Is Ann Coulter Antisemitic?

Ann Coulter was on Donny Deutsch's cable news show last night pimping her new book. Deutch lures Colter into a hypothetical muse about what her ideal world would look like. What she says offends Deutsch. Why? Because Deutsch thinks Colter is attacking Jews and Judaism. Here's the exchange:

DEUTSCH: Let me ask you a question. We're going to get off strengths and weakness for a second. If you had your way, and all of your — forget that any of them —

 

COULTER: I like this.

 

DEUTSCH: — are calculated marketing teases, and your dreams, which are genuine, came true having to do with immigration, having to do with women's — with abortion — what would this country look like?

 

COULTER: UMMMMM (pause) ... It would look like New York City during the Republican National Convention. In fact, that's what I think heaven is going to look like.

 

DEUTSCH: And what did that look like?

 

COULTER: Happy, joyful Republicans in the greatest city in the world.

 

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, no, but I'm talking about this country. You don't want to make this country — it's not about Republicans. I'm saying, what would the fabric of this country look like? Forget that the Republicans would be running the show.

 

COULTER: Well, everyone would root for America, the Democratic Party would look like Joe Lieberman, the Republican Party would look like Duncan Hunter —

 

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, I don't want — I'm not talking about politically the landscape. What would our — would we be safer? Would people be happier? Would they be more —

 

COULTER: We would be a lot safer.

 

DEUTSCH: Would there be more tolerance? Would there be — would women be happier, would the races get along better? The Ann Coulter subscription — prescription. What — tell me what would be different in our fabric of country, because —

 

COULTER: Well, all of those things.

 

DEUTSCH: I can give — I can give you an argument there would be more divisiveness, that there would be more hate —

 

COULTER: Oh, no.

 

DEUTSCH: That there would be a bigger difference between the rich and the poor, a lot of other — tell me what — why this would be a better world? Let's give you — I'm going to give you — say this is your show.

 

COULTER: Well, OK, take the Republican National Convention. People were happy. They're Christian. They're tolerant. They defend America, they —

 

DEUTSCH: Christian — so we should be Christian? It would be better if we were all Christian?

 

COULTER: Yes.

 

DEUTSCH: We should all be Christian?

 

COULTER: Yes. Would you like to come to church with me, Donny?

 

DEUTSCH: So I should not be a Jew, I should be a Christian, and this would be a better place?

 

COULTER: Well, you could be a practicing Jew, but you're not.

 

DEUTSCH: I actually am. That's not true. I really am. But — so we would be better if we were — if people — if there were no Jews, no Buddhists —

 

COULTER: Whenever I'm harangued by —

 

DEUTSCH: — in this country? You can't believe that.

 

COULTER: — you know, liberals on diversity —

 

DEUTSCH: Here you go again.

 

COULTER: No, it's true. I give all of these speeches at megachurches across America, and the one thing that's really striking about it is how utterly, completely diverse they are, and completely unself-consciously. You walk past a mixed-race couple in New York, and it's like they have a chip on their shoulder. They're just waiting for somebody to say something, as if anybody would. And —

 

DEUTSCH: I don't agree with that. I don't agree with that at all. Maybe you have the chip looking at them. I see a lot of interracial couples, and I don't see any more or less chips there either way. That's erroneous.

 

COULTER: No. In fact, there was an entire "Seinfeld" episode about Elaine and her boyfriend dating because they wanted to be a mixed-race couple, so you're lying.

 

DEUTSCH: Oh, because of some "Seinfeld" episode? OK.

 

COULTER: But yeah, I think that's reflective of what's going on in the culture, but it is completely striking that at these huge megachurches — the idea that, you know, the more Christian you are, the less tolerant you would be is preposterous.

 

DEUTSCH: That isn't what I said, but you said I should not — we should just throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians, then, or —

 

COULTER: Yeah.

 

DEUTSCH: Really?

 

COULTER: Well, it's a lot easier. It's kind of a fast track.

 

DEUTSCH: Really?

 

COULTER: Yeah. You have to obey.

 

DEUTSCH: You can't possibly believe that.

 

COULTER: Yes.

 

DEUTSCH: You can't possibly — you're too educated, you can't — you're like my friend in —

 

COULTER: Do you know what Christianity is? We believe your religion, but you have to obey.

 

DEUTSCH: No, no, no, but I mean —

 

COULTER: We have the fast-track program.

 

DEUTSCH: Why don't I put you with the head of Iran? I mean, come on. You can't believe that.

