First, please go read this post at Huffington by Peter Daou. He explains far better than I why we not only need to protest her venomous pronouncements, but also, and more importantly, why we must hold the major broadcast media (like NBC) to task for helping her promote her ugly and vicious attacks on liberals and Democrats.
Peter makes the best argument I’ve seen for why we shouldn’t ignore her, and why those media companies that continue to offer her a platform need to suffer for their complicity in broadcasting her hate filled, murderous rhetoric to millions of our fellow citizens.
I’m for boycotting NBC and the commercial sponsors of NBC programs that have given Coulter a forum. Let’s start with a campaign of letters and phone calls to Jay Leno’s advertisers, asking them to pull their advertising.
My proposed letter to Leno’s sponsors, and contact information, is below the fold . . .
[Sponsor’s Name]
[Address]Re: Ann Coulter’s appearance June 13, 2006 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Dear [Sir or Madam]:
It is my understanding that your company sponsors the Tonight Show with Jay Leno through the purchase of advertisements for your [products/services].
Perhaps you are unaware that Ann Coulter, a particularly repugnant polemicist for conservative causes, has appeared on the Tonight Show recently promoting her slanderous book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, which is filled with rancid and vicious slurs against Democrats and anyone she considers “liberal.” What’s more, when she appeared on the Tonight Show she was allowed by Mr. Leno and his producers to spread her hateful and defamatory bile to his audience on Wednesday, June 14, 2006.
Let me given some examples of her remarks so you can judge for yourself:
Referred to the widows of 9/11 victims as “harpies” and “… broads [who] are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by griefparrazies. I have never seen people enjoying their husband’s deaths so much.”
That Democratic Congressman Jack Murtha is “The reason soldiers invented fragging.” (“Fragging” being slang in Vietnam for killing an officer or fellow soldier who was disliked)
“We need to execute people like (John Walker Lindh) in order to physically intimidate liberals.”
“While the form of treachery varies slightly from case to case, liberals always manage to take the position that most undermines American security.”
On how to talk to liberals: “I think a baseball bat is the most effective way these days.”
“The Democrats are giving aid and comfort to the enemy for no purpose other than giving aid and comfort to the enemy. There is no plausible explanation for the Democrats’ behavior other than that they long to see U.S. troops shot, humiliated, and driven from the field of battle. They fill the airwaves with treason, but when called to vote on withdrawing troops, disavow their own public statements. These people are not only traitors, they are gutless traitors.”
“My libertarian friends are probably getting a little upset now but I think that’s because they never appreciate the benefits of local fascism.”
“Liberals hate America, they hate flag-wavers, they hate abortion opponents, they hate all religions except Islam, post 9/11. Even Islamic terrorists don’t hate America like liberals do.”
“We need somebody to put rat poison in [Supreme Court] Justice Stevens’ creme brulee.”
I can only assume that you were unaware that Mr. Leno, his producers and NBC had given Ms. Coulter a coveted appearance on the Tonight Show, because I cannot imagine how any company would wish to associate its good name and reputation with someone who spouts such venomous and ugly statements about her fellow Americans. In order to avoid the implication that you support Ms. Coulter’s bigoted views in the future, I strongly urge you to take the following action immediately:
Contact Mr. Jay Leno and NBC, informing them that your company will cease all its advertising on the Tonight Show if Mr. Leno should ever again book Ms. Coulter as a guest on the Tonight Show.
I hope you will agree with me that no one who promotes hate, and who incites violence against other Americans, for any reason, deserves a forum on broadcast television. Obviously, if you continue to advertise on programs that feature Ms. Coulter, I, and millions of Americans such as myself, whose reputation and good name have been slandered by Ms. Coulter merely because our political beliefs differ from hers, will have to reconsider our patronage of your company.
Sincerely,
[your name here]
Here’s a (regrettably short at present) list of Leno’s current advertisers and sponsors:
Toyota Motor Corporation USA
Yukitoshi Funo
U.S. Corporate President
PO Box 2991
Torrance, CA 90509
Toyota Motor Sales USA
Yukitoshi Funo
Chief Executive Officer
19001 s. Western Ave.
Torrance, CA
Toyota Motor Sales USA Phone No.:
1-310-468-4000
Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Linda Huett, President
11 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 11010
Phone: 1-212-589-2700
Weight Watchers email contact information: LINK
Other Weight Watchers’ Phone Nos.:
Dell Jackson
MGH Public Relations for Weight Watchers
Phone: 410-902-5035
Toyota and Weight watchers are the only advertisers listed at the Tonight Show’s website. Please feel free to add the names of any other Tonight Show advertisers of which you are aware in the comments and I’ll try to run down their contact info as well.
