UPDATE:
Isn't this illegal?! Someone is offering a $1,000 award to anyone who
can "pelt Ann Coulter with bagels" this week. That's like hiring a
hitman for assault! THIS IS AMERICA, PEOPLE! I don't like
Ann Coulter any more than you do, but this is supposed to be the land of
the free, of free speech! Throwing things at someone for
their beliefs is a lot worse than talking about them.
Ann Coulter went on the CNBC
show The Big Idea, and - surprise, surprise - offended
someone. She caused a stir after she made a comment about her
impression of Christians' view of Jewish beliefs.
COULTER: "We
[Christians] think - we just want Jews to be perfected, as
they say."
DEUTSCH: "Wow, you didn’t really say
that, did you?"
COULTER: "Yes. That is what
Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more
like Federal Express. You have to obey laws. We know we’re all
sinners-"
DEUTSCH: "Jews are going to be perfected.
I’m going to go off and try to perfect myself —"
COULTER: "Well, that’s what the New
Testament says."
DEUTSCH: "Ann Coulter, author of 'If
Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans,' and if Ann Coulter
had any brains, she would not say Jews need to be perfected. I’m
offended by that personally. And we’ll have more “Big Idea” when we
come back."
DEUTSCH: "Welcome back to “The Big Idea.”
During the break, Ann said she wanted to explain her last comment. So
I’m going to give her a chance. So you don’t think that was
offensive?"
COULTER: "No. I’m sorry. It is not
intended to be. I don’t think you should take it that way, but that is
what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews. We believe the
Old Testament. As you know from the Old Testament, God was constantly
getting fed up with humans for not being able to, you know, live up to
all the laws. What Christians believe — this is just a statement of
what the New Testament is — is that that’s why Christ came and died
for our sins. Christians believe the Old Testament. You don’t believe
our testament."
DEUTSCH: "You said — your exact words
were, 'Jews need to be perfected.' Those are the words out of your
mouth."
COULTER: "No, I’m saying that’s what a
Christian is."
DEUTSCH: "But that’s what you said —
don’t you see how hateful, how anti-Semitic —"
COULTER: "No!"
DEUTSCH: "How do you not see? You’re an
educated woman. How do you not see that?"
COULTER: "That isn’t hateful at
all."
Eh. I don't think that was
offensive. She's giving her perception - albeit skewed - of the
difference between Christianity and Judaism. Those are her
beliefs: she's entitled to them and she's entitled to speak about
them, because this is America. "Perfected" may have been a bad
word choice, but she's referring to the addition of The New Testament to
the Old Testament. That's hardly anti-semitism, which is defined
as discrimination, hostility, or prejudice directed at Jews.
Deutsch can choose to be offended, based on his religious
interpretation, and that's his prerogative - but he asked her
these questions, what culture would be like in an Ann Coulter
world. Everyone is entitled to their own opnions. Why are
people so quick to pull out the Anti card?
And he's wearing an earplug and reading the transcipt, and he
still can't quote her correctly? The "exact words" were not her
exact words. But now the media will spin this with his words, not
hers.
Sigh. People get mad for the wrong reasons. Let's
get back to this.