The S of the Earth

[balli]

Tea party protesters hurl racial insults at Georgia Rep. John Lewis

By WILLIAM DOUGLAS
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON -- Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol, angry over the proposed health-care reform bill, shouted "######" Saturday at U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia congressman and civil rights icon who was nearly beaten to death during an Alabama march in the 1960s.

The protesters also shouted obscenities at other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, lawmakers said.

"They were shouting, sort of harassing," Lewis said. "But, it's OK, I've faced this before. It reminded me of the '60s. It was a lot of downright hate and anger and people being downright mean."

Lewis said he was leaving the Cannon office building across from the Capitol when protesters shouted "Kill the bill, kill the bill," Lewis said.

"I said 'I'm for the bill, I support the bill, I'm voting for the bill,' " Lewis said.

A colleague who was accompanying Lewis said people in the crowd responded by saying "Kill the bill, then the n-word."

"It surprised me that people are so mean and we can't engage in a civil dialogue and debate," Lewis said.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he was a few yards behind Lewis and distinctly heard "######."

"It was a chorus," Cleaver said. "In a way, I feel sorry for those people who are doing this nasty stuff - they're being whipped up. I decided I wouldn't be angry with any of them."

Protestors also used a slur as they confronted Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., an openly gay member of Congress. A writer for Huffington Post said the crowd called Frank a " got."

Frank told the Boston Globe that the incident happened as he was walking from the Longworth House office building to the Rayburn House office building, both a short distance from the Capitol. Frank said the crowd consisted of a couple hundred of people and that they referred to him as " ."

"I'm disappointed with the unwillingness to be civil," Frank told the Globe. "I was, I guess, surprised by the rancor. What it means is obviously the health-care bill is proxy for a lot of other sentiments, some of which are perfectly reasonable, but some of which are not."

"People out there today, on the whole, were really hateful," Frank said. "The leaders of this movement have a responsibility to speak out more."

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Capitol on Saturday as the House Democratic leadership worked to gather enough votes to enact a health-care overhaul proposal that has become the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's domestic agenda. Most were affiliated with so-called tea party organizations that originally sprang up during last summer's protests of the health-care proposals.

Heated debate has surrounded what role race plays in the motivations of the tea party demonstrators. During protests last summer, demonstrators displayed a poster depicting Obama as an African witch doctor complete with headdress, above the words "OBAMACARE coming to a clinic near you." Former President Jimmy Carter asserted in September that racism was a major factor behind the hostility that Obama's proposals had faced.

The claim brought angry rebuttals from Republicans.

On Saturday, Frank, however, said he was sorry Republican leaders didn't do more to disown the protesters.

Some Republicans "think they are benefiting from this rancor," he said.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said Saturday's ugliness underscored for him that the health-care overhaul isn't the only motivation for many protesters.

"I heard people saying things today I've not heard since March 15th, 1960, when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus," Clyburn said. "This is incredible, shocking to me."

He added, "A lot of us have said for a long time that none of this is about health care at all. It's about extending a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/2...#ixzz0ilYllVB3

you Yonivore, snc, wc, whottt, crookshanks and any of the rest of you pieces of who barely deserve the air you breathe. May burn hotter when it receives your trash ing souls.

[Crookshanks]

off your meds again?

[whottt]

You are such a racist. Easily more racist than anyone in that article, or anyone on this forum.



But since you went there...I don't give a what anyone calls anyone if the alternative is supporting this ty healthcare bill. I don't want his ing healthcare bill...and if that makes me a racist, then I am a racist.

So be it. Contratulations for this tact. It's not going to make people support that healthcare bill, and it's going to make people care less about racism.

I absolutely despise manipulative people so go ahead and consider me a racist. I'll get over it, especially because you are the racist bigot. Full of hate and twisted with guilt.

[DMX7]

The Tea Party people are just good folk. I don't see why they get a bad rap.

[boutons_deux]

"then I am a racist"

... there has been no doubt about that for years.

The teabaggers are of the same extremist loser, racist, hate-spewing ilk as Beckkk, Limbaugh, all the right-wing hate media, etc, etc.

[whottt]

The Tea Party people are just good folk. I don't see why they get a bad rap.

Yes, if only they could be tolerant and unite in the Spirit of brotherhood...you know, follow the example of tolerance and brotherhood you and ball exemplify.

[whottt]

"then I am a racist"

... there has been no doubt about that for years.

Racist as they come. Card carrying member of the KKK. You name it.

The teabaggers are of the same extremist loser, racist, hate-spewing ilk as Beckkk, Limbaugh, all the right-wing hate media, etc, etc.

True, if only they could be more like you.

[Wild Cobra]

Where's the video that shows someone said Lewis was a ######?

What if it was a black democrat?

We only have the word of the journalist. We know they stretch the truth and spin things from time to time.

[ploto]

"What it means is obviously the health-care bill is proxy for a lot of other sentiments, some of which are perfectly reasonable, but some of which are not."

[Wild Cobra]

"What it means is obviously the health-care bill is proxy for a lot of other sentiments, some of which are perfectly reasonable, but some of which are not."

If by proxy, you mean how many people want an authoritarian nanny government, I agree.

[Mr. Peabody]

The Tea Party people are just good folk. I don't see why they get a bad rap.

Turns out that guy that they were yelling at to "Get a Job" has a PhD, was a nuclear engineer, and later, a professor at The University of Michigan. He developed Parkinson's 15 years ago.

[whottt]

Jesus Christ. Hopefully another black guy will never get elected President since all "they" seem to be able to do is throw the race card round. Whoohoo, we elected a victim to lead the country.

Black President = Victim in Chief.

