RSS Feed MenuSeveral news outlets have reported that protesters on Capitol Hill have made racist and homophobic comments at certain members of Congress. While helpful in building a portrait of the Tea Party movement, the rally itself was largely about the healthcare bill. If racism is on the minds of members at the rally, it is not what they are focusing on.
At Mother Jones, Suzy Khimm has background on the incidents in question:
Rep. John Lewis was called “the N-word” when he was on the floor of the House earlier today by “a heckler from the Tea Party, a protester,” Kristie Grecho, a press secretary for House Majority Whip James Clyburn, said this afternoon. She added that another protester allegedly tried to spit upon Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, another black Democrat, as he was walking from the Longsworth House building to attend Obama’s speech. In a separate incident today, Rep. Barney Frank, who is openly gay, was called a “fag” as he was leaving the Longsworth building.
Sam Stein of the Huffington Post also reports the comments made by Representative Cyburn, and how Clyburn feels that the comments made at him evoke the racist attitudes of the 1960’s:
“It was absolutely shocking to me,” Clyburn told the Huffington Post. “Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where fifty years ago as of last Monday… I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins… And quite frankly I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus.” [Emphasis added by FrumForum]
Some of the flags and paraphernalia at the rally do lend credence to the impression that several of the attendees have sympathies that would be out of step with the mainstream. While no Confederate flags were cited, both the Bonnie Blue Flag and a South Carolinian secessionist flag were identified:
However, the mood of the entire event was confrontational. This video below shows Maxine Waters and an additional congressman (from the distance, it is hard to identify who) being booed for their support of the healthcare bill. Whether the fact they are African-American makes the booing easier is hard to know, people at the rally booed anyone who supported the bill irrespective of their skin color:
The main goal of the rally was not to target representatives based on their skin color or sexual orientation, it was to get vulnerable and targeted House members to change their votes. At the rally, speakers would give out the number for Rep. Jason Altmire’s office, and would encourage everyone on the lawn to go to his office. (While FrumForum has not yet found a third party estimate on how large the crowd was today, Freedom Works claimed there were around 40,000 people.)
As a result of this, Altmire’s office had one of the longer lines inside the Congressional office buildings:
The most recent reports suggest that Altmire’s vote is a confirmed no. Whether Tea Party pressure had a role in this decision is currently unclear, but it is certainly an example of a Tea Party target switching his vote in a way that they would prefer.
Several members of media have chosen to focus in on the racism and homophobia of the Tea Party:
There is no defense for the actions they describe. Whether individuals at the rally consider their opinions on race and sexuality to be more important than their opinions of the piece of legislation being discussed however, is a separate issue.
Brain Beutler of TPM argues that these incidents reveal conservative hypocrisy:
The general point of the tweet is valid: the Tea Party does attract members with distasteful opinions. The problem for liberals trying to explain why these people are protesting is that these opinions may not necessarily be driving the entire Tea Party movement. The problem for the GOP is that even though the focus of the Tea Party is healthcare, the movement has thrown its lot in with a segment of America with opinions that are utterly alien to college-educated and independent minded voters. Very few people outside these rallies think that “states’ rights” is a convincing rallying cry for conservative programs.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 1:49 pm
jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 1:11 pm
“I rest my case…you have nothing, and you know it. Stop making baseless accusations and learn how to construct an intellectual argument based on facts.”
……eye roll……Jabber (a serendipitous choice?) you wouldn’t recognize an intellectual argument if it bit you in the bum, viz. my 21, so as ever we end up with usual catalog of name calling
jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 1:54 pm
ottovbvs:
“……eye roll……Jabber (a serendipitous choice?) you wouldn’t recognize an intellectual argument if it bit you in the bum, viz. my 21, so as ever we end up with usual catalog of name calling”
Again, I rest my case. Where’s your proof? I’m still waiting…
jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Tell you what, ottovbvs – I’m going to work out now, followed by a vegan lunch (because I take responsibility for my own health). This should take me a couple of hours and within that time frame you should be able to provide me with names of people committing racism, along with times, places, and psychological intent. Remember, if you scream racism, then the burden of proof is on YOU, so bring it.
