In a Bill O'Reilly episode that aired on the Fox News channel on June 22, 2009, political author and commentator Ann Coulter appeared to discuss her perception of the murder of women's health physician and abortion provider Dr. George Tiller (In Memory of George Tiller). Having been gunned down in a Lutheran church on May 31, 2009, Tiller finally succumbed to domestic terrorism of a curious kind: that of purported 'pro-life' extremists, many of whom have harassed him and his family for decades.
Now that the abortion doctor is gone, people from the entire political spectrum have denounced the actions of the suspected assassin known as Scott Roeder -- even the most vehement pro-lifers who might be happy that someone like Tiller, whom they may regard as a murder, is no longer alive. Yes: some pro-lifers are actually consistent with their beliefs and reverence for human life.
But not all of them are. Some blatantly contradict themselves (in public), which makes us wonder if an even greater number of people who describe themselves as pro-life aren't secretly rejoicing because of Tiller's murder as well -- all the while knowing that it is but one incident in the great scheme of the regretfully common and somewhat accepted form of American terrorism.
But can we really be surprised to bear witness to the hateful comments spewed from the gaping maw of Ann Coulter? She is notorious for such things after all. Nevertheless, blood can boil with only a tiny spark from an flimsy flame.
So what did the conservative sensationalist declare that has gotten so many hearts racing with anger? What exactly did she proclaim that miraculously rendered Bill O'Reilly genuinely likable and cuddly by comparison? About Tiller's murder, she announced:
"I don't really like to think of it as a murder. It was terminating Tiller in the 203rd trimester."
To which O'Reilly blessedly responded:
"No, it was a murder."
Thank goodness someone had some common sense. Who would have thought that Bill O'Reilly would ever act as a moderate tempering agent to any of his guests? But then, he inevitably ruined his balanced image when he erroneously claimed that most late term abortions are not done for the health of the mother -- insinuating that women just up and decide in their 8th month of pregnancy that they no longer feel like having a baby. Aside from spreading misinformation of that nature, his dialogue did not seem too offensive. Ann Coulter, on the other hand, continued to appear asinine and veritably contradictory:
"I am personally opposed to shooting abortionists, but I don't want to impose my moral values on others."
First of all, as David Knowles points out in his article for Politics Daily, Ann Coulter's entire career is based on announcing and arguing her opinion against those of others -- rudely I might add. Secondly, her aforementioned statement is crafted to absolve herself from personally endorsing the murder of a viable live human being while she does not truly condemn the murderous sentiments of a domestic terrorist. In essence, she makes subtle fun of her lack of regret for terrorist acts committed against healthcare workers.
Aside from her efforts to make the killing of a women's doctor and the necessary removal of a non-viable fetus a comparable act of violence (to not much avail), she has managed to make the pro-life movement look downright terrifying and entirely irresponsible. While the beliefs of the pro-life / anti-choice movement may contradict the free will of women everywhere, their members are hopefully not as heartless and illogical as Ann Coulter: who is definitely not a feminist.
Other articles of interest:
Choice under siege: George Tiller's clinic is permanently closed
Poll: How do you feel about abortion and the death of Dr. George Tiller?
Pregorexia on the rise: How pregnant women can be anorexic too
A look at hospital births: The realities of medical intervention versus natural childbirth
Economic recession affects women's bodies: A reflection on the rise of abortion and other procedures
Comments
I haven't watched the clip yet, but I've been meaning to. This woman is a complete nightmare. Did you know she believes that women should have never been given the right to vote?
She's right you know.
Ann Coulter is disgusting a vile creature for making such a comment on Dr. Tiller's murder.
She is nothing buI worthless scum. Too bad she hadn't been aborted. It would be a great day if someone murdered her.
barb you are a disgusting and obsence dont you realize gt was a sick prev who could of killed any baby and for you to say anne should of been aborted maybe you should have bully baby killing agreer your a babykiller you cause people depression you arwe not all there saying sick things about anne whwen she is right gt was a babykilling prevert so are you you should of been aborted how do you like it seen as you agree with it
oh juliette, did she really make your heart race? its obvious you knew her statements were false and meant to be ironic. you were probably more taken aback by her effective use of irony- an extremely powerful tool. it shocks us into mental recognition of the truth by use of opposite. ann attempts to point out problems by adopting pro-choice rhetoric in her first statement and blatantly false facts in the second. irony also insulates her from rebuke because theres no argument shes tied to, only nuances.
i could take the time to respond to her flawed ideology, but juliette has already deconstructed it well.
jenn, i did not know that. we should see if she has exercised that right- uncover some inconsistency between actions and beliefs.
also, i have a question and i dont mean to sidetrack discussion, but do you think its sexist to believe that women should dress traditionally? i think girls are more beautiful when they wear pretty, flowing dresses.
