A "Dear Ann Coulter" Letter For Us All To Read:

[kpete]

After Ann Coulter referred to President Obama as a “retard” in a tweet during Monday night’s presidential debate, Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens penned her this open letter:

Dear Ann Coulter,

Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult? I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night. I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have. Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next. Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift. Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more. After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV. I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash. Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged.

A friend you haven’t made yet,
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger Special Olympics Virginia

https://specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/an-open-letter-to-ann-coulter/
https://www.facebook.com/Heywie/posts/10103666933073581

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Appears the GOP Hate Machine has kicked things into

high gear earlier than any other Election Cycle. Lee Atwater trained many so called idealist in his day,and this POS learned her skill set well,and it looks as if this cycle is all about how bad they can make our President's Image appear. Going to be down right ugly,and the GOP are pinning any success's on running against Obama and his ties to any Democratic Candidate,and it is going to be a non issues campaign.

[hueymahl]

14. Letter is from 2012

But still true today. Coulter is and always will be a special piece of garbage.

[Wellstone ruled]

17. My refference is to the latest events and

outlandish statements coming out of GOP Candidates and their operatives.

[calimary]

31. Doesn't matter. It's timeless.

As you aptly note, hueymahl, it's as true and valid today - and all our tomorrows - as it was then.

What handicap? He's bigger and more brilliant than I could ever imagine being. Talk about rising above it.

A keeper. Both him AND his remarkable letter.

[Raster]

22. Yes, and Atwater is roasting in hell.

[pscot]

35. And some day the Devil will claim

Ann Coulter's miserable, tarnished soul and plonk her down on a griddle right next to him.

[Raster]

36. Ahhh, from your keyboard to some Diety's monitor!

[SusanaMontana41]

49. Well, Lee had his mea culpa. That counts.

I doubt Karl Rove is capable of that. He has a date with Dante. A hot date.

[Raster]

55. ah, you mean his almost deathbed apology?

In a February 1991 article for Life magazine, Atwater wrote:

My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The '80s were about acquiring—acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power, and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn't I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don't know who will lead us through the '90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.

The article was notable for an apology to Michael Dukakis for the "naked cruelty" of the 1988 presidential election campaign.

Ed Rollins, however, stated in the 2008 documentary Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, that "[Atwater] was telling this story about how a Living Bible was what was giving him faith and I said to Mary (Matalin), 'I really, sincerely hope that he found peace.' She said, 'Ed, when we were cleaning up his things afterwards, the Bible was still wrapped in the cellophane and had never been taken out of the package,' which just told you everything there was. He was spinning right to the end."

My statement, re: Atwater still stands: ROAST IN HELL, MOTHERFUCKER!

[SusanaMontana41]

65. I did not know that, Raster. Thanks for setting me straight.

The truth can be very persuasive.

[Ilsa]

42. I guess no one told her that Atwater renounced

His heinous deeds on his deathbed, not that it would change anything.

[Raster]

56. El ToRo PooPoo. See my post above.

Even right to the end, Atwater was looking for mileage and spinning a web. ROAST IN HELL, MOTHERFUCKER!

Atwater <spits> was "The Southern Strategy," by which the Rethuglican Partay gathered every bit of White, Southern racial FEAR and hatred and coalesced them into the gameplan for the GOP staying "relevant." Again, ROAST IN HELL, MOTHERFUCKER!

[Ilsa]

61. OMG. Didn't even get it right in the end. He just

Pretended to give a shit.

I hope some demon is basting him.

[Raster]

62. You said it, right till the end he just pretended to give a shit. Right to the end he...

...was still manipulating. Still spinning, still lying.

And make no mistake, the most offensive, derogatory "Southern Strategy" was Atwater all the way: "let's use racism, fear and hatred to keep the GOP relevant in the South."

[Raster]

63. And may I add that Atwater was Poppy's boy, his main man.

Atwater was the creator and mentor of the nest of vipers that begat KKKarl Rove*.

