Ann Coulter. Wow.

I've been out of the loop for the past week or so, and haven't caught the Today Show (my main source of news). Channel surfing tonight I came across a Larry King show where they were discussing the Ann Couter / 9-11 widows nastiness from last week.

In case you missed it:

• For those who missed it, Coulter writes of the widows: "These self-obsessed women seem genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation, and acted as if the terrorist attack only happened to them. . . . These broads are millionaires lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities. . . . I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much. . . .
  
  "And by the way, how do we know their husbands weren't planning to divorce these harpies? Now that their shelf life is dwindling, they'd better hurry up and appear in Playboy."
  
  Her one valid point -- that once widows turn themselves into political activists, their personal tragedies should not shield them from rebuttal -- is totally overwhelmed by the nastiness of her assault.
  
  A number of conservatives have turned on Coulter this time around. "Most Americans reject that kind of vitriol because it is mean and counterproductive," said Fox's Bill O'Reilly. Radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt called her remarks "beyond callous, beyond any notion of decency. It is disgusting."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00945.html

O'Reiliy calling HER mean and counterproductive?? Wow. She's a nut. I can agree with the basic statement that once you're a political activist you shouldn't be sheilded from question just b/c of how you got there .... but calling them "harpies" and saying they're "enjoying" their husband's deaths? She's crazy.

Wow that lady has totally lost it. All she is doing is showing the world just how ignorant she really is. Common decency would dictate that you don't attack a widow. People will do anything for the spot light anymore. Lie, cheat, steal, kill, even if they are only killing with their words. Amazing the lack of empathy and the overabundance of apathy in the world. So very sad.

[MissCrabette]

I totally agree that she's lost it but I don't think it's right to never question a widow either. I mean sure, we're all sorry and upset about what happened but the fact that they lost their husbands doesn't make them saints. That said, I'll say that I haven't read the book and I don't know what her accusations really are but it sounds like an inflammatory comment to make. A very calculated move to sell her book and give her more air time. I never said she was dumb, just delusional.
On another note, I find it absolutely hilarious that she calls THEM harpies. :> It's even funnier than Bill calling her mean and counterproductive. Wow, no wonder she's single.

[Sheherezade]

These pundits will say anything to get people riled up. It makes me sick that this is how we run our country now. How do you win elections? Get people hateful and pissed at the other side. I'd gladly go back to just having the candidates attack one another in ads. It's better than having a not-so-stealth war start a year ahead of time through pundits and PACs *and* having frivolous legislation put up just for the election cycle.

Ann Coulter? She's just part of the show.

I think there is a big, fat difference between 'never questioning a widow' vs. saying widows are 'enjoying their husbands death'.

[mommax3]

I have never liked her. Really, I don't like anyone, on either side, who resorts to inflammatory tactics that obscure the truth. No wonder American voters are apathetic!

Sally

Sally for President! Really - I don't agree w/many of your political views - but you're a reasonable human. It's so hard to find those these days.

Nobody ever said the AntiChrist had to be a man.

Nobody ever said the AntiChrist had to be a man.

:^

[Sheherezade]

Major entertainment heads up: I just read that George Carlin and Ann Coulter are both on the tonight show tongiht. Setting my DVR!

[Gwendolyn]

Nobody ever said the AntiChrist had to be a man.

:^

Can I get an Amen!?!?!

I keep expecting an alien to free itself from her skull!

[Rapunzel]

It really is disgusting how the media run this country. Talk show "pundits" attempt to shape American's views (both moral and political) in what amounts to little more than glorified propaganda. You have news organizations cherry-picking stories to promote the political and moral agendas of the producers (and even anchors) involved. Blatantly opinionated and emotionally evocative adjectives are thrown into newsstories that should be "nothing but the facts, ma'am."

Ann Coulter is rude and vulgar. In that way I liken her to Michael Moore. The difference is that, underneath her wildly innappropriate commentary on most subjects, she generally gets her facts straight. Her crudeness and insulting manner detract from the reality she points to, unfortunately. Unfortunately as well, very often we aren't shown the crudeness and vulgarity which is aimed squarely at her. I think she is a case of a person sinking to the level of those whose actions she points to so loudly.

As far as criticizing widows?

Of course anyone who decides to be a political activist opens themselves up for criticism and needs to accept that fact. From what I have read of her book (excerpts) she points out the glaring truth about these four widows (who, in no way represent all of the widows/widowers of 9/11). I think there is something to examine in the possibility that these women are profiting from their husband's deaths. It happens. It's awful, but it happens.

Of course, there are the people who lose loved ones and just go off the deep end emotionally (such as Cindy Sheehan). People like that don't seem to be attempting to profit as much as they are demonstrating a complete inability to cope with reality and, thus, stab at imaginary monsters. Unfortunately, there are others who then profit off of these pitiful people (such as people like Hugo Chavez as well as the Communist party in the U.S.). The criticism of such people is also appropriate - but attention must also be paid to those who use the mentally unhinged/unstable for their own profit (be it monetary or political).

[DCJenn]

No shit.

So, the kernel of her point that is actually interesting is the fact that four of the widows have become politically active and are very anti-war, etc. and yes, their status as 9-11 widows has allowed them access to some pretty big names and events in the political world.

that said, I'm pretty sure that in the continuum of reprehensible behavior, using one's status to say "war is a bad thing" is a long way away from the entire "the widows are self-obsessed blah, blah, blah."

and to be honest, let me all just lay it all out for you guys: I'm anti-Bush, anti Iraq war (although now that we're there, we're stuck for the long term) and if God Forbid, my husband has a hair on his head harmed when (not if) he is deployed, I will make the 9-11 widows look sane, calm and conservative.

Jenn

[MissCrabette]

I think there is a big, fat difference between 'never questioning a widow' vs. saying widows are 'enjoying their husbands death'.

I couldn't agree more. I was simply responding to Catina's following statement when I said that. Sorry, I should've been more clear about this.

Common decency would dictate that you don't attack a widow.

[Rapunzel]

and if God Forbid, my husband has a hair on his head harmed when (not if) he is deployed, I will make the 9-11 widows look sane, calm and conservative.

Then why don't you encourage him to get a dishonorable discharge? If it's really so morally reprehensible that he do his job in the military why not insist he get out by any means possible before he gets hurt doing it?