Letters: May 16, 2005

Provocative pundit Ann Coulter regularly enrages the left and delights the right, so it was no surprise that our several thousand letters broke along similar lines. Some readers wondered why Coulter deserved the attention, while others saluted their favorite Republican pinup girl

"Congratulations for unraveling the mystery of Coulter. Her detractors either have no sense of humor or hate bearing the brunt of her wit."

DEAN DAHLGREN Schaumburg, Ill.

While I respect Ann Coulter's intellect, I feel that the offensive comments she has made over the years have hurt her [April 25]. Diverse points of view should, of course, be brought to the table, but how does wishing, as Coulter did in 2002, that Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh had blown up the New York Times building contribute to the political dialogue? Coulter could use her fame to promote valuable intellectual debate. Instead, she wastes it on personal attacks that do nothing to advance discussion of real issues.

STEVEN M. CLAYTON Ocean, N.J.

Thank you for the story on Coulter. She's a gutsy woman who tells it like it is. We need more of that these days!

KATIE GRAHAM Grand Blanc, Mich.

I was dismayed by TIME'S decision to legitimize Coulter and the venom she spews by stating that "she helps set the nation's tone." Without fail, she lowers the level of discourse on whatever issue she targets for her latest bilious tirade against liberalism and Democrats. If Coulter's screeching caricature of political commentary is setting the tone, the nation is the worse for it.

PAUL KOWALSKI Detroit

Does anyone really doubt that if Coulter were male, she would be dismissed as just another extremist head case? She is apparently well aware that she gets away with her rantings in large part because she is an attractive woman. In fact, she counts on it. She seems not to care about the bad effects that her outrageous conduct has on civil discourse; she prefers to bask in stardom. It's sad that her fans are amused by her trashy mouth. It's even sadder to contemplate what it says about the state of our country when Coulter's brand of xenophobia passes for critical political thought.

MICHAEL R. BOYLE San Diego

Your cover on Coulter asks, "Is she serious or just having fun?" The answer on both counts is, emphatically, yes!

JOHN JAEGER Irvine, Calif.

Coulters's quick wit is the slap in the face that awakens us from the stupor of liberalism. Go girl, go! TIME'S story focused on her throwaway statements and missteps to the exclusion of her brilliant recovery in debate and the dazzling and unflinching acumen she displays as a guest television commentator.

LINDA GRACE STONE Palo Alto, Calif.

If people ignored Coulter, she would go away. It's impossible to have an argument without both sides participating. It becomes clear after a while that Coulter's goal is not to bash liberals and spread conservatism. It's to advance the cult of Coulter. She is simply a self-promoter in our culture of celebrity.