St. Thomas president denounces Ann Coulter’s speech as hateful (Mpls StarTribune login: fritopie, password: fritopie…thanks, Alyssa!!)
[A]lthough her presentation may have been meant as an ‘act’ or a ‘shtick’ to entertain by provoking those who disagree, such behavior unfortunately contributes to the growing dark side of our culture — a disrespect for persons and their sincerely held beliefs.
- Rev. Dennis Dease
It never ceases to amaze me that Ann Coulter has managed to craft an impressive living out of being an inflammatory, reactionary troll. I suppose I should admire for her for doing what she loves (and thinks she’s good at), but when what you do is slander, insult, and deride those who do not believe as you do as intellectual midgets not worthy of licking her boots…well, is that really something to be proud of?
Yes, college should be about being exposed to differing viewpoints, and thankfully, it sounds as if those at St. Olaf and St. Thomas recognized Coulter for what she truly is. Still, at what point does one say enough is enough? Hate speech may be free speech (and to be accurate, one really must characterize Coulter’s utterings as hate speech), but it is truly speech that needs to be spread around liberally (pun thoroughly intended)?
When academics at traditionally Conservative schools denounce Coulter for her divisiveness, you’ve got to wonder what the woman really has to add to public discourse- except for hatred, divisiveness, and ignorance? When you believe that all you have to do to win an argument is to insult and belittle your adversary, what possibility exists for reasoned, rational discussion? In this atmosphere, the only possibility for anything resembling dialogue is one that involves talking past or at one other. Is it any wonder that we’ve become such a thoroughly divided Republic? With trolls like Coulter, Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, and their ilk leading the charge from the Right, it doesn’t take a Ph.D. to figure out that compromise (or reasoned, rational discussion) is not on the lunch menu.
There is nothing in the world wrong with having strong convictions (something I am certainly guilty of), nor in feeling that your are correct in your views (ditto). What makes Coulter so horribly wrong is her complete and total inability to recognize the fact being Right is not absolute proof of moral and intellecutal superiority.
In a perfect world, Ann Coulter would have to wear out her kneepads in order to get any of her trash published. Given that we live in an imperfect world, who’s wearing the kneepads now??
She'd be damned funny if she weren't beleived by so many deluded fools who still think ol' Shrub's got their best interests at heart.
That and she always seems to really think she's telling the truth, I'm sure that counts alot.
You might enjoy this site, http://ifuckedanncoulterintheasshard.blogspot.com/.