The Rise of Anti-Government Bigots: Spitting, the N-Word, Anti-Gay/Lesbian Slurs

[LotusFlower]

I am a member of Southern Poverty Law Center. They keep track of hate groups such as the teabaggers.

They also sued a big Klan group and won.

Check them out -

http://www.splcenter.org/

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by LotusFlower

I am a member of Southern Poverty Law Center. They keep track of hate groups such as the teabaggers.

They also sued a big Klan group and won.

Check them out -

http://www.splcenter.org/

Yes, the SPLC rawks!

I know that it is a fringe of the Tea Party that is involved with a lot of this stuff. And that fringe was simply a part of the way right in the GOP and Libertarians. I have no objection at all to exercising our right to civil disobedience at all. I just am concerned at what is really going on here and how it can lead to violence because so may are so upset with Congress, bailouts, inequities, etc.

Hey, the health-Care Reform Bill passed! A start in a good direction!!

[Rockinonahigh]

Yes the health care reform bill passed and is a really great start in puting things to right,but I fear Louisiana will be trying to stop it in this state,our gov is a srtong suported of anything against anything the dems do or want to do.Now if Bush was still in office or it was a republic thing he would be kissing azz.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Rockinonahigh

Yes the health care reform bill passed and is a really great start in puting things to right,but I fear Louisiana will be trying to stop it in this state,our gov is a srtong suported of anything against anything the dems do or want to do.Now if Bush was still in office or it was a republic thing he would be kissing azz.

Does anyone know yet, if the person that yelled-out baby Killer at Stupak (sp??) on the House Floor yesterday has been identified as a member of Congress?

Yes, LA might very well put the brakes on the fix-it portion of the health-care reform legislation. I actually don't like some of the bill as it pertains to these kinds of deals. The dems were wrong to do this, but, I want it passed (the fix-it). I am so tired of the craziness in Congress. Do they know how assinine so many of them appear?

Frankly, until there are many more women, POC, TG/I, queers in general, disabled people, and every other disenfranchised group in the US serving in our Congress, things will be as they are. And it really does take the people to change this. Right now, however, there are so many of us in dire financial situations, that we can't muster the gumption to participate to the level that we saw in Obam's election. And frankly, I do wonder if some of this was behind the entire economic collapse! Wide spread economic difficulty is very effective in keeping the non-white, non-rich masses in their place!



AH! Here it is!
Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.) identified himself as the member of congress who shouted "baby killer" during Rep. Bart Stupak's (D-Mich.) speech on the floor of the House of Representatives Sunday night.
Neugebauer, a three-term member of Congress from Texas, issued a statement of apology on Monday, saying that the statement was not directed at Stupak.
"In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase 'it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership," Neugebauer said. "I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself."
Neugebauer's official Congressional Web site is down at the moment but his campaign site can be found here.
Here is the Texas Republican's statement of apology:
"Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support. In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase 'it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.

"I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill. The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate."
Neugebauer's outburst came at the end of an intense day of debate and voting on the health care reform bill. Stupak, an anti-abortion Democrat who struck a deal with the White House in exchange for a "yes" vote on the bill, had taken to the floor of the House to deliver a speech opposing a Republican amendment that would have reintroduced stricter abortion financing language in the bill -- language that Stupak, himself, previously introduced.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_508525.html

[AtLast]

More Info- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_507116.html

Tea Party Protests: 'Ni**er,' 'Fa**ot' Shouted At Members Of Congress

Abusive, derogatory and even racist behavior directed at House Democrats by Tea Party protesters on Saturday left several lawmakers in shock.
Preceding the president's speech to a gathering of House Democrats, thousands of protesters descended around the Capitol to protest the passage of health care reform. The gathering quickly turned into abusive heckling, as members of Congress passing through Longworth House office building were subjected to epithets and even mild physical abuse.
A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a 'ni--er.' And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a "faggot," as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president's speech, shrugged off the incident.
But Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.
"It was absolutely shocking to me," Clyburn said, in response to a question from 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."
"It doesn't make me nervous as all," the congressman said, when asked how the mob-like atmosphere made him feel. "In fact, as I said to one heckler, I am the hardest person in the world to intimidate, so they better go somewhere else."
Asked if he wanted an apology from the group of Republican lawmakers who had addressed the crowd and, in many ways, played on their worst fears of health care legislation, the Democratic Party, and the president, Clyburn replied:
Story continues below 
"A lot of us have been saying for a long time that much of this, much of this is not about health care a all. And I think a lot of those people today demonstrated that this is not about health care... it is about trying to extend a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful."
UPDATE 6:55 PM ET: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's office released the following statement:
For many of the members of the CBC, like John Lewis and Emanuel Cleaver who worked in the civil rights movement, and for Mr. Frank who has struggled in the cause of equality, this is not the first time they have been spit on during turbulent times.

