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Ann Coulter (Conservative commentator) remarks that “…you have to go into rehab if you use the word fagot” has apparently sparked some controversy. It seems most of the focus has been on the fact that she was using this word to characterize John Edwards, which was clearly wrong. Even though Coulter in her defense has claimed that she was just joking, that was also what John Kerry claimed when he botched his joke about getting stuck in Iraq. That controversy was of course more over the nature of the joke, but the point really is if these politicians and political activists would not make these negative jokes about people they would not have these problems, and would be much more respected by the American people. In addition, there is clearly a underlying message Coulter has presented with her inappropriate joke, about the fact that our society has come to the point where we have categorize any use of such a word as extremely hateful, because it characterizes homosexuals in a negative way. Although, our society, as a whole, does not particularly care if conservatives are characterize negatively with words slanderous towards religion, and Christians.

Of course, John Edwards then sees fit to put a clip of Coulter’s joke up on his web site with captions “Shame on Ann Coulter” “Fight back against the politics of bigotry”, in order to disgrace Coulter or something. I am not quite sure which act is worst, using such a childish word to characterize someone or drawing attention to this childish act, instead of just ignoring this as the shameful and pointless seam it is. No, John Edwards had to hit right back, apparently following the mentality that when attacked you must always hit back even harder, even though someone calling another a such a word is not usually damaging. It is childless, as mentioned above, and it is just name-calling not exposing. If it was an attempt to expose then it of course should be addressed to dispel any potential rumors. However, what rumors or negative image are going to come from name-calling unless you are the one doing the name-calling? Not many, if you ask me the very act of addressed this, especially in the nature that he did, was also shameful and was just done in order to seam. It was just a needless response brought upon by defense mechanism. So who wins in this; Coulter probably, because she is not actually running for office she is not endanger of losing votes, although again she was clearly wrong, this does not hurt her much. John Edwards has, through the very act of addressing this, added fuel to the fire. I.e. when a child starts acting up for attention you do not go not give the child that attention they want, as John Edwards has apparently done, you ignore them until, until they find out no one is paying attention to them any more.