word "faggot" three times. How offensive could it possibly be?

Then there's the second point. John Edwards is NOT, in fact, gay.

Sure, he's a baby-faced man with delicate features and girlish mannerisms who stars in a YouTube video where he fusses over his hair like a supermodel, but he is NOT gay.

So Ann says it's not a gay epithet, because the target obviously isn't gay, and everyone knows he's not gay.

Fair enough - but let's take it to the next level.

Would it be ok to call John Edwards a nigger because he's not black?

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'nigger,'..."

Well, that one's probably indefensible, since - while "nigger" is frequently used to describe gansta-thug rap artists in their own songs and videos - John Edwards has never rapped, pimped, or worn excessive bling, so it's hard to pass it off as a joke, because in order for something to be funny, it needs an element of truth.

Might work for Dennis Kucinich or Dick Gephart, though.

But how about this - checking my dictionary, one of the meanings of "nigger" is "Used as a disparaging term for a member of any socially, economically, or politically deprived group of people: 'Gun owners are the new niggers . . . of society' (John Aquilino)."

Would it be ok to call John Edwards a nigger because he's not deprived?

Something like "I'm not going to talk smack about John Edwards, because I just feel so sorry for him. Big house, millions of dollars, but when it comes to running for the Whitehouse, he's just a nigger."

Personally, I wouldn't go there, because when I skewer folks with political humor, I try to make it as accurate and unambiguous as possible. Using a term that can be construed to make a point that you are not, in fact, trying to make, is just sloppy communications. It's always better to say exactly what you mean.

So maybe Ann IS a verbal-bomb-throwing lunatic who should be shunned by conservatives as a too-pricey political liability, but then again, maybe she just really sucks as a humorist and desperately needs to hire herself a speech writer.

You make the call.

Posted by: Harvey at 09:49 AM | Comments (18) | Add Comment
Post contains 587 words, total size 4 kb.

1 She's a really bad humorist! It seems to me that she needs a speech writer with a realy good sense of humor.

Posted by: michele at March 07, 2007 10:30 AM (etwyR)

2 She's a really bad humorist! It seems to me that she needs a speech writer with a realy good sense of humor.

Posted by: michele at March 07, 2007 10:31 AM (etwyR)

3 You've probably seen my takes on it, but I think she is just trying to be sensational to get in the news. This wasn't her first time using the term. In 2006 she called Al Gore a fag, and Bill Clinton a latent homosexual in the same interview. I think she was using it in the same context here. Personally I just think it does wonders for the Democrats while hurting the Conservatives. We don't need any help in that department. Our politicians do enough without Ann Coulter stepping in to help.

Posted by: Nick at March 07, 2007 10:57 AM (sBEqJ)

4 color me indifferent

Posted by: wRitErsbLock at March 07, 2007 10:58 AM (+MvHD)

5 "color me indifferent" LOL!

Posted by: Nick at March 07, 2007 11:22 AM (sBEqJ)

6 Here's my bitch about this. I don't give a rats ass what she said. If she wants to call Edwards a cum felching drag queen, I could care less. But she should do it on her OWN time. If she wants to throw some offensive shit out there to stir up the pot and keep her name in the news: fine. Do it in a press conference, or on a talk show, where the focus is on HER. CPAC is not about Ann Coulter. Like it or not, if you're invited to CPAC you're not just representing yourself, you're representing conservatives as a whole while you're there. Ann Coulter is a very intelligent woman. She's made a deliberate decision to use CPAC to attract media attention to herself twice now with calculated offensive statements for the glory and profit of Ann Coulter and Ann Coulter alone. I'm not going to denounce her (in fact, I enjoy her columns and her books), but if I were the organizers of CPAC, it would be a cold day in hell before I invited her back.

Posted by: Graumagus at March 07, 2007 11:57 AM (ZEzoY)

7 Oh yeah, on a side note, if gun owners are the new niggers, I am SO going to start slangin' at the range. "Yo' homey, pass me that gat...."

Posted by: Graumagus at March 07, 2007 11:59 AM (ZEzoY)

8 Considering that I am an equal opportunity swearer, there I some words that I WILL NOT USE. Ever. Not for fun, not in anger, not trying to make a point. Because there are better ways to make a point (or crack a joke). Ann needs to grab a clue and eat a sandwich for heaven's sake. You can practically see through her...

