Conservative blogger on racial epithets: "So what?"
March 21, 2010 11:28 am ET by Jamison Foser
Conservative blogger Ann Althouse reacts to a report that "Members of the Congressional Black Caucus said that racial epithets were hurled at them Saturday... by angry protesters who had gathered at the Capitol to protest health-care legislation, and one congressman said he was spit upon":
It's also important to distinguish "angry protesters" from particular individuals who cross the line into the kind real ugliness or violence that should be condemned. There's nothing wrong with showing anger at the thing that motivates you to protest. That's what protests are for! The members of Congress have a lot of power, and they ought to have to hear the anger their exercise of that power is causing. It's outrageous for them to pose as victims without very good cause. So what if some idiot said a bad word? That's a trivial distraction compared to the power they are about to exercise in the face of such strong opposition to what they are about to do.
I expected some conservatives to deny that Congressman John Lewis, a hero of the civli rights movement was called [the N word] by opponents of health care reform, and to deny that another African American member of Congress, Emanuel Cleaver, was spat on. But I'll confess to some surprise that Althouse would stipulate to those actions, but dismiss them with a simple "so what?"
UPDATE: "Instapundit" Glenn Reynolds wants an apology from Rep. James Clyburn. Why? Because Clyburn said of yesterday's protests, "I have heard things today that I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to get off the back of the bus." Unclear whether Reynolds thinks Clyburn should apologize to the people who hurled epithets at Lewis and Barney Frank, or to the person who spit on Cleaver.
Of course a Mexican flag is too much for these guys, however racial slurs should be understood. Protesters being protesters they say.
It's not like A.A. doesn't have a reputation for condemning partisan behavior.
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Central to my point, and such as.
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The use of racial epithets transcends a simple, benign explanation such as anger...it reveals something seriously wrong not only with the person who utters such hateful language but also about the people who rationalize and defend the use of such language.
The only answer i can come up with is that Obama wants this and Obama is not white enought. Obama, who has not presented HCR as a racial issue and who has not made his ethnicity the showcase of his administration, nevertheless brings out the racism from many of these tea baggers.
The very fact that any mention of race comes up in these protests makes it clear where the motivation for some of these protesters comes from. Obama, who is not a socialist nor advocating socialism, nevertheless is presented as aiming to destroy America. Even if Obama morphed into Michael Steel, I am sure we would see the race reaction continue.
We, as humans, should NEVER attack anyone over something they can't control.
However, a driver who behaves badly in traffic is close to 100% in control over that behavior, and that bad behavior SHOULD be subject to ridicule, mocking, and scolding.
Can you imagine saying that? What kind of decrepit character must one have to think that's an acceptable or appropriate thing to shout at the nation's President?
Someone was there, and heard it. But for you, unless someone KNEW that this comment was going to be made OR was just randomly audiotaping people who weren't saying anything until the President's motorcade sped past happened to tape the actual comments, it seems suspect, huh?
"Go Back To Africa!" - As we were crossing Constitution headed toward the Capitol where the "rally" was taking place, the Obama motorcade just so happened to be headed up to the Hill for what I found out later was a well publicized meeting with Congressional Democrats. So, as the 20 deep delegation of black Tahoes sped by, TeaBaggers quickly ran to the curb (seriously, imagine a few hundred people running and wielding signs.) to serenade the most hated Negro this side of Barry Bonds. And like magic the "Go Back To Africa!" chants just materialized out of thin air. It was totally predictable, but still a little freakish.
I want an end to "political correctness." I want them to say how they feel, for everyone to hear. C'mon. Say it. Be PROUD of your racism. SAY that poor people deserve to die. Get rid of the all the masks and facades. Do it, cowards.
There are many issues where conservatives dare not be honest about. I suspect this is why you see so much information from them these days. Honest debate requires stepping out of the safe zone of ideological purity and for many of our conservative media whores, it is easier to deny reality and repeat the lie again and again.
For some of them, racism is obviously politically correct and they sure are having a hard time avoiding it.
Just how does one defend someone who defends racism? What rational excuse can be offered?
I'm not one who believes all the Teabaggers are filled with this foul, ignorant hate, but I am absolutely appalled that we have heard so few of them say that these ugly displays cannot, should not, and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
And folks should know, those who called those congressmen those things also called the people they represent those things. Because they are representing a constituency.
Kind of like when so many from the left were calling Bush Hitler . Or when many on the left call Hard working people who succeed greedy and fat cats etc. This list goes on so don't try your holier than thou cut and paste from the left wing blog posts. We all know both sides have lunatics and people right now are upset and angry because they are not being listened to by the politicians in office. For the most part these people are using their freedom of speech and are peaceful people
Notice not one denunciation of what happened. By the way, these are the same people who think that they are a ruling force in politics in South Florida because they attract upwards of...gasp....100 people to their little weekly soiree on the street corner.
Here's an example of some of their propaganda:
COME ON DOWN TODAY TO THE KILL THE BILL, SUNRISE TEA PARTY RALLY
TELL DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ , ALCEE HASTINGS AND RON KLIEN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE IN NOVEMBER
WE THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH FLORIDA SAY THAT YOU ARE FIRED!
