Farah: Why don't you dump Coulter?

I knew it would come to this when I penned my column last Friday, called "Coulter, Khamenei, Republicans and the Jews."

In that commentary, I ripped Ann Coulter for an anti-Semitic slur she posted on Twitter during the latest Republican presidential primary debate.

In case you missed it, amid a series of frantic posts protesting the fact that four Republican candidates paid homage to Israel during the debate, Coulter let this one fly: "How many f–-ing Jews do these people think there are in the United States?"

Since then, I've been inundated with requests and demands to exercise my authority as founder, chief executive officer and editor of WND.com to dump Coulter as a commentator.

Several suggested that, if I truly believe Ann Coulter is an anti-Semite, it is incumbent upon me to fire her.

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I concur with that conclusion.

But here's the thing: I don't believe Coulter is an anti-Semite. I never said I did. Instead, I believe she mistakenly made an anti-Semitic slur. She should have known better. Apparently she didn't.

It's unfortunate. She ought to unequivocally apologize. It showed tremendously bad judgment. I would hope and trust the editors of WND's commentary section would never allow her to make such an insensitive and inflammatory remark like that in our publication. I certainly would not condone it.

If I believed she was truly an anti-Semite, that would be a different story. Then I would bounce her so fast it would make her blond hair flip.

But I don't think she is.

Furthermore, it reminds me of an incident that occurred back in 2010. For me it's like déjà vu all over again, as Yogi Berra might say.

Back then, I had her scheduled as a keynote speaker at a WND conference called "Taking America Back." When I learned that she had agreed to be a keynote speaker at a conference called "Homocon," sponsored by GOProud, a homosexual activist group of so-called Republicans, I politely challenged her in writing to rethink her decision, providing thoughtful, friendly reasoning.

Her response was abrupt and thoughtless. She explained, essentially, that she would talk anywhere for money.

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With that, I dropped her from our conference, having already paid most of her fee. I didn't want people speaking at our conference just for money. I actually wanted inspiring speakers who believed in something – that our country was headed in the wrong direction and that it was time to stand up for liberty, the Constitution and one nation under God.

Coulter went ballistic.

She went on TV and characterized the WND team as "phony Christians."

She lashed out at WND for "pushing the birther thing."

She called me, somewhat ironically, a "publicity whore."

Even for Ann Coulter, she was way over the top. Juvenile. Vindictive. Mean.

People assumed I would dump Coulter's column then.

I did not.

Why? I forgave her. That's what Christians do.

A year later, Coulter, having received so much publicity (something she clearly covets) over the GOProud controversy, went further. She agreed to be "honorary chair for the advisory council of GOProud," a group of so-called "conservatives" who helped push same-sex marriage in its earliest stages. She said she was thrilled to assume the role of "Queen of Fabulous."

There's another reason I didn't drop Coulter (and, no, it has nothing to do with traffic she brings WND).

This is the part very few people get: I actually believe in providing the broadest forum of stimulating commentary to be found in the English language. That's what we do at WND, in addition to using our news section to uncover fraud, waste, abuse and corruption in government and other powerful institutions with WND's team of enterprising, investigative and truly independent journalists.

Think about that.

Where else but WND do you find commentary from the far left to the far right and plenty in the middle?

Nowhere.

It's unheard of at any other news organization today.

It's a value I learned a long time ago as a newspaperman. But it no longer exists today in the New Media or the Old Media. WND stands alone in presenting both sides! Think of it.

Name one other news organization that strives to do this. Believe me, you won't find one.

I'm doing the same thing I did 20 and 30 and 40 years ago when I ran daily newspapers in major U.S. markets. It's just that the industry has changed. It's just that the culture has changed.

So, I make no apologies for publishing Ann Coulter – along with many other columnists, including some with whom I strongly disagree on just about everything.

Coulter is brash. She is angry. She is reckless. She's badly in need of some accountability in her life. I hope she finds it along with some peace.

But I don't believe she is an anti-Semite – just someone who carelessly made a very anti-Semitic slur, one I hope and pray she doesn't repeat.

If she does, then we'll know.

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