Most of the anti-choice fanatics and scam artists tried to distance themselves from Doctor Tiller's assassination, but it is clear that the murderer was closely associated with them. There is no doubt in my mind that they joyfully celebrated his murder, though their public face feigned horror.
Coulter is an altogether different creature. It is a sad commentary on our culture that peroxide, silocone and a big mouth can make one a public figure.
Ann Coulter has done a wonderful job of publicizing the true parallels between abortion (especially late term) and killing a mature human. The reason avid supporters of "women's right to choose" get so upset is they can't handle the truth that Coulter slaps them in the face with. Don't agree? Go back and look at Barb's logic at 9:09 on June 25th!
john talk about a womens right to choose it sounds bad aon women its sexist not all women agree with abuzse pidofiles and babykilling you know in fact some women have been victims of rape and abuse so people should save there sexiism
Frank - Haha, I wish I could believe that Coulter is just silicone and peroxide, but she does hold a couple of impressive degrees, and I find that as much as I abhor her, I can't really just write her off as an idiot.
Ashanymous - Interesting question. I guess I would say it depends on what you mean by "should." If you like it when they dress traditionally or have a general preference, I don't at all think that is sexist. But if you say, wouldn't hire someone or would think they are somehow worse of a person because they don't dress a certain way, I think that might be sexist. But even that is qualified - for instance, if you were hiring a female lawyer, you'd obviously be justified in firing her if she started showing up at court in revealing cocktail dresses or miniskirts.
Does this really surprise anyone that Coulter is a psychopath?
From everything she spews, it can inferred that she is racist, sexist, a homophobe, among other things. Essentially, she hates just about every minority group out there. Advocating for murder? That's just her being herself.
Let's keep in mind she is the prototypical modern day Republican. How far they have fallen since the days of Lincoln and Thaddeus Stevens... Now they're pretty much the mainstream wing of the KKK. I say lets give them a new name, one more fitting to their ideology. Call them the RepubliKlan Party.
a corollary inquiry might be, would it be sexist if a female lawyer were hired for dressing that way. it might just be a question of whos playing who.
the republican party is interesting, i see it as having 3 major platforms, the religious fundamentalists, the war mongers, and your small govt tax ppl. a lot of people think that the 2008 election will catalyze the splintering of the right, but i think its more likely that the non-war republicans will start to make up more of the party. and its very likely that ann coulter could be prominent in the 2012 election.
I'm not sure if it's just the people I know, but I think there are also a sizable group of Republicans that are more accurately categorized as Libertarians. They are for social freedoms and small government, but they are kind of a fringe in the Republican party. I wouldn't consider these types to be RepubliKlans, haha. On the other hand, unfortunately for them, I don't think they are large enough in numbers to influence the party significantly.
So you're asking what if a female lawyer was walking around in a mini skirt and tube top and some firm hires her for that very reason alone?
Probably sexist...but I guess who would really complain? she gets a job, and if they want to judge competence that way and suffer the consequences, I guess let them?
Lol - don't know if you have seen it, but there is a "vote pro-life" google ad on this page... how out of place...
not that i want to keep harassing you jenn but how about this one. is it okay for a slave to be a slave if they like being a slave? im sure you see what im getting at.
and i toooootally pointed out the off nature of the ads in a previous post. capitalism is coopting the examination of women's issues.
Yes, if someone wants to be a slave, they should be allowed to. I don't think anyone would choose this, so I'm not sure that the hypothetical has any practical application. But if someone were to choose this, they may have their own reasons - you just never know.
And of course, when they decide they no longer want to be a slave, they should be able to end their servitude.
I don't think it's capitalism co-opting women's rights - I tend to see it more as the unpleasant byproduct of freedom of speech, especially since it is political rather than commercial in nature (and even commercial speech is protected by the First Amendment). We can't always hear only what we want to hear.
reasons for taking a job are usually an effect of circumstance, the nature of the economy and job market. id say only the luckiest people in the world truly have free will in choosing their job. you're right tho, no one would choose to be a slave.
the practical application was to prostitution. outside of coerced human trafficking, its more likely that the red light district is populated with those who need money than any other probable reasons. in a sense prostitution is analogous to slavery, when considering the depths to which a john controls their escort.
so, is it okay for a women to become a prostitute if she chooses to
Even if it is because this site has to sell ads - the sale enables speech on a wide spectrum. I think the point of free speech is that as many ideas as possible are allowed, so eventually the best ideas are refined and allowed to flourish. Thus, seeing a pro-life ad on this page is probably not fitting, and really annoying, but I don't really consider it a bad thing.
Regarding the prostitution - I know it can be a form of slavery. Indeed, Juliette's article was very enlightening on the matter. However it is forced prostitution that is truly slavery. But being forced to be an engineer, lawyer, or even a doctor, at gun point, with no pay, would also be slavery.
