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March 04, 2007
The Greenwalding of Coulteral Diversity?
While I can only speculate about the reasons, this morning I learned that Barry Campbell of Enrevanche is no longer a RINO. And he has a short but sweet farewell post: I am a RINO (Republican In Name Only) no longer... because, in fact, I am no longer a Republican.Clueless though I am about what's going on in Barry's mind, it did occur to me that Ann Coulter might have triggered his reaction, and the more I thought it over, the more I wondered whether the spectacle of a group of self-congratulatory bigots laughing over her use of the "faggot" slur might also be triggering -- as a very much intended consequence -- an exodus of" homo lovin' RINOs" from the GOP. I can just hear the other "side." "Good riddance!"The undeniable fact is, there are a number of people in the GOP who think this way. (You can watch them clap on video.*) And there are a number of people who believe -- passionately -- that homosexuality is the greatest threat this country faces, as well as the greatest threat faced by Western Civilization itself. (As I've discussed, to them Brokeback Mountain means the end is near or something.) Not that this latter group will necessarily use the "f" word. But developing calluses (as I have) will not make them go away. Nor will trying to get them to laugh at themselves work. They truly believe God is behind them on this issue. Arguments based on logic and reason are a colossal waste of time. So is humor. I thought about them (the "apoplectically apocalyptic" homo haters) last night when I contemplated Ed Morrissey's remark on the Coulter flap: At some point, Republicans will need to get over their issues with homosexuality.I used to think that too. The problem is, for certain people, there's no getting over certain things. I worry that these "can't get over" types of things are the sort of things that will put Hillary in the White House. The right wing of the GOP are doing the heavy lifting for her. But what about the GOP as a Big Tent? Have things reached the point where I have to ask myself whether I would rather be in the same tent with Ann Coulter, or the same tent as Glenn Greenwald? I don't think so. Anyone is free to either join or leave either party. My emotions aside, before I run from one hate-filled tent to another, I plan to keep the following two points in mind: 1. Fred Phelps is a Democrat;The former hates gays even more than Ann Coulter, while the latter has faced criticism for not only having close gay friends, but for dressing in drag at a gay-friendly event. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders whether Giuliani might be the primary target of a Coulter and Greenwald campaign. Hey, if two people from such different tents and can agree on something, why not? I'm sure Ann can stomach an opportunistic fellow traveler, even if he's someone she wouldn't allow herself to use the "f" word to describe. And for all of Greenwald's fussing about fascism now, he once thought the people who sound the way he does now were "odious and repugnant." I know times change, but opportunities always abound.
UPDATE: Jeff Goldstein has been accused of supporting Ann Coulter. Which he doesn't. But what Jeff objects to is the idea that he has some affirmative duty to jump up and down because he is told to: To be clear, while I don't believe it inappropriate to distance oneself from certain remarks if, in fact, one feels strongly enough to do so, I also feel like the "need" to get out in front of such things is a form of surrender to a public speech code that I'm finding, structurally at least, quite problematic. Ann Coulter doesn't work for any particular candidate, nor does she speak for "conservatives" en masse. So demanding that people necessarily distance themselves from Coulter publicly is a bit like demanding that ocean lovers distance themselves from stingrays in the wake of Steve Irwin's death.As Jeff says, Greenwald considers Coulter "THE SINGLE DEFINING PERSONALITY OF THE ENTIRE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL MOVEMENT!" (Which begs the question of who loves her the most.)
