The circus comes to town

Guess who's coming to campus this month.\nJames Earl Jones! He of cable news and galactic empire fame. Total coincidence, I bet.\nOh, and guess who else.\nConservative columnist and television pundit Ann Coulter. Not for Black History Month, though. \nHer name used to make my blood boil, but not anymore. I like to think I'm older and wiser. Maybe I'm losing my virility.\nLast spring David Horowitz of www.frontpagemag.com came to town, trying to drum up support for kicking "politically biased" professors off campus. If his speech was any indication, that rule only applies to liberal professors ... but no matter. I went. The local reactionaries sat in the back row and acted their part, interrupting him until they were taken out by police, while his idolators sat up front and fumed. The whole thing worked too well not to have been scripted -- the hippies looked exactly like every tree-hugging stoner you've ever seen, and the conservatives made sure to act self-important and glower at them.\nHorowitz, by the way, is a sham. \nWanna know how I can say that with certainty? If he weren't, he wouldn't have taken visual pleasure in dressing down the idealistic political science undergrads at the audience microphone during the Q&A. If he were for real, he wouldn't have so enjoyed browbeating novices.\nChrist, I hate pundits. "Crossfire," thank god, is off the air, and Tucker Carlson, Paul Begala and the rest of the gang have finally been relegated to obscurity. All of those guys needed a swift kick in the ass, and they got it when an entire show dedicated to Bush bashing for ratings finally went the way of the buffalo last June. \nBut they aren't the only ones. Now the viewing public is invited to watch different idiots scream at each other, which continues to bring the level of political debate down to a depth no one knew existed. Why do people like Chris Matthews, Robert Novak and Sean Hannity get to set the tone of the national discussion? Why, god, why? I'm pretty sure "self-important blowhard" is a dictionary term for political talking head.\nWhich brings us to Ann Coulter. I hear there's going be extra security for her appearance at the IU Auditorium. You'll have to leave bags and coats at the door and signs won't be permitted. Apparently, people have thrown pies at past appearances. \nBad move, hippies. That just feeds the beast. \nAttention is what gives people like Coulter legitimacy. Whenever you show up to counter-protest, locking arms and screaming "we don't tolerate hate," you're building the myth that whatever Coulter has to say is actually worth listening to.\nI mean, really. What's she going to discuss? What can Ann Coulter's talking points possibly be? \nSomebody, please, tell me. One-liners about how liberals (anyone left of Reagan) are evil don't count. \nThis woman graduated from law school, and this is the career path she chose? She must like being a carnival act. Some line up to watch geeks bite the heads off of chickens. Others enjoy leggy blondes preaching fire n' brimstone conservatism. \nLess than being relevant, Coulter isn't even a threat. She's a sideshow. At least Horowitz had a point.\nWhatever. Let the College Republicans have their circle jerk, and if they're dumb enough to go, the local red menace can go too and shout bumper sticker slogans until they're asked to leave by security. Or, the campus could do the national discourse a huge favor: Help relegate people like Ann Coulter to the sidelines. Stay home.