If you can’t perform this task, then you’re owned. You’ve lost the argument, and you’ve got nothing, and I’m finished discussing this with you.
mlloyd // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:18 pm
It’s a very important point, the difference in coverage of the anti-Iraq invasion protests vs. the coverage of tea people.
http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2009/09/washington-post-crashed-and-burned-and-smoking-watch-mike-getler-says-its-the-editors-fault.html
100,000 anti-invasion protesters showed up, and they were alternately ignored and mocked in the MSM as “outside the mainstream.” 70,000 tea partiers showed up, and they were feted by the GOP tv network and addressed by Congressmen.
franco, you are quite right that the MSM coverage of these protests demonstrates its right-wing bias.
franco 2 // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Noah Kristula-Green // Mar 21, 2010 at 12:48 pm “So there is a level of selective bias, but does that mean racism and dubious political philosophies should be ignored? I don’t agree. Ugliness is ugliness and should be called out as such.”
But associating it with a much bigger movement is also ugliness. And since the MSM does it – no need to pile on and accept their premise inherently, which is what you are doing to some extent. We know they are trying to associate the tea party with racism and any other taboo they can find. We know that.
Another thing Noah. Calling your opponents “racists” when it isn’t absolutely true is also ugliness and needs to be policed. They cheapen the word so it can mean virtually anything. Flying a certain flag – even a confederate one is deemed racist. Really? There are racists who fly that flag, but everyone who flies it isn’t necessarily a racist. People who wish to secede from the Union are also not racist by nature of that wish. You do damage to the word and thus the concept when you unwittingly take on the memes of the left.
Not all comments here you should be proud of, or happy with because left-wing trolls are just sniping and dumping vitriol on everything you stand for. Get a spine!
Carney // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:24 pm
A couple of non-filmed, uncorroborated, alleged incidents that happen to very neatly serve the interests of the accusers are taken as gospel? Hate crime hoaxes happen all the time, and not just highly publicized ones such as Tawana Brawley and the Duke lacrosse team, and not just on the ultra-tense, ultra-racialized environment of academe. Not a month goes by, it seems, without more nooses, scrawled epithets, swastikas, leaflets, threatening letters, and lurid tales being revealed as fakes. To media silence, of course.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:27 pm
franco 2 // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:20 pm
……I thought you’d signed off and gone looking for chairs franco
” But associating it with a much bigger movement is also ugliness. ”
…….just because half of them are racists, homophobes and secessionists is no reason to condemn the entire teaparty crowd……is it?
” People who wish to secede from the Union are also not racist by nature of that wish. You do damage to the word and thus the concept when you unwittingly take on the memes of the left.”
………yes those confederates were just “misunderstood.”
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Carney // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:24 pm
“A couple of non-filmed, uncorroborated, alleged incidents that happen to very neatly serve the interests of the accusers are taken as gospel? ”
…..Never happened of course……..And all those weird racist/secessionist signs?…….it’s there……. you need look no further than some of these crazy right wing sites like Redstate and Free Republic
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Noah, if irritating and grating is your true passionate goal –you’ve proven to be an expert at it here at FF. I know you might be pleased by finally getting some comments on one of your articles, but the simple truth is that this one is yet, sigh, another stretch beyond credibility.
It’s just another “Let’s Bash the TP” at FF day. Tomorrow it’s Palin. Then Beck. Then back to Bush. Then return to the TP… repeat, recylce. Same old; same old from the FF diarists.
1-2 flags at countless rallies hardly proves your inflamatory accusations that the TP Movement has attracted secessionists… or, as a reduction, the TP Movement better be careful to muzzle these dangerous voices (including the ones of racial bigotry which you raise without merit) or else risk alienating most TP supporters.
On the racial bigotry angle, John Lewis and Jim Cylburn are first and foremost Democrat activists of the farLeft that have a long track record of playing the Race-Baiting Card in a litany of instances when it has no merit. Calling McCain a racist in the last election is a fast example, readily recalled to most thinking people.
