csdeven on August 17, 2007 at 1:42 AM

Well if you’re going to respond to someone, you might as well be totally clear and logical. Excellent breakdown!

urbancenturion on August 16, 2007 at 9:16 PM

Ooof. I stand corrected.

Although I took AP physics in high school, I still have trouble balancing a fork on my dinner plate. I do remember that the fulcrum is the point at which a lever pivots. If the fulcrum is further to the right, wouldn’t that give the left side of the seesaw greater leverage?
The Race Card on August 16, 2007 at 3:50 PM

You are right, it isn’t perfect. My point is that the perception of the center of anything, in this case the political spectrum, is defined by it’s extremes. If the most extreme person we have on the right is, for the sake of argument, sean hannity. The extreme left is kos, rosie Moore, etc. The middle of those two extremes is somewhere around Obama (I guess, but definitely towards the left). When we add Ann as the extreme right, the difference between Ann and Kos, shifts to the right. Without Ann in the mix, Sean is extreme, and not attractive to the casual observer. You add Ann into the mix, and all of a sudden, Sean doesn’t seem so extreme, thus closer to the center and more acceptable to the casual observer.

All this is based on my assumption that MOST people (who are not political junkies like us) want to find a centrist leaning right position. So, they look at the two extremes and find the center, thus defining those who occupy that “center” as centrists, yet to those of us in the know, those “centrists” are actually socialists.

I hope I’m making that clear.

I’m going to watch America’s Funniest Home Videos, maybe I’ll see someone that’s dumber than I.

Dude, that’s Bruce Banner

SouthernDem on August 16, 2007 at 7:27 PM

Not on TV, it isn’t…

The next time you see Al Sharpton, tell him I said @#*$ him and he can suck my @#*$, ” an animated David Banner told SOHH.com.

– - – - -

“However, in keeping with the National Action Network’s Decency Initiative, I am sure Rev. Sharpton would not call Crump the “N” “B” or “H” word,” Foy continued. “And, despite Crump’s personal request, I am sure Reverend Sharpton would not call him an @#!*%&. He would just pray for him. We at NAN are pro civil rights for everyone, even Levell Crump who has not had a banner year since his debut album in 2003.”

Using “banner” to put “Banner” down was a deft little twist, especially coming as it did in the midst of such hammer-blows. Given the target and the occasion, the comeback as a whole seems spot on. Sharpton got the better of this exchange, to such an extent that, for some time, people will think twice before calling him out again with such coarse sexual language. And having thought twice, I think the Rev. Sharpton and Mr. Crump-Banner can both svck my d1ck.

Bigfoot on August 16, 2007 at 2:40 PM

Dude, that’s Bruce Banner

Now then, the art of the non-slur. Rapper David Banner criticized Reverend Al’s campaign to clean up hip hop lyrics earlier this week with unintentional irony:

Rapper Commenter RightWinged also criticized Sharpton’s campaign, because it’s artificial. If he really had an issue with the lyrics, he’d have been pushing hard on this issue for years. He’s only doing it now because he was being called a hypocrite.

And Banner makes a point about the Newark shootings. I haven’t seen all the usual suspects (Jackson, Sharpton, those douches from the New Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam), and I can only guess as to why… because the suspects weren’t WHITE. Of course I didn’t need this case to prove that, black people kill each other every day in this country and they don’t hype each case. But when whores (clearly from the start) falsely accuse Duke lacrosse players of rape, they’re all up in arms (though admittedly Sharpton wasn’t out there with the real loons on that one). And as we know, they never said a peep when those 5 savages murdered and sexually assaulted the two white college kids in Tennessee in something out of a horror movie.

I’m not opposing to you 12thman. Someone mentioned the First Amendment and I posted it as a reference. But you said that Ann’s comment was an insult… and I agree. And my point is simply that she had every right to say it, insult or not. The First Amendment applies as much to the RIGHT as it does to the LEFT, and this is where I think the HotAir (as much as I love them) staff got it wrong. They could have said.

