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Free Press readers back Ann Coulter

Friday, March 9, 2007 7:11 PM PST

ELKO — Readers have sent a clear message to the Elko Daily Free Press: Keep printing Ann Coulter’s opinion column.

In response to being flooded by thousands of e-mails from a gay and lesbian advocacy group, the newspaper asked local readers to call or write with their opinions on whether the controversial columnist should stay in the paper.

“As of this morning we had received nearly 60 phone calls or faxes, and about nine out of 10 wanted us to keep running Ann Coulter,” said managing editor Jeff Mullins.

Comments have also been posted to the Elko Daily Free Press’ Web site, www.elkodaily.com. The majority of these comments are in support of free speech.

Meanwhile, Editor & Publisher magazine reported Thursday that the Times of Shreveport, La., became at least the fourth newspaper this week to drop Coulter.

In a note posted on the newspaper’s Web site, Times Executive Editor Alan English wrote: “Today we move past the rhetoric and unproductive dialogue offered by Ann Coulter. The Times is dropping her column effective immediately. It is her recent ‘joke’ about John Edwards being considered a ‘faggot’ that is the back-breaking straw for a decision we’ve openly discussed for some time.”

Most of the Free Press readers who called the editor had different opinions.

“Many callers said they thought Ann Coulter had a right to express herself, and they did not want us to be swayed by those seeking her removal,” Mullins said. “Several said they would consider it censorship, and added that they would no longer subscribe to the paper if we ‘caved in’ to the special-interest group’s request.”

Coulter’s weekly column appears on page A4 of today’s Free Press.

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