Get a Spine!

Get a Spine!

John Edwards' spokesman, David E. Bonior said, “Since they have nothing
real to use against him, Coulter’s resorting to the classic right-wing strategy
of riling up hate to smear a progressive champion.” (ADAM NAGOURNEY, "G.O.P.
Candidates Criticize Slur by Conservative Author," The New York Times, March 4,
2007)
If being homosexual is no longer illegal, how can an allegation of being
homosexual be a slur or a smear? But even if it were a slur, it is speech
protected by the U.S. Constitution. Due to the pervasive spinelessness of
political leaders the number of words prohibited in the public discourse grows
each year.
If these alleged leaders would grow or purchase spines, perhaps we could
have a rational discussion about issues of substance instead of the inane
discussions that pass for debate.

--
Roy Bercaw, Editor
ENOUGH ROOM
Cambridge MA USA

March 4, 2007
The New York Times
G.O.P. Candidates Criticize Slur by Conservative Author
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

WASHINGTON, March 3 — Three of the leading Republican presidential candidates on
Saturday denounced one of their party’s best-known conservative commentators for
using an antigay epithet when discussing a Democratic presidential contender at
a gathering of conservatives here.

The remarks by Ann Coulter, an author who regularly speaks at conservative
events, were sharply denounced by the candidates, Senator John McCain of
Arizona, Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. Their
statements came after Democrats, gay rights groups and bloggers raised a storm
of protest over the remarks.
[...]