I think Ann Coulter was wrong to imply Edwards was a F—t, but she had a RIGHT to say it.

And then they could have sat down and shut up and not attacked the primary culture warrior of the RIGHT.

We should not play into the hands of the LEFT, free speech is for everyone… not just them. HotAir would do well to learn from one of its close associates:

Freedom of speech encompasses precisely the freedom to annoy, to ridicule, and to offend. If it doesn’t, it is hollow. Inoffensive speech doesn’t need the protection of a Constitutional Amendment. The instant that any person or ideology is considered off-limits for critical examination and even ridicule, freedom of speech has been replaced by an ideological straightjacket.

Robert Spencer – Founder of Jihad Watch

Arguing in favor of usage of the term faggot does not serve any purpose. It does not forward a Republican platform in any meaningful way. And it certainly is not a free speech issue; Nobody is refuting Ann Coulter’s right to offend.

One more time: Many homosexuals would likely find this term offensive. The original discussion does not have anything to do with homosexuality, unless you subscribe to the most stereotypical view of gay men. Therefore, using the term reflects a need or desire to offend or attack gays.

You need to ask yourself: Are you ok with using very offensive language towards a group which has not provoked you in this particular circumstance? If you are ok with that, then don’t complain next time some lib attacks Christians, country boys, Republicans or any group, directly or obtusely.

I can handle a little mudslinging, but I have no desire to lie with pigs. I expect Republicans to rise above the crap because it stinks worse and sticks longer when its on us.

Please point out which side is saying what Ann Coulter (and Kirsten John-Foy) is or should be illegal?

I’ll pause here while you look that up…

We’re not having a debate about freedom of speech because no one is arguing their speech isn’t protected. All that I have said over and over from my first comment is that it is still an insult even if you preface it with “I shouldn’t really say this”.

That fact has absolutlely nothing to do with the constitution.

(that’s about as pertinent to this discussion as the text of the First Amendment)

12thman on August 16, 2007 at 4:49 PM

You don’t think that the thing that gives you freedom of speech is pertinent to a debate about freedom of speech? That’s odd.

Okaaaay then. So tell us, oh wise AP, what is on your mind when you call Edwards “Silky”? My guess-and being so dimwitted, this is very hard for me-is that you are implying he’s just a bit short of manly? If the men in what is left of the conservative side had half the balls Coulter does…

Great going. Bash your readers, and trash Coulter. Again. And here i thought you couldn’t ever top your defense of Obama…

n. A blade or wheel attached to the beam of a plow that makes vertical cuts in the soil in advance of the plowshare.

(that’s about as pertinent to this discussion as the text of the First Amendment)

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Not disingenuous at all… Matter of fact I urge you to read a document on this matter; the Bill of Rights… perhaps you’ve heard of it? I specifically steer you to First Amendment part of that document wherein free speech is prominently noted…

IntheNet on August 16, 2007 at 4:11 PM

What in the world does the First Amendment have to do with this? No one ever said she didn’t have the legal right to say it. All that I am saying is that her statement was an insulting to Edwards and that those who say it wasn’t are not being honest.

What about that statement isn’t making sense to you?

This little gem by David Banner points out that Sharpton is really seen for a fool from any angle:

They tried to crucify Nelly and Akon…we need to come together because they’re only doing this because we’re not saying anything,” Banner added. “He’s [Sharpton] a permed-out pimp. Him and Jesse Jackson are out here charging people to do rallies with them. They’re more worried about their investors than our kids. Tell him David Banner said it.

@#*$%s talk a good game about we need to clean up the hood and the lyrics and all that. But I’m out here doing it. Who can say that?

While I appreciate the critique of Sharpton, I can’t handle him calling Sharpton a pimp when one of his most recent heavy rotation hits is called Like a Pimp. If you hear the lyrics, then you will know that he is not cleaning up the hood, despite his proud assertions.