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.