Are Tea Partiers Racists?

[Gunfingers]

Some of them may have done so. Do you believe a group should be judged on the actions of few?

Right or not, that's usually how the world works. I've had friends called rapists and baby-killers (a lot of my friends are in the service) because you hear about servicemen misbehaving in the news. I was called "backward" on another forum because the South Dakota legislature was trying to ban abortions. There was a thread not long ago where a guy assumed that a mosque near a military installation would be a threat based on the idea that muslims are dangerous.

That's just how people work. They prejudge.

 

[FlyingTeaPot]

Some of them may have done so. Do you believe a group should be judged on the actions of few?

I would retract my comment immediately if the "responsible" tea partiers condemned the few who did hurl slurs at elected representatives. It is the image that the tea partiers bring to the public forum that will shape mine or anyone else's opinion. That, I think, is a reasonable stance to take and there is no prejudging taking place as far as I'm concerned.

 

[FlyingTeaPot]

Right or not, that's usually how the world works. I've had friends called rapists and baby-killers (a lot of my friends are in the service) because you hear about servicemen misbehaving in the news. I was called "backward" on another forum because the South Dakota legislature was trying to ban abortions. There was a thread not long ago where a guy assumed that a mosque near a military installation would be a threat based on the idea that muslims are dangerous.

That's just how people work. They prejudge.

I'm sure I'm not all that discriminatory as the people who called your friends rapists and baby killers. That is an extreme example. The army at least recognizes that these few bad apples are in fact bad and not representative of the vast majority of the excellent servicemen.

 

[ericoh2]

One thing to keep in mind is that it would be easy for people in positions of power to plant provocateurs in an organization that they do not like for some reason or other. This is an easy way to discredit a group and can be very hard to detect. There have been instances where police officers have been caught doing this at protests and the FBI has been caught using such tactics to infiltrate and discredit numerous groups (i.e. Cointelpro). Just something to keep in mind.

Quebec Police Admit They Planted Provocateurs In Montebello (Whine that outting is unfair and dangerous for the people too!) | podblanc

COINTELPRO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[FlyingTeaPot]

One more thing, enchanted one. I do believe that a group is judged by the actions of a few. Take the US for example. The popularity of the US in world opinion was extremely poor when bush was in charge. He had idiotic ideas about the war in Iraq and had no clue as to the regional conflict between Shiites and Sunnis. This was a few people's doing which led to an extremely poor opinion of an entire country on the world stage, further reinforced by Miss Teen South Carolina. It is always what you bring to the public eye that makes or breaks your image.

 

[FlyingTeaPot]

I do think that most tea party members are patriots and want good for the country. Sadly, they are often misled and misinformed by their representatives leading to the sort of frenzy we saw on Sunday.
Do you remember the story in which tea partiers against the health care bill were throwing dollar bills at a man afflicted with Parkinson's disease who was in favor of HC bill? The poor man was so weak he could not get up or even talk. He simply had a sign in favor of HC bill. It made me sick to watch the video. They had this idea in their head that he was a communist. This is misinformation from the right of the worst kind inciting people to do inhumane things.
[youtube]6ik4f1dRbP8[/youtube]
YouTube - Tea Partiers Mock And Scorn Apparent Parkinson's Victim

 

[no-body]

Like any movement, there are going to be fringe elements that are counter productive (ACORN, anyone?) and give the majority some bad press.

Here's a good article on the guy who tried to discredit acorn, of course a bigot:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/02/03/james_okeefe_white_nationalists

ACORN has been pretty much excused from any wrong doing. They get discredited because they scare the heck out of the right; it gets the have-nots to vote (the majority) and if that happened the haves would be in very big trouble. It infuriates me that the so called "bottom feeders" finally getting together and democratically voting in changes to America is called "unAmerican" when in fact it's the opposite.


Tea bagging is an AstroTurffed movement that started with Ron Paul nuts. The founders are indeed racist, most of the people in it are just extremely misguided, but they would have to be to not see the idiocy of modeling yourself after Boston tea party which had nothing to do with high taxes.

 

[KatNotKathy]

Like any movement, there are going to be fringe elements that are counter productive (ACORN, anyone?) and give the majority some bad press.

Are you ******* kidding me? You do realize that ACORN was innocent, right? That the organization committed no crime and that the video was thoroughly doctored?

Come one now, you have an organization that helps poors and minorities vote and the right acts like it's some sort of supervillain.

 

[Kathryn]

Hmmm, ACORN innocent?