[SusanaMontana41]

66. Check. Check. Check. Check. n/t

[csziggy]

2. John Franklin Stephens is a far better human than Coulter

And far more intelligent than she could ever aspire to be.

Well done, Mr. Stephens!

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Exactly What I Was Going To Say!

Our very good friend and neighbor across the street is a very high functioning Down's victim. I would lay down in the street for her. So would my wife. I wouldn't tell Coulter a train was coming if she was standing on the tracks.

[BlueJazz]

51. ....and I'd be driving the train.

[bvar22]

27. John Franklin Stephens...

...is being added to my list of Great Americans and True Patriots.

[SheilaT]

4. With all due respect to Mr. Stevens,

Ms. Coulter is dumb and she is shallow. She's also a miserable excuse for a human being.

[mountain grammy]

8. Yes, dumb and shallow and not worth his time or effort.

[erronis]

15. But this gave us an opportunity to learn from Mr. Stephens.

Too bad the witch (apologies to all other witches) won't read this while in her right wing cocoon.

[mdbl]

48. my thoughts exactly

You won't get through to a complete moron by complementing them.

[dem in texas]

5. Inspiring Letter!

What a great writer he is and a perfect put down to Colter's mean, hate filled rhetoric.

[TygrBright]

6. And he's right. If someone compared me to a Special Olympian, I'd be PROUD.

The courage, persistence, and dedication it takes to pursue a dream in the face of both disability and the stigma attached to that disability represents some of the best of the human race and the transcendence of the human spirit.

So, yeah: Insult FAIL.

appreciatively,
Bright

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. +1 n/t

[Pakid]

7. A change of heart

I doubt that Coulter has a heart to change

[yellowcanine]

10. "See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged."

Sorry Mr. Stephens, but I doubt that Ms. Counter's heart is soft enough to do any changing - that is, assuming she has a heart at all.

[fasttense]

11. For someone who was born into so much privilege

You would think Coulter would be happy. But she comes across so miserable and petty that you would think she had to deal with poverty and ill health all her life. I guess money doesn't buy happiness if Coulter is any example. What ever made her such a awful, hateful person must have been horrendous.

[retrowire]

12. i have a new hero.

his name is John Franklin Stephens.

[kpete]

13. retrowire

you chose wisely


peace to you and yours,
kp

[gregcrawford]

16. The Snake Woman...

... does not deserve a friend like you, John. That's an honor that has to be earned, buddy, and she ain't got what it takes. She'll never know it, but her life is diminished for not knowing a man like you.

You take care.

[turbinetree]

18. Even though he wrote this some time ago.............

her circle of friends has diminished to bigotry, hate and fear----------and I really don't think she is a "happy " person to this day
While he on the other hand has a support system that cares and his circle of friends is greater "love" than hers

[markbark]

19. I _DO_ so hate the "C" word...

...as it is the only word I know that will instantly offend (and probably start a fight) with the half of the population possessed of a pair of X chromosomes.

I cannot help but think of this word when confronted with anything Ms. Coulter says.

Perhaps, like Dan Savage did with the definition of the word "Santorum" we could replace the four letter "C" word with "Coulter?"

Just a thought.....

[Android3.14]

20. I, and my deceased uncle, applaud this letter

What an awful thing for Ms. Coulter to do.

[LittleGirl]

21. What a miserable life she must have

We only see her spouting off on fox spews and yet, there are 24 hrs of each day that she has to live in her own skin.

how does she sleep at night?

who in their right mind would want to spend time with her?

I would imagine she's a lonely pathetic human who hates life and loves the spotlight so much that she doesn't realize how sick she is.

Who would want to be like that?

I'd rather just disappear than know that that was my legacy. ewww. ick...ugh.

[SCantiGOP]

29. I don't think she means half of what she says

It's her thing, it's what makes her famous, keeps her on TV and makes her rich. She is motivated in the same way Trump is - they are both attention whores with completely unearned superiority complexes.

[samsingh]

23. i understand what he's saying, but why does he want to be friends with putrid evil like coulter?

she doesn't deserve him as a friend. She deserves contempt, ridicule and a prison sentence for crimes against humanity.

and she is shallow and she is dumb.

and she's incredibly ugly and repulsive.

