Posted on 10/25/2007 9:22:23 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
Conservative author and media personality Ann Coulter spoke to more than 200 people at Annenberg Auditorium on Wednesday, a night that included political jabbing inside and a gathering of protestors outside.
The event was part of "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week," a nationwide effort by the David Horowitz Freedom Center to "confront the two Big Lies of the political left; that George Bush created the war on terror and that Global Warming is a greater danger to Americans than the terrorist threat," according to Horowitz's Terrorism Awareness website. It was sponsored by the USC College Republicans and USC Objectivist Club and underwritten by both the Freedom Center and the Young America's Foundation.
Coulter, self-admittedly notorious for making controversial and offensive remarks, addressed why she believes the Democratic Party enables Islamofascism, criticized liberal stances on both international and domestic policy, with a focus on foreign policy in the Middle East and the Iraq War, and addressed the threat of religious fundamentalism.
She said that 9/11 was "the greatest hate crime in world history" and that Guantanamo Bay looks more like a freshman dorm than a detention center, in response to a recent report that some detainees have gained 20 lbs.
Much to the amusement of the audience, which, judging by frequent applause and the content of the Q-and-A session following the talk, was composed largely of Coulter supporters, the best-selling author doled out her signature jabs at the Democratic Party.
"There's always a conflict of interest when people who hate America are asked to lead it," Coulter said about the Democrats' midterm election victory, soliciting laughter from the auditorium.
For many, the heart of the debate over the week is the term "Islamofascist," a phrase loaded for both sides.
The term, which has been used by widely read journalists such as Christopher Hitchens in the years since 9/11, is meant to denote what Horowitz fears is a growing culture of fundamental Islamic terrorism.
"We are not branding all of Islam. Many Muslims are peaceful human beings," said Brad Shipp, national field director of the Horowitz Center.
Shipp said some aspects of extremist Islam today resemble Nazi Germany.
But some members of the Muslim community say the term affixes a negative connotation to the Islamic faith as a whole.
"Fascism is a national movement while Islamic extremism is a fragmented one," said Wais Hassan, a graduate student studying public administration at USC Sacramento, who was not at the event. "When you use fascism, you assume there is a united front trying to start World War III."
When asked by a Daily Trojan reporter to define fascism, Coulter said the reporter should look it up in a dictionary.
Organizers of the week, both at USC and across the country, said the goal of such speeches is to increase discourse on an issue of national importance.
Both Shipp and Kip Payne, vice-chair of USC College Republicans, said they felt a lack of discussion was the reason why college campuses were targeted for the week.
"We should be discussing terrorism because it is what is happening around the world," Payne said. "Any time an issue is discussed at a national research university like USC, it will get national attention."
"It's mind-boggling that more people are not marching in the streets protesting women being third-class citizens, the absent freedom of the press and other injustices," said Omri Ceren, a doctoral candidate in communication. "In the classroom, it's difficult to bring the subject up."
Others confirmed the need for debate and dialogue on Islamic extremism, but questioned the choice of Coulter as the event's speaker.
Shipp said representatives from campuses were asked to extend a hand to the Muslim community to encourage open debate and dialogue.
Both the Muslim Student Union and Students for Justice in Palestine said that no such offer was made at USC.
Though organizers praised Coulter for her brash personality and bold, attention-grabbing statements, some critics say these characteristics are a detriment to promoting thoughtful discourse on controversial issues.
"I think she was a bad figure to pick," Hassan said. "She is not going to convince liberals because of her past. I'm not sure if she is an expert on the Middle East or was picked to get attention and press."
Coulter has recently been in the press for comments on converting Jews to Christianity that many interpreted as anti-Semitic. Coulter told CNBC anchor Donny Deutsche that Jews need to be "perfected" by becoming Christian.
Some attendees said Coulter's polemic remarks are appropriate for a political pundit.
"She's not a centrist," Ceren said. "Her job is not to persuade; it is to speak to the faithful ... Her job is to express a conservative viewpoint."
Perhaps the most notable part of the event was that Coulter encountered no interruptions. In 2005, she cut short her speech because of jeering at the University of Connecticut, and in 2004 she dodged a pie thrown at her at the University of Arizona.
