Coulter's anti-Semitic comment too dangerous to ignore

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Tim Rutten, Regarding Media
Coulter's anti-Semitic comment too dangerous to ignore
October 13, 2007

Ann Coulter is buzzing from one talk show to another these days, peddling her new book. Our era values mindless contention as a kind of entertainment, and we don't just reward relentless self-promotion -- we admire it. Thus, Coulter's phenomenal success at marketing distasteful, mean-spirited books -- poorly written and spottily researched -- that otherwise would go all but unremarked upon by everyone except the rhetorical ghouls who haunt the political fringes.

Now, no Coulter promotional campaign would be complete without a calculated outrage -- a call for the forcible conversion of all Muslims, for example, or a demand for revocation of women's suffrage, an insult hurled at gays or the grieving widows of Sept. 11 victims. As more than one political consultant has remarked, the American far right is a carnivorous constituency, and it needs to be regularly thrown red meat. Coulter's singular genius has been to ignite tightly focused and timely controversies, thereby getting her ideological opponents to toss the scraps to her fans.

So if you know what's coming, why play ball and deliver the denunciation that validates the Coulter strategy? In part, it's because this time Coulter didn't intend to ignite the firestorm that's currently raging around her; in part, it's because the implications of these latest remarks simply are too threatening to be allowed to stand.

Earlier this week, Coulter went on "The Big Idea," a talk show aired on CNBC, the cable channel devoted to business news. Its host, Donny Deutsch, is a preternaturally affable businessman who invites successful people on to talk about how they turn their ideas into money. Coulter was there to describe how she had -- in our vulgar commercial argot --"branded" herself. At one point, Deutsch asked her what an ideal country would be like, and she replied that it would be one in which everyone was "a Christian." Deutsch, who happens to be Jewish, protested that Coulter was advocating his people's elimination. She responded that she simply hoped to see Jews "perfected" through conversion to Christianity. Deutsch, to his everlasting credit, wasn't having any of it, and the full transcript of their extended and -- on Coulter's side -- vilely offensive exchange on the matter is widely available online. Reaction over the last couple of days has been swift....

***

How many Americans really want to follow Ann Coulter into this sort of confrontation? Not many, one suspects. But are enough of them willing to give up, once and for all, the sort of dangerous fun she and her rhetorical fellow travelers provide?

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-rutten13oct13,0,4831419.column?track=mostviewed-storylevel

[Lint Head]

1. Because she is a walking skeleton her image is representative of

all of the people that were killed in death camps by the Nazis. She looks like a concentration camp survivor yet she hates Jews so much she wants them to change there beliefs. Besides that, she is a fascist propagandist. :dem:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

2. Where is the outrage for all the other disgusting remarks this harpy has made? I'm

a Jew and of course find this offensive, but remember what she said about the Jersey Girls? That they relish in the death of their husbands? That she called John Edwards, a faggot? Add to that all the other horrible things she's said. All of a sudden, the remark about Jews not being "perfected" is drawing tremendous attention.

On the Today Show this week, Meredith had on Donny Deutsch who confronted Coultergeist with her opinion on Jews, Deutsch is a Jew himself. The Today Show, who has had Coulter on as a political pundit a few times before will hopefully rethink future appearances. I cannot in the world rationalize why anyone would give this *fascist party doll any sort of credibility.

*Richard Belzer called Coulter this on Real Time, and to me, that is perfection!

[Jade Fox]

6. I agree.....

Where was the outrage over her desire to deprive half the population of voting rights?

Having said that, I do hope this latest comment will tip the balance for her downhill slide. But I'm not holding my breath.

[Me.]

9. I Was Glad When Meredith Asked That Very Question

Donny didn't have a very good answer, but I don't know if anyone does. I am glad, whatever the reason, that we may seeing the end of her.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. Yes, I forgot to mention that Deutsch has had her on in the past

and never held her accountable for what she said before. Meredith's questioning Deutsch about that gave me a shred of hope that Coulter wouldn't be asked to return to Today. I would also think that Meredith took Coulter's remark somewhat personally, as Meredith's husband is not "perfected".