I may not aspire to be a prostitute, but I honestly consider it a legitimate profession. I believe that a lot of the stigma and harms that come from prostitution are so because it is illegal, not because it is inherently a degrading or bad profession.
If prostitution was legal, prostitutes would have more control and legal protection. Currently, a John controls an escort because if he beats her up or robs her, she cannot go to the police because she is doing something illegal. Similarly, many prostitutes turn to pimps because they have no legal protection.
If prostitution were legal, prostitutes would have more control over their lives, suffer less violence, and be able to carry on their business with less male-domination and subjugation.
Prostitution may by its very nature seem degrading, but so do a lot of other jobs, and I think it should be up to the individual to make that choice. Perhaps in their circumstance, that's the best they can do, or just what they want to do. E.g. cleaning toilets, working at a fast food joint, garbage collector, IRS tax guy, whatever. No one necessarily aspires to be these things, but that doesn't mean people cannot work these jobs and still a dignified and respected member of society.
jenn, you think youre so cool with your allusion to the marketplace of ideas? well ur not. ill admit your defense of legalizing prostitution was pretty hot. but i have no qualms with its legality. prostitution is probably the one area where government's paternalistic behavior would be helpful. regulations like mandatory blood tests, can only protect.
it might be a bit absurd to analogize prostitution to cleaning toilets (if thats what you wanna call it), i think the sexual aspect, at the very least, gives it the potential to be the most degrading job. granted, there are probably women who can entirely externalize the experience, like a mental outershell. but that cant come without other mental effects- docility.
if we concede that as long as a women has a choice its fine, then we have to find where that choice ends. in the various countries which breed trafficking, its often that a girl never has a choice in the matter- if she needs the money shes at the whim of the john.
Whether it is truly a choice is problematic. For instance, I don't think it's a profession minors should be engaged in. It is highly doubtful to me that a 14 year old would "choose" it as a profession.
There are definitely issues of trafficking and coercion. I actually interviewed an anthropologist who does work with prostitutes all over the world, and she thinks there is some reason to believe that making prostitution legal might alleviate the effects of trafficking, by creating a supply of legitimate prostitutes and decreasing the demand of trafficked people - who knows if that is the case, but it's an interesting point.
arguably, minors cannot exercise choice, informed ones at least.
i actually feel that legalization of prostitution may make trafficking more of a problem. im not sure that there is a dichotomy between someone who is trafficked and a legitimate prostitute. trafficking is merely the method by which prostitution and virtual slavery occur. i have a feeling prostitution might just function as a legal loophole when trafficking across borders. lol what if governments issued prostitute-work visas. "purpose of visit? whoring".
smaller, weaker governments which are more susceptible to corruption would probably do more harm if prostitution were legalized. on an international scale it would require a legal infrastructure that might deter and prosecute micro-cases of human trafficking- which hardly exists in the status quo.
on the other hand, legalization could very easily quell the desire and demand for prostitutes/slaves. the fruit is forbidden no more. i might query an anthropologist.
Barb sponsors murder. What an enlightened commentator.
*GREAT* job, Juliette!
Keep up the good work!
Ann Coulter shouldn't even be given the attention of the media... attention is what she wants and thrives from.
That being said, she is vile and hateful. She spreads negativity and is devisive. I once heard a radio interview where she was asked : "If you could go back in time and kill anyone ever, who would it be?", to which she answered "FDR".
The other person on the radio show answered Hitler. Need I say more?
You utterly misrepresented Ann Coulter. She was pointing out the fallacy of pro-choicers and applying it to the case of the murder of Tiller. Pro-choicers, even the ones who admit abortion is murder, say that if we oppose abortion, since we feel it is murder, it is imposing our values on others. But the very pro-choicers who argue that cannot stand it when that argument is used against them, where now they want to say how wrong a person is to do this to an abortion doctor (in other words, they admit the law does involve morals and rights and wrongs). It is showing pro-choice double standard.
And Coulter also demonstrated the fallacy pro-choicers make in claiming that taking the life of the unborn is not really murder and showing how if one take their logic and apply to Tiller.
Her point is that if you deny the humanity of a human being, be it the unborn or anyone else, then one can get by with claiming it is not murder. Her point is not to condone murder, but expose fallacies.
It is not different from what pro-life atheist Randall Jones pointed out ten years ago in his writing:
6. Pro-abortionists say: "If you don't like abortions, then don't have one." My response to them is: "That is a great logical process; you just changed my mind; I think I'll apply that to the rest of my philosophy and change my opinions about everything else too..."
"If you don't like slavery, then don't enslave anyone."
"If you don't like rape, then don't rape anyone."
"If you don't like murder, then don't murder anyone."
"If you don't like sexually transmitted diseases, then don't transmit one."
"If you don't like terrorism, then don't bomb anyone."
"If you don't like oppression, then don't oppress anyone."