Like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farakan and Rev Wright, Clyburn and Lewis use race-baiting as a partisan tool to advance their political agenda –no matter what. By that, they literally dishonor the brave men and women who once stood for racial tolerance and demean the great accomplishments of this fine Nation in the march toward racial equality.
Does their dishonor bother them? Heck no because, if it helps move toward some partisan advantage, it’s worth the dishonor to those disreputable Congressmen.
I’m not surprised you’d stoop to this level and not at all surprised the FF editors would craft a misleading headline for an article that misleads as well… what I am surprised at is that you take glee in the fact.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:37 pm
29 jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:12 pm
“and I’m finished discussing this with you”
……actually I’d finished discussing it with you……enjoy your Vegan lunch……and keep an eye out for the nuts.
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:42 pm
agent’P at #25: “Funny how the shoe is now on the other foot. For a good long while, we’ve heard the most horrible things about ACORN. We’ve been told how a few pieces of data are proof that the entire organization is corrupt and malignant.”
Not at all, agent’P or B’fault or whomever it is this week.
ACORN hardly has a few pieces of data to demonstrate their widespread corruption. Multiple indictments in a variety of states; successful criminal prosecutions; voter fraud and tax fraud, Democrats in Congress cutting off funding it got so bad and the stories became legend… not a few pieces, agent’P or B’fault… a literal landslide of evidence of criminal activity –so much so that Obama had to direct Holder to call off the FBI investigations of ACORN for RICO violations and hire up all those ACORN lawyers to fill any DOJ spots left over after filling them with al Qaeda lawyers.
You are right on one point. 1-2 flags hardly proves the TP Movement is made up of racists and secessionists. It is too few data points to be credible.
But ACORN, wow… there’s a ton. It’s a landslide.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:36 pm
“1-2 flags at countless rallies”
…….the man of hundred identities(and political strategist) from Michigan can’t count either…..I agree Sharpton and Jackson are phonies and there’s some black racism(with some historical justification after all) but that hardly acquits the teabagging racists, homophobes and secessionists does it?……actually the mindset you exhibit is not dissimilar from those southern white juries who would routinely acquit whites while condemning blacks for similar crimes.
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Carney: “Not a month goes by, it seems, without more nooses, scrawled epithets, swastikas, leaflets, threatening letters, and lurid tales being revealed as fakes.”
Of course, the most glaring one was the story that even brought out guys like TeaBagged and RBottoms and OttoBS on FF to cluck and condemn without any basis or proof… the long forgotten case of the census worker found hung in eastern Kentucky and those FF trolls claiming it was rednecked white anti-govt conservative separatists a’doing all da killins.
Turns out, it was either a suicide by yet another mentally unstable Democrat or some farLeft Democrat drug dealers operating dope rings that were discovered by that cesus worker, Bill Sparkman.
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/24/when-will-the-left-retract-the-kentucky-census-worker-case-smear/
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:51 pm
ottoBS joins B’fault in shooting blanks from the holstered revolver on his hip: “…actually the mindset you exhibit is not dissimilar from those southern white juries who would routinely acquit whites while condemning blacks for similar crimes”.
Really.
It’d be a big surprise to my black-asian life partner and husband of 14 yrs.
Thanks for the chuckle, my blanks shooting, fire-from-the-hip farLeft troll.
BlackPerspective.net » Blog Archive » Tea Party Racist On Capital Hill // Mar 21, 2010 at 2:59 pm
[...] commenting at FrumForum frames the issue succinctly: The Tea Party movement is funded and supported by GOP outfits like [...]
franco 2 // Mar 21, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Independent,
“ottoBS joins B’fault in shooting blanks from the holstered revolver on his hip”
That might explain their shrill high-pitched voices screeching “social justice” in castratto.
Watch out.. the racist jokes will come next from theses hypocrites. They’ll find a way to put their jokes in their enemies’ voice. This way, the cowardly leftist totalitarian racists accomplish two things; smear their opponents and get their racist jollies without being held accountable.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Independant:
“It’d be a big surprise to my black-asian life partner and husband of 14 yrs.’
……this gives you a pass does it like the inability to count noxious flags and signs
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Independant:
“census worker found hung in eastern Kentucky and those FF trolls claiming it was rednecked white anti-govt conservative separatists a’doing all da killins.”