 

COULTER: The head of Iran is not a Christian.

 

DEUTSCH: No, but in fact, "Let's wipe Israel" —

 

COULTER: I don't know if you've been paying attention.

 

DEUTSCH: "Let's wipe Israel off the earth." I mean, what, no Jews?

 

COULTER: No, we think — we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say.

 

DEUTSCH: Wow, you didn't really say that, did you?

 

COULTER: Yes. That is what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal Express. You have to obey laws. We know we're all sinners —

 

DEUTSCH: In my old days, I would have argued — when you say something absurd like that, there's no —

 

COULTER: What's absurd?

 

DEUTSCH: Jews are going to be perfected. I'm going to go off and try to perfect myself —

 

COULTER: Well, that's what the New Testament says.

 

DEUTSCH: Ann Coulter, author of "If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans," and if Ann Coulter had any brains, she would not say Jews need to be perfected. I'm offended by that personally. And we'll have more "Big Idea" when we come back.

 

(BREAK)

 

DEUTSCH: Welcome back to "The Big Idea." During the break, Ann said she wanted to explain her last comment. So I'm going to give her a chance. So you don't think that was offensive?

 

COULTER: No. I'm sorry. It is not intended to be. I don't think you should take it that way, but that is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews. We believe the Old Testament. As you know from the Old Testament, God was constantly getting fed up with humans for not being able to, you know, live up to all the laws. What Christians believe — this is just a statement of what the New Testament is — is that that's why Christ came and died for our sins. Christians believe the Old Testament. You don't believe our testament.

 

DEUTSCH: You said — your exact words were, "Jews need to be perfected." Those are the words out of your mouth.

 

COULTER: No, I'm saying that's what a Christian is.

 

DEUTSCH: But that's what you said — don't you see how hateful, how anti-Semitic —

 

COULTER: No!

 

DEUTSCH: How do you not see? You're an educated woman. How do you not see that?

 

COULTER: That isn't hateful at all.

 

DEUTSCH: But that's even a scarier thought. OK —

 

COULTER: No, no, no, no, no. I don't want you being offended by this. This is what Christians consider themselves, because our testament is the continuation of your testament. You know that. So we think Jews go to heaven. I mean (Jerry) Falwell himself said that, but you have to follow laws. Ours is "Christ died for our sins." We consider ourselves perfected Christians. For me to say that for you to become a Christian is to become a perfected Christian is not offensive at all.

 

DEUTSCH: We will let the audience decide then, won't we? Ann Coulter. New book. More "Big Idea" straight ahead.

Apparently Deutsch failed Religion 101. For the most part, all religions have beliefs that exclude others. Muslim law puts the lowest Muslim in a higher social and theological strata than even the most righteous non-Muslim. Christians believe the sole path to salvation is through Jesus. Jews exclude pagans, atheists and polytheists from the World to Come.

Deutsch is offended because Colter believes Jews need to be "perfected" and that, even though Jews will get to Heaven, they won't get there as fast or as painlessly as Christians.

I don't like Ann Coulter, but this whole brouhaha says far more about Deutsch's ignorance of Judaism and it's theology than it does about Coulter and her professed beliefs.

Ann Coulter is not antisemitic. Donny Deutsch, however, is ignorant of Jewish theology and law, and his grasp of general religious theory is quite weak. Coulter believes Jews get to Heaven. For a Christian, this an enlightened view. Can you imagine the average Christian professing this 100 years ago? 500?

If you're going to discuss religion in public, you owe it to yourself and everyone else to actually know what you're talking about. Perhaps MSNBC's Deutsch could process that.

[Hat Tip: Seymour.]

Comments

[C-G]

Why does anyone even watch this stuff? It's just bizarre. To the uninitiated observer, it looks like Deutsch is deliberately acting like an idiot (can anyone really be that clueless?) so that Coulter can try her hand at being Sarah Silverman. Saturday Night Live used to do this so much better back in the day.

[David]

Coulter has Christian beliefs-- surprise, surprise, they're inconsistent with Jewish beliefs. Deutsch could have made some good theological arguments on the subject, but, instead, he just stammered like a fool.

Obviously, I disagree strongly with Coulter's arguments-- but I don't think she has any plans to forcibly convert me, so I'm really not too worried about the whole business.

