"Wingnut" (sometimes "wing-nut") is used in United States politics as a political epithet referring to a person who holds extreme, and often irrational, political views. According to Merriam-Webster, it is "a mentally deranged person" or "one who advocates extreme measures or changes : radical."[1] In American politics, the term is more often aimed at members of the political right than those of the political left.[2] The New York Times' David M. Herszenhorn has defined a "wing nut" as "a loud darling of cable television and talk radio whose remarks are outrageous but often serious enough not to be dismissed entirely."[3]
Responding to its use in an essay by Peter Coyote, Sean Parnell of the Center for Competitive Politics wrote:
Moreover, you're [sic] use of the term "wing-nut minorities" is interesting for one who decries the incivility of political discourse today. I haven't read the new and updated Miss Manners for Politics yet, but I'm guessing I'm not going to find a section in there approving of the use of pejorative namecalling and broadly delegitimizing and demonizing your opponents.[4]
Coyote responded with an apology of sorts:
Okay. I've been rightly taken to task by Sean Parnell for my rudeness in calling people with whom I disagree "wing-nuts." He's right and I'm wrong. But, what would you call people that believe that fully automatic weapons and cop-killer bullets should be freely available; who bomb abortion clinics and advocate the murder of doctors who perform abortions; who believe that anyone who is not a Christian is doomed to Hell, and people who would elevate Creationism to the status of science? Give me a polite name and I'll use it.[5]