Posted also at Daily Kos.
Also posted My Left Wing.
What a great letter.
This is a much better response to Ann Coulter’s assholehood than my response. Now I’m going to have to call certain gentleman that owe me a favor and tell them to forget what we talked about (a’la Bullworth). Well……maybe not.
I’m definitely sending this letter to every corporate address I can find. I’m hoping others post comments that include more of Coulter’s disgusting and pernicious statements.
I’m sorry, but I have to stand in opposition to this.
I believe in market regulation, but not when it comes to the marketplace of ideas.
How would we feel if the republicans led a boycott of advertisers on a show like Michael Moore’s The Awful Truth, were it still on the air? We sure didn’t like it when Bill Maher’s advertisers got him kicked off the terrestrial airwaves. Personally I don’t want advertisers getting involved with the Coulter debate either.
As disgusting as she is, I think she should be allowed a forum. Sad as it is, she represents a segment of our society and that makes her relevant. It sucks that many agree with her, but letting her views be heard is what this country is all about. The only acceptable way to combat this IMHO is to promote opposing voices.
However, if Leno was only offering up Coulter like viewpoints on his show and not booking opposing voices too, I would be all for a boycott. I don’t think that’s the case here as Leno books many liberal guests on his show as well.
Sorry, but you don’t get this. And you’re completely wrong.
That Coulter is now “acceptable” to mainstream media is an enormous red flag in the increasingly fascist direction of our country. Thuggery and hate speech are engaged in by fascists consciously and precisely to demonize and ultimately deny the humanity of those they attack. It’s much easier then to haul them to the ovens with little protest from the great “undecideds.”
I agree that Coulter’s popularity is a red flag to the coming fascism, which is exactly why it needs to be visible.
If you had a strange lump on your body would you just put a band-aid over it and try and forget it’s there? Coulter is merely a symptom, she is not the disease. In fact I think in many ways she helps our cause as she paints the true face on what Republicans really stand for; hate, racism, selfishness, greed, callousness et al.
Without her presence, republicans will just tune in to George Will and be treated to a completely reasonable looking representation of truly reprehensible ideas. Not so with Coulter, for all her nastiness, she at least represents an honest portrayal of what Republicanism really is.
So, Fight to promote the voices you agree with. Fight to make liberal voices be heard. If you fight to silence those you disagree with thorough intimidation, IMHO, you’re really just becoming a part of the disease, not part of the cure.
But this does not make it right! The type of rhetoric she use is not anything but hate. This is what instigatres others to do ghastly deeds…those of our society that does those kinds of things.
Like I said, you don’t get. Coulter is the disease. It’s called fascism. It uses her kind of verbal thuggery and the thuggery practiced by the “spontaneous” mob of Republican Congressional staffers who showed up at the recounts in Florida after the theft of the 2000 election. While you’re defending their right to be fascists, they’ll either imprison or kill you.
The issue isn’t whether in America fascists have the right to speak, of course they do, the issue is that we on the left must create consequences for the media that promotes this garbage.
You are bordering on ostrich-hood with your last sentence. Do you think the Coulters of the world are intimated by your “fight to make liberal voices heard?” What do you think Steven D’s diary about consequences for the media if they want to promote fascist thuggery was?
Finally, ask Republicans if Coulter represents Republicanism? Ask Olympia Snowe, ask even blowing in the wind politicians like John McCain and Arlen Specter, if they think Coulter’s fascism represents them.
The fascist Bush Administration and its fascist fellow travellers like Coulter, Hannity, Limbaugh, et. al. are the aberation that the fucking American media, in order to make mo’ money, is pandering too. That’s what this is all about.
Jesus exhorted his disciples to have the innocence of the dove, but the wisdom of the serpent. The kind of whimpy liberalism your comments express is what our opponents think liberalism is. Find a damn snake.
How would we feel if the republicans led a boycott of advertisers on a show like Michael Moore’s The Awful Truth, were it still on the air? We sure didn’t like it when Bill Maher’s advertisers got him kicked off the terrestrial airwaves. Personally I don’t want advertisers getting involved with the Coulter debate either.
Actually they did try a boycott of theaters showing Farenheit 9/11, which was partially successful.
but that does not make it right.
When you fight fire with fire, you usually just end up with a bigger fire.