So far, 19 states have investigated ACORN'S activities and these investigations have resulted in 70 convictions - and we're still counting.

I know - these little pesky facts are so annoying.

 

[KatNotKathy]

Hmmm, ACORN innocent?

So far, 19 states have investigated ACORN'S activities and these investigations have resulted in 70 convictions - and we're still counting.

I know - these little pesky facts are so annoying.

Then perhaps you could help me out a bit here? Googling is turning up hundreds of accusations of voter fraud, but there seems to be a lack of convictions coming up. My Google Fu may be pretty weak, but if you could throw out a couple names it'd really help my research.

I mean, with 70 convictions there should be no problem.

 

[no-body]

Hmmm, ACORN innocent?

So far, 19 states have investigated ACORN'S activities and these investigations have resulted in 70 convictions - and we're still counting.

I know - these little pesky facts are so annoying.

FactCheck.org: ACORN Accusations

Unconnected incidents, every large organization is going to have a few problems, actually that's a pretty small size.

Why don't we go over how the right has been known to send official looking documents to the poor and minority side of towns with the wrong dates to vote and misleading info.

 

[Sunstone]

Hmmm, ACORN innocent?

So far, 19 states have investigated ACORN'S activities and these investigations have resulted in 70 convictions - and we're still counting.

I know - these little pesky facts are so annoying.

Source?

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Just because one hates Democrats does not mean they hate minorities.

Why should any American Hate Democrats. I don't hate the GOP. Hating the other party is just down right un-American.

The blue states pay more money to the Fed Government then the red states. In California for every $1 we pay in federal taxes .78 comes back to our state. The same is true with all most of the blue states. In the middle of the country states bring in much more then they pay. For every 1$ you pay in New Mexico you get 2.03 back from the feds.We don't mind supporting the poor red states or New Mexico. The wealth of the blue states is redistributed to the red states. This fact alone should give you all a little appreciation for the Democrates.

msnbc.com Video Player

 

[KatNotKathy]

Why should any American Hate Democrats.

Mostly because they really really suck. I mean, ****, the Republicans may be worse but there's nothing wrong with hating the people who got us into this mess, Republican or Democrat.

 

[Kathryn]

One thing to keep in mind is that it would be easy for people in positions of power to plant provocateurs in an organization that they do not like for some reason or other. This is an easy way to discredit a group and can be very hard to detect. There have been instances where police officers have been caught doing this at protests and the FBI has been caught using such tactics to infiltrate and discredit numerous groups (i.e. Cointelpro). Just something to keep in mind.

Quebec Police Admit They Planted Provocateurs In Montebello (Whine that outting is unfair and dangerous for the people too!) | podblanc

COINTELPRO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

True - and I know this much, that the Tea Party events I've attended in Texas were 100% free of racial overtones of any sort. In fact, I think that if any idiots had shown up yelling racial taunts or spouting off racist diatribe, they would have been in some serious danger of having their ***** whupped by some big ol' strappin' boys.

And I just wonder - there's an awful lot of speculation on this thread. How many people here have actually ATTENDED a Tea Party event to see for themselves - rather than being spoon fed propaganda from their favorite sources?

 

[McBell]

Joan Walsh has argued that the Tea Party Movement must be understood as a fundamentally racist movement. What do you think? Is she right? Why or why not?


Too much tea party racism - Healthcare Reform | Obama Health Care Plan - Salon.com

Hmmm...

If the three highest ranking members of the KKK attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, does that make everyone who attends an AA meeting racist?

Seems to me that Joan Walsh would say that "Yes, it does."

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I would certainly suggest that those protesters shouting the "N-word" and the "F-word" are indulging in bigotry. I don't know enough to suggest that the Tea-party is racist in general, but reading this, I wouldn't go out and sign up with them.

Now how about that Coffee-party I've read about...

Also the noose is also a sign of lynching blacks. Many have been seen at tea party advents.

Just look at some of the outrageous behavior at some tea bag marches.

Think Progress » Jacksonville Tea Party Protest Features Signs Comparing President Obama To Hitler

If most of the people of the tea bag movement are not racist ( I have no reason to believe that most are ) They will put pressure on the KKK types to stop the crazy stuff.

 

[Darkness]

Nietzsche said it succintly, "Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Mostly because they really really suck. I mean, ****, the Republicans may be worse but there's nothing wrong with hating the people who got us into this mess, Republican or Democrat.

I think it is unproductive to hate.

 

[KatNotKathy]

I think it is unproductive to hate.

Not if it motivates you to get things done