[TomClash]

3. I thought this comment was hilarious coming from a self-proclaimed "Christian"

For Christians, the only "perfect" man in the history of the world was a jew - Christ himself.

[geek_sabre]

4. She didn't say "perfect"

She said "perfected," which, from what I understand, is an accurate (yet awkwardly explained) description of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. One is not superior to the other, but, from the Christian standpoint, Christianity is the logical continuation of Judaism, salvation (not perfection) of all mankind through the perfect sacrifice of Christ, a fulfillment of the Old Testament.

[Toots]

5. Do you think she wants to kill all Budhist leaders and convert them to Christianity

and all Hindu leaders and kill all the leaders of every religion different from Christianity and convert all their followers to Christianity. The Christianity that advocates the murder of people..Or do you think she wants to just kill Muslim leaders? Where does she/you draw the line?

[geek_sabre]

10. I don't think so

I think she wants to sell lots and lots of books, and its working.

I read the intro to her latest book, and its all about how the more outrageous her statements are, the more her books sell, and the more exposure she gets. She's said quite a few things recently in order to do this (women voting, for instance), but, watching this clip, I don't think that was her goal.

If you look at her statement alone, of course it looks anti-semitic, but in the context of Christian theology, it is not that outrageous.

[TomClash]

24. Yeah, thanks, I know what she said

And that does not negate the fact that when you talk about "the perfect sacrifice of Christ" you are talking about a man who was thoroughly jewish. And your statement does NOT mean jews have to be "perfected" - a ludicrous notion.

Ann Coulter made it very clear that she thought one religion was superior to another.

[LoZoccolo]

25. I think most people think their religion is superior to others, though.

If you asked Jews who took offense at this why they don't just convert to Christianity, I'm sure they'd say their religion is better, which is why I'm wondering why a big deal is being made out of this. There's a Muslim guy who sits in the cube across from me at work, and I'd bet he thinks his religion is better than mine, but whether or not he hates me is really not for me to say, especially when we're on very friendly terms. Everybody thinks their religion or ideology or whatever is better than other peoples', otherwise they wouldn't hold to one over the other. Do you think your political views are better than the Republicans? I do.

[TomClash]

28. It's a big deal because she meant jews . . .

. . . would never be equal to Christians in God's eyes - they have to be "perfected." That's simply whack. The Good Samaritan parable, among other things, puts the lie to that.

As for choosing religion - most people don't - their religion is "better" because that's the one they were raised in. Not many people make a conscious choice to leave that religion.

[LoZoccolo]

29. I don't think that's what she meant, but suppose she did for sake of argument.

In Muslim theology, there is a special level of hell reserved for Jews and Christians. If one religion is not allowed to mark itself as superior to another, why are we not condemning Islam wholesale? Why is it not considered inherently anti-Semitic?

[LeftishBrit]

32. I don't think that the issue is just that she considers Christianity superior..

but that she actually implied that an ideal world would be one full of Republicans and no non-converted Jews.

Islam is not inherently anti-semitic; but there are indeed *some* Muslims who say or write hateful things about Jews and Christians and who advocate violence. Such people are generally treated as security risks, and potential supporters of terrorism if not potential terrorists themselves. *Why is Ann Coulter not regarded in exactly the same category??!!!* THAT is my point! If a Muslim preached the sort of hate that she does, they would probably be, at the least, placed on no-fly lists and would come under surveillance of various sorts. Why is SHE able to preach the same sort of hate, and be treated as perfectly respectable, and become a best-selling writer?

[TomClash]

33. The Qur'an is contradictory

like all religious texts - in some places it condemns Zoros, Jews and Christians and in others it reserves a place in paradise for them. So your comment about a "special place in hell" is not exactly accurate, in my view.

Besides, people routinely criticize such views - including more tolerant muslim theologians.

Do you really believe jews have to be "perfected" to enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus never said this. Do you really believe Jerry Falwell went to heaven but Ghandi didn't? On judgment day God will most certainly ask you whether you attended Sunday services and observed various holy days, but not about your care for your sick or special needs relative, the times you gave alms for the poor and so on.

