Is Ann Coulter a brilliant satirist or is she just racist? I have always questioned the origins of Coulter’s opinions and whether she is simply a comedian who is being facetious. However, I think her anti-Muslim tirade on “The Sean Hannity Show” last week was candidly ignorant and went too far.
Last week, Coulter said the wife of late Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsnarnaev should be imprisoned for wearing a Muslim veil. “I don’t care if she knew about this,” Coulter told Hannity. “She ought to be in prison for wearing a hijab.” Of course, Hannity dismissed the blatantly racist comment with a smirk and moved on to his next question. I understand Fox News’ conservative approach to the news, but because the comments were made regarding prejudice against a certain religion, Hannity should have stopped the benightedness Coulter was spreading.
Coulter clearly does not understand that America is a land of diversity, which means allowing all people the ability to express their religious freedoms and requirements. Just like the Catholic Church’s rules, Islam requires women to wear hijabs. Why should this woman be arrested for wearing a piece of religious attire?
Coulter further said, “This immigration policy of us assimilating immigrants into our culture isn’t really working. They’re assimilating us into their culture. Did she get a clitorectomy too?” A clitorectomy is a female genital mutilation that is mainly practiced in Africa. Coulter erroneously made connections between Tamerlan Tsnarnaev’s wife and the primarily African practice of clitorectomy. This vulgar allusion is not only unprofessional, but it is also amiss because the Tsnaraevs do not practice clitorectomy. The mention of such a crude image paints a disturbing picture for viewers.
Coulter speaks freely and ignorantly so people will buy her next book. She sells herself out for the almighty dollar. She is infamously known for using ignorant statements to defame others in extremist tones. She graduated from Cornell University and the University of Michigan Law School, making it quite evident she is a well-educated woman. Her education raises the question of whether she is a satirist who uses outlets such as Fox News to get people to purchase her books or if she is just that ignorant. When Coulter brings up the legality of wearing a religious vestment in a negative connotation, one questions if she is mocking other conservative pundits or if she is truly revealing her intelligence.
Stephen Hawking once said, “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” Today’s media, especially Fox News, should be disappointed for allowing such a sheltered comment to be made with no subsequent repercussions.
Noah Eckstein is a high school student and contributing columnist. Email him at [email protected].