TODAY IS THE DAY!
YOU DONT LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE YOU WILL BE OUT OF OFFICE!
KILL THE BILL
START OVER AND GET IT RIGHT!
NO GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER!
NO TO SOCIALISM
WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE FROM CANADA WHO KNOW WHAT IS LIKE TO BE UNDER SOCIALIST HEALTHCARE AND THEY WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY THIS BILL IS SO VERY BAD!
IT IS TIME TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!
IT IS TIME TO FIGHT FOR WHATS RIGHT AND FOR THE CONSTITUTION
I have repeatedly asked them exactly which part of the Constitution is being violated, which article are the Democrats ignoring...and not a peep, just more propaganda thrown at me, along with some threats of violence.
Here's a copy of what I wrote about the teabaggers:
And not one teabagger has come one here (and you know they're here from the amount of posts they put) to give even a token "Hey, this guys doesn't speak for us. We don't like violence."
Even when directly asked why they allow these people with obvious vilent predilections speak on their behalf or why they resfuse to publicly renounce the white power groups who are cozying up to them, they just ducked and weavd and gave some nebulous answer.
They said:
LOOK EVERY IDEA , EVERY GROUP HAS DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND FOLLOWERS. WE AT THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT REACH ACCROSS ALL LINES, DEM. REPUB, CONSERATIVES, EVEN LIBS. WE REACH ACCROS ALL RACES AND RELIGIONS. ALL AGES TOO. (See the whole thing here: http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/pol/1636946114.html)
Notice not one word saying "hey, we don't like the violent talk or threats either. That's not us." Not one mention of disavowing the moron that has been making threats on here.
Guess they're so desperate for members, they'll accept anyone in order to make their numbers look bigger. They did mention the scuffle that happened in November. Here's the news account of what happened:
http://salem-news.com/articles/november182009/baggers_tk.php
The thing to keep in mind is that there were no charges filed from the incident despite the video tape "evidence".
Obviously teabaggers are being exposed and exposing themselves for what they truly are and they are not very happy with it. I'm sure they'll be responses to this calling me a "socialist" or "obamabot" or that I'm drinking the "kool-aid" and I'm sure they'll be more threats, both here on CL and in my inbox. But, so what? That's all they're ever capable of, making impotent threats and throwing around conservative talking points and slurs. They claim that they were the winning edge in three elections, but every study done on the effectiveness and feasibility of the teabaggers as a real political force, capable of swaying elections has debunked that idea. The only hope they have right now of candidate that's truly theirs is Rubio.
So, go ahead and have your little gatherings, shout your little slogans, because like the polls have shown, most of America neither knows nor cares who you are. I post things on here about you to make a boring day go faster and you guys are right down 95, a few miles from me.
Oh, and you still haven't articulated which article of the Constitution is being trampled. It's not about taxes, the Constitution explicitily give Congress that power.
My apologies to MMfA for referencing a different website. And the bad spelling (well, at least on my part).
My impression of most of them is of non-voters or very conservative voters, and their primary threat is to not support Democrats. I guess in the back of their tiny monkey-like brains, they realize what an impotent and meaningless protest this is, and they're dealing with it by descending into angry mob fantasies.
The Teabagger Nation seem to be a collection of a fraction of a percentage of the most paranoid, stupid and gullible Americans trying to convince themselves that they're a majority. It's probably tough to accept that almost everybody is smarter than they are, hence the constant reinforcement of screaming that they're the Real Americans.
Although this did happen, this kind of talk was routinely denounced by conservatives who wanted to marginalize protesters who were focused on actual policy changes and issues that were before the nation.
No doubt, tea baggers have the same right to protest and no one is denying them this (although some of them think Obama brownshirts are on the verge of some sort of takeover). What I do not recall is the lefty protesters during Bush working on so much misinformation and hysteria based on rumor or media pundit. Bush was about to invade Iraq on well known false pretenses. The patriot act and Guantanomo did bring up constitutional issues.
For the most part, Bush did whatever he wanted to, protesters and polls be damned and protests were mostly some kind of noisy background for the administration and the media. Now for some reason, tea baggers have a legitimacy that somehow makes them the voice of the people, misunderstood angry virtuous citizens. Obama is instructed to ignore them at his peril. Anti Bush protesters were just a nusiance
75 PATRIOTS ATTENDED TODAYS RALLY IN SUNRISE
YES WE HAVE GROWN IN JUST 7 SHORT WEEKS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT THE CORNER EVERY SUNDAY FROM 1PM TO 3PM
TODAY WE MAY HAVE LOST A BATTLE WITH OBAMA BRIBING CONGRESS IN THE SOCIALIST BILL BUT WE WILL WIN THE WAR IN NOVEMBER.
WATCH THE PRICES OF GOODS AND SERVICE GO UP TO PAY FOR ALL THIS
PLUS THE MANDATE THAT ORDERS EVERY AMERICAN TO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE NOT OF YOUR CHOICE BUT BY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ORDERS YOU TO BUY!
THE IRS WILL COME CALLING TO MAKE SURE YOU BUY WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS OR YOU WILL BE FINED AND OR GO TO JAIL.
