Editor's File | A letter to Coulter

Centre Daily Time ^ | 9/1/02 | Bob Unger

[Kay Ludlow]

Posted on Sun, Sep. 01, 2002 Editor's File | A letter to Coulter runger

Dear Ann Coulter:

You're fired.

It's not that extreme viewpoints are unwelcome on the opinion pages of the Centre Daily Times. All political viewpoints, from Cal Thomas on the right to Molly Ivins on the left, are welcome here.

But, we don't welcome haters, Ann, and that's what you are.

Well, you are either a hater or a hypocrite who calls names and spews enmity because you believe it will get your pretty face on television more or sell more copies of your best-selling books.

In either case, we won't be publishing your Friday column anymore. We decided not to publish a piece of yours a few weeks back because it was nothing more than a sexual history of some of your enemies -- i.e., private citizens who dared to give money to the Democrats.

I wrote a column about why we held the piece and told readers then that if you continued to cross the line, we'd can you.

Your Friday column, in which you declared that liberals are "no good," then trashed the entire Kennedy clan as a collection of "heroin addicts, convicted killers, cheaters, bottleggers and dissolute drunks," crossed that line. I'm not going to defend the Kennedy family or liberals; either group can argue with you if they'd like.

But, Ann, you're mean -- vicious, really -- which is why we do not believe that you in any way serve the public good.

On a late summer morning almost a year ago, all of us -- Republicans, Democrats and everyone else -- witnessed what hate is capable of.

Since that day, Americans have tried to remember that they are on the same side, regardless of differences in skin color, nation of origin, religion or political viewpoint. It has not always been easy because, more than ever, those who are different can seem more threatening. But we're trying because what we have in America is worth keeping.

And, Ann, you're not helping. You do nothing to elevate our spirits, to celebrate the great bond that holds us this unruly people together and makes us a nation.

Hate is easy; love is hard.

Our great nation gives you the freedom to hate all you want and even to make a buck off it if you can. But, even better, it gives us the right not to have to listen.

So, Ann, you're fired. I expect some of our readers are going to be mad at us over this, but we hope they'll understand that while we joyfully publish a wide spectrum of political and social viewpoints, we condemn hate where we find it.

You won't miss us much, Ann. Heck, you're rolling in money. And your fans can find your column on the Internet anyway.

We'll start looking for someone to replace you. It won't be easy because you sure are flashy and a lot of folks like flashy. But political conservatism has produced other columnists of merit whose ideas will provide subjects fit for public consumption and debate -- writers who do not believe those who disagree with them are traitors, or worse.

Sincerely,

Bob Unger, executive editor

Bob Unger can be reached by e-mail at runger@centredaily.com or by phone at 231-4640.

[Kay Ludlow]

This was written by the Executive Editor of the Centre Daily Tima, State College PA's local paper. State College is home to Penn State University. The local leftist's had a letter writing campaign going ever since the CDT starting carrying Coulter, and while there have been nearly as many letters in support as in opposition, he's decided not to carry her.

I fail to see why he considers her more of a "hater" for what she says about conservatives than Molly Ivins or Deb McMurtrie (local columnist) say about the left. StopGlobalWhining had posted a Deb McMurtrie column awhile back about how conservatives don't care about starving children etc. Why didn't Unger consider that hating??? Only because they didn't name examples and painted all conservatives as meanspirited?

[SouthernFreebird]

Can't we all just get along.....(gag)

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Translation: We don't have any substantive reason to drop your columns, we just don't like you and will justify our action by name-calling - "you are a hater."

The funny thing about this is these liberals act like THEY are civilized.

[Lazamataz]

In this electronic world, can we really get too terribly worked up at what a paper periodical does?

Paper publications are becoming increasingly meaningless. No one who wants to read Coulter will be denied.

[Lazamataz]

Bravo Bob Unger!

Disagree.

[Stallone]

Leftists are scumbags and thugs.

Editor means 'dictator' to Socialists.

Destroy Liberalism wherever you find it - every thing you do helps.

[unbiasedtruth]

Remember, when liberals/socialists/RATS say something negative about conservatives/Republicans, it's called criticism. But when someone on the right does it, it's called "mean" or "mean-spirited."

How this so-called editor comes to the decision to pull Ann Coulter's column yet continues to run Molly Ivans, is beyond me.

[TLBSHOW]

He can't fire her. What a stupid commie liberal!

[Lazamataz]

He can't fire her. What a stupid commie liberal!

Actually, you have a point. LOL! Missed that. He can't fire her, he can only stop purchasing her product.

[TLBSHOW]

Ann. Heck, you're rolling in money

Yep and he isn't he is just a hick town nobody!

[elcaudillo]

Just what's needed on this thread:

A liberal Canadian!

Your two cents is worthless.

[Jim Noble]

>>Why didn't Unger consider that hating???<<

Because calling conservatives "haters" is a conscious lie. Unger uses words to further the cause, and regards "truth" and "lie" as specious bourgeois categories, too base and concrete to capture the lofty thoughts that occur to the revolutionary vanguard.

You cannot debate with these people, it will drive you insane ( I mean really, literally psychotic.)

[The Iguana]

On a late summer morning almost a year ago, all of us -- Republicans, Democrats and everyone else -- witnessed what hate is capable of.

Nice job of equating Ms. Coulter to the 9/11 terrorists.

[FryingPan101]

This is amazing, is it not? There is no person more filled with hate than Molly Ivins.

[section9]

Given the fact that this came from a town where a University exists, this "firing" should surprise no one.

This guy is trying to start a propaganda campaign against Coulter in the hope that others will follow and kill her column. The liberals understand that they control the editorial rooms. However, Coulter as a personality has hit a critical mass beyond which she can't be muzzled.

What is doubly amusing is the hypocrisy herein. Liberals have been peddling hatred of conservatives, Republicans, and in the case of black liberals, white Conservatives, for at least a decade and a half. The fact is that this is a liberal editor who is upset that Coulter so thoroughly gores his side's oxen. That is all. His accusations of "hatred" are merely his rationalizations for censorship.

That is all that there is to this column. A neat and tidy moral corruption is clothed by a tawdry wardrobe of wounded self-righteousness.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[SamKeck]

... you declared that liberals are "no good," then trashed the entire Kennedy clan as a collection of "heroin addicts, convicted killers, cheaters, bottleggers and dissolute drunks," ..."

And the problem here is .... ?

[Tijeras_Slim]

The Centre Daily Tima

Like he really has to worry about his sales numbers...