The ugly soul of the conservative movement

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Ann Coulter is not some fringe figure. She's one of the most popular conservative speakers. She just addressed CPAC, where many Republican oresidential candidates are also speaking. Here's Sullivan's reaction (he had previously dismissed her hatemongering as "a mere vaudville act"):
My only response to my reader is that seeing her live in front of a young, cheering crowd made me feel a lot less complacent. Being a gay man in a crowd that cheers a woman denigrating someone for being a "faggot" is an educative experience. Seeing college kids line up to worship her tore me up. These kids deserve better. They're young and smart enough to be interested in conservatism - and this is what they are getting? From a stage where two presidential candidates just spoke? I guess I've been a bit of a smug ironist who just got mugged by conservative reality.
Howard Dean has issued a condemnation:
"There is no place in political discourse for this kind of hate-filled and bigoted comments. While Democrats and Republicans may disagree on the issues, we should all be able to agree that this kind of vile rhetoric is out of bounds. The American people want a serious, thoughtful debate of the issues. Republicans -- including the Republican presidential candidates who shared the podium with Ann Coulter today -- should denounce her hateful remarks."
While I've certainly used harsh language to describe political figures, I hope my insulting vulgarities have something to do with what the figure actually has done to earn my ire. And I hope my insults (e.g. colossal fucktardic ignorance) have steered clear of the kind of racist and homophobic slurs that seem to be the stock in trade of the right-wing base. Sullivan again:
It's a party that wants nothing to do with someone like me. All I heard and saw was loathing: loathing of Muslims, of "illegals," of gays, of liberals, of McCain. The most painful thing for me was the sight of so many young people growing up believing that this is conservatism. I feel like an old-style Democrat in 1968.

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