What's Satire?

"As millions of lunatic Muslims plot to murder Americans, some Americans — we call them "Soccer Moms" — will cast a vote to save Michael J. Fox this year. In the process, they will put all Americans at risk by voting for a frivolous, dying party." --Ann Coulter, in a recent column

In fairness, Congress is changing hands because the GOP has lost its right to be America's party, through six years of incompetence, bigotry, and pandering to the anti-American Christian right. But should we waste time even criticizing Ann Coulter? Her stuff is obviously satirical. She doesn't really think all Muslims are lunatics and that Michael J. Fox should not be sympathized with. She can't actually hope, either, that the Democrats are a frivolous, dying party (they're frivolous but not dying)- because her book sales for the next two years will be significantly heightened if Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker of the House. The concern with Ann Coulter is that people who read her religiously probably don't get that she's being satirical ("Muslims are lunatics! You go Ann! Fuck Michael J. Fox!"), and she doesn't seem to mind. She prefers it that way. Even Rush Limbaugh has said on air that her recent book, "Godless," is a great intellectual work. Somehow I don't think the millions who've made that book a bestseller walked into Barnes and Noble asking clerks where Ann Coulter's latest "satire" was.