This afternoon, the Congressman was walking into the Capitol to vote, when one protester spat on him. The Congressman would like to thank the US Capitol Police officer who quickly escorted the others Members and him into the Capitol, and defused the tense situation with professionalism and care. After all the Members were safe, a full report was taken and the matter was handled by the US Capitol Police. The man who spat on the Congressman was arrested, but the Congressman has chosen not to press charges. He has left the matter with the Capitol Police.
This is not the first time the Congressman has been called the "n" word and certainly not the worst assault he has endured in his years fighting for equal rights for all Americans. That being said, he is disappointed that in the 21st century our national discourse has devolved to the point of name calling and spitting. He looks forward to taking a historic vote on health care reform legislation tomorrow, for the residents of the Fifth District of Missouri and for all Americans. He believes deeply that tomorrow's vote is, in fact, a vote for equality and to secure health care as a right for all. Our nation has a history of struggling each time we expand rights. Today's protests are no different, but the Congressman believes this is worth fighting for.

[Linus]

Whoa. Not cool.

UPDATE 7:48 PM ET: The Buffalo News reports that Rep. Louise Slaughter's district office in Pine View, New York, was vandalized on Saturday.

Sometime early this morning, someone threw a brick through the front window of her Pine Avenue office.
The damage was discovered about 12:30 a.m., city police said.
The brick put a hole in the outer-most window at the office at 1910 Pine Ave., but did not damage a second interior window, police reported. A piece of broken brick believed to have caused the damage was found at the scene.
Damage was estimated at $350.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Linus

Whoa. Not cool.








[/INDENT]

And so it continues.....

It would be great if we all add stories like this as we see them. WAKING UP to this is one way of beginning to act!

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Linus

Whoa. Not cool.








[/INDENT]

This shit reminds me of meaner days of the Nazi regime, Crystal Nacht.

[QueSeraSera]

Ok this maybe totally off topic sice it's not political.... But, I moved to Mississippi 3 months ago. And never in my life have I heard the N word used more in my life!!!! And they just don't blink an eye. I myself have been called a "Damn Yankee" "Coon" " N_____ Lover" To my face on many many occasion. In the 3 months that I have been here. I never in my life thought that in 2010 a place would exist like that. But, it does deeply here. Ppl in this town are proud to be rasist! And truly this town is stuck in 1950!! This is the main reason that I will be moving in the next to weeks to the place I used to call home. Wher I can be friends with who I was. Date who I want. And Live how I want. And The N word isn't part of everyday conversation.



Til another time......


P.S. Again may not be on topic.... But, I found on Youtube awhile back a thing by Bill Maher Titled America Isn't Number One.... Worth Checkin out in My Book.......

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by QueSeraSera

Ok this maybe totally off topic sice it's not political.... But, I moved to Mississippi 3 months ago. And never in my life have I heard the N word used more in my life!!!! And they just don't blink an eye. I myself have been called a "Damn Yankee" "Coon" " N_____ Lover" To my face on many many occasion. In the 3 months that I have been here. I never in my life thought that in 2010 a place would exist like that. But, it does deeply here. Ppl in this town are proud to be rasist! And truly this town is stuck in 1950!! This is the main reason that I will be moving in the next to weeks to the place I used to call home. Wher I can be friends with who I was. Date who I want. And Live how I want. And The N word isn't part of everyday conversation.



Til another time......


P.S. Again may not be on topic.... But, I found on Youtube awhile back a thing by Bill Maher Titled America Isn't Number One.... Worth Checkin out in My Book.......

