Ann Coulter, "That's So Gay," and Thought Police in Schools
By Peter LaBarbera
Ann Coulter has been roundly denounced for using the "F-word" (six letters) – see this article by Matt Barber of Concerned Women for America and this article by Albert Mohler). I'm a Coulter fan, but she crossed the line on this one.
There are larger issues at stake here for American freedom: today it's the F-word, which has been banished as the sexual equivalent of the N-word. Tomorrow it could be certain applications of the G-word: G-A-Y. Many students use "That's so gay" to connote something that they think is stupid or weird: should they be forced to undergo sensitivity re-education — or perhaps attend a "Gay Pride" parade?
Where will the PC "hate speech" enforcement stop? AP recently reported:
"When a few classmates razzed Rebekah Rice about her Mormon upbringing with questions such as, "Do you have 10 moms?" she shot back: "That's so gay."
"Those three words landed the high school freshman in the principal's office and resulted in a lawsuit that raises this question: When do playground insults used every day all over America cross the line into hate speech that must be stamped out?"
The AP story points to the threat that official speech codes pose to Americans' most fundamental freedoms. Homosexual activists routinely and outrageously blame Christian pro-family groups for violence against homosexuals, and there are many on the Left who will go to extraordinary lengths to turn any derogatory use of 'gay" into an opportunity to spread their pro-homosexual ideology.
Coulter was joking. These activists are dead serious. Students and parents, take note.
As a rule we do not, like Fred Phelps, use the term "fag." Coulter's stunt was childish and, despite her protestations, she was clearly calling family man John Edwards a "faggot" — even as she also poked fun at the Left's quirky "hate" formula by which they vilify their foes, then jump up and down when their own PC speech taboos are violated. (Example: saying George Bush is like Hitler – NOT HATE; saying we should love people practicing homosexual behavior but hate their sexual sin — HATE.) Coulter's reference point was Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington, who, after publicity grew about his calling a homosexual co-star a "faggot," apologized and checked himself into rehab for a "psychological assessment."
People involved in homosexuality should not be the object of taunts or hatred, and Christians, especially, are called to apply the Biblical command to speak the truth in love. We are called even to love our enemies so name-calling simply is not an option. (I confess that I once called homosexual blogger Joe Brummer, who is obsessed with AFTAH, a "twit," but you might too if you read the tripe that he puts out on an almost daily basis. (A recent Brummer blog entry accuses Sonja Dalton and me of being "extremely responsible [sic] for the climate of violence that plagues gays and lesbians.")
"That's So Gay"
The reality we face is that many on the pro-homosexual side, even as they recklessly smear committed Christians as bigots and haters (and murderers for what we believe!), want to define any negative use of the word "gay" as evidence of "hate speech" requiring punitive and corrective action. The AP story continues:
Testifying last week about the 2002 incident, Rice, now 18, said that when she uttered those words, she was not referring to anyone's sexual orientation. She said the phrase meant: "That's so stupid, that's so silly, that's so dumb."
But school officials say they took a strict stand against the putdown after two boys were paid to beat up a gay student the year before.
"The district has a statutory duty to protect gay students from harassment," the district's lawyers argued in a legal brief. "In furtherance of this goal, prohibition of the phrase 'That's so gay' … was a reasonable regulation."
So many questions about this AP article (which you can read in full by clicking HERE):
- Since when was it decided that "hate speech" must be "stamped out" in the USA, as AP reporter Lisa Leff so cavalierly asserts? I thought we had something called the First Amendment. Maybe Ms. Leff needs to go back to school to study it.
- Who could agree on what constitutes "hate speech," anyway? Are we going to get our definitions from GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network), whose founder, Kevin Jennings, certainly has evinced clear "hatred" toward religious conservatives? Lesbian blogger Pam "Jeebus" Spaulding calls me and other Christians who oppose homosexuality the "AmTaliban," and I think she's a hateful anti-religious bigot. How about letting the free market of ideas sort that one out — not some school bureaucrat or judge? If a kid is taunting another kid, it's one thing — all students must be protected regardless of criteria — but if a student is overheard using "gay" in a negative context, that must not be used as an excuse to call in the Thought Police.
- As we recently noted, it's OK to be "anti-gay" as long as you don't hate people. Homosexual behavior is destructive, wrong and — most important — changeable. "Gay" is not a person. So while I would not encourage my kids to say "that's so gay" – there are better ways to make your point — it's almost refreshing that the word "gay" still has a stigma attached to it among so many youth. (That does not mean that you don't fully punish thugs who prey on weak kids — you just do it without promoting any agendas.) Polls show that young people are increasingly pro-"gay"-agenda on issues like "same-sex marriage." Nevertheless, despite years of brainwashing by public schools and popular culture designed to re-program their minds into thinking that "gay" is good (or at least no big deal), most American young people recognize, deep in their God-informed consciences, that homosexuality is unnatural and wrong. It's sort of like liberal adults who take pride in their "tolerance" until they are confronted with the reality of what homosexuals actually do (perversion) — and they react with disgust (the "ick" factor) like everyone else.
- Remember, this is not about being fair or neutral: most homosexual activists and many liberals openly ridicule EX-"gays," and some are even trying to ban therapy groups from helping people change unwanted homosexual attractions. Based on the preposterous "gay" arguments equating conservatives with the KKK because we oppose homosexuality, you'd better believe these activists will try to restrict more and more "hateful" speech as their power grows (example: Canada).
