Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Ann Coulter Diagnoses Liberalism as a "Mental Defect"

Today, I was reading FrontPage Magazine and found an interview with Ann Coulter, an American writer with a fondness for the Republican party. I am not drawing attention to her because of her political views. No, she has drawn my ire because of a statement she made in an interview with Jamie Glazov.
"FP: Let's move on to discuss your own personal background. Tell us, what influenced you to become a Conservative? Were there some people or events that molded your views in your childhood, youth, etc?
AC: There was an absence of the sort of trauma that would deprive me of normal, instinctual reactions to things. I had happily married parents, a warm and loving family, and a happy childhood with lots of friends. Thus, there were no neurotic incidents to turn me into a liberal.

FP: No neurotic incidents to turn you into a liberal? Would you, then, argue that leftism/liberalism is ultimately, in most cases, the depersonalization and politicization of personal neuroses?

AC: Pause for a moment to consider the probable mental state of Howard Dean and then ask me that question again. Yes, of course liberalism is a mental defect."
(Emphasis in quote courtesy of Jeremy Brendan, otherwise appearing as it was posted.)

I wonder what a real psychologist would diagnose Ann Coulter with. Perhaps projection? According to Heretical.com, "People attribute their own undesirable traits onto others. An individual who unconsciously recognises his or her aggressive tendencies may then see other people acting in an excessively aggressive way." I mean this in jest; there is no way that you can make a psychological diagnosis without hours or even years of studies or therapy. That makes me wonder why Mrs. Coulter decided to diagnose all liberals as "mentally defective".

Liberalism has a fine history and many good things have been accomplished by reformers. How many reformers would call themselves conservative? Aside from Barry Goldwater, it is difficult to find someone who has instituted systemic change who wasn't a liberal, or at least someone who identified with many liberal views.
Plus, last time I checked dictionary.com, liberal meant "Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry." I can see that Ann Coulter is definately not a liberal!
Being a Canadian citizen, I am happy to say that the party that leads my nation calls itself the "Canadian Liberal Party of Canada". Would Ann Coulter be able to diagnose what caused us to vote Liberal in the last election? Please let me know!