[MIke]

I don;t think what Ann said is theologically incorrect. Just like everything else she says, she says it for the hype affect she knows it is going to have, regardless of the content. She knows exactly what she is asying and what affect it will have. Our conservative causes would do so much better if people like Ann Coulter would disappear and thoughtful constructive opinions were given her air time. Isn't her 15 minutes up yet. Our causes need a better spokesperson

[Yochanan Lavie]

Michael Savage calls Ann the "Paris Hilton of the Conservative movement." She is.

[yidandahalf]

Verbal rigamarole with a Yushki - what is the point? If they don't like 'our' religion, let the Yushkis give it back. They only know propaganda and endless spewing of it.

[Jim the Catholic]

For fundamentalist religious liberals it is heresy to assert any one religion is the exclusive truth & to contradict the fundamentalist liberal orthodoxy that says somehow all religons are true & equal.*

Chesterton once said "I wanted to be the great heretic so I went & looked for the philosophy that was most offensive & heterodox to the world & it turned out to be religious orthodoxy."

I'm paraphraising of course.

*This is not to be confused with the idea all religions contain some truth.

[Jim the Catholic]

>Can you imagine the average Christian professing this 100 years ago?

Pius IX did.:-) He believed & taught that invincibly ignorant persons who followed the light God gave them could be saved. Of course he stressed this cannot be used as an excuse not to try to convert people.

OTOH he was Pope & therefore not the "average Christian".

I'm back from vacationing. I didn't go anywhere but I'm back.:-)

[Dave]

What do you expect? Ann Coulter is just giving a strident version of Christianity. But deep down, don't all Christians believe in the Trinity? ie. G-d in 3 persons- a belief that is totally irreconcilable with Judaism or Islam or Sikhism.

On the other hand, we as Jews- from Reform to Haredi- end our daily prayers, 3 times per day with the words
"Know, therefore, this day, and lay it to thy heart that the Eternal is G-d, in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else".
We also All say "Bayom ha hu, bayom ha hu, yihyeh Hashem Ehad, wu shemo, wu shemo, wu shemo ehad"- On that day, the Eternal will be one and His name One.
So we, for our part, pray that one day all humanity will acknowledge the Unity of G-d.
So we should not be surprised that the Christians want everyone to accept the trinity.
However, we do not expect everyone to become Jewish, but obviously we hope and pray that all humanity will one day recognize and accept the Unity and Omnipotence of G-d.
However, if the Christians accepted the Unity of G-d, they would cease being Christians.

Simply put, I think all religious groups should put their cards on the table and admit what they truly believe and what they think of the others- call it truth in advertising.

[R]

The deutsch bloke seemed to be a bit of retard reading when you read the conversation and Ann whoever she is seemed to also be a bit of an idiot. So two idiots having a conversation and then disagreeing.

[R]

Oh i also see a bit of a closet racist in this ann person.

[gross]

I'm glad she showed her true colors. Recently, for a variety of reasons, (arguably-disingenuous Christian support for the Jewish State, a friendly John Paul II, desperation, and general naivete) the conservative Christians found a new friend in Orthodox Jusaism. How quickly people forget. The fact is we belong nowhere but in Israel.

[rebeljew]

There is no way to save Ann Coulter from herself in this. I don't mind that she sees the mission of Christianity (or her's as a Christian) as a mandate to convert the unconverted. What I think is beyond the pale is her apparent feeling that it should be AMERICA'S mission. She seems about 3 centuries out of step with America.

We could defend her by saying that she was asked what HER perfect America would be, but there is no escaping that she answered that her best America is one without diversity of political opinion or any other opinion, including religion. People who want a monolithic country (like the PLO, Kach, Iran, Taliban) tend too right wing for me, unless we all monolithically agree with me, then I don't mind.

[Shmarya]

Of course, most Orthodox Jews would be guilty of the same thing.

[Dr Fred]

The answer to Christianity, and the underlying theme of Judaism ( Teshuva), is to be found in Gen 4:7, the first time God spoke to mankind in the "real world", the world outside the Garden.The pity is that this verse is overlooked in the quest for "theology" rather seeking workable guide to living.

[rebeljew]

Shmarya

No, I do not think most Ortho Jews want to perfect Ann Coulter, but even that would be OK. Most Ortho Jews definitely do not see the US as ultimately converting people to Judaism or subjugating non-Jews. Let's go one step further. Ortho Jews in Israel, with the exception of Charedim and some gung ho (and young) Chabadniks, do not see Israel's mission as kfias Hada'as or even as ultimately frumming up all the Jews. They rather await the ousveltish Moshiach tzeiten, understanding that this will never be the mission of the veltish government.