- Back to the Thought Police: once the GLSEN/"gay" agenda gets rolling in schools, what kinds of corrective measures would be meted out to the kid "caught" saying, "That's so gay"? Surely part of the punishment will include being taught that homosexuals (they wouldn't say that word, which is also fast on its way to being banished) are a "civil rights" minority, etc. — i.e., another excuse to foist one-sided pro-homosexual propaganda on kids.
- Rebekah Rice's dad is to be commended for standing up to the education establishment, which apparently was watching Rebekah closer than other students. Isn't that a microcosm of what's wrong with the "hate speech" concept? Whoever is in charge gets to decide which speech will be the target of censorship or "correction." Liberals dominate positions of power in public schools, libraries, big city governments, and the corporate H.R. departments that run "diversity" programs. In schools, they will be tempted to abuse their power and impose their ideology on children through speech-control. We have to fight them to preserve freedom.
Tom,I watched Ann Coulter on O'Reilly the night that she made the comments. I thought O'Reilly was incorrect, and that Coulter was actually on point. Nothing that Coulter said was offensive. Nothing that Coulter said was "Anti-Gay". You need to listen and hear for yourself:Please feel free to point out what it is specifically that think Coulter says, that could be construed as, "Anti-Gay".
On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 9:46 AM, Tommy News <tommysnews@gmail.com> wrote:
--Keith-If you believe that Coulter's anti-gay statements are "right on the mark" then you are as anti-gay and homophobic as she is."Asked about the specifics of the speech - in which Paladino warned against letting children be 'brainwashed' into thinking homosexuality is an 'equally valid or successful option' - Coulter said the candidate was just giving his socially conservative audience the (anti-gay) red meat it wanted."
On 10/12/10, Keith In Tampa <keithintampa@gmail.com> wrote:Once again, Ann is right on the mark!--
On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 3:39 PM, nominal9 <nominal9@yahoo.com> wrote:
What's with the "Adam's Apple" closeup?
Are you trying to say that Ann... is a male?..... (HAR)
> *Video at **http://tinyurl.com/2c6t5sk*<http://tinyurl.com/2c6t5sk>
On Oct 12, 3:04 pm, Tommy News <tommysn...@gmail.com> wrote:
> From Greg
>
> *? 2 ALL: ANN COULTER DEFENDS PALADINO'S ANTI-GAY REMARKS - WHAT ARE YOUR
> COMMENTS?*
>
> *[image: Bill O"Reilly and Ann Coulter]*
>
> *(above): O'Reilly, Coulter*
>> *Aerosmith's "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" *
> =======
>
> *Hi Team!*
> **
> **? 2 ALL:*
> **
> *ANN COULTER*
> **
> *DEFENDS PALADINO'S*
> **
> *ANTI-GAY REMARKS -*
> **
> [image: Carl Paladino]
>
> *(above): Paladino prepares to speak to Hasidim*
>
> Jack Mirkinson reports:
>
> "Speaking to Bill O'Reilly on Fox News Monday, Coulter said she felt the
> need to come to the Republican's defense after it seemed everyone else had
> stopped backing him.
>
> "'I think someone on this network should [defend him]'" she said, calling
> Paladino a 'great warrior' who wants to lower taxes.
>
> "Asked about the specifics of the speech - in which Paladino warned against
> letting children be 'brainwashed' into thinking homosexuality is an 'equally
> valid or successful option' - Coulter said the candidate was just giving his
> socially conservative audience the red meat it wanted.
>
> "'He's speaking to Hasidim...it's like being in Chicago. You say, 'Go Cubs,'
> she said."
>
> [image: coulter]
>
>
> *athttp://preview.tinyurl.com/ybcs77j*
>> *http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SECULARHUMANIST*<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SECULARHUMANIST>
> *Ann Coulter defends Carl Paladino's anti-gay remarks - what are your
> comments?*
>
> *Greg Dempsey*
> *Voice of the People*> *
>
> *======*
> **
> *Ann Coulter Defends Carl Paladino Over Anti-Gay Comments
> Huffington Post | Jack Mirkinson First Posted: 10-12-10 08:42 AM
> Updated: 10-12-10 12:52 PM*
> **
> *Carl Paladino may not have many people sticking up for him after his
> anti-gay remarks before a group of Orthodox Jews on Sunday, but he has at
> least one supporter: Ann Coulter.*
> **
> *Coulter also claimed that Paladino had only been referring to "gay
> left-wing activists" in his speech, calling it "offensive" to suggest
> otherwise. "That was the only thing he was condemning," she said.*
> **
> *"That's not all he did," O'Reilly countered.*
> **
> *"It is all he did!" Coulter said.*
> **
> *"I think everybody but you in the world agrees this ain't gonna help the
> guy," O'Reilly told her.
>
> f086fc6f8490c925a1d2118e75c646cf.jpg
> 50KViewDownload
>
> coulter.jpg
> 56KViewDownload
>
> 1286808752-carl_paladino_hates_the_gays.jpg
> 79KViewDownload
>
> f086fc6f8490c925a1d2118e75c646cf.jpg
> 50KViewDownload
>
> 1286808752-carl_paladino_hates_the_gays.jpg
> 79KViewDownload
>
> coulter.jpg
> 56KViewDownload
--
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
--
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy --
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment