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"I'd Stand By Them Any Day Of The Week," Pt. II

by: Dean Barker

Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 23:43:50 PM EDT
Franklin Pierce Law grad and Congressman from Ohio's 17th district Tim Ryan on today's Tea People mob behavior:
And a reminder - Charles Bass:
"As far as the tea party movement is concerned I love 'em. God bless every single one of them. Do you know what their agenda is? Exactly the same as mine...."As far as the tea party people are concerned I'd stand by them any day of the week because I think that they have started the grassroots movement in America that's going to save our nation."
Here's a photo from today of one of the Tea People whom Charlie Bass wants God to bless. Then there's the brick that was thrown through Rep. Slaughter's district office, which makes the vandalism of the taping of tea bags and Guinta stickers at Carol Shea-Porter's (Dover) office, thankfully, pale by comparison (pic sent in by reader):

Is Charlie Bass going to modify his full-throated embrace of the Tea People following these events?  Katrina Swett would like to know too (release below the fold...)
Dean Barker :: "I'd Stand By Them Any Day Of The Week," Pt. II
Katrina Swett calls on Charlie Bass to Denounce Racist and Homophobic Actions by Tea Party Protesters

CONCORD, March 20, 2010 -- Last month, when Charlie Bass announced his candidacy, he had the following to say about tea party movement, "As far as the tea party movement is concerned I love em. God bless every single one of them. Because you know what their agenda is exactly the same is mine."

Earlier this week, Charlie Bass told The Hill newspaper, "I'm not asking the Tea Party for an endorsement, I'm endorsing them."

Roll Call newspaper is reporting that tea party protesters opposed to health care reform yelled racial epitaphs at Rep. John Lewis, spat on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, and shouted homosexual slurs at Rep. Barney Frank earlier today.

"Given Mr. Bass's recent enthusiast embrace of the tea party movement and all its members, he must immediately denounce these shocking and disturbing accounts of racist and homophobic behaviors," said Katrina Swett.

"I also call upon Jennifer Horn, an active supporter of the tea party movement, to denounce this despicable conduct.

While it is entirely appropriate for people to passionately disagree on the issues, it is never acceptable to engage in this kind of loathsome bigotry.  Such conduct must be repudiated as it strikes at the very foundation of a free, democratic, and pluralistic society."

Katrina Swett, candidate for the United States Congress, established and serves as president of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.    
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"I'd Stand By Them Any Day Of The Week," Pt. II | 56 comments
It's gonna get worse, before it gets worse. n/t (0.00 / 0)


"Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world." A. Einstein
Good to see (0.00 / 0)
Let's get Paul, Carol, and Anne to join on this one - every Republican in the state with the vaguest thought of federal office has to say whether they support the Tea Party and the actions of its followers or not. And not just once - hound them, make them repudiate the wackos every time they show their faces anywhere in New Hampshire. The teabaggers keep doing stupider and crazier stuff, so there's always something new they have to condemn or condone.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!
The insult isn't to our representatives; it's to us. (0.00 / 0)
I'm reminded of the parable of the owner of the vineyard who sent his servant and the tenants beat him up.  Then he sent is son and the tenants killed him.
Evil knows no bounds.
[ Parent ]
A real problem for our media. (4.00 / 3)
With the Right yelling "N*gger!" and "F*ggot!" how will the Broders, NPR commentators, and local media construct their even-handed narrative of "but of course both sides do it" ?

The thing to note about intimidation is that the (0.00 / 0)
objective is not the person against whom insults are hurled.  The objective is to make people who identify with the people being attacked reluctant to respond or take sides.  So, it's not enough to assert that the attacks are unjust or unfair or despicable.  The attackers need to be confronted and put in their place.
If an unfriendly response to a police officer is considered an assault, how do we classify hurling spit on a person elected to make the law?  

Conservatives have long practiced making political participation as unsavory as possible.  They retain control by persuading good people to stay out of the fray.  You'll remember that the recount of the ballots in Florida in 2000 was halted by a bunch of operatives threatening a physical confrontation, prompting the courts to step in to "settle" the issue.

Whether the tea party people are astroturf or self-sprouted really doesn't matter.  The spectacle of lawmakers being assaulted (verbally or physically) needs to be called out.