Yes, Maher's take is qworth a look!

Wishing you the best in getting the hell out of there!

[key]

so any comparisons I make in this thread I make knowing full well that they are incomplete and inadequate. I post anyway.

Imagine the US in the early 1770's. Imagine being a revolutionary thinker like Thomas Payne. Imagine the courage it took to question the authority of the strongest military, the mightiest empire on the planet. It blows my mind that the signers of the Declaration of Independence were literally signing their own death warrants - if things had gone differently.

The courage and ACTION that is required today is no less (but no more) than what was required then. The sad thing is that the enemy today is within our midsts. I am very sad to say that my own blood relative brothers an sisters, while I would never expect them to spit on or yell derogatory remarks, get their information and encouragement from the same sources as those that do.

If I could have my way I would file our country for a no fault divorce. The divide that led to the civil war is still with us. It has just been festering underground. The only thing that has changed after the civil war is that on the surface, our better angels prevailed. Our lesser devils went underground. The house that was divided then, is still divided. I wish we could just split up once and for all. I do not regret that Lincoln kept the states together, because slavery (in America) ended (even that went "away" into far off lands, but still has not ended).

I would honestly like to start a secession party. For the good of all of us. This may be the one area where the sane and crazies among us can agree.

[Kobi]

I, for one, dont have a problem with people speaking their minds, even if it does means listening to slurs. I would much rather know where people stand then to assume attitudes and beliefs have changed because it became politically incorrect to be honest about your feelings and beliefs.

And, I do attribute a lot of the slurs per se to scared people, lashing out much like a bully would. But, to respond to slurs just adds fuel to the fire.

In my 34 years of being out, I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I have had slurs said in my presence and I smile knowing from whence the ignorance comes from. I have no need to defend who I am, because I am not threatened by childish ignorance.

Not everyone is going to like us, nor do I like everyone. Prejudice is not something you can eradicate by legislation. God knows, watch a session of congressional debates - these have got to be the most bigoted, prejudicial, childish humans in the country.

As for a revolution, I doubt it will come from the middle-lower class. The folks most threatened are those on the cusp of the elite who are being squeezed out. The rest of us were never a threat.

I would appreciate if you all didnt jump all over me just because I dont tow the line in my beliefs.

[Corkey]

Um freedom of speech wasn't the issue, nor has it been, and who are you referencing being jumped upon by? You are entitled to your opinion just like everyone else unless it's against the site rules, so wondering where this remark came from.

[Linus]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I, for one, dont have a problem with people speaking their minds, even if it does means listening to slurs. I would much rather know where people stand then to assume attitudes and beliefs have changed because it became politically incorrect to be honest about your feelings and beliefs.

And, I do attribute a lot of the slurs per se to scared people, lashing out much like a bully would. But, to respond to slurs just adds fuel to the fire.

In my 34 years of being out, I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I have had slurs said in my presence and I smile knowing from whence the ignorance comes from. I have no need to defend who I am, because I am not threatened by childish ignorance.

Not everyone is going to like us, nor do I like everyone. Prejudice is not something you can eradicate by legislation. God knows, watch a session of congressional debates - these have got to be the most bigoted, prejudicial, childish humans in the country.

As for a revolution, I doubt it will come from the middle-lower class. The folks most threatened are those on the cusp of the elite who are being squeezed out. The rest of us were never a threat.

I would appreciate if you all didnt jump all over me just because I dont tow the line in my beliefs.

I have no problem with voicing a contrary opinion. But I have issue when it feels like things are starting to get unsafe. And some of what's going on feels potentially dangerous. I fail to see how throwing a brick into a rep's office is a form of free expression (which is really about the gov't censoring individuals not individuals censoring individuals).

[theoddz]

I totally see where Kobi is coming from about the slurs bit. I remember when sexism was out in the open with the off-color, bad taste comments that some men would hurl at women. I served in the military and endured that kind of thing from men when "political correctness" wasn't in vogue. Then, when it became a litigious issue and the anti discrimination laws were passed, these same men shut their friggin' mouths. I was relieved that those laws did that....at first. Then I began to see the other side of that coin. When we used to know who the sexist pigs were, because they opened their mouths and told us so, they now kept their comments to themselves and we were forced to find out the hard way.....after we lost our jobs, promotions and were sometimes assaulted sexually by the men who used to verbally vent their feelings. Sometimes the most sexist, biggoted asshats hide behind disingenuous smiles, sweet words and token gestures. Their feelings are, instead, only revealed after the damage is done.

