Why do conservatives defend Coulter's disgraceful comments yet they attacked the Dixie Chicks?

Question

I just don't follow conservative logic. Expressing your dislike for the president and his policies is bad....calling a presidential candidate a F@ggot is good? Gotta luv those conservative family values.

Answer 1

They can't distinguish between free speech and slander. Dixie Chicks exercised free speech, Coulter engaged in slander. Yes, slander against *public* figures is protected speech, but that doesn't make it defensible.

I love how answerer Matt says that Coulter speaks only for herself - yet when Dixie Chicks or Sean Penn say something, they're speaking for all registered Democrats, according to conservative screeds. Just an observation.

To Lulu (answerer further down) - No, no one sane on either end of the political spectrum tolerates the conspiracy nuts. Perfect example of a baseless slander from YOU.

To THORGIRLSWAR (answerer further down) - "Not supporting the troops"? Five words for YOU: Walter Reed, on Bush's watch.

To kveryeffective (answerer further down) - Don't tell me I wasn't bothered by slander against Rice and Powell. Those were despicable comments. There are plenty of above-board reasons to criticize either or both. Your generalization is divisive and incendiary.

Answer 2

I am a conservative and frankly I find many of Ann Coulter's comments offensive and objectionable. The only thing I defend is her right to say it. Just as I would defend the Dixie Chicks right to spout their rhetoric. It amuses me when people want to defend their own side while attacking the other (I include both liberals and conservatives in this statement) because honesty demands that you must defend all equally or defend none. Anything less lacks integrity. However, take a close look at several of the liberal answers you received here before deluding yourself into believing this is just a problem with conservatives.

Answer 3

What the cons seem unable to comprehend is that a pro-Bush media company attempted to destroy The Dixie Chicks career merely due to their rather mild anti-Bush comment that they were "embarrassed that Bush is from Texas" and thereby send a message to anyone who might critize Bush politics that they were risking everything to do so. It was actually Clear Channel that was guilty of violating free speech rights. Millions of Americans are embarrassed that Bush is the president and that he is from America. Fortunately, The Dixie Chicks survived the attack and revealed more about the fascist tactics that the right-wing is willing to resort to then it did to intimidate the public into quitely supporting a criminal administration.

On the other hand, Coultergeist has merely been chastised for saying something stupid -- which has long been her forte.

Answer 4

Ha. I just watched Coulter's comment video and was thoroughly amused. In spite of chomping at the bit to ban the free speech of anyone who isn't a white middle-class Christian, cons are sure quick to defend the blatant and inexcusible name-calling that issues from their party members' mouths.

P.S. I'm all for free speech. People should be able to make as big of fools of themselves as they want. But there's this college freshman logic class that tells an intelligent person that the ad hominem (name-calling) attack is not allowed past age 6.

And I suppose if it's OK to say 'f.aggot,' we might as well revert to the 1880s and call each other n.iggers and wear Ku Klux Klan sheets. If 'f.aggot' is not in fact hate speech (which I would argue it is), then it is dangerously close. When you call something you don't like 'gay' or someone you don't like a 'f.ag,' you're immediately and at the same time calling homosexuals - or faggots - bad, not likeable, somehow not right.

Answer 5

At least the Dixie Chicks have talent other than stirring people up.

Ann Coulter is NOT a conservative - she is a waste of human skin.

Answer 6

Whom did she call a F@ggot?

Anyway, yes you have a right to turn off the Dixie Chicks,
But the problem is more about the conservative-owned Country Music Industry giving them the shaft because of their political views.

Answer 7

Ann Coulter is an evil *****! I don't think all conservatives like her but many do. Those conservatives are hypocrites! I don't care what the Dixie Chicks say. They could get up on stage and say mean things about me all they want. I'll just laugh at them and call them evil bitches too.

Answer 8

I oppose imposing any values on anyone.

The thing with the Dixie Chicks is that they're phonies. They sacrificed nothing by making anti-Bush comments - their audience is women in their late 30s and 40s, the WBOS audience, the earthy-crunchy J.Jill-wearing audience, who are less likely to have their Dixie Chicks CDs next to Johnny Cash CDs and more likely to have them next to Crowded House CDs.

They're also not very good. Now, very little today is any good, it's pretty pathetic when the Chili Peppers are the best band out there, but it's a fact - people buy music today based on what the group or singer symbolizes, based on the message, based on identity, not based on the quality of the music itself.

This wasn't always the case. Hendrix glorified drug use. I hate that message. But he was such a great guitarist that I can't not listen to him. Art Blakey was a political radical, convinced other young black musicians to become radicals, and he converted to Islam - but he was an amazing drummer and so I have a half dozen of his albums.

There are no Hendrixes or Blakeys out there today. Nothing even close. All the 'artists' sell is identity, symbolism, and the market for female singers overlaps greatly with the market for Bush-bashing and the Dixie Chicks knew that when they said their piece.

They have a right to do it and I would never oppose that right, but the idea that they "risked their popularity to speak their minds" is pure crap. They knew what they were doing, and yes, I said this at the time.

Answer 9

Are Conservatives defending Coulter? Or are they ignoring it?

I cannot imagine any real conservative defending her, other than saying that she has a protected right to free speech.

Answer 10

They're not defending, they are trying to get as far away from it as possible. I'm not a conservative, but i don't think this represents the thoughts of conservatives, and it hurts their cause. only the lunatic fringe supports this statement.