"Faggot" is dangerous

Posted by Pam Spaulding at 8:26 AM on March 6, 2007.

When someone hurls the new F-bomb at you, what do you think it's referring to? Ann doesn't think it has anything to do with sexual orientation. On Faux News last night (she appeared on there rather than debate John Aravosis on CNN), she also bleated that "It isn't offensive to gays. It has nothing to do with gays."

Faggot. (Kevin Aviance brutally gay-bashed in East Village)

Well, now I guess the conservative movement has to make a choice, and it'll probably be the wrong one -- it will continue to love Coulter because she represents The Base. This is who they are, despite the efforts of a few bloggers who were at that meeting and were offended enough to publish an open letter telling people to stop giving Coulter a public platform.

According to Think Progress, David Keene, president of the American Conservative Union (a co-sponsor of the CPAC), has he not said whether she'll be invited back again. Andrew Sullivan received this terse email from ACU:

ACU and CPAC leave it to our audience to determine whether comments are appropriate or not. "Ann Coulter is known for comments that can be both provocative and outrageous. That was certainly the case in her 2007 CPAC appearance and previous ones as well. But as a point of clarification, let me make it clear that ACU and CPAC do not condone or endorse the use of hate speech," said David A. Keene, ACU Chairman.

Faggot. (Gay Bashing Victim Dies After Family Removes Life Support)

At least some companies know what the word "faggot" means -- Verizon, Sallie Mae and Georgia-based NetBank have pulled ads from Coulter's web site. A NetBank rep said: Coulter's web page "is not the kind of site we want to be on." Verizon: "This one could be considered an extreme political Web site, should be off the list, and now it is off the list."

Again, this is less about Coulter than it is about the fact that...

... she is a proponent of homophobia (and clearly schoolyard bullying) if she is going to spew it's a harmless word without a specific and well-known meaning.

People die, lose their jobs, are beaten and harassed because of homophobia. Is this what the GOP and the conservative movement stands for? That's fine with me, just don't try to pretend that's not what Coulter is saying.

Faggot. (72-year-old disabled gay man killed)

History has shown that the party of Bush has gone out of its way to be hostile toward gays and lesbians, its leaders pushing legislation to restrict and deny civil rights solely because of someone's orientation.

The GOP has been taken over by extremists and what we are looking at is a fight between the gay-baiting Base and the social moderates who have been silenced and out in the wilderness for years.

The party can choose its path, but the homophobes in the party aren't going down easily. Those in their movement need to step up and not just talk about Coulter, but about why too many conservatives and the GOP feel the need to rely on bashing LGBT citizens to make a point.

Faggot. (Hockey Coach Charged In Brutal Gay Bashing)

H/t, Joe.

Tagged as: homophobia, ann coulter, gay bashing

Pam Spaulding blogs at Pam's House Blend.