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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 2012)
Arts & Entertainment B orn in New York City on Dec. 9, 1961, arch-conser- vative Ann Coulter is the author of eight New York Times bestsellers and of a nationally-syn- dicated column for Universal Press Syndicate. She also serves as the legal correspondent for Human Events and is a frequent guest on such TV shows as The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Sean Hannity, The O’Reilly Factor, The Glen Beck Show and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. The ever-controversial, flame- throwing firebrand has been on the cover of Time Magazine and pro- filed in publications like TV Guide, the Guardian, the New York Observer, National Journal, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle Maga- zine, too. In 2001, she was named one of the top 100 Public Intellec- tuals by federal judge Richard Posner. A Connecticut native, Coulter graduated with honors from Cor- C ELEBRITY I NTERVIEW by Kam Williams nell University and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. Here, she talks about her ninth book, “Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama.” Kam Williams: Hi Ann, thanks for the interview. Ann Coulter: Thank you, Kam. KW: I’m a fellow Cornellian, but I went there a decade ahead of you. AC: Wow! It was such a beauti- ful campus. But were you there during all the turmoil? KW: No, I arrived the year after the famous, black student takeover with guns that made national news. But while I was there, we did have plenty of strikes, takeovers and demonstrations about everything from Apartheid AC: Didn’t you people ever learn anything? [Laughs] KW: Rather than reminisce, let me get right to the questions, since my readers sent in more than I could ever get to. Troy Johnson was upset by a quote from your book where you counter Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men by asking: “Shall we compare SAT scores, cultural contributions and inventions?” Troy wonders whether you’re aware of all the cultural contributions that can be traced back to Africa, including Christianity? And are you aware that blacks tend to outperform whites from similar socioeconom- ic backgrounds on standardized tests? AC: Yes, in fact, in an early chapter of Mugged, I rely heavily on Thomas Sowell’s magnificent book, Black Rednecks, White Lib- erals. He points out that blacks in the North perform better, academ- ically, than whites in the South where they did not have much of an emphasis on learning. But please note that I’m not the one making that argument in that sec- tion about Michael Moore. And by the way, I’m not a man. White men have done a lot. It’s silly to write a book titled, Stupid White Men. ‘Black Americans are a special group, and I’m disappointed that they’re not Republicans, given our traditions’ to the War in Vietnam. There was so much chaos on campus it seemed like finals were cancelled every spring semester. Page 10 The Portland Skanner October 17, 2012 KW: Filmmaker Kevin Williams, director of Fear of a Black Republican asks: Why do you think the Republican Party Seven Guitars OWEN CAREY PHOTO Beware the Coultergeist! Blues singer Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton — who had just gotten out of jail when one of his songs became a hit – is dead, and this 1940s installment of August Wilson’s history cycle of plays is a flashback on his life and his community. The show, which is already basking in rave reviews, features Lance McQueen, above left, as Barton; Ramona Lisa Alexander, Mujahid Abdul-Rashid and Gayle Samuels. Directed by Kevin Jones. Get tickets at www.artistsrep.org, or call 503-241-1278. over the next hundred years. So, suggestions to the contrary drive Republicans like me crazy. KW: Marcia Evans says she agrees with your recent comment that the U.S. is only indebted to African-Americans. What prompt- ed that statement? AC: I was being a little cross with a right-wing black friend for throwing in the Hispanics and the Asians into a Jesse Jackson-type Rainbow Coalition. No! No! Blacks have a special history, since they were enslaved and were here as early as the first Ameri- cans. I hate to sound like a liberal but these are facts. That makes blacks a special group and I really don’t appreciate all these hangers on coming along. Yes, of course, black Americans are a special group, and I’m disappointed that they’re not Republicans, given our traditions. We’re not getting much love in return, despite our efforts. KW: Why do you think that’s the case? AC: Part of the reason is that it’s really hard to be a black Republi- can. I see what they go through. It’s a good little trick the entire mainstream media has pulled by describing Republicans as “Racist! Racist! Racist!” and then turning around and laughing at us for not hav- ing more blacks in our party. That’s why I hope a lot of black people will read my book because I think it will change minds. KW: One discussion I Specializing in *short sales found interesting in Mugged * bank owned properties * first time home buyers was where you point out * investment properties that Strom Thurmond was * residential & commercial the only segregationist U.S. Senator to change his affili- ation from Democratic to Republican. I would’ve guessed that there had been a wholesale flight of South- ern conservatives to the Torrey Nelson Republican Party. C: 503-381-2107 AC: Thurmond’s the only W: 503-208-3797 segregationist anyone can F: 503-536-6523 name. Meanwhile, the Dem- E: mrtnel@gmail.com ocratic Party had former www.dwellrealtypdx.com Klansmen, members of a 5625 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97211 See COULTER page 16 doesn’t reach out more to African- Americans on its own terms today? Have you seen the docu- mentary? AC: No, but I’ve heard of it. KW: It’s excellent. You figure prominently in it. So does Michael Steele. Kevin says he’d like to get you a copy. AC: Oh, I would love that, and I love Michael Steele. KW: Kevin’s basic thesis is that the Republican Party is hurting itself by failing to court the black vote. AC: Oh, I don’t believe that’s true at all. Republicans have reached out so much to black Republicans because it’s part of our tradition. Blacks have been in this nation longer than most other Americans with the possible exception of WASPs. The first blacks in Congress and the first black Governor were all Republicans. It was Republicans who fought the Civil War over slavery and who introduced the Civil Rights legislation
