Mike Rogers on Coulter: "I don't think we ought to shy away from that"

Last night, one of Michigan's most out-of-touch Congresscritters, Mike Rogers spoke with Lansing's 1320 WILS host Jack Ebling host of the show Ebling and You. While on the show, Rogers was asked about Ann Coulter's appearance before the Livingston Economic Club in October.

You can listen to the audio clip here.

For those who can't listen, I've provided a transcription below.

Here's where Rogers refuses to really see the problem. First Amendment Rights protecting Free Speech are extremely sacred and holy. Everyone should be able to say what they want to say. But the line is crossed when business and community economic forums are paying $30,000 to have someone spew hatred and preach intolerance and violence.

$30,000 doesn't equal Free Speech.

Hate, intolerance and violence, bought and paid for by the Livingston Economic Club, as they choose to spend the equivalent of a year's salary on Coulter, who among many, many other terrible things she's said also said this about journalists - defenders of the First Amendment -

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building."

From his comments on last night's show, one must assume that Mike Rogers fully supports Ann Coulter's message of hate, destruction, and intolerance. Leading the organization that he proudly help to found, Mike Rogers doesn't think we should "shy away" from paying and bringing Coulter and others like her.

It's one thing to let a person speak, it's a completely different thing to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for that hate speech.

Shame on you, Mr. Rogers. You surely aren't representing me or any of the thousands of others that live in your district.

Interview Transcript

Ebling: In your district, Ann Coutler is going to be making an appearance in Howell, and she's been a lighting rod for controversy and I'm curious what your view is on that.

Rogers: "Well I think it's uh, through Cleary University. I think that divergence of Opinions are really important. I think that, ah they ought to have the opportunity to say some things, even if we all disagree with some of the things we say, they ought to have the right to say it. And I think it fosters a healthier, uh debate on the issues, versus this, this notion that we've got to - if they don't say the things we exactly like and exactly agree on, we don't want to hear from them.

Ebling -I guess she's getting a $30, 000 appearance, or speaking fee, and I know what Ann Coulter makes, uh or at least part of what she makes and it'd be really nice if she could turn out and give that back to Livingston County.

Rogers - Ha well, I'd be for that! I'm sure that Cleary University would love to have some of that back as well! It's a - my understanding is it's an economic forum, uh that was started a few years ago. And one of the reasons was, and actually I started the first year, I helped get that started, was to bring in a variety of speakers who could cover issues and topics of the day, to try and get Livingston County kind of on the upswing of,uh of uh, you know, what's going on in the world, and to have this kind of a network and an economic-type club, like the Detroit club, like the Grand Rapids club, and I thought you know, that time when people approached me about the club, you know, Livingston County is ready for that, that would be a great thing, the business community there is pretty strong and wouldn't it be great to have that kind of opportunity. My argument again, sometimes that they're going to get speakers there that are not in line with where everybody is at but that, and offer some controversial ideas, and I don't think we should shy away from that. Just like when Michigan State University brings in some very, very controversial speakers who certainly aren't, certainly that I don't agree with, and I imagine a lot of the people in the area don't agree with. But I still believe it's important for them to come to an environment like that, and offer their ideas and offer their - I mean that's one of the things that made us great, we've never been really afraid to hear things we don't like.