Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Some Things Left Out of Tea-Bagger Coverage

Funny how reporters managed to overlook the uglier aspects of the tea-bag express rally in Brighton on Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2009).

Where was the mention of the huge sign depicting President Obama in African dress, tapping in to old cultural myths about the inferiority and savagery of tribal cultures? Or the buttons being sold depicting Obama as the sinister-looking master-criminal Joker character from Batman, playing in to whites' racial fears of urban black men? Or the sign calling Obama a "Muslim marxist"?

No mention of the man who asked one of our Jewish members, "How do you spell 'Auschwitz?'" -- an implied threat.

Nor any mention of the man who tried to grab our bull horn away, of the men who felt free to poke us in the chest with their fingers or otherwise touch us without our permission. Or the teabaggers who told two of our members standing near the mill pond that it would be a shame if they ended up in the pond.

Nothing about the man who walked past us and shouted that we should have "retroactive abortions."

Or the three people who at various times were shouting, "Kill Obama."

Real nice people, just concerned citizens.

Nor was there any mention of the more stupid aspects of the rally -- The elderly people obviously on Medicare saying they don't want government involved in health care. Do they really not know that Medicare is run by the government?

Or the people chanting, "No health care." They don't want any health care at all? Really? They would actually let a parent or child die rather than seek health care?

And no mention of the thoroughly debunked, "Obamacare is genocide for the elderly" claims.

How pathetic. Livingston County presented a pretty ugly face to the country, and despite claims to the contrary, it was orchestrated by the increasingly extremist Livingston County Republican Party, which promoted it heavily.

Moderate independents and Republicans in this county need to take a close look at the ugliness at the rally and ask themselves if that's what they want to be associated with.

14 comments:

Jordan G said...

What I found most interesting is that the most common thing said to me was "why don't you move to Europe or Canada?"

Not intimidating, but interesting none the less. They would then say that they're the majority, so I shouldn't be trying to change the health care system if it's not what the majority wants. Instead, I should go somewhere else that already has the healthcare system I prefer.

It's not the direction I wanted to take the discussion, so my response skipped over the fact that that type of thinking would still allow slavery, and women being unable to vote.

Instead, I simply asked them "if you're the majority, why do you care if I'm here or not? The only reason you would want me to leave is if I'm actually part of the majority, and the only way the conservatives can win is if the liberals leave."

I don't want the conservative to leave. I would prefer it if they stopped using falsities to base their arguments, but otherwise they can do what they do, and I'll do what I do.

There were some people who tried to say some intimidating things. But being a 24 year-old, and basically all of them being of AARP age, I didn't take it seriously at all.

Dan said...

"it was orchestrated by the increasingly extremist Livingston County Republican Party"

That's a lie, but I expect that these days from leftist journalists and ex-journalists. It was not orchestrated by the LCGOP. That I can tell you for a fact.

And I would have to wonder how you would know if they were "teabaggers," Judy but that's none of my business.

Considering I didn't hear the comments you alleged and I was at the rally in different areas including near the dems area, I'll just assume that you made it all up trying to draw up sympathy. That's easy to do since your first comment was a lie.

Now it's time for the federal government to get the hell out of my way.

Jordan G said...

RM-

They were teabaggers since they felt that wearing teabags is now a fashion statement.

While I was separate from the Democrat section, I missed some of the comments. But as I was leaving, I passed by them and saw this irate old man shouting from the south side of main street at the Democrats on the north side. He was flicking them off, and yelling things very similar to what Judy quoted (something about retroactive abortions for liberals).

Try to draw sympathy? You miss the intention behind pointing out the furious response the conservatives were directing towards the liberals. It's for irony's sake.

These people are protesting against how the country voted in the last election, and they go guano crazy when someone shows up to defend the public. It's ironic because they think they're the only ones entitled to voice their opinion.

Now it's time for the profit-motivation to get the hell out of my way.

Communications guru said...

No, that would be a fact. Orchestrated and promoted are synonyms, and the county GOP certainly did promote it, along with the newspaper, the two Washington, D.C. lobbying groups and the health insurance industry. There is also no denying how extremist they have become.

They are “tea baggers” because that’s the name you go by. However, you can call them birthers as well. Considering her first comment was true, I’ll assume the rest was true. I even saw the sign that said the President was a "Muslim Marxist” on TV.

The federal government is not the hell in your way.

kevins said...

Watch out, republican michigander, you are trying to argue with guru and he's a master at logic.

Republicans exist. The Tea Party Express Exists. The Livingston County GOP exists. Therefore, the tea party was orchestrated by the county Republicans. What else do you need to know?

Also, Michigander, would you like to explain why you kicked guru off your site? He said it was because he kept "debunking" him. Are you that afraid of the truth? (It has to be true, because guru never lies...he just invents his own dictionary.)

Communications guru said...

What, are you stalking me, brett?

This is from LIVCO GOP web site:
September 8th:
The Tea Party Express
stops at the Brighton Mill Pond
Learn More Here
http://www.livingstonrepublicans.com/

Are you trying to make the claim they did not promote it?

kevins said...

as usual, guru, when you are caught in a lie, you try to distort what you originally said, even if it means inventing your own language.

Sure they promoted it. But they didn't orchestrate it. There is a big difference...even a little mind like yours should understand it.

I'm not stalking anyone...that appears to be your area of expertise.

Communications guru said...

Sorry, brett, I have never been caught in a lie. The Livingston County Republican party has been promoting and orchestrating the event for some time. You really should stop the stalking and get a life.

kevins said...

You said "orchestrated" and "promoted" are synonyms. You ought to get a thesaurus.

Communications guru said...

Ah, you want to play word games. The fact is county GOP promoted and orchestrated the event. Clearly, they did not put it together because big money that you can only get from Washington, D.C. PACS and lobbying groups could pay for those buses. They did everything to make sure it was a success. Here’s another example.
“Retired high school teacher Irene Bescanon decided to hold a gathering at her house so supporters could make signs. The Brighton Township woman is vice chairwoman of the Livingston County Republican Women's Club and serves on the Livingston County Republican Party Executive Committee.”
http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20090906/NEWS01/909060303/1002/Thousands-expected-at-anti-tax-rally

kevins said...

I see. In your distorted world, using the proper definition of a word is "playing word games."

It's Guru in Wonderland. Whatever he says is the truth because he can make up any definition for any word and change it any time he wants.

You can't deny that thousands showed up for the Tea Party so you try to rationalize it away. The local paper could have put a Democratic rally on the front page for a month, and there still wouldn't have been enough people to fill a phone booth.

Communications guru said...

“The proper definition?” I’m not denying and have never denied that a couple of thousand people showed up, but it got heavy play from the local paper, the local GOP, Faux “news” and the Washington lobbyists paying for it. If you can’t draw a Republican crowd in Livingston County you’re not trying, especially when you consider how many out of town people were there. Livingston County is a Red blotch in a Blue State.

There were about 100 Democrats that showed up with the only publicity being this blog and mine. In fact, that was a real grassroots effort in sharp contrast to that Astroturf farce. I have never seen a phone booth that big, brett.

kevins said...

You may not have seen a phone booth that big, but I bet you've seen restrooms that big at expressway rest stops. Right?

Catherine said...

Typical Democrats...you can't ever get anything straight including your propaganda and lies.

It is the T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party. Alright? A libtoid, in a sophmoric attempt at being humorous, first used the term "teabagger". Any who continue to use the term show their level of intelligence whenever they do...including the so not-esteemed Governor of Michigan.