The release of the Venona Files and KGB archives showed that our State Dept under FDR and Truman was honeycombed with communists and fellow travelers. These traitors directed our conduct towards the USSR during WWII and subsequent sellout at Yalta which led to the loss of Eastern Europe, China, and the spread of communism throughout SE Asia. How different our world would look today had Alger Hiss, Harry Dexter White, Lauchlin Currie, Harry Hopkins, etc. not sold America out.
The Left never paid any price for their treachery. Instead, we've had 50 years of them crying about their "repression." Coulter's right on. Let's call them out and hold the Left accountable.

When are these people going to get to the heart of the matter? Where the fuck in the constitution does it say "Freedom of speech and a guaranteed audience?" You want free speech, go stand in front of City Hall, with permit in hand, put up a sandwich board sign that says "Where's Joe?" Hand out pamphlets that say nonsensical things about how your mangerines are on fire at the moment. And, yell, continuously, "Who ordered the veal cutlet?"

No one will arrest you, and you can do it anytime you want, as long as you follow the local law (permits, signs, decibel levels).

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of access to a huge audience.

Thomas Sowell said it better than I could ever even dream of saying:

Too many people -- some of them judges -- seem to think that freedom of speech means freedom from consequences for what you have said. If you believe that, try insulting your boss when you go to work tomorrow. Better yet, try insulting your spouse before going to bed tonight.

While this column is protected by freedom of speech, that does not stop any editor from getting rid of it if he doesn't like what I say. But, even if every editor across the length and breadth of the country refused to carry this column, that would be no violation of my freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech does not imply a right to an audience. Otherwise the audience would have no right to its own freedom. Editors, movie producers, speakers' bureaus and other intermediaries have every right to decide what they will and will not present to their audiences.

Unfortunately, many of those who talk the loudest and longest about "freedom of speech" and "academic freedom" are in fact trying to justify the imposition of propaganda on a captive audience in our schools and colleges.

That's. Just. The Fucking. Way. It. Is.

KCTrio

Sorry about not italicizing the other paragraphs above my Anka-closing. All of them are Sowell's words, not mine. I will take credit for the veal cutlet stuff.

But read the article, if you have a chance. It's one of Sowell's best. And that's saying something.

Whie you are over there, and you enjoy the columnists at Townhall.com, maybe you can give them a little pocket change. There's dozens of columnists over there that put their columns up on the site for free. You don't need to login to some shitty, leftwing moonbat puclication to get to the column you want to read. Just read it at Townhall.

KCTrio

McCarthy was a blowhard and a latecomer who does no one proud.

HUAC, on the other hand, did some excellent work. But there's no easy 'ism' to appropriate from that.

Incidentally, I feel Katzman et al. are, I'm afraid, indulging in a bit of the real "New McCarthyism" by shooting off half-baked on this stuff. Invocations of McCarthy, HUAC, and "internment" should be looked at with a historical eye, not purged reflexively for PC. Then again, it goes with the territory of taking yourself as seriously as they do.

I do sometimes feel like shipping the lefties off to a concentration camp for a couple days just to let them know what a real Nazi state would feel like. So in that sense I can understand what Coulter was saying.

Interesting.

I would add that anyone who read Ann's book Treason should go and read the decoded Venona cables for themselves. The amount of control the soviets had over traitors in our government is breathtaking.

Sowell had it exactly right. Unfortunately, "new McCarthyism" has long spread to the earliest classrooms where mindless children are taught that it is explicitly wrong to hurt anyone's feelings. Anyone, that is, except anyone who disagrees with the teachers/administrators.

Someday maybe we'll get back to being aware that feelings may be hurt, evaluating whether that is our intent, then speak as we wish. It's neither illegal nor unconstitutional to hurt someone else's feelings.

PJ O'Rourke covered the "call for a new McCarthyism" back in his book, "Give War a Chance" in which he satirically started a new "blacklist" full of liberals, and the organizations to which they pledge their blood.

I believe the article was actually a reprint from a Rolling Stone article, but I'd have to go and look it up.

He then followed up with a composite book, which reprinted his original article, the subsequent list, and then a whole host of new names submitted by readers, along with their own feeble attmepts at humor(well, okay a few of them weren't feeble).

So I believe Coulter, being the vociferous defender of McCarthy she is, finds some common ground with PJ. And since PJ is not exactly the most proliferate of writers(seems like months before he rings in with a new one), Coulter would be the satirical, heir-apparent.

Therapist,
You're on the right track with P.J. O'Rourke, but his "Enemies List" was a feature in the old American Spectator, not Rolling Stone. He got readers to send in their candidates (everyone from lefty politicians to comic book writer/artist Frank Miller) and the results were eventually compiled in a book.

The list dates back to the George H.W. Bush administration, and covers part of the Clinton years.

1st amendment gives no guarantees of venue, audience, market share, or freedom from consequences. People are completely free to spout moonbat rubbish, and others are perfectly free to see them impoverished and/or outcast for doing so.

In a perfect world, it would be a self regulating system where the moonbat's audience ultimately degenerates into the pigeons and seagulls scamming lunch wrapper dregs at the beach.