"If you don't like arson, then don't burn the property of anyone."
As you can see this type of thinking is anarchy, at it's worst. Basically it says: "Shut up and let me do what I want; I don't care how it affects anyone else; I just want to do what I want to do."
"i actually feel that legalization of prostitution may make trafficking more of a problem. im not sure that there is a dichotomy between someone who is trafficked and a legitimate prostitute. trafficking is merely the method by which prostitution and virtual slavery occur. i have a feeling prostitution might just function as a legal loophole when trafficking across borders. lol what if governments issued prostitute-work visas. "purpose of visit? whoring"."
That concerns me, too. I am convinced that much of illegal prostitution involves basically women being used as sex slaves, and nothing more. Making it legal will make it even harder to catch those trafficking them, and those ladies will suffer more, physically, sexually, spiritually, mentally, etc. It is like slow death to them. Those folks who do this to them should be locked up for life.
There is hypocrisy in society by the way condemning prostitution where it is tolerated as long as done as porno movies.
Coulter is demonized for using the same arguments that the pro-abortion people use against pro-lifers. That the pro-abortion supporters can not see themselves in her words would be funny if it weren't so tragic.
thank you anne for dancing on my creul hubands grave who beat me till i turn blue what dances did you do tango fox trot or boogie good fun dancing on his grave im being serious i hated him to he abused me he was a nutcase babykiller
forever thanking scott rider my husband george tiller was disgusting kept touching womens fannys why are people to thick to realize how disgusting babykilling is
forever thanking scott rider my husband george tiller was disgusting kept touching womens fannys why are people to thick to realize how disgusting babykilling is
george tiller was evil disabled and deformed what goes around comes around i understand it from george tillers wifes point of veiw how she was in a abusive relationship cause i was in one and he was disabled his mum wanted an abortion my ex peterbibbys mum wanted an abortion but she couldnt or he'd of been stuck inside her i understand how he felt but he abused me and it was all because his stupid mum wanted an abortion and mine didnt see what abortion causes
MY HUSBANDS EVEN RAPED ME THE STUPID SPAZSICK AND THE REASON HES PATIENTS THINK HE IIS A HERO IS CAUSE THERE BABY KILLERS TO DOH NOT ALL WOMEN ARE LIKE THAT PLS DONT BE SEXIEST AND THINK THEY ARE BECAUSE SO MEN KILL WOMEN HE BROGHT MY KIDS UP BITCHES AND MY KIDS WERE DISABLED AND BADLY DAMAGED BUT HE BROUGHT THEM UP TO ARGEE WITH HIM STUPID SPAZSTICK HE WAS AND IM A RAPED WOMEN STICKING UP FOR MYSELF
I KNOW HOW GEORGE TILLERS WIFE FEELS I WAS IN AN ABSUVIE RELTIONSHIP ALL BECAUSE MY EXS MUM WANTED AN ABORTION BUT WAS FORCED TO HAVE HIM OR HE'D OF BEEN STUCK INSIDE HER HA HA MY EX WAS OFF THE RAILS CALLED PETER BIBBY IF HE'S READING THIS REMEMBER HOW I USED TO SUPPORT YOU OVER YOUR MUM WANTING AN ABORTION SO IT WAS A BAD MOVE TO ABUSE ME REMEBER ANGIE
i am happy gt dead thats why i was singing when it happenpped the atupid disabled handicapped spazstick not all there police seendinding scott to jail scott killed a pidofile do the police agree with pidos or something
scott did a good thing gt was a sick man killing babies and letting mothers take there dead baby home what must they thing of him he was disgusting saying abortions womens rights hopes and dreams is sexist bull we all not all babykilliers can us women go round saying pidos is mens hopes and dreams to make the sexism fair what kind of a man was gt
anyone who thinks gts grave dancers are sick are perverts themselves i wonder if gts dancers were good dancers should be on tele i am pld on gts suffering its helped me with my depression can you blame me for thinking this or any other women who has been abused
gt caused a lot of depression and bullying he even killed babies how can wmen be blamed for being happy he is dead good riddance george tiller i feel better now he is dead killing babies indead and giving them there mothers to take them home he was badly damaged dance on his grave sing pink and katy perry they are both against abortions and realize its babykilling
AT LEAST EVERYONE ELSE IS PHYSCALL GT WAS MENTAL SO ARE ALL ABORTION AGREES WHY CANT PEOPLE SEE GT WAS THE NUT CASE NOT SCOTT IVE GOT DISABLED FRIENDS I LOOK AFTER IM DISGUSTED THAT SOME PIDOS THINK ITS OK TO KILL THEM THATS NOT NORMAL ITS OBSENCE WHY ARE PEOPLE TO THICK TO REALIZE IM CONCERNED FOR MY DISABLED FRIENDS WELL GT IS DISABLED FOR KILLING BABIES
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