[loyalsister]

46. It's genius

Last edited Wed Sep 2, 2015, 05:21 AM - Edit history (1)

He is taunting her by presenting a challenge as a gracious request. He's smart and classy. She could only hope to match his dignified temperament and brilliant insight.

The way he demolished the legitimacy of what she said, point by point, should make her consider hiring some kind of job coach who would teach her how to behave civilly

1. I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have.

2. Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.

3. Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.

[samsingh]

53. he is classy, but it goes over that shrill coulters disgusting ugly head.

[loyalsister]

59. Exactly

It makes her look stupid but she doesn't know it, and as I said she wouldn't be able to counter him if they had a one on one conversation.
What matters most is that other people do get it. He used it as an opportunity to explain what the problem is with using that word. Even here, I see people defend it in the name of free speech.

[lumberjack_jeff]

57. Perhaps not, but he understands that he's a representative of his fellow athletes

and indeed, others with developmental disabilities.

Maturity; this guy's doing it right.

[tblue]

24. Greatest ever

to the writer and OP.

BRAVO!

[daleanime]

25. Amen....

[progressoid]

26. Very nice.

He could write one to Rahm too.

[BrainMann1]

28. Dude you're the man!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

30. Kicking... Nothing more needs to be said, except....

Bravo!

[Enthusiast]

32. But, John, Ann Coulter is shallow and cruel.

[maddiemom]

33. Bravo, John!

You're right in saying Coulter is not dumb. She is, however, shallow. Promoting herself by spouting every ignorant and baseless insult she can afflict on anyone liberal is her way of gaining fame and wealth. She uses what she feels are offensive words (retard, homo) to call attention to herself, negative or not. For some reason it works and gets her that attention. I can understand it being effective on Fox, but elsewhere I'm very puzzled about her "success."

[hifiguy]

34. Outstanding.

He is worth more than an infinity of Annthraxes.

[tiptonic]

37. WOW

Fantastic, John!!!!

[mstinamotorcity2]

38. The Giraffe

speaks. Ann Coulter is her usual self.

[rhett o rick]

39. Calling her names in a thread that is against name calling is not cool. Just sayin. nm

[Paka]

40. Beautiful and Timeless!

[mackerel]

41. I can't seem to find her formal apology anywhere. LOL

[AwakeAtLast]

43. Standing. O. Vation.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. She was mean to the 9/11 victims' families

will never forgive her

[Major Nikon]

45. Pretty pathetic when the only way you can stay relevant is by using words like "retard" and "faggot"

Speaks louder about her and her audience than it does about the targets of her hateful rhetoric.

[King_Klonopin]

47. In the big picture, people like her

always score points for being crude and insulting to Dems
with the folks from the right. Case in point: Trump.

[ejbr]

50. K & R

A friend used that word around me last night and I am ashamed to say that it was Mr. Stephens that inspired me to speak up. I should not have needed to read this letter to demonstrate the connotation is unacceptable.

[zomgitsjesus]

52. What a powerful message!

If there is a bit of humanity in Coulter she will apologize and make good. I doubt it will happen but...

[Tsiyu]

54. John, it is an honor to read your words

You've made my week.

[Uben]

58. This is all she has ever done.....

...she has never been anything but a mouth. She'll say anything that'll get her air time on the right-wing propaganda stations.
Name once when this was not the case. She is nothing but a pathetic sycophant who reaps money from the idiots she preaches to.
She laughs all the way to the bank.

[Raster]

60. Damn, something in my eye...

"Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged."

[d_legendary1]

64. Don't care how old this is. Its amazing!

And a testament to how some of our society's most vile members are given a pedestal to preach hate by our corporate media.

[smirkymonkey]

67. Wow! What an amazing human being.

I had tears in my eyes reading his letter. How he could get his point across with no hatred or animosity was amazing, because if anyone deserves it it's her. It's people like him that make me want to be a better person.