Pass.

[Wild Cobra]

Turns out that guy that they were yelling at to "Get a Job" has a PhD, was a nuclear engineer, and later, a professor at The University of Michigan. He developed Parkinson's 15 years ago.

Parkinson's doesn't keep you from holding that type of job.

[whottt]

Turns out that guy that they were yelling at to "Get a Job" has a PhD, was a nuclear engineer, and later, a professor at The University of Michigan. He developed Parkinson's 15 years ago.

Funny, you guys don't seem to care about disabled people when it comes to Palin's kid.


I remember when you guys wrote that article saying her son should have been aborted. Racist sexist bigots.

[boutons_deux]

"you guys don't seem to care about disabled people when it comes to Palin's kid. "

You Lie. and you can't back it up.

Your ditzy girlfriend exploited "my baby" for her own selfish ambitions.

btw, "my baby" 's special needs care is not coming out of pitbull 's millions, but from "socialist" health services.

[whottt]

"you guys don't seem to care about disabled people when it comes to Palin's kid. "

You Lie. and you can't back it up.

Your ditzy girlfriend exploited "my baby" for her own selfish ambitions.

btw, "my baby" 's special needs care is not coming out of pitbull 's millions, but from "socialist" health services.

It's hilarious the way your sexism and racism skew your views of reality.

Nothing distorts like the lens of racial and gender hatred I spose.

[whottt]

my ty race

Sorry boutons...but that definitely proves you are a racist, especially if you support the health care bill...you just have what you believe is an easier (safe)target for your racial hatred.

Liberals are full of self hatred...as if they somehow think that makes them good people. However since they direct their hatred outward via projection instead the proper direction of inward to choke themselves on their own self generated hate...they aren't good at all, they're actually worse because in addition to being consumed by incendiary racial hatred they are cowards as well.

A self hating person seeks to make others hate themselves as much as they do. It is the prism through which they view the world.

Not really worth listening to or taking seriously.

[EmptyMan]

[Creepn]

It's hilarious the way your sexism and racism skew your views of reality.

Nothing distorts like the lens of racial and gender hatred I spose.

Dude what the ? The crowd chanter "######!" 15 times. How can you justify that ing behavior? Doing so makes you a racist. You trying to do your reverse psychology bull but it doesnt work if you are already a racist.

It's sick and stupid and I thought white people wouldve learned from their barbaric behavior when they chanted the same thing to black students in Little Rock. Many other times as well. MANY.

[whottt]

Dude what the ? The crowd chanter "######!" 15 times.

So? I've been called a racist about 600 times for not supporting Obama, an immediate pullout of Iraq, these ty health care prosals. How can you justify that behavior?

If you don't care, neither do I.

Furthermore, boustons uses the words ######, negro etc, about 10 times more than anyone else on this forum, in fact this might be the first time I have ever typed those words on this forum...I don't hear anyone calling him out for it.

He's a liberal so he gets a free pass to use the word as much as he wants I sposes.

Much like balli gets a free pass to openly admit racial hatred.

How can you justify that ing behavior? Doing so makes you a racist. You trying to do your reverse psychology bull but it doesnt work if you are already a racist.

I am aleady a racist for not supporting, Obama, the Democrat platform, instantanous pullout from Iraq and the liberal agenda. So being called one now is nothing new.

It's totally impotent now.

:yawn

It's sick and stupid and I thought white people wouldve learned from their barbaric behavior when they chanted the same thing to black students in Little Rock. Many other times as well. MANY.

Well you know how we white people are...racist!

Maybe some day we'll learn how to be non-racist and non-bigoted from blacks, mexicans, all the non-white races and self race hating white liberals

Something tells me you guys have the answers if anyone does.

[jack sommerset]

Seriously, if you think all tea party peeps are racist, you are one dumb mother er and a bigot.

[Mr. Peabody]

Parkinson's doesn't keep you from holding that type of job.

The guy can barely move or talk. I'm sure that tends to screw up the workday.

[whottt]

The guy can barely move or talk. I'm sure that tends to screw up the workday.

And to think...he's supposed to be covered by medicaid. Are you taking notes on how the government runs it's health programs?

Probably not.
Probably should.

[Mr. Peabody]

Where's the video that shows someone said Lewis was a ######?

What if it was a black democrat?

We only have the word of the journalist. We know they stretch the truth and spin things from time to time.

Not quite -

"It was absolutely shocking to me," Clyburn told 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."

Lewis said he was leaving the Cannon House office building across from the Capitol when protesters shouted "Kill the bill, kill the bill," Lewis said.

"I said 'I'm for the bill, I support the bill, I'm voting for the bill,' " Lewis said.

A colleague who was accompanying Lewis said people in the crowd responded by saying "Kill the bill, then the n-word."

"It surprised me that people are so mean and we can't engage in a civil dialogue and debate," Lewis said.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he was a few yards behind Lewis and distinctly heard "n****r."

"It was a chorus," Cleaver said. "In a way, I feel sorry for those people who are doing this nasty stuff - they're being whipped up. I decided I wouldn't be angry with any of them."

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.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Can someone please outline, in 5-10 short points, what is wrong with the health care bill?

There are currently over 50mil Americans with absolutely no health care, your private health care system is dominated by companies that actively rip off your country (drug prices as an example), and most of the world's democracies run some kind of health care for all of their citizens, and especially the poor. I would really like to know what the issue is.

I will also state that right now one of my best friends in the world has bone cancer. Without Australia's public health care system he would be dead right now as he could not have afforded the treatments, or the life-saving operation he just had. I am glad I live in a country that provides universal health care, and I'm glad my taxes go to that.