For that matter, while the FOX interview with President Obama is being held up as an example of rude behavior and some people may consider Obama brave for having entered the lions' den, this evidence of Obama's humility is more than enough and should not be repeated.  One does not invite a person into one's house and then berate them.  

Is that Guinta (0.00 / 0)
seen about 2/3rds of the way through the WMUR clip?

So was he around when someone vandalised CSP's office door with a Guinta sticker?  

The "agenda" Bass has aligned with his: (0.00 / 0)

this really is (0.00 / 0)
Reaganism, brought to full maturity.

Gummint bad.
Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps.
Welfare Cadillacs.

The contempt these good Christians have for the less fortunate is astounding.

[ Parent ]
My favorite part (0.00 / 0)
"Three words: Not...good...for...the...country."
nice.  
[ Parent ]
And Channel 9! (0.00 / 0)
Anyone else notice their "coverage' on the health care reform? A huge amount of free air time for the teabaggers, clearly intentionally is little as possible from the sane side. It is truly outrageous. The news dept number is 641-9000.

No'm Sayn?
don't forget their unforgiveable "bathroom bill" smears (4.00 / 1)


Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.
[ Parent ]
Let's be honest (0.00 / 0)
The Tea Party organization is a group of concerned Americans who don't like the direction that things are going in. These people don't like big spending, they don't like high taxes, and they don't like government intervention.

MOST of them are reasonable people who are fed up with the direction things are going in.

Some of this movement are racists, anti-gay, and vandalists.

I'll be very clear. Those members of the tea party are in this for the wrong reasons, should be reprimanded, and should be kicked out of the movement by those around them.

But let's not take a sign with a joke on it and make it seem like an actual threat.

And let's not pretend that a few idiots represent a movement of millions of people. Every group has their idiots - this one does as well.  

let's actually be honest (4.00 / 2)
if this were at all real, it would have begun during the Bush administration. These people weren't concerned with big spending, high taxes, and gummint intervention back then.

It's especially interesting that not one member of the GOP has come out to denounce the racism or bigotry expressed  by  some of the teabaggers at every event.  

[ Parent ]
Are you kidding? (0.00 / 0)
Boehner, Steele, and most GOP officials came out this morning on every Sunday show and denounced the acts. Steele called them "idiots".

And Glenn Beck, the "leader" of this movement, had called for Bush's impeachment and fought him every step of the way.

These are mostly libertarians, people who DID oppose Bush.

Check your facts, please.  

[ Parent ]
oh, how marvelous (4.00 / 2)
they finally spoke out THIS MORNING. Where have these doughty fellows been for the last year?

Glenn Beck is at best a clown, an entertainer. At worst he's suffering from unmedicated mental health problems.

Your role as apologist for this crowd is extremely unattractive.  

[ Parent ]
They have been denouncing (0.00 / 0)
the fringe members who vandalize and make racial slurs for a long time, Susan.

You can't complain that they don't speak out, and then complain when they speak out.

I'm not a big Glenn Beck fan, either. I was nearly explaining that the people that he speaks for have been speaking out against GWB and the big-spending GOP all along.  

[ Parent ]
A sign with a joke on it. (0.00 / 0)
Advocating the assassination of public servants.

Strange humor there.

When I was younger I was able to brush these kinds of things off.  I'm old enough now to know how truly corrosive - and dangerous - such "jokes" are to democracy.

[ Parent ]
You should try it (0.00 / 0)
Let's take a brick thrown through a Democratic representative's office as an actual threat. Let's take actual threats like "Time to water the tree of liberty" as actual threats. If you want to spout off right-wing talking points, I'm sure the standards at Sockpuppet Central (aka RedHampshire) are much more conducive to that.

If Republican candidates want the support of an extremist movement like the teabaggers, then they need to be aware that they are opening themselves up to guilt by association, and it is not the Democratic job to be nice and give them a pass on that. Republicans will latch onto anything they can, distort it all out of shape from its original form, lie, cheat, and steal (and wiretap or jam phone lines as a particular favorite) to try to present Democrats in a bad light; Democrats are not going to stand back and let actual bad actors on the Republican side go by without being addressed.

