Therapist's notes: court-ordered rehabilitation for hate speech: patient: Coulter, Ann.

First Session:

The patient arrives on time, displays pleasant and agreeable affect. She is charming and complimentary about therapist's office, calling it cozy. She asks if the therapist decorated it himself, and when told that he didn't, remarks that she should have known as he doesn't seem gay. Therapist asks why patient instantly assumes that interior decorators are invariably gay. Patient apologizes for the stereotyped response. "I guess this is why I'm here," she says with great sincerity. "I need to learn how to better express myself. I need to learn to stop saying things that upset so many people, to stop saying such hurtful things, using such hateful language. This is going to be a difficult and painful journey for me, I know. But together, I hope we can get to the bottom of it." Therapist compliments patient on her positive attitude. Patient and therapist share a healing hug. "So let me rephrase my statement, if that's okay," patient says. "All interior decorators are not gay--only the good ones are." Patient then bursts out into gales of laughter, points at therapist, and shouts "PSYCH!"

No progress during this session.

Second Session:

We move to a group-encounter experience. The patient is encouraged to engage the group--consisting of a dozen participants, some clearly homosexual, others merely avid environmentalists included as "gay decoys." Within minutes, patient has identified the decoy environmentalists, and has reduced several of them to tears. They exit angrily, leaving only the patient and eight or so homosexuals. The conversation quickly evolves into an unproductive conversation between patient and the remaining homosexuals in which all agree that the Prius is the most unattractive automobile on the road today, and that any man--homosexual or heterosexual--who drives one can be safely called a "f*g." When reminded that the therapist himself drives a Prius in solidarity with the green movement and Planet Earth, patient and remaining homosexuals erupt into hurtful giggles. Therapist reminds homosexuals that the patient is here in therapeutic rehabilitation to learn better, less hateful and hurtful ways to communicate. "I was kidding!" shouts the patient. "I used the word as a joke!" Therapist reminds the patient that humor is often the most hateful form of communication, and is therefore best ...