THIS IS IN THE BILL IF YOU EVER BOTHER TO READ THE BILL.
PLUS PAYING FOR ABORTIONS IS IN THE BILL
BY THE WAY NO EXECUTIVE ORDER CAN RECIND FEDERAL LAW SO THE BRIBR TO STUPAK IS NOT LEGIT.
WE WILL BE OUT THERE EACH AND EVERY WEEK TO FIGHT FOR AMERICA AND THE CONSTITUTION
WHICH BY THE WAY THIS BILL VIOLATES!
So, what do we have here?
1) It probably didn't even happen
2) Even if it did happen, it was probably somebody from outside the teabagger movement trying to discredit it
3) Even if it was a teabagger, it was only one person and you can't hold a whole group responsible for that one person's actions
4) A bad word is a trivial distraction compared to the mean old government doing something the large majority of Americans favor. They should stop because a tiny fringe minority thinks it's the wrong thing to do
Kind of missing the much bigger point, but those on the far right do tend to miss the forest for the trees. Not really big picture thinkers, for the most part.
See, it's not that a Congressman was spat upon. It's not that a racial epithet was used. Both those things are bad, and deserving of condemnation and perhaps prosecution. No, the bigger point is that not only is no-one on the right pointing out that this behavior is unacceptable and should not be tolerated no matter who is doing it, but that it is being excused and therefore de facto encouraged.
That's what makes the teabaggers a dangerous fringe group. That they believe any means justify the ends they seek.
Of course, put in the context of ALL we've seen, either there's a TON of ACORN conspirators in the tea party, or it's the same guy over and over with the racist signs, guns, and violent rhetoric.
But I'm going to say it's not outside the realm of possibility that, given what we know of "mob" mentality, they can feel safer with each other while expressing extreme sentiments.
And, by the way, a few people at the protests allegedly shouted obnoxious things. Many people in the crowd then supposedly shouted them down saying essentially that we didn't need that type of language. Of course MMFA would never allow that little tidbit to get through.
Bottom line is, there were plenty of reporters there who heard those words. This is no rumor popping up from some strange corner of all things cyberspace.
But, if you can't buy that, ask yourself this--it's there no substantial proof that this happened why did I hear Michael Steel offer a rather weak explanation for it on Meet the Press this morning. And why, oh why did Rep. Devin Nunes go on CSPAN and blame it on the Democrats?
Besides, your little switcharoo trick is laughably weak sauce. You make a claim, are asked to support the claim and then move the goalposts. Weak weak weak.
How many Republican Congressmen have expressly denounced the racial epithets directed at their black colleagues?
As evidenced above, that sad, sorry tradition lives on today.
LOL. That makes a lot of sense. I always tell people who haven't called my cell phone to stop calling my cell phone.
Is it Sunday in your alternate universe?
Of course, these reports do appear to be accurate, and none of these wingnuts have ever been successful in their endless attempts to show MMFA making anything up, but those are just the sort of details that are blinding you.
Facts and reality, in other words, have made you blind to the fantasies and hallucinations of far right lunatics.
That said, a Congressman was spat upon. Do you agree with this behavior?
Another Congressman was derided with a racial epithet. Do you agree with this behavior?
A third Congressman was derided for his sexual preference. Do you agree with this behavior?
I find the behavior unacceptable no matter WHO indulges in it. As a polite society, America sometimes leaves much to be desired.
Finally, the point is not the behavior itself, but the fact that neither the health reform protesters nor the Republicans who lead them condemned this behavior as completely outside the bounds of civil discourse. That means that they believe that any means at all can be justified because the ends they seek are so all important. This is the road down which many of the worst example of human history have traveled, and it always ends badly.
That's pretty jarring to those who have a lot invested in that same propaganda. The natural reflex is for the conditioned zombie brain stub to tell itself that everything it sees is made up.
I think for some of the far right fringy types who visit this site, it must be like an abused wife seeing pictures of her hubby and another woman, and convincing herself it's photoshopped. Then she feels compelled to tell everybody else that it's fake.
I'll wait...
Here's MaggieCynic, bragging about his ignorance. Again.
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It's really a pretty good entry for a new GOP slogan. Concise, lazy, irresponsible and unaccountable. None of that communist-style empathy involved, either.
Somebody's going to make a few bucks if they get the "SO WHAT?" bumper stickers made before the next teabagger rally.
But I suppose this can/will be explained away and condoned the same as the other despicable behavior of the baggers. Anyone supporting this type of behavior is as bad as the ones doing it and has no sense of shame.
Obviously he's trying to defend the unfairly criticized period of March 15, 1960.
She should go green and shut her computer off.
Glenn really wants Rep. Clyburn to apologize for marching to get off the back of the bus.
And, let's keep it real... I'm sure many people who hated Bush said some terrible things about him, but using Althouse's logic, so what if some idiot said a bad word?
Also, it's not only that bad words were used... a congressman was spat on. Please, Ann, tell me you wouldn't have gone absolutely insane if somebody did that to a Republican. Please... I beg you to take that route and see how stupid you look after brushing off this incident.