Comments on: Carole Coleman: I wanted to slap him

By: Jessamy Sanbello

Jessamy Sanbello — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:46:10 +0000

Of course she did not mean it literally. It’s a curently fashionable expression used in place of “telling off” by the younger generation, and always in a humorous way.

By: Tony Allwright

Tony Allwright — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 06:55:23 +0000

Of course she meant it in a literal way. Slapping is what women do. A man would never dare say such a thing (in public anyway), even in jest.

By: Gavin Sheridan

Gavin Sheridan — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:22:51 +0000

I actually thought the same thing when I read the headline. I hope she didn’t mean it in a literal way but in more of an off the cuff remark that was taken by the sub-ed for the headline.

By: Tony Allwright

Tony Allwright — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:06:32 +0000

I had no problem with Coleman’s line of questioning. It was not actually rude, but some of her questions were tough and they did make Bush squirm. But hey, he’s a big boy and well paid. Squirming should go with the territory.

But I have a big problem with a headline that quotes Coleman saying “I wanted to slap him”.

Violence is more and more the reaction of first resort when it comes to women (remember Jeremy Clarkson’s recent pie-in-the-face?), and a pusillanimously acceptable reaction. This is wrong. Personally, I find violence, other than in self-defense, reprehensible, whether committed by a man or a woman.

Let’s reply the quotation. “I wanted to slap her”, said Scott McClellan of Carole Coleman.

Such a remark would end his career. Why is Ms Coleman still in a job after promoting violence?

Or is this, once again, an expression of left-wing passion versus right-wing logic. That happens when what you say and think makes no sense.