Hillarysworld

AP / Alan Fram · Diamond

"Tea Partyers Shout N-Word at Black Congressmen" (Time.com 3/20/10)

Sanders · Diamond

The Plum LineGreg Sargent's blog

Rep Ciro Rodriguez Called “Wetback” By Anti-Reform Protestor

Building 4112 · Moderator

Slurs and insults don't just come from the tea parties, they also come from the dems themselves, and they have been spray painting them as racist. Just like
I was called a racist for not voting for Obama, and told to get over it!

-- Edited by Building 4112 on Monday 22nd of March 2010 11:46:27 AM

Sanders · Diamond

Yep, so was I, except, we could target the feedback to the leadership of the Dem party directly. There is someone supposedly held accountable. We emailed Howard Dean, Donna Brazile, etc. Leaders of a party should be held accountable for member misbehavior that is not in keeping with the party's guidelines; party should hold members accountable to behavior norms.

Ebinger · Platinum

What really puzzles me about all this is that one guy, Cleaver (D-MO), who says he was spit on and called this racial insult. He claims the police arrested the person but he then refused to press any charges or even release the name. Uhhhh . . . why not?

Sanders · Diamond

Yep, I wish he would, except if you are the lawmaker spat at, who know who that person is.

I have to admit though, I am the one MOST tired of racial allegations and racism in general. I just wish people would stop altogether. Enough already... for all sides. The longer we choose to live in the past, the worse it will be to move forward and make progress.

But we know that is not yet a realistic expectation.

The aggrieved are working on overcoming obstacles.. that is so for the colored as well as women.. and as long as we are not closer to equality, I expect there will be both that misguided sense of self-superiority and the feelings of being hurt by overt and covert disrespect. And, until we get to that equality, calling it like it is may help, dwelling in it may not. JMHO.

-- Edited by Sanders on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 04:46:50 PM

Building 4112 · Moderator

I'd like to see that police report. Time for another beer summit..............make sure Biden
is there with his gutter language on national news this moring.........."this is a big f...king deal.

Trash!

Ebinger · Platinum

Oh, yes, the Biden remark. Doesn't he know there's mics everywhere, or was he just drunk again? Most of this administration remind me of my children when they were around 12 or 13 years old.

The police say they have no report. And, yeah, SEIU in particular have been known to plant their people in crowds, it's an Alinsky tactic as you know.

Sanders · Diamond

True! We cannot say which "party" member that is... except by going to the demonstration, they became part of the "Tea Party"- you are making my point.. I hope I am communicating this correctly.

Without having real formal linkages, the "Tea Party" will continue to gain ill-repute by anyone doing these types of activities, because there is no one to hold accountable and no one to verify who the people are or what their linkages are. To some degree it is anarchy... and that is really not desirable.

I wish Tea Party had truly emerged as a third party that is unaffiliated with the current two prominent parties... but it is clear as day that Tea Party has been informally co-opted by the GOP. But, since they are really not formally affiliated and there is no formal membership, anyone can be in there.

Jen the Michigander · SuperModerator

With all the racebaiting and false accusations of racism that have come from Obama supporters, it's no surprise that a lot of people are questioning if these incidents with the Tea Party people actually happened. It sure is a sad commentary on race relations in this country, isn't it?

As to my own opinion, I think either side could be telling the truth and either side could be lying. I wouldn't put it past the Obama supporters to make up allegations of racism or to plant epithet-spewing obots amongst the Tea Partyers. We've seen plenty of examples of this sort of behavior from them in the past. However, some of those Tea Party people are nutjobs. They're also extremely angry nutjobs. When people get into that state of mind, there's no telling what kind of language might come out of their mouths.

Sanders · Diamond

I agree.

If it did happen, it is more in the category of 'meanness' than 'dumb' IMHO. Not one I would forgive on the receiving end, nor as an audience.

Yes, it is a sad commentary on our society that this still happens.. The allegations have so much credibility because it still happens in the society.

There is a sense of 'superiority' on ALL sides of the 'color' divides. Until we see some real blending it is unlikely to go away.

The real challenge is the following.

How do we remain knowledgeable of our past and not let it color our viewing lens? Can we look at history for its lessons rather than a sense of "grief" that may fuel a sense of 'entitlement'? Should we let 'history' continue to offend us/make us feel superior/inferior?

Let me just share a small piece of history I heard oh about 25 years ago from my foster parents. Indians and Chinese were brought to the U.S. to build the U.S. railroads. Going by mom-pop's account Indian immigrants received 'slave-like' treatment. I have not reflected on this with an iota of resentment, rather with appreciation for their advancement.

Often, I am not even aware of the bad words or slurs or whatever. It takes two for one to be offended - I just do not get there.

I am far more easily offended by people who I may have thought are my friends being mean to me than by weirdos. Who cares about weirdos anyway. Just some people wasting their windpipes!

We have to learn to let go at times.. and when we do, the weirdos are less effective.

And, if someone is mean, give them a second chance presuming it was stupidity and not meanness.. but if they do it again (proving their meanness), just cut them out of your life. They were not meant to be part of your life to begin with. Yes, it can be hurtful, but it will hurt less in the long run. Self-preservation is important. Then, you just move on, and keep rolling. Who gets the mean people? Karma will get them soon enough and you do not even need to sweat it. Nature has a way of balancing the scales.

-- Edited by Sanders on Wednesday 24th of March 2010 12:09:58 AM