© Copyright 2007 Daily Trojan
A group of Young Republicans from the University of California at Santa Barbara, located about 100 miles to the west, traveled all the way to USC to see Ann Coulter, and all of them told me that the trip was worthwhile.
She’s finally stepped over the line this time.
“We know who the homicidal maniacs are. They are the ones cheering and dancing right now.
We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren’t punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That’s war. And this is war.”
9/13/2001 Ann Coulter
The truth, without novocaine.
With the intent of creating a nation state, i.e. the entire world.
...said Wais Hassan, a graduate student studying public administration at USC Sacramento, who was not at the event.
No comment necessary.
"When you use fascism, you assume there is a united front trying to start World War III."
Exactly.
Sheesh.
sarcasm??
I guess the “editorial staff” of the USC newspaper didn’t have much of an impact:
From the editors
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Opinion
Known for her mudslinging and immature name calling - she once called Al Gore a “total fag,” like a bitter bully in the schoolyard - Ann Coulter comes to campus today as part of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, billed by its organizers as “the biggest conservative campus protest ever.”
The controversial pundit, whose fame derives almost solely from appearances on cable news networks and a handful of inane, weightless books - is - if not a welcome speaker on our campus, at least a reflection of our willingness to let nearly any political viewpoint speak its case. By bringing such a polarizing figure as Coulter to our campus to voice her opinions, we reaffirm the freedom of expression that rests at the heart of our values. We must allow extreme or discomfiting views to be voiced in order to protect the core of our public discourse, and by extension the nation’s covenant - the First Amendment of the Constitution. ,p>
But discourse does not necessarily mean one must stand by passively as a speaker like Coulter attempts to spread her virulent strain of hatred by grabbing sound bites on the evening news or headlines in the next day’s paper. Discourse also means engaging opposition viewpoints through intelligent, in-depth questioning or even protest.
We ask students who attend Coulter’s speech, which will be followed by a 30-minute Q-and-A, to challenge her to defend her views without resorting to cheap insults. Asking questions filled with a depth of understanding and nuance will show our university to be the place of higher learning we purport it to be. Intelligence can combat the ignorance with which pundits like Coulter fill our collective culture in ways no insult or personal attack ever can. Coulter’s opponents could even carry signs expressing their distaste for her views, allowing her to speak - and in the process supporting the free expression we hold so dear - while proving her hateful message echoes only to the edge of the room.
Such steps allow students, as active, engaged citizens, to participate in the discourse on which our democracy is founded. But such a free flow of words permits extreme views alongside those more moderate, and we, as listeners, must fight hateful or hurtful messages by employing a discerning ear.
no pics? I am soooooo disappointed. =0)
I’ll show Ann - I’m going to go smoke pot at a peace protest!
(/sarcasm)
I don't think that Governor Arnie was there.
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Wow, had to fix a few links there...
Discussion of Anne’s visit here. FReepers bashed:
The La Times take:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-islamo25oct25,1,7491818.story?coll=la-headlines-california
"Known for her mudslinging and immature name calling"
"The controversial pundit, whose fame derives almost solely from appearances on cable news networks and a handful of inane, weightless books"
"a speaker like Coulter attempts to spread her virulent strain of hatred"
An unarmed writer attempts intelligent combat with a civilized ADULT!
“That’s war. And this is war.””
- - - and it has been since 9-11-01. Did we start it? No, Harry. Will we finish it? If Murtha gets out of our way.
Yeah, the “writer” of the editorial spent a lot of time with a Thesaurus while working on this one!
Silly college kids...
Oh -- is that what "ummah" means, "fragmented"? I see...
When asked by a Daily Trojan reporter to define fascism, Coulter said the reporter should look it up in a dictionary.
I can give a pretty good dictionary-style definition of fascism that helps understand the way it's being used of islamists: "a centralized, autocratic government exhibiting severe economic and social regimentation and forcible suppression of opposition." Now, how does that differ from what the islamofascists, nay, the koranistas everywhere, affirm?
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