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!

[ Parent ]
You're trying to have (0.00 / 0)
the extremist wing of a legitimate movement be seen as the norm. That's just not how it is.

It's just like the GOP trying to tie Democrats to the radical peace protesters literally calling for George Bush's head.

The politics of guilt by association is ugly and stupid, especially when the association is a stretch.  

the apologist strikes again (4.00 / 1)
Big difference between peace activists advocating ....peace, and radical republitarians advocating violence, treason, and death.

You're digging yourself into a hole of stupid.  

[ Parent ]
Oh, (0.00 / 0)
so if your advocating peace you can call for the president's head?

If you're advocating for peace, you can break windows, turn over cars, and swear at police officers.

If you're advocating for peace, you can attack police officers and block streets.

If you're advocating for peace, you can vandalize.

Susan, if it's ugly it's ugly. It's not ugly for one side and not the other.

[ Parent ]
You are lying. (4.00 / 1)
There were no "radical peace protesters literally calling for George Bush's head."

There are many who have called for him to be subject to the justice system.  

[ Parent ]
only one problem, Chris (4.00 / 1)
nothing you've said is true.  
[ Parent ]
Excuse me (0.00 / 0)
but I ask for an apology from each of you, because those statements are both true.

1. A man was arrested for having a bumper sticker with a picture of Bush with a crown that says, "King George - off with his head."

2. In St. Paul, Minnesota, during the RNC, radical peace protesters threw rocks through the windows of businesses. They destroyed cars. They attacked police officers with their signs. And they blocked the streets of downtown St. Paul.

Don't tell me "nothign you've said is true".

I was there, Susan. I inhaled the pepper spray.  

[ Parent ]
No, you continue to distort. (0.00 / 0)
"the radical peace protesters literally calling for George Bush's head."

"A man was arrested..."

Aside from the fact that you provide no links, you originally used the plural. And that "the" rather than "some" claims a real notoriety, and maybe a whole movement.

This is complete crap, Mr. Crawford. You are trying to equate a single obscure individual - who you cannot even document - with a nationwide, well-funded, strongly endorsed movement.

I asked earlier, "How will the media manage to claim "Both sides do it"?

By finding dishonest shills like you, I guess.

[ Parent ]
Elwood, (0.00 / 0)
It was on television years ago, I'm sorry that I don't have a link to provide.

And it doesn't stop there. In St. Paul, there were even more people with disgusting signs about the president, suggesting that he should be tortured, waterboarded, and killed.  

[ Parent ]
And I don't understand (0.00 / 0)
why I am constantly personally attacked on this web page. I do not use personal attacks at all, and I believe that even when I disagree I am quite reasonable about it.  
[ Parent ]
"Quite reasonable" (0.00 / 0)
Again: the whole point of your posting on this topic is: "Both sides do it."  That is fundamentally a lie.

Republican candidates have been scurrying to align themselves with the tea party movement and the RNC has been borrowing from their signage.

You equate that to some vaguely remembered reports of fringe protesters, never influential, never embraced by any serious Democratic candidate.

I'm sick and tired of the Big Lie: "Both sides are equally dishonest and hateful." It isn't true. It invites cynicism and a continuing decline in civic involvement.


[ Parent ]
you are consistently attacked (0.00 / 0)
because you offer up opinion and hyperbole as fact, and seldom provide links or any kind of factual basis for your assertions. (and when you do it's because someone insisted that you do.)

As in: radical peace protestors vandalizing downtown St. Paul, during the RNC. You provide no proof, and certainly no proof that these were people affiliated with the peace movement. Just FYI, the peace movement is nonviolent.

[ Parent ]
Susan, (0.00 / 0)
I provide no links because I was there. I'm not citing an argument - I'm citing my own experience.

And yet another assumption on my character. "And when you do its because someone insisted that you do". Are you suggesting that people are telling me what to post here?

[ Parent ]
*Article, not argument. n/t (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
no Chris (0.00 / 0)
You have posted links here only when people here at BH insisted that you back up your opinions offered up as fact.

It is certainly possible that someone(s) are telling you what to post here, but I have no knowledge or proof of that.

