Tea Party, Birthers, and Racism

[Anonymous]

The caption read: "Now you know why no birth certificate."

This was an email circulating among birthers, and apparently a state republican in California forwarded it on, so it got some unwelcome attention. After mainline republicans got really pissed about this, she wrote the following underwhelming response: "To my fellow Americans and to everyone else who has seen this email I forwarded and was offended by my action, I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior. I say unwise because at the time I received and forwarded the email, I didn't stop to think about the historic implications and other examples of how this could be offensive," Davenport's apology read. Unwise? She did not realize that portraying a black man as a monkey just might be offensive!!!

Birthers, you need to get your house in order. You are free to be wingnuts, but we don't have much use for racist wingnuts.

[Anonymous]

Of course this is horribly offensive, but it also serves to expose them as the idiot, racist, wackadoos they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course this is horribly offensive, but it also serves to expose them as the idiot, racist, wackadoos they are.

Expose them to whom? Sadly, those of us who abhor racism are probably already not Tea Partiers, and those that are Tea Partiers probably think this is a "bold statement of truth" and it "speaks truth to power" or some sad nonsense.

Really, I'm ashamed that the republicans are so easily playing the ignorant and poor like puppets. They have a guaranteed voting block of poor, racist, uninformed people who lap this stuff up, and will die for the right to protect the ultra-rich from taxation. Makes my heart weep.

[Anonymous]

I should go through DH's email and see if my FIL sent this to him. I wouldn't be surprised at all.

[Anonymous]

offensive to be sure, but I've seen the anti-Bush emails, and they were pretty bad too. people in the opposition demonize the presidents. that is the way politics go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:offensive to be sure, but I've seen the anti-Bush emails, and they were pretty bad too. people in the opposition demonize the presidents. that is the way politics go.

No, this is a line that was crossed. This is not the same as portraying Obama as the Joker, as a clown, as an evil wizard. It is not the same as portraying him as a cowboy. This is racist. All commentary is not equal.

Don't defend it. It makes you look bad.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a big Obama fan and to me this is clearly, obviously, purely racist.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry but it is quite funny.

[Anonymous]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/bush-looks-an-awful-lot-l_b_14266.html

Would this be considered racist?

[Anonymous]

Conservative here, yup, that's racist. Guy was a dick for circulating that, has publicly apologized, if in sort of a weaselly half-assed manner, and he was called out for it by other Republicans. What else can be done? It is of course not appropriate to tar the Tea Party as a whole with that nonsense, as so many here want to do. But do go on believing that all conservatives are racist.

[Anonymous]

Nice try,racism has no meaning anymore. SHOW THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. QUIT HIDING.

[Anonymous]

"offensive to be sure, but I've seen the anti-Bush emails, and they were pretty bad too. people in the opposition demonize the presidents. that is the way politics go."

I did not see any anti-bush stuff sent by an elected official.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"offensive to be sure, but I've seen the anti-Bush emails, and they were pretty bad too. people in the opposition demonize the presidents. that is the way politics go."

I did not see any anti-bush stuff sent by an elected official.

ummm, are you insane?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nice try,racism has no meaning anymore. SHOW THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. QUIT HIDING.

Racism has no meaning? Check yourself there, buddy.

[Anonymous]

crying wolf. boring. overused. meaningless.