There's a grain of truth in Coulter's comments. Ignoring the rhetoric and sweeping generalizations that surround them, she's right that (1) there were a lot of Communists in important positions in the United States during the 30s, 40s, and 50s; (2) this was a great danger to the United States; (3) the HUAC and McCarthy were on the right side of history(even though, in the case of McCarthy, at least, the tactics used were sloppy and accusations were often made with little evidence); and (4) there need to be consequences in the court of public opinion for persons that make anti-American comments.

Unfortunately, she does much more harm than good by whitewashing folks like McCarthy and demonizing broad groups of people (i.e., the Democratic Party, which includes people like Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh who do get the War on Terror) based on the actions of a few.

If we expect Democrats to disown Michael Moore, we should do the same to a blowhard like Coulter. An occassional irresponsible comment can be excused as simply "being provocative." A provacative comment every now and then is a good thing. But too many comments expose the commentator as a hack. Coulter's made a career out of such comments, and apologies shouldn't be made for her. She's a hack whose sweeping accusations shouldn't be excused just because they aren't directed at us. And as David Brock has taught us, it isn't wise to assume that a hack won't turn on former allies if a sweeter deal is to be found working for the other side.

We have all been living under a virilent McCarthyism of the Left when it comes to race, gender, or "sexual orientation" for so long we've come to accept it is "the way things are" when it doesn't have to be. And it won't change until we force it to through direct action of an effective boycott. Of course the Left refuses to see this dangerous trend and the irony of the McCarthyism they're creating going after Ann Coulters "McCarthyism." I pray she sticks to her guns.

CALLING ALL BLOGGERS:

Go to Ann's website and urge her to not back down!

Not so sure she's a 'hack.'
To be sure, she isnt as meticulous about setting up her arguments as Michelle Malkin. Nevertheless she doesn't lie, or make things up, or use flimsy evidence, or run on pure innuendo, which is what I generally think a hack does.

I think she pokes liberals with a very pointy stick. I think she hurls grenades at the lib assumptions we all grew up with. I think she is rude.

It is a little shocking, how rude she is. Love it.

The Left has escaped any consequences for their treachery for 50 years. Time and again, they side up with our enemies and slip the noose by labeling it "dissent."

So Ann may be a little too broadsweeping in her accusations of treason. Well, what is that compared to the very real damage the Left has done to this world?

Mike wrote: "If we expect Democrats to disown Michael Moore, we should do the same to a blowhard like Coulter"

Bad analogy Mike. Michael Moore obfuscates and lies. Ann Coulter tells the truth. Big difference if you ask me. If you want to compare her to somebody on the left who consistently tells the truth in a blunt fashion how about...umm...give me a minute...well I'm sure somebody here will be able to think of one.

The Left has escaped any consequences for their treachery for 50 years. Time and again, they side up with our enemies and slip the noose by labeling it "dissent." I'd add: and labeling anyone who disagrees as racist, sexist, nazi bigots whose "hate speech" is a crime! Verbodden!

My God I pray, how much longer?

lauraw:
"To be sure, she isnt as meticulous about setting up her arguments as Michelle Malkin." Yeah and I wish she were, I saw her once skewered on a women's talk show because she was sloppy with her facts. Rush can get sloppy and carried away with himself too. But they employ the same sarcasm, ridcule, and rightous indignation that was so sucessful for the Left for so long. And it is wonderful to now see the tables turned and hear them squeak like stuck pigs! BTW - My proposals of marriage have been turned down or ignored by Ann, Michele, Wonkette and Jennifer so I'm not just picking on Ann.

If you're going to keep using "Provocative" in the same sentance with "Ann Couter" I'm either going to have to quit reading you at work or start putting salt peter in the coffee maker. For now I'll just have to sit here and think about cold showers and boot-camp hazing rituals.

Re: 72 Virgins

"And it is wonderful to now see the tables turned and hear them squeak like stuck pigs!"

See, I don't get this "turning the tables" argument. Turning the tables would be to smear the particular liberals who make broad and offensive generalizations about all conservatives (i.e., Michael Moore, Howard Dean, Chomsky). It does give someone the moral justification to smear all Democrats or liberals (Coulter doesn't distinguish between the two), including those who are unaware or don't agree with the moonbat left (a category which includes most average-joe Democrats and, yes, politicians).

Also, anyone who finds Coulter attractive needs to have their eyes examined. Among other things, she has the biggest hands I've ever seen on someone who wasn't a starting center in the NBA. We have Malkin. We have Ingraham. Coulter is not even close to being in their league.

Re: my last post, where I say "It does give someone the moral justification to smear all Democrats or liberals"

Whoops, that last post should have read "it doesn't give someone..."

Gee thanks for explaining it to us, you wingbats are nuts.

If I want provocative I'll watch Madonna videos circa the 1980's. Oh but right, Coulter and the rest of your Far Right Wing female bats all grew up watching Madonna...

Material Girls they are...

The Far Right has escaped any consequences for their ignorant high-hatted behavior for the past 30 years. Time and again, you all try desperately to rewrite history and make enemies with our allies and everyone and anyone who you preceive to be in your way. You guys are just plain nuts, it's pathethic. As pathetic as our poor President now having to grovel in Europe, I hope you all are happy.

Please give us Republicans, the real GOPers back our party and get lost.

Did you hear that?
I do believe that was the death cry of the North American Liberal Cuckoo Loser.

They used to fly in great flocks around here, but not since we been huntin' em.