I hate to say it, but I'm thinking about blondes this morning-- Anne Coulter and Paris Hilton What else can I think of if I have CNN or MSNBC on? Oh, that's right, a new missing child, courtesy of MSNBC, as I write this line... and a newer faux news obsession-- forest fires, for the pyromanic media lovers.
But let's get back to Anne Coulter, for starters. We've published several articles by liberals since her latest "Edwards moment," criticizing Ms. Coulter.
Well, make that one article, and then some blogs. I intentionally don't like to give her too much oxygen, media-exposure-wise. That just feeds into her marketing strategy. Sigh. But I'm doing it here.
After thinking about it, I'm okay with Anne coulter's trash talk. Why? because I must plead mea culpa. I do it too.
Tough political talk should be, must be allowed. That said, I have a hard time not using animal and anatomy terms to describe Coulter-- terms women don't like. But Edwards has every right to complain about the toxic stuff COulter spews... and to exploit it to raise campaign funds. That's the funny part. Then there's the whole self-righteousness thing, which is usually the domain of the far right-- shame, how dare you?, etc.. Here's a Democratic taking strategy from the right wing play book. Good on Elizabeth.
But just because tough political talk should and must be allowed doesn't mean that the main stream media have to cover it. There a handful of rightwing people currently in power, not all elected, some appointed, who I would not mourn if they dropped dead. But I don't say it, or wouldn't say their names on national TV. Well, I don't think I would.
Actually, with a bit of encouragement, I might. But then there's that annoying Patriot Act, where they can take you away for months, with no recourse. Coulter figured out how to do it. She cited and copied Bill Maher.
On Joe Scarborough's show, Coulter was really whiny and cranky, complaining.. If she can't take the heat, she should shut the eff up. But she won't because this is the way she sells book. She makes outrageous statements that give her millions in free media coverage.
There are times I have an impulse to write a book like Coulter's, eviscerating and excoriating the right. I could do it with articles I've already written-- a lot of them.
America For Sale (published the first week of OpEdNews.com’s existence)
Last year, I reviewed the list that existed then, actually thinking about putting together a collection of my articles, into a book, and I was a bit shocked at my productivity in churning out this kind of Coulteresque stuff. So I wrote this article Being a Positive AND Tough Progressive and I literally spoke to my minister about loving my enemies, even Hitler, after he gave a sermon on that topic. Since that epiphany, I’ve written less of this stuff.
That said, I still do the ocassional angry, tough, even meanspirited piece, perhaps my latest being my obituary cursing Jerry Falwell, for which I took some, but not very much flack, and lost a few readers (with 90% of the email supportive and in agreement.)
More recently, I've resisted going to that Coulter trash talk place as much as I had, partly because the remaining supporters of the right wing are dwindling, so I've had less inclination to do the sociopsychological analysis of stupid white men, rednecks, abused fundamentalists, etc. that I have done in the past. (I reserve the right and pleasure of doing more.) Actually, reviewing the articles again,there's a bit of pleasure in calling a koolaid drinking, nay, injecting right wing idiot... whatever fits. And actually, there is a need for more people to deflate the self righteous right wingers' self image of being Right, God-Chosen, heroic, patriotic and all the other crap they believe. Actually, if a publisher came along with a good offer, or a radio station with a talk program... I'd seriously consider it.
Then, there's Paris, who told Larry King she's never used drugs, outside of her ADD drug, Adderal. Not even marijuana? As a commentator said after the King interview, even presidential candidates admit to using pot. And after reading the bible for hours, she has no message or phrase she remembers. Well, at least she hefted it.
Still, maybe she will turn a new leaf. As one member of the paparazzi said, she will still be photogenic going to charity events. Maybe the lamestream media will be financially motivated to report on a shallow, pathetic celebrity who actually engages in acts of redemption, growth, kindness and love and travels a personal path that leads to her becoming a good, even wise person. What the heck-- a boddhisatva saint with a porn video in her past.
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, and organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