Well, Brian, lets really talk about making a fire bigger. I think this is what is needed, don’t you agree?! When they want to put a forrest fire out sometimes they start a fire to do just that very thing. When they want to put a fire out on a burning oil rig they do that very thing. I have heard/seen this anyhow. I am for making a bigger wave to this kind of feces that is out there that the republicans get away with….but how dare us if we should talk this way about them….What if I were to say things like that about a person such as alito or roberts or others…or calling out a congresscritter by using the same language as she does. I could not get by with it. She needs to be called on it and stopped! Tis is hate language and not a good thing. To even try to sell a book with this kind of language is not good either.
Whether or not her particular brand of hate speech should be allowed in mainstream public discourse sounds like a legitimate argument.
I think that if this were approached with the very specific points you raise in mind, this might be something worthwhile.
I would caution that this movement should be very specific, with specific examples of outrageous things she has said at the forefront of the boycott. I think it’s important that a distinction is clearly made that you are not just calling for a boycott because you disagree with her, but because of something specifically outlandish she has said, such as calling for Clinton’s assassination.
I would recommend that when you call an advertiser that you very specifically cite examples of her hate speech and ask the advertiser if they know that they are supporting her views.
As for myself, I could not join the boycott though.
As an “artist”/”musician”, boycotts rubs directly against my naturally ingrained instincts for supporting ALL expression, no matter how abhorrent.
Thanks for your excellent retort.
Thank you, Brian. Honest debate is what is needed and you will surely get it here at the Booman Trib. I love free speech! But to be outright dedicated to death cause of it, it is wrong. Sure I wanted some ppl in the world dead, but by natural methods not by the hands of liars and thiefs. I am all for change with it benefits all, not just a few in such a class that will bring down America and others in the world. We all know what is right and what is wrong. My son is a cop and when I hear the rap songs of hate towards cops, I shudder to think there will be some out there that will take on the actions implied in song or what ere they call it…
I am glad you have values that you stand on and by.
Geez, what’s the problem? Doesn’t she belong on the comedy shows where we can all at make fun of her idiocy?
Boycotts are a proud tradition of Free Speech. Nice letter.
it’s more like the spreading of a contagious virus, that of insanity/mental illness.
It’s high time this “virus” was contained, before some lunkhead puts her inflammatory words into action.
I support a boycott and letter writing to advertisers.
Coulter regularly calls for the murders of prominent liberals, judges, lawmakers. That’s not free speech, that’s inciting violence. None of those others you mentioned have promoted violence or murder of those they disagree with. You’ve missed the point.
The excellent posters here have done well to convince me that there are good reasons for calling this boycott.
You have my blessing.
Ann Coulter called for the fragging of a sitting legislator.
Stephen D called for a boycott of Coulter’s sponsors.
Same Freedom of Speech.
NBC will brush off the “threat” of a few wacko liberals boycotting one late night show and so will its sponsors. Because the threat is minimal.
First of all…how ANY thinking human being can sit there and passively watch that lame shit is beyond me. I am sure that 99% of the audience for the Late Night sellathons counld’t spell “cat” correctly in the midst of a dogfight.
They simply ain’t funny.
But…given that, it is also an empty threat.
Some small percentage of the audience of one empty show out of the whole vast, empty media bag?
Fuggedaboudit.
BUT…take that same percentage…a white, middle to fairly young adult, educated middle class demographic that is HIGHLY prized by the liars who create advertising…and threaten a boycott of the whole SYSTEM, and then you’ve got a real weapon.
I mean really…on the evidence…is Ann Coulter any worse than Dick Cheney or George Butch?
No. Of course not
She is just a messenger creature.
And yet these same networks and their sponsors portray criminals like Cheney and Butch as “statesmen” on the news EVERY NIGHT!!! People to be taken seriously instead of the members of an insanely dangerous clown posse that they really are.
The MediaCorps make series that glorify the political process, the FBI, the CIA, the military, the cops…above ALL, the cops…who are in reality simply their highly efficient secret (and/or not so secret) police.
OK.
I have been flogging this idea for the better part of a year and a half on left blogworld. Every once in a while someone seems gets a sniff of what it could do, but mostly all I hear is the tranced-out snoring of the virtually co-opted.
So I will say it again.
NEWSTRIKE
And its corollary.
MEDIASTRIKE!!!
NOW that same demographic…not huge. maybe about 5% or 10% of the population TOPS, but spending more like 25%-35% of the money being spent by consumers in this country…has some heft.
