I wrote to my local paper a few weeks ago over Ann Coulter's remarks about skinheads. They did publish my letter and the response to someone from the Right who accused me of censoring Coulter and claiming I didn't understand poetry because the Poet Laureate doesn't write poems that rhyme. ~sigh~ Sadly, the Lawton Constitution is still publishing her weekly ediorial, but the conservatives at my workplace says she is way overboard and an embarassment to their cause.
LTTE Free Speech and Poetry
Dear Editors,
I am responding to the recent letter that claimed my personal prejudices took precedent over Ann Coulter’s right to free speech. As a card-carrying member of many organizations that defend civil liberties, I assure you that I believe everyone has a right to publish an unread journal on the internet. I also am well aware of the rule of law and due process, which seems to be lacking in other circles. However, as a nationally syndicated columnist, how many times can Ann Coulter call for violence against others and blow off criticism by saying that it was all a joke. Ann Coulter certainly has a right to freedom of the press, but this time she was one goose step away from calling for a crystal night against liberals. As a member of the informed electorate, I have an obligation to say enough is enough. Do we have to wait until some skinhead idiot kills someone? The writer rationalizes Coulter’s editorial and says the Left is doing it too. In particular, he chooses Molly Ivins, the only liberal published in the Lawton Constitution, as someone who is like a “septic tank’. He admits that he rarely goes past the byline. I challenge anyone to show where Molly Ivins has ever threatened anyone with violence. I don’t see too many Marats or Robespierres with nationally syndicated columns. There is a lot of hypocrisy when one says that the Left is doing it too. As a proud member of the Left, I can say that we don’t establish “free speech zones” to marginalize protestors; we don’t require citizens attending events to sign loyalty oaths; and we don’t label everyone as a traitor who expresses his or her right to dissent. For those who disagree with my definition of culture or taste in poetry, free verse is popular right now and is a valid form of poetry. But if I must validate my knowledge of poetry: I had a villanelle – a French form – published in the recent Lawton Arts and Entertainment Magazine. Finally, everyone is welcome to read my other poetry and letters in my journal on Democraticunderground.com
Mon May 15th 2006, 09:22 PM
Dear Editors,
I write with disgust in response to Ann Coulter’s editorial, “Conservatives need 12-step program to manhood”, published on May 15th in The Lawton Constitution, I ask that the editorial staff provide a policy on not promoting hate speech or whatever policy you may have that prohibits you from publishing threats or hate. If you read her editorial, you will note that she calls for the assault on a Yale student, “Why hasn’t the former spokesman for the Taliban matriculating at Yale been beaten even more senselessly than he already is?” Then, she continues to call forward conservative men to action by asking, “Where are the skinheads when you need them?” If your newspaper is going to sit back and publish this kind of fascist hatred, and then I wonder what kind of humans you really are let alone journalists with any sense of decency. If you do have any sense of decency left, you need to take action.
My recommendation is drop Coulter’s syndicated column and replace it with something within the boundaries of acceptable human behavior.
You can add the following column to the Lawton Constitution. As a subscriber, I think everyone would benefit from this free column sponsored by the Poet Laureate of the US. The column would also be cultural as well as educational.
http://www.americanlifeinpoetry.org/curr... "The Poetry Foundation has formed a partnership with the Library of Congress to support the American Life in Poetry project, an initiative of Ted Kooser, the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.
American Life in Poetry is a free weekly column for newspapers and online publications featuring a poem by a contemporary American poet and a brief introduction to the poem by Ted Kooser. The sole mission of this project is to promote poetry, and we believe we can add value for newspaper and online readers by doing so. There are no costs or obligations for reprinting the columns, though we do require that the text of the column be reproduced without alteration, along with the complete copyright, permissions and credit information, exactly as supplied with each column."
I will also post this letter on Democraticunderground.com and send it to your half and quarter page advertisers.
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