By the way, many muslims are semites.

[cali]

7. Dangerous? Why? I don't see it.

It's just Coulter being Coulter. I don't see why this is a big deal.

[LeftishBrit]

31. Unfortunately, I do think that Coulter being Coulter *is* a big deal

I don't think this is her only dangerous remark - she's made hundreds! But I am amazed that she is somehow treated as respectable. A left-winger who kept attacking other ethnic and religious groups and revelling in fantasies of violence, in the way that she does, would have been classed as dangerous long ago; but she gets away with it.

[jwirr]

8. What is dangerous about this idea is that it is not new. This is

the exact idea that the rw ideologs have been pushing since raygun. This is the kind of idiot idea that has gotten every pug elected since then. The rapture is coming ya know!:sarcasm:

[Arkansas Granny]

11. Ann Coulter makes these outrageous remarks for two reasons.

1. She loves the attention and these remarks guarantee that a lot of people will be talking about her and she will be invited to appear on a lot of talk shows to defend her remarks and she will, therefore, have even more opportunities to make more outrageous remarks.

2. She is peddling a new book and look at all the free publicity it gets her. Her bigoted fans love to hear her make bigoted remarks and they will buy her bigoted books because they feel that she somehow validates the bigoted feelings they carry in the bigoted little minds.

[Lint Head]

12. She's also trying to prove that skeletons can talk.

:dem:

[Arkansas Granny]

13. She also shows remarkable agility for a skeleton with all the head

tossing so she can show off her lovely locks.

[Doctor Cynic]

14. Lovely looks?

You're kidding right? She looks like a trans, what with an adam's apple on her throat. There's no way in hell any rational man would be hitting her.

[Lucinda]

15. Lovely LOCKS.

Which means she has nice hair. Which she does.
I can't say much of anything else good about her though...Welcome to DU!

[WGS]

18. And your comment

has what to do with what is being discussed here? Coulter is trying to sell a new book, the release of which was overshadowed by Limbaughs phony soldiers story. She is what she is.

You're kidding right? She looks like a trans, what with an adam's apple on her throat. There's no way in hell any rational man would be hitting her.

[Skidmore]

17. Of all the hateful things this creature has said over the past several years,

it is only when she utters something that is anti-Semitic that she deserves derision? Where has this writer been?

[opihimoimoi]

19. She never really expresses something Positive ...does she? Always Controversial and Negative

Truely a Demagogue, she is also a creep trying so hard to look twenty somethin when she is 57...Gimmee a break...

[yella_dawg]

20. What I want to know is...

When the hell is she writing all these books? She comes off a promotional tour just in time for the next release.

I figure there's an eighth-grade class somewhere (probably in a mental institution) working at ghost writing.

[ellisonz]

21. She should be marooned in the middle of the Pacific in a dinghy with a pistol and a single shot.

}(

[Lilith Velkor]

22. Coulter's anti-woman comment, however, is A-OK!

:eyes:

[pepperbear]

26. uh, no it's not....and no one said it was either....

I recall that people were just as outraged at those comments. why pretend they weren't?

[applegrove]

23. She's a twit.

[earth mom]

27. Coulter is one of the most disgusting vile creatures on this earth.

:puke:

[LeftishBrit]

30. I fully agree...

And so are a number of other comments; e.g. some awful remarks about killing and converting Muslims; and other remarks that involve sick fantasies of violence. Not just once, but several times; e.g. she suggested that a liberal Supreme Court judge should be poisoned; that Senator Chafee should be shot; that Timothy McVeigh should have bombed the New York Times building - and I'm sure much else; one perk of being British is that I don't get as much of her as you do! And didn't she say that women shouldn't have the vote?

It is scary that she is treated as somehow respectable, and that her writings are so popular.

[Obamarama]

34. I hope I never see her crossing a street when I'm in the car...

I'm afraid my accelerator will become "stuck" and I won't be able to stop in time to avoid a "collision". It would be a tragedy to mess up my car with the likes of that pathetic pile of dog shit.