posted by Eric on 03.04.07 at 12:04 PM
Comments
Eric, I haven't paid attention to La Coulter in years; my decision to switch to an "unaffiliated" status has been building for some time, though I admit that an increasing reluctance to be associated with a party with a prominent bigot/theocrat component has something to do with it. If you're interested in the thought process, it will be explained (as I have time and when the Muse whacks me upside the head) in the next few weeks. Barry Campbell · March 4, 2007 05:46 PM Eric, I think it all comes down to what issues you value the most. I value economic liberty and national security highly, and Republicans are the least bad party on that. Don, I tried to read your comment, but I couldn't get past the idea of lesbian nurses. Sorry. Jon Thompson · March 4, 2007 05:47 PM LOL Jon, oh to be young enough again for that to excite me :^) I got as far as the lesbian ex-wife and then my heart broke in sympathy. Moving on... As for Coulter - I just wish we (libertarians) could denounce her without jagoffs like Howard Dean demanding that we do. Because, when Dean opens his barbaric Yawping trap, he then makes us look like we're only condemning Coulter because he's ordered us to. It follows (1) he's made us his b*tch and (2) we look like we don't mean it when we call Coulter a disaster for the team. CPAC should have kept her off the premises. But, it's done now and we're stuck with it. In the meantime we are left with pointing out Dean's own (copious) verbal missteps. It's grade-school tu quoque, true, but it beats the alternative - which is President Hillary, or Obama, and the abject surrender of the Western world. David Ross · March 4, 2007 11:06 PM Were they clapping her slur or were they clapping her breaking of PC (which was supposedly the point of her statement)? Given how well Guiliani is doing in R polls I'd say the bigots in the party are a fringe at best. But I get it. Only Republicans can be bigots. In the same way that only white people can be racists. White Democrats exempted of course. Even Senator Byrd. Did some one say PC? Nov '08 is a very long ways away. Since I'm not up on the latest acceptable terminology can some one tell me what Republicans can say? How about gay (is that word OK?) Republicans. Can black people use the N... word but it is verbotten for white people? I guess since I'm Jewish I can use kike, but Jew haters (actual or implied) had better watch out. I live in Rockford and am a big Cheap Trick Fan. The "Dream Police" do not live inside my head. However, the language police are setting up housekeeping. I'm keeping an eye on them. M. Simon · March 4, 2007 11:28 PM I am a gay man who enlisted in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. So I think I have a right to express an opinion here, on this issue. Frank · March 5, 2007 12:05 AM Well adios I have no doubt you'll find more agreeable company in a party that uses the word Christians in the same way Coulter used faggot. I find this so much nonsense when one party places adds on TV accusing those who disagree with the hate crime agenda as being KKK members. One does get tired of the left's ritual treason and insulting the troops and describing those who diasagree with them as havoing extra chromosomes, so you will excuse me if I say to those who are upset with Coulter, I wonder where you all were during the bigotry and hate fests that the dhimmies throw every campaign? I mean who outed the pages and for what reason? Who like clockwork outs homosexuals for not towing the party line? Ann Coulter for president. At least she had backbone compared to those RINOs desperately telling us how conservative they are at CPAC. Again adios. I'm sure you'll find a more like minded fellowship with all the other independents. Thomas Jackson · March 5, 2007 01:36 AM Thomas Jackson, I suggest you read my posts before making assumptions. I won't waste time defending myself against words put in my mouth. And if you reread my post, you'll see that I never said I was qutting the GOP. I'll just keep on stinking up the tent -- detestable RINO though I be. :) Eric Scheie · March 5, 2007 07:05 PM Post a comment
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Look. Bigots are in both parties. How fast were the Democrats to point the finger at Foley for vulger chat boxes, but then celebrated the tenure of Stubbs after he was censured for actually having sex with a page.
I have been watching the US Army for a long time. During the Vietnam War, homosexual soldiers were appreciated for what they could do. During the Carter Administration the Army Nurse Corps actively recruited for lesbian nurses. Many soldiers who, for what ever reason, did not serve in the first Gulf War sought to remove homosexual soldiers who did. Similar nasty bureaucratic games occured after WWII and Korea. Such is the human social condition.
I am not homosexual. My ex wife is. If it is genetic, my kids have probably have it. If it is behavioral, they probably have it.
I am opposed to gay marriage, if imposed by judicial fiat. I am neutral about it if debated and enacted by legislature. Who cares what I think about it, I am one of 30 million people in California.
The country is at war. The horrible people (we fight no others!) would murder US citizens on principle, gay or straight. They would continue it, despite their support and manipulation of Yassar Arafat, who became a terrorist after being caught "flagrente delecto" and being the choice of being stoned to death, or becoming a terrorist.
Lieberman is a Democrat. I would support him, though I disagree with him on nearly every issue, except the war. Alas, even he does not support the war with due ferocity, because if he did, he would have caucused with the Republicans (more of whom voted for him than Democrats) who would procecute the war with more vigor.
Dignitas et Gravitas