Throwing bricks through windows and other illegal tactics or "acting out" is quite another matter. Somehow, I don't think Kobi meant to say that that was or should be considered to be a "freedom of expression". Linus has it entirely right when he called that one out.

~Theo~

[dreadgeek]

It's all very well and good to say "it's just words, they don't matter". However, I would argue that sometimes words matter quite a bit and we make a mistake to be so sanguine about these incidents. There are a couple of reasons for this all of them having to do with language. The first is the escalation of rhetoric. The second is the the problem of nominally respectable and respected members of Congress giving aid and comfort to these sentiments. I'll take them in order.

Back when I was an undergrad the first time, I had a poli-sci professor who told us a story about his nephew who was home on leave from Vietnam. He related to us how his nephew was sitting around the dinner table and using the slur, popular at the time, for Vietnamese. My professor, who had been an instructor at the Air Force's school for intelligence analysts asked him "so, I'm a little fuzzy on the difference between the g--ks you're there to kill and the g--ks you're there to help". His nephew responded "what difference".

First you dehumanize them, then you can do damn near anything you want to them. Today Barney Frank is a fa--ot, tomorrow some *other* gay man, who spends a bit more time on the streets than I imagine Mr. Frank does is *also* the fa--ot. What's more, to the delight of the homophobe this one is right at hand with no capitol police to stop the violence. So on Monday he can shout what he was shouting on Sunday but *this* time he can do something about it. Today, John Lewis is a ni--er, tomorrow it's someone else who happens to share a skin color with Lewis but she doesn't have the benefit of capitol police protection either. Almost everyone agrees that it's wrong to hurl either epithets or bricks at *people*. However, fa--ots and ni--ers and g--ks and sp-c etc. etc. aren't really *people* now, are they? They're whatever slur is being hurled at them. If you can hurl the words at someone who isn't a person, you can hurl a brick at them.

While it is certainly true that not every incidence of bigoted words being thrown about ends in violence, every incidence of bigotry-inspired violence has, at some point, the *language* of bigotry involved. I don't recall much of having a cross burnt on our lawn, I certainly don't recall any words that were hurled at my parents but I'm willing to bet that ni--er was one of them.

On a related note, I don't consider bricks to be carriers of an opinion.

The other problem is the muted response of responsible GOP leaders. They *should* have come down hard and firm against the Tea Partiers. Instead they made half-assed attempts at dismissing or justifying the bigotry while winking in the direction of the bigots. For a year now, we have watched the spectacle of GOP members of Congress who, not 24 months before were ready to see Americans imprisoned merely for saying that George Bush was incompetent, walking right up to the line of encouraging armed revolution.. They talk about how this is totalitarianism, fascism, the end of America as we know it, and on and on. If we *were* to ever see actual totalitarian or fascist takeover looming we, as Americans, would have something of a duty to rise up and defend our democratic republic. This isn't it but they want the Tea Partiers to *believe* that it is. We have governors openly talking secession. Congresspeople and candidates for Congress talking about the American people (at least those they agree with) 'locking and loading'. It's fire they are playing with in order to pick up a few seats in the House and Senate which, historically, they are bound to do anyway.

In this country, we seem to mistake--for reasons that escape me--the right to free speech for the right to say any damn fool thing you want and the rest of us are just obliged to sit by and take it and talk about the right to free speech. The right to free speech does, in fact, give you the right to say pretty much any damn fool thing you wish to say. It does *not* oblige any of the rest of us from saying that it's a damn fool thing or a bigoted thing. When we are silent in the face of bigotry or we shine it on with a "sticks and stones may break my bones" statement we give our silent concession to the bigots. What we are saying is this: "I recognize that, for you, your intolerance is something you are willing to go to the mat for. Well, I think you're intolerant but I'm not ready to go to the mat in defense of tolerance." When we do that, we grant them a victory they do not deserve.