There is no such thing as a radical peace activist, Chris. You simply don't know what you're talking about.

You saw people engaging in vandalism. They looked like dirty hippies to you. Someone undoubtedly told you that's what they were. That someone was wrong, as are you. They were anarchists.  

[ Parent ]
Susan, (0.00 / 0)
I was there. You cannot tell me what I saw with my own eyes.

I knew which ones were anarchists, and I knew which ones were mainstream peace protesters.

I actually even distingusihed them during my radio reports, somethign that Fox, CNN, and MSNBC did NOT do, and I was commended for doing so.

The ugly and hateful signs were held by peace organizations that were mainstream and had specified spots in the peace parade.

And to assure you, no one is telling me what to post. This site is my dirty little secret - a guilty pleasure. haha. If you look at my posts throughout the months, my constant attacks on my fellow Republcians should serve as proof of this.

I have gone after Horn, Sununu, Bass, Ayotte, and I believe both of the other major senate candidates. I have gone after Bush continuously (as we all should)and I have denounced Tea Party members. I don't take marching orders.

[ Parent ]
(But part of it is the timing) (0.00 / 0)
The racism and threats of violence from the teabagger movement - which you have NOT promoted - have made it harder to have civil conversations in the last hours.

[ Parent ]
Indeed, Elwood (4.00 / 1)
This wing of the conservative/libertarian movement frustrated me very much because of their idotic behavior makes us all look bad.

I will provide an example (I hope I am forgiven for not having this documented. I am again speaking from memory, not articles. I believe someone on this site may have a video of it, though.. .

The way I became a member of this site is when I wanted  to crash your bash to get my answers abotu this bill answered by Paul Hodes. (I apologize for crashing, btw, i didnt understand the type of event. . . )

Hodes came to speak with those of us outside who were protesting, and I could have asked may question. I say "could have" because some looney toon got in his face and pointed her finger into his chest and yelled "YOU WANT TO KILL BABIES!"

My question was not answered, because he fled after that - understandably so.  

[ Parent ]
lay down with dogs (0.00 / 0)
get up with fleas.  
[ Parent ]
I'm done discussing this with you, (0.00 / 0)
Susan. I am trying to be reasonable, and be civil.

However, even when I agree with someone on your side and provide an example in which I was discouraged by a conservative, you continue to jump all over me.

Congratulations on the historic achievement that you are all about to achieve. As NH progressives, you have all had a great impact on making this bill possible. While we disagree, I congratulate you. Please read my "Congratulations to you all" post, for further information. Congrats, Susan.  

[ Parent ]
I don't merit congratulating (0.00 / 0)
I oppose this windfall profits for insurance companies bill.  
[ Parent ]
They were anarchists, mostly (0.00 / 0)
http://wcco.com/local/rnc.arre...

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com
www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com
[ Parent ]
They were, Jack (0.00 / 0)
the worst of them were.

The ones who were violent were anarchists. But they were there as part of the peace parade. They were there specifically protesting the war and held "Funk the war" signs.

Members of peace organizations that were indeed peaceful, however, had the disgusting signs abotu teh former president.  

[ Parent ]
the anarchists (0.00 / 0)
are not part of the peace movement.

Disgusting signs about teh former president - things like "go back to Europe, whitey?"  

[ Parent ]
We have our nuts, too. (0.00 / 0)
Move On comes to mind. General "Betrayus?" Pffft!

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com
www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com
[ Parent ]
That's not the same (4.00 / 2)
as some of the stuff being said about Obama, Pelosi and Reid. People have held signs demanding they be
lynched for crying out loud. Not to mention the out and out racism.

The General "Betray-us" thing was puerile. Hardly the same thing or in the same league.

I'm with Elwood, really, really tired of false equivalency.

[ Parent ]
For folks with a sense of Honor (4.00 / 1)
I claimed no equivalency. There has been a wide range of things said by teabaggers, from silly to treasonous. The "Betray-us" crap fits in there somewhere.

Let's not pretend that "the left" has not sinned.