Posted by: Richmond at March 07, 2007 04:09 PM (e8QFP)

9 Blunt and outspoken. So far as I am concerned, PC is for politicians. Period. Citizens can say anything they please so long as they are prepared for the consequences. The Dixie Chicks did. Sadly, they misjudged the reaction they would receive. Silly girls. Ann says what she means and if Gays dislike the word fag, they should grow thicker skin. It is an old word and will continue to be used. My lover is a black woman and I hear the word nigger often. I don't use it. Not true. I rearly do and only in jest and only to those who know me. I am, so to speak, an honorary nigger. I don't care to be an honorary fag. Hmmm. So far as that goes I am pissed off about the hijacking of the word gay by our homosexual bretheren. I have a good many friends of that persuasion too and gay is not a word I would apply to their lives. Everrybody just needs to get over the thin skinned language problem. Sticks and stones and all that. Words do hurt and cut deeply, but only from those one truly cares about. Everybody else can piss-off!

Posted by: Blane Burns at March 07, 2007 04:42 PM (gHba6)

10 And by the way; I like this place! Just found it today and I think I can fit right in!

Posted by: Blane Burns at March 07, 2007 04:45 PM (gHba6)

11 The best part about Ann's non-apology was the part where she said to the Republicans tripping over themselves apologizing for HER remarks: "You might want to keep those statements handy for the next year or two. There's going to be more." Or something darn similar to that. If she'd just EAT SOMETHING, she'd be the hottest woman on the planet: looks (when she's not facing perpendicular to you), brains, wit...and the proven temperment to club your sorry ass to oblivion when you're getting out of line. *sigh* Too bad I'm already in love with someone else.

Posted by: The Humble Devildog at March 07, 2007 08:21 PM (Njev1)

12 The woman is a frickin' stick. Personally I blame Sean Hannity. The guy practically has a free ticket to Ruth's Chris Steakhouses. He needs to drag her skinny butt in there for some serious reeducation

Posted by: Graumagus at March 08, 2007 11:12 AM (ZEzoY)

13 I grew up believing that a nigger was anyone, of any color, who was shiftless, low-class, criminal, etc. Ever seen actual "white trash", folks? I have. I grew up surrounded by it. Those, like my former neighbor who broke into my trailer last Thanksgiving & stole some of my firearms, are niggers.

Posted by: Tennessee Budd at March 08, 2007 01:30 PM (L7a63)

14 Last I looked the Jihadis were trying to kill us and the Libs to put us in jail. So, here we are throwing away our friends. That's the way. We see how the Left treats minorities who stay of the Leftist plantation. How about the left's famous tolerance of adventuresome sex? Jeff Gannon or that Sanchez feller can tell us all about that. Yeah, throw Ann under the bus. She used a word.

Posted by: Peter at March 08, 2007 09:15 PM (gsOue)

15 Peter - ya know, I'm surprised that Edwards didn't try taking the "faggot" label as a compliment in an attempt to show solidarity with homosexual voters. After all, wouldn't it be considered a leftist honor to be associated with an oppressed minority? Like calling Clinton "the first black president".

Posted by: Harvey at March 09, 2007 07:44 AM (L7a63)

16 Like I said, I like Coulter and I wouldn't throw her anywhere (although, as stated, she's skinny enough to use as a javelin). But if the organizers of CPAC disapprove they are well within their rights to not invite her back.

Posted by: Graumagus at March 09, 2007 02:59 PM (ZEzoY)

17 (The following is said with Love) Folks give too much damned power to "a word"! I like Ann. I'm GLAD she didn't apologize for using the word "faggot". Contrast what she said to what Leftards have been saying for ages: calling Bush "Hitler", expressing disappointment over the fact that Cheney has survived heart maladies and a freakin' bomb & wishing Al Qaeda "better luck next time", and so on. Oh no, no hatred *there*. But we're supposed to be outraged 'cause Ms. Coulter said "faggot" while making a joke? I think all the folks crying about it are just a pack o' poofters & whiny bitches. Suck it up people!

Posted by: Wes at March 09, 2007 03:33 PM (jsV0Y)

18 Actually, they're mostly shirt-lifting pillow-biters, but that aside, your point is well-taken :-)

Posted by: Harvey at March 09, 2007 10:48 PM (L7a63)

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