Please, do you seriously think Ann Coulter spews this hate filled tripe just to sell her books? Then Alex Jones is just playing a character too? You need to wake up and realise that these people have become figureheads of the nutjobs because they sincerely believe this shit and not just playing the character to make money.
Yeah Coulter is basically a performer who knows generating controversy and playing to the base will sell more books. She's been doing this since the mid 90s and hasn't changed.
I disagree.
Why do we have to believe that these people are merely acting rather than being actually, you know, rotten, despicable creatures? Look how that worked out with your similar assessment of Drumpf as well.
I don't think it's even up for debate at this stage that they are just acting a character for the masses.
Trump is also a performer.
Making her into a vile hate figure is off the mark imo. That should be reserved for the likes of Richard Spencer and actual white nationalists, not flamboyant conservatives who are obviously playing to the cameras to sell products.
There's always a degree of theatricality involved for public figures, but again, the views you espouse in public should be the measure of your character. I can't go around saying I want to round up the gays and then tell people who think rounding up the gays is a bad idea that I'm a good guy and they are bloody snowflakes for chastising me. Doesn't work like that.
What do you think is the influence of people like her? So she should get into a white robe and carry a torch before qualifying as a hate figure?
Spreading views you disagree with doesn't mean they are despicable. They happen to appeal to a fairly wide swath of Americans who buy her books, which is her ultimate goal. Trying to paint her as some sort of hate figure does a disservice to the attention actual hate figures like neo-nazis and white separatists need applied to them. Coulter, despite being annoying and venomous, is not even remotely close to the white separatists, otherwise she wouldn't make it on any of the shows.
So as long as there are enough people agreeing with you, hateful views are justified. Good to know.
Don't downplay it. Whether you realise it or not their actions have a measurable effect. Calling them actors does not negate that.
We're not talking about Pol Pot. Coulter is a standard conservative with views you will see on any talk radio channel or on Fox. Attempting to shut her down reflects more poorly on the person doing the shutting down than it does on her. Maher, to his credit, has done the correct thing in bring her onto his show over the years.
What is this measurable effect you speak of ? Can you point me to some research on Coulter appearing on shows resulting in a more hateful society ?
Seriously? Are you under the impression that nobody takes them seriously just because you don't?
You said there is a measurable effect ? Where is it ?
So omit the word if you have a problem with me using it.
Freedom of speech is one of the most important elements of a genuine functioning democracy. Everyone should be allowed to express their opinions in any media form or function regardless of what those views and opinions may be. If the police, army, courts and state institutions attempt to stop these people, then the US becomes just a sham democracy. I don't know why the yanks like talking so much about USA and their so called "freedom" when they have so much to work on.
Yea. Yes it does mean they are despicable. Spreading hatred and lies for the sake of your bank account is textbook despicable. It's even worse if they know they are lies. Lots of run of the mill racists come from homogenous communities where they rarely meet people different than them and are susceptible to beliefs passed down from parents or friends because they don't know any better. Pretending to be racist for money is utterly despicable.
Ann Coulter is a hate figure. Just because she appears in shows doesn't mean that she's not a hate figure. It feels like deja vu most of the times. I bet there were similar discussions when media was happy to trot out Anjem Chaudhary for the need of an 'alternate viewpoint'.
She's most certainly not. Comparing her to Choudary who is in prison and whose group is linked to ISIS style rhetoric is well off the mark and in the U.S.'s case, actually lets actual hate groups off the hook.
Yea I just can't get on the same page as you mate. I don't think people should be able to say whatever they want on mass media - because of 'free speech'. For me there has got to be a line... Luckily there is a line.
Ann Coulter is despicable and her hate rhetoric may be a miniscule less on the nose than the likes of Choudary but she's highly dangerous.
She's little more than a conservative polemicist. Rather than attempting squash her by restricting her from being on TV, she should be debated in a neutral setting. Let the better ideas win.
Out of curiosity would you be happy for Choudary, Hamza et al appear on an equivalent of Morning Joe on US television?
I wouldn't mind. He's appeared on Hannity's show numerous times. Let the audience decide what to make of it.
As much as I value the concept of free speech I'm uncomfortable with legitimising hate speech. Coulter is a truly vile hateful twat and deserves to be treated as such. Were it not for people of her ilk the world really would be a better place c
The thing about hate speech is that in the internet age, people interested by that sort of thing are going to find it regardless. For me, allowing controversial figures on popular shows allows society at large to have a discussion as to what they think is and isn't ok. On U.S. TV in the 80s and 90s, talk shows were a great way for much of society to expunge racists (Geraldo, Oprah, Springer etc). Once they are rejected nationally they are often discredited and vanish from the national stage. Look at Milo's recent flop on Maher. He's virtually disappeared from popular culture since then.
Agreed
Should be Taboo for all or none in my opinion
Great post
You obviously missed the gist of Ice Cube's comments. He said it was a teachable moment for the rest of the country. Maher apologized and it was accepted.
I got to five mins of that interview before turning off. Yeah I'm sorry if I missed the gist of it
Ultimately the word has power because of the context of how it's used, which is why its being reclaimed. As Ice Cube says, it's either a knife or a tool, depending on who is using it and how it's used.
I dont think it should depend on who is using it it should depend on how its used if thats how he wants to play it. Also black people can be fecking racist aswel , and also using that word . So who uses it means feck all as racism isnt something that has to do with the color of ones skin. It has to do with the mindset of the person. I think its safe to say Bill was probaly one of the least racist persons that was at that table. He had to appologise to keep his show but i know deep down he doesnt think he should have to appologise. The irony is that he has had to swallow his pride and bow down to the power of PC