This is an "eye of the beholder" thing. We have no tables or graphs. We lack data to distinguish who is a bigger bunch of assholes, us or them. Well, I think them. But let's not bullshit ourselves to think that opinion may not be universally held.

www.KusterforCongress.com - www.paulhodesforsenate.com
www.nikitsongas.com - www.devalpatrick.com

[ Parent ]
Uh, General Betray-Us (0.00 / 0)
wasn't thought up by Moveon, it was a nickname used by soldiers who didn't like his self-aggrandizing politicking that Moveon quoted.  Petraeus deserved, and deserves scrutiny for his behavior, not the "Support-The-Troops" based worship he was given by too many Democrats and most of the news media.
[ Parent ]
They are being condemned across the board (0.00 / 0)
http://www.foxnews.com/politic...

John Lewis is an American Hero and has endured so much because of the color of his skin, and it is thanks to people like him that we have come so far on the issue of race. It is disgraceful that anyone would hurl racial slurs at him.  

[ Parent ]
"Across the board" (4.00 / 3)
Your link cites two condemnations: Michael Steele and one of the Tea Party leaders.

NOT, for example, Kelly Ayotte, Charlie Bass, or John Sununu.

[ Parent ]
I don't see any reason (0.00 / 0)
for them to have to apologize every time an idiot does something idiotic, especially when the only thing they have in common is that they oppose the healthcare bill.

If, at the Ayotte town hall, someone yelled out the n word of an inappropriate comment, she would be required to reprimand them.

If at a Bass rally someone vandalized a car, he would have to speak otu against it.

If it was an NHGOP member or supporter, Sununu should denounce it.

Or, if a major member of hte party did something stupid, it would be necessary for all three to weigh in on it.

But there is no need for them to react to every little thign that one or two idiots do.

It's like when O'Reilly tried to go after Dodd because someone put something inappropriate about Lieberman on the Daily Kos. There is no reason for Dodd to denounce it.  

[ Parent ]
Spin, spin, spin. (0.00 / 0)
You said it was being condemned "across the board."

I didn't demand across the board condemnation.

I just pointed out, that is another falsehood on your part.

[ Parent ]
My final post to you, Elwood (0.00 / 0)
is a congratulations. You and the other members of this site have worked hard to achieve this goal that will be met tonight.

Although we disagree, I congratulate you. I suggest reading my "Congratulations to you all" diary.  

[ Parent ]
I Don't (0.00 / 0)
expect you to apologize for thoughts and statements you don't share, but I expect you (if you want my respect) to condemn them with something more vigorous than "You lefties do it too."  These were shameful and disgusting words of personal insult spoken directly to distinguished public servants.  There is no equivalence on the left.  No, calling George Bush or Dick Cheney a fascist is NOT the same.

Tea Partiers do not have legitimate complaints based on reality.  When your side loses an election, go to work and get ready for the next one.  Screaming silly invective about communists, socialists, and fascists doesn't cut it.  Neither does the whine about "We're losing our country."  If these people would read actual books instead of settling for the Glen Beck or Sean Hannity versions, they'd be a lot better off.

[ Parent ]
I'm not sure if by (0.00 / 0)
"you" you mean me. But I do, indeed, denounce and condemn any offensive comments, especially those that are racist or target a specific group.

Whether it's a political organization or stupid people in the hallways of my high school, racism and bigotry are unacceptable.  

[ Parent ]
Isn't it nice (4.00 / 1)
that the Mad Hatter's Tea Party has a tent big enough to include the KKK? Can't really accuse them of complete intolerance, now can we?

Carroll/Disney:

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?
Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more.
March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less.
Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.

Well said Katrina and what do you have to say Charlie? (4.00 / 1)
Good for Katrina Swett for calling on Charlie Bass and Jennifer Horn to denounce this deplorable behavior. Do they have the backbone to do so? Perhaps Charlie's political squishiness and eagerness to make political bedfellows with just about anyone is coming back to haunt him.  
Indeed (0.00 / 0)
That was well done!
[ Parent ]
Bass and Horn (4.00 / 1)
are both incredibly dangerous potential nominees. As of right now, I'm afraid for November.  
[ Parent ]
"I'd Stand By Them Any Day Of The Week," Pt. II | 56 comments

Is there something wrong with majority rules?
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