…..Perhaps you’d like to produce a source where I said that……what you fail to accept is that just because there are some Democratic scum like Sharpton or idiots in Guevara tea shirts at rallies this doesn’t give you and Republicans a pass to behave in the same way……it’s the totally phony doctrine of equivalence……..who were worst the Nazi’s or the Stalinists…..answer both…..and in the context of American society it has to be said the antics of the tea party bigots and their mouthpieces on Fox and elsewhere funded by Republican billionaires represent a far larger threat to the democratic process than the phony Sharpton and some kids in tea shirts.
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 4:23 pm
You now, there’s been this background question about you ottoBS that you’ve just answered for us all.
Weren’t you the guy who went by AutoMatic BS a few months ago? This line kind of rang the bell for some of us: “…what you fail to accept is that just because there are some Democratic scum like Sharpton or idiots in Guevara tea (sic) shirts at rallies this doesn’t give you and Republicans a pass to behave in the same way”.
and
“…on Fox and elsewhere funded by Republican billionaires represent a far larger threat to the democratic process than the phony Sharpton and some kids in tea (sic)shirts.”
I heard those same lines from the union hall goons in the decaying offices of local UAW cells –ooops, chapters– just last week.
Fox isn’t funded by “funded by Republican billionaires” –the leading cable news network is funded by companies who advertise on Fox to get their product before the largest audience of independents, Democrats and GOPers watching serious television.
It’s a union goon’s wet dream to think these are “Republican billionaires”, even if they wore t-shirts. There just advertisers seeking the smartest, widest audience with the most dispensable income.
By the way, ottoBS, your comments are becoming a tad more coherent. Thanks for trying to communicate better. The message is still all wrong –but at least we can understand what you’re rambling about now. Thanks.
connor25 // Mar 21, 2010 at 4:28 pm
GOP, if you care about the party surviving, leave the Tea Party people for your own good. These people would be better off forming their own party like the British National Party in Britain.
jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 4:44 pm
ottovbvs:
“actually I’d finished discussing it with you……enjoy your Vegan lunch……and keep an eye out for the nuts.”
That’s what I thought, you’ve got nothing — once again, you’ve proven yourself to be nothing more than a farLeft troll who throws out race-bombs without any proof or substantiation. You’re owned, you have no argument, people like you make me sick to my stomach, and I’m done with you.
GRO // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Here’s what I will never understand —
okay, let’s just assume that the Tea Party movement is well funded, promoted by the conservative media and anything but a spontaneous display of grassroots activism. Fine.
Now let’s look at unions. Inevitably when you see a herd of Steelworkers in tee shirts the assumption is a bunch of hard working real Americans just collectively decided enough was enough, dropped their lunch buckets and started driving to DC so their voices could be heard.
Here’s how that really works — union staffers spend all their time pushing members to show up for these rallies, offering low wage workers PTO from their jobs and free trips to somewhere with a nice per diem and free lunch in exchange for yelling and waving signs over subjects they understand little about. And somehow this is seen as more pure or “grassroots” than Tea Party demonstrators.
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:27 pm
jabbermule // Mar 21, 2010 at 4:44 pm
“and I’m done with you.’
……..What a relief
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:31 pm
GRO // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:24 pm
……I don’t disagree with the thrust of your argument…..but there are two important differences…..firstly union activities are not anonymous as are those of the Koch brothers and that nutty casino billionaire whose name I forget……and secondly union members aren’t generally advocating secession, racism, homophobia, the president is ineligible to serve etc etc……yes?
ottovbvs // Mar 21, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Independent // Mar 21, 2010 at 4:23 pm
“Weren’t you the guy who went by AutoMatic BS a few months ago?”
……Not as far as I know but then you’re always inventing weird terms of abuse and mixing up cases of identity……the fact that you seem to have forgotten whatever it is you’ve forgotten suggests the early symptoms of Alzheimers or dementia so you might want to seek medical help……and if you’d like to check most of Armey’s money is coming from the Kochs and some casino billionaire…..if you don’t know who the Koch’s are google them……they really have your interests at heart.