Boycott one show. A show that has what, maybe 1% or even less of the total audience that watches TV over a given week?
Nothin’ to it. They can absorb a 10% or even 20% loss of that 1% of their whole game in a heart beat. If they only HAD a heart, of course.
You’re talking .1% of their support, here.
But spread that effect across their whole SYSTEM!!!???
“JB!!! JB!!! Come look at the RATINGS!!! And the CONSUMER INDEX!!!!”
THAT’S big trouble.
A big job, too.
Anybody interested?
Yet?
It’s about time…
Or are you still waiting for the Rove frog-march to begin?
Really.
It is about time.
Later…
AG
I myself couldn’t spell “counld’t”.
AG
Better yet, demand that Media Deregulation be overturned and blast Michael Powell and Bush’s legacy to smithereens. Put that in the Democrats platform and hold Dems feet to the fire over this issue.
Here’s the correct response to Coulter.
I urge any federal prosecutor to uphold the law and take correct action against a criminal.
Exactly! I called Toyota and complained just now. I really did get a good response too. I even got a comfirmation number for my call and left my name and told the young lady that I am a Toyota owner for the past last two cars I drive. I even told her what they were. I really did follow through with the directive as you have described above. Thanks….
Thank you!
I think I saw a post somewhere recommending that someone keep track of Coulter’s schedule, find out where she’s going to be on any given day, and alert local and Federal authorities in the area that there is a person traveling to their jurisdiction who has made public statements in violation of 18 USC 115 — spell out what they are, advocating the murder of a Supreme Court justice and a member of the United States Congress — and urge them to do their duty.
Do this at every single stop she makes. Sooner or later some hotshot who wants to make a name for him/herself will see that this is a perfect opportunity.
I don’t have time to research the relevant laws today, but I believe that most of the 9/11 widows she spoke out against qualify as private individuals and would be covered by slander laws. Possibly even libel, depending on what’s in the book, which I refuse to read. I would think one of them could take her on in a court of law and hit her in the one place Republicans consider vulnerable, her pocketbook.
Of course the real recourse here is to somehow get the public to figure out that hate speech is a Bad Thing, but that is going to take a very long time and we really are in a hurry.
Which agency provides personal security for members of Congress, and has this been reported to them?
Ann Coulter is nothing but another idiotic “red flag puppet” the Republicans love to find and nurture and use very effectively to distract Americans from what’s really going on.
Take her out, they’ll just come up with another and another and another. All the while grinning greedily about how much of the oposition’s energy is being drained off on trying to take out each red flag they happily plant in front of us.
Because that strategy has worked so well for them for so long now. Red flag “puppets”, the more outrageous the better, super divisive wedge issues, they really know how to manipulate the masses and keep us way to unite and do anything truly effective to stop them.
Divide, distract, destroy and conquer: Republican strategy in a nutshell, as far as I can tell.
Everybody has to do what feels like right action for themselves; doing something is always better than doing nothing, because action is empowering.
Sometimes non-action oon something is too, and my personal choice regarding this silly, gullable, narrow minded, hate spewing. pathetic puppet of a persn, is to not give her one any more of my energy, which has other useful places it wants to go. But thats jsut me, and each to thier own. Who really knows what will work and what won’t, until we try it in ever more creative ways.
Nice diplomatic answer. You should run for office. 🙂
I can’t figure out if this is a compliment or an insult..:)
I should leave it mysterious, but I meant it as a compliment.
Scribe, I can honestly see where you are coming from here; however, it is those who listen to her and her hate that will follow through with what she is calling for. They will try to kill someone, someday and then what!!?? It is ppl like this that I worry about. They take feces like this as the honest to goodness way of doing things. Some lunitic will stage a happening on her rherotic and call it for real! Just look at all the hate we have now in America today, because of all the rhetoric we have heard. For me this has to be stopped and done now.
She’s such a serial plagiarizer it’s hard to even know what is her insane rantings and what are the insane rantings of someone else.
Yeah, I haven’t figured this out yet. Why is it OK for Ann Coulter to plagiarize, but not for Ben Domenich and Jayson Blair to do so?
Coulter’s latest outrage: yesterday she suggested that it would be a good idea is someone fragged Congressman Murtha. Coulter deserves to be either slapped in the face or slapped with a lawsuit. It is always quite telling that someone like Coulter is quick to criticize veterans like Murtha and Kerry while ignoring her chickenhawk friends, such as Bush, Cheney, Rove, O’Reilly, Rumsfeld, Limbaugh, Hastert, etc.