So conclude that Ann Coulter is a goyishe charedi, or put another way, a redneck.

[Shmuli]

ho hum. Ann Coulter is the Jesse Jackson of the Conservatives. Self promoting on top of others. She is a trained attorney so she knows how to argue and to get a rise out of people. I would engage in conversation with her just as soon as I would with Jesse. NOT!

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H
Here is the video of this episode on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s63rzfy8FFs
It seems to me Ann Coulter seems to have a very shallow understanding of Christianity at least the way it is presented in this clip and some other things I read quoted in her name.
I also think that totally Christian country devoid of Jews and Liberals would take all the joy from her life since she will have noone to argue with something that she seems to like so much.:-)

[Jim the Catholic]

>However, if the Christians accepted the Unity of G-d, they would cease being Christians.

We Christians DO believe in the Unity of God. We are no more Tri-theists anymore than a Jewish Kabbalist is a Dekatheist.

I personally believe the doctrines that divide us are A) our(Christians that is) belief the Messiah has come B) Our believe the Messiah would be God Incarnate.

IMHO.

What about the Grateful Dead and the purple Jello?
Why are you people ignoring me?

[shmuel]

Jim,

Have a look at Prager and Telushkin's "Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism" and there you'll see a nifty discussion about what really divides Judaism ("J") from Christianity ("C"). They argue that C contends that Jewish law no longer applies to Jews---Paul's argument, and that in truth it is that contention that divides the two faiths.

Jews have been mistaken in re: who the Messiah is over the years: some thought Jesus was, others Bar Kochba, still others Shabtai Tzvi, more recently a certain rabbi from Crown Heights. For years I couldn't decide if it was Art Shamsky of the Mets, Meir Kahane, or Menachem Begin. The most glaring problem with C's assertion that Jesus was the Messiah predicted in Hebrew Scripture is that he accomplished absolutely none of those prophecies (absolute world peace, a knowledge of G-d among all peoples, etc.) prior to his death. Adherents of C contend that he'll return and get the job done in a "second coming." Nonsense. There is no mention of a "second coming" (that the messiah will arrive, fail in his mission, come back from the dead and do it on the rebound) in all Hebrew Scripture, anywhere. Period. Why Christians are not in the least concerned about this theological problem staring them in the face for 2000 years, I'lll NEVER understand.
One last point, Jim, if I may: has it ever concerned you that the 2nd Vatican Council, and for the past @45 years since its convening, the Vatican has done a 180 on Jews and the state of Israel? Is this the same Roman Catholic Church that had so little use for Jews for 1900 years? When Herzl went to Rome he couldn't get a dime or the time of day from the Pope. Now the Pope davens at the Kotel, and puts kvitlich in it? Now Jews are recognized as G-d's children, too? And the state of Israel, which was not forseen by the Catholic Church at all (you who coined the term "Wandering Jews" and never gave credence to the Hebrew prophets of a return to Israel) and which the church fought against, is now taken in stride? Doesn't this trouble you? Your 1900 year theological world turned upside down by a small bunch of Zionists doesn't prove to you the lie that is Catholicism?

[shmuel]

One more thought, Jim:
You are right about the belief that "Messiah being G-d incarnate" ---G-d forbid such a crazy idea---is what also divides the two religions. It certainly does. Especially since the Hebrew Bible had earlier taught with great emphasis that "G-d is not a man, that He should lie, nor the son of man, that He should express regret..." (Numbers 23:19). The idea that man, who eats, sleeps and uses the facilities, can be G-d in a human form, is so far from the bounds of normative Jewish thought it's not worthy of debate. So where did the Council of Nicea (@325 c.e.)get this idea? I suppose it was a well-settled mythological idea in the ancient Roman and Greek world, and attracted pagan adherents. Hey, you have to pay the rent somehow.

[Yochanan Lavie]

I can accept the fact that Christians beleive their faith should be universal. I don't agree with it, of course, but that's their opinion. What I don't accept is the implied notion of Jewish inferiority (and/or stubborness in the face of the "truth"). Coulter strongly implies this when she says Jews need to be "perfected," an onerous code-word of missionaries.

In America, we have mostly moved away from the once-common rhetoric of Jews as "Christ-killers" or stubborn deniers of the so-called Lord. (NB: I said "mostly," I know there are holdouts). America has become the great exception in Christian lands as accepting Jews fully as Jews and equals. We don't need this supercessionist rhetoric reintroduced into our discourse. It leads to a view first of the inferiority of Judaism, and then to the inferiority of Jews themselves. You know where that leads...

