I was a huge fan of Ann Coulter's until yesterday.
Her Twitter comments after the debate were crude and disgusting.
I have read and enjoyed all of her books, couldn't have cared less if she thought that Jews needed to be "perfected" by Christianity, enjoyed her columns immensely, and especially loved her mastery of using Lexus Nexus as a literary tool to clobber lefties. But I have to say, I was really bummed out when I saw the "f-cking Jews" comment.
I'm one of those "f-cking Jews" who is conservative, a believer, a supporter of Israel and the Jewish people and one of those "f-cking Jews" who loves America as well. And never in a million years would I ever refer to "f-cking Christians" because that is a base, disgusting turn of phrase. And I'm sure Coulter would never refer to "f-cking blacks" or Asians, or gays or Mexicans or anything else. And of course Jesus was a "f-cking Jew", but of course, she knows that as well.
Part of what is so disgusting is the load of orgasmic, Jew-haters who are support her vile, allegedly 'anti-pandering' sentiments. Just look at the revolting company she has now keeps. I suspect that this will have an affect on her career. It is terribly disappointing that someone so smart has veered so sickeningly close to Pat Buchanan and James Baker territory.
And it's also disturbing that as a result of this episode, I find myself siding with someone like squishy, liberal Obama-bot Jeffrey Goldberg who Tweeted back to her that there are approximately 6 million "f-cking Jews" in America. Well played, Mr. Goldberg.
As for myself, when I hear Republican politicians in America, or Conservative politicians in Canada talking about "Israel", I understand it on two levels.
First, it means support at the nation-state level, supporting the right of the Jews to live in their ancestral homeland, Israel.
The other level is the broader philosophical and existential level, which means supporting the Judeo-Christian way of life, our laws, our moral history and philosophy and our traditions, our moral compass.
That is what is meant by "Israel".
That's what Israel represents. It's not just about the Jews. It never is.
The debate comments were thus not a matter of "pandering" to a random 1%, to garner GOP mainstream support or donors or to curry favour with evangelicals or anything of the sort. To suggest that comments about supporting Israel come at the expense of detailing policy plans for America, or that it's about pandering to Jews is frankly antisemitic. And this is certainly not a term I throw around lightly.
Understanding the centrality of Israel and Judeo-Christian values in American life, and saying it out loud and unapologetically, is what will inspire America's recovery from President Obama's insipid socialist decline.
Coulter is a master of the English language and of provocation, so I'm not buying the 'clarification' Tweet that followed. There's nothing to misunderstand here. I get her "Annsplanation", but it just doesn't pass the sniff test.
I just feel sick about this.
This episode certainly does not diminish my assessment of her intelligence, or wit, but it has demonstrated Coulter's profoundly vulgar, ugly and antisemitic side ,and some extremely bad judgement.
As I say, this has been terribly disappointing for me, but ultimately those who harbour even a small whiff of antipathy toward Jews in their soul cannot ever be truly happy, joyful or fulfilled. It's a soul-rotter.
So, adios, or I guess I should say "shalom", Ann Coulter from a former, "f-cking Jewish" fan.
Scaramouche also has a few links here.
Some more thoughts from Lee Smith at Tablet magazine, who decries the general degradation of political discourse in America.
(I actually do think the "Jew-tracker" in the NY Times was antisemitic.)