Kobi, I'm not trying to jump on you or tell you you don't have a right to your opinion. You have every right to it. You have every right to express it. And I have every right to express my opinions in response to yours.

Cheers
Aj

Originally Posted by Kobi

I, for one, dont have a problem with people speaking their minds, even if it does means listening to slurs. I would much rather know where people stand then to assume attitudes and beliefs have changed because it became politically incorrect to be honest about your feelings and beliefs.

And, I do attribute a lot of the slurs per se to scared people, lashing out much like a bully would. But, to respond to slurs just adds fuel to the fire.

In my 34 years of being out, I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I have had slurs said in my presence and I smile knowing from whence the ignorance comes from. I have no need to defend who I am, because I am not threatened by childish ignorance.

Not everyone is going to like us, nor do I like everyone. Prejudice is not something you can eradicate by legislation. God knows, watch a session of congressional debates - these have got to be the most bigoted, prejudicial, childish humans in the country.

As for a revolution, I doubt it will come from the middle-lower class. The folks most threatened are those on the cusp of the elite who are being squeezed out. The rest of us were never a threat.

I would appreciate if you all didnt jump all over me just because I dont tow the line in my beliefs.

[Semantics]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I, for one, dont have a problem with people speaking their minds, even if it does means listening to slurs. I would much rather know where people stand then to assume attitudes and beliefs have changed because it became politically incorrect to be honest about your feelings and beliefs.

And, I do attribute a lot of the slurs per se to scared people, lashing out much like a bully would. But, to respond to slurs just adds fuel to the fire.

In my 34 years of being out, I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I have had slurs said in my presence and I smile knowing from whence the ignorance comes from. I have no need to defend who I am, because I am not threatened by childish ignorance.

Not everyone is going to like us, nor do I like everyone. Prejudice is not something you can eradicate by legislation. God knows, watch a session of congressional debates - these have got to be the most bigoted, prejudicial, childish humans in the country.

As for a revolution, I doubt it will come from the middle-lower class. The folks most threatened are those on the cusp of the elite who are being squeezed out. The rest of us were never a threat.

I would appreciate if you all didnt jump all over me just because I dont tow the line in my beliefs.

So, is disagreeing with you jumping all over you? I hope not.

You do toe the line with your beliefs, actually, at least the beliefs of a lot of people in this country. There are a large number of people that bemoan political correctness, because hell, why should anyone have to communicate in a respectful way?

I do have a problem with slurs, because hate speech can incite violence and people get hurt. Sure, they have the freedom to say whatever they want, and we have the right to respond.

I'm confused by your post, because it seemed like you said slurs are ok because people are just speaking their minds, but responding to them is just adding fuel to the fire. People need to be responding and letting the racists and bigots know that they disagree. Sometimes silence is mistaken for agreement or support, and my opinion is that we've been silent for too long.

I agree that prejudice is not something you can eradicate by legislation, but the discrimination that comes from prejudice can be, which is why legislation is so important.

[Kobi]

Semantics......I am saying people have the right to free speech. If they have the need and immaturity to use slurs, so be it. If someone has the need to respond to slurs, they have the right to do so as well.

I am speaking for myself. And I believe in picking my battles carefully. I have discovered I can change more minds or mitigate more bigotry by not reacting to it or not reacting negatively to it. Bigotry and slurs are designed to evoke a negative response. I prefer to take a positive approach because to me, responding with negativity invites a confrontation. I prefer communication to confrontation.

And I am not going to respond to every slight to gay folks that I encounter in living. To me, life is more about being a good person than being a card carrying cause laden gay person. Some things require a response, some dont, it is a matter of perspective.

Prejudice is not eradicated by legislation, neither is discrimination but that is just my opinion. I have seen to many people being screwed by the very laws designed to help them simply because the perpetrators use a roundabout route to justify their deeds while circumenting the law.

[apretty]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I
In my 34 years of being out, I have never been a victim of a hate crime. I have had slurs said in my presence and I smile knowing from whence the ignorance comes from.

slurs are hateful--i don't think you need to be beaten to have been victim of hate and discrimination.

to be clear, you can feel comfortable but for me, being spat on and called names is WAYYYYYYYYYY beyond my comfort level.