The conservative movement has done a lot to purge racism and religious bigotry from its ranks. It has tried very hard to show one can be conservative politically and be Black, Jewish, Asian, Latino, etc. Ann has reintroduced Country Club Republicanism- no Jews need apply. As a Jew and a non-lib, I say "Thanks a lot, babe!"

[Paul Freedman]

Vote for Hillary then, she likes Jews.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Hillary also likes Suha Arafat, socialism, and higher taxes. I'm no fan of Bush, but no thank you.

[Lev]

Yochanan Lavie, my old friend, we have to remember that Ann Coulter is the best friend of the Jews alive!(Second is a Dutch dude Vanderhoven from ICA in Jerusalem).
So forget everything else: Danny Deutch with zero rating, etc.
P.S. My grandparents, who are not alive anymore, nevertheless receive Survivors newspaper "Together", run by people who got "disappointed", to say it softly, in shtreiml people after all that they went through.
Thus they get livid about Shoimrei Tznius Neturei Karta in Iran, about oberputz Borat Sacha Baron Cohen, who they called "orthodox jew".(BTW, there are nuances about abovementioned putz), but it's OK.Same time they are very glad for any Christian support for Jews and Israel: late J. Falwell, Coulter, etc.

shmuel,

I will get around to your remarks. But some bit of advice first. I really don't mind you believing my religon is false & telling me to my face BUT you should AT LEAST try to get a correct understand of the doctrines I believe. Otherwise you convince nobody & it's self-defeating. Not to mention just plain lazy.

I remember Prager's book but the Catholic view of Law & interpretation of Paul is NOT the same as the errors of Martin Luther.

More later when I have the time.

[Jim the Catholic]

Oh that last was me.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Lev: We have plenty of Christian friends, some of whom want to "perfect" us, and some who don't. I appreciate their support. They are entitled to preach what they want to preach. But Coulter presents herself as a secular figure. By reintroducing this kind of supercessionist discourse into the mainstream, Coulter does neither the Jews nor the conservative movement a favor.

[Jim the Catholic]

Ann was ambushed by a religous liberal who believes somehow all religions are true(even thoguht they contradict each other) & she gave an imperfect off the cuff explaination.

[Jim the Catholic]

Still wondering if I have undiagnossed dyslexia......

[Lev]

Yochanan Lavie, I like Dr.Savage too, but he has pequliarity of disparaging and name-calling of other conservatives: "Hush Bimbo", "Golfer", "Wallbanger", "Leprechaun" Ann Coulter=Paris Hilton(THAT BITCH hates kikes' guts,btw).
For the matters of this blog, he said always that ORGANIZED RELIGION IS BUISNESS.
Speaking of "Liberalism as a mental disorder" should not we forget "Aguda" ass-kissing(no pun intended) of such prominent Gay-lovers as Nostrillman Henry Waxman, Fat Pig Nadler(represents Boro Park, gives gelt) and, of course, the Barney Fag himself(represents frum, historically HAREIDI neighborhoods of Boston).
Remember our conversation about Victoria's Secret Angels versus thouse who scream: "Homosexual acts prohibited by Torah" and then take illegal gelt from abovementioned "Fags".
BTW, one of the real Angels, Alessandra Lima(or Ambrosio) anounced that she is the virgin and wants to remain the same.
Yes, she is "pritzusdick" and Kolko-Margules, et al. are "tzniusdick".
Well, rest is known...

[Conservative Mama]

Okay, so I know this is not even a current entry, but I found it by searching for Ann Coulter info... you have to see the clip of her appearance on The View. It's freakin' hilarious!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4716118_see-ann-coulter-view.html

[An Anonymous Jew]

Because I am Jewish, I don't agree with Ann Coulter. But I don't think her to be stupid, or to say it for the result. Rather, she tells it like it is. There is no ulterior moment for "15 minutes of fame." Just like she says political things like it is, she says the same here. It is here belief and she follows it. It is Deutsch's problem if he can't comprehend that and provide a satisfactory argument instead of just stammering and continuously asking for Ann to repeat the same answers, in order to further smear her reputation.
Now as a Jew, I think the argument as stupid. But because she truly believes it, she is not stupid nor is her argument. It is a belief and beliefs aren't stupid.