And this is what upsets me about the Tea Party. I just can't be sure I'm not standing next to a virulent racist. This happened in Louisiana at the one I attended in Shreveport, I heard many blacks say they have been shouted at in this manner from Tea Party participants and now they yell the N-word at some of the congresspersons in Washington. Not to mention the racist placards and slogans they carry around. What's up with that? This is health care and yet they couldn't help themselves from becoming racial. I'm sorry, but my mind is made up about the Tea Party and it ain't positive!! I know now that when they say they want "their" country back it means a country for just "them" and I'm not included. And you can say what you want about it's only a few bad apples. BS!! But like I said in another thread, they are the indecent ignoble and they won't prevail. Not if I have something to do about it. I will argue against this bunch until they slithered back to the rock from under which they came never to be heard from again. They get no quarter here. Jerks!!


Raucous, ugly buildup to House health care vote-AP

By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer Alan Fram, Associated Press Writer – Sat Mar 20, 9:20 pm ET

WASHINGTON – House Democrats heard it all Saturday — words of inspiration from President Barack Obama and raucous chants of protests from demonstrators. And at times it was flat-out ugly, including some racial epithets aimed at black members of Congress.

Most of the day's important work leading up to Sunday's historic vote on health care was being done behind closed doors. Democratic leaders cajoled, bargained and did what they could to nail down the votes they will need to finally push Obama's health care overhaul bill through the House.

But much else about the day was noisy, emotional and right out in the open. After more than a year debating the capstone of Obama's domestic agenda and just hours to go before the showdown vote, there was little holding back.

The tone was set outside the Capitol. Clogging the sidewalks and streets of Capitol Hill were at least hundreds — no official estimate was yet available — of loud, furious protesters, many of them tea party opponents of the health care overhaul.

Rallies outside the Capitol are typically orderly, with speeches and well-behaved crowds. Saturday's was different, with anger-fueled demonstrators surrounding members of Congress who walked by, yelling at them.

"Kill the bill," the largely middle-aged crowd shouted, surging toward lawmakers who crossed the street between their office buildings and the Capitol.

The motorcade that carried Obama to Capitol Hill to whip up support for the bill drove past crowds waving signs that read "Stop the spending" and "Get your hands out of my pocketbook and health care." Many booed and thrust their thumbs down as Obama rode by.

As police held demonstrators back to clear areas for lawmakers outside the Capitol Obama's speech, some protesters jeered and chanted at the officers, "You work for us."

Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., told a reporter that as he left the Cannon House Office Building with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a leader of the civil rights era, some among the crowd chanted "the N-word, the N-word, 15 times." Both Carson and Lewis are black, and Lewis spokeswoman Brenda Jones also said that it occurred.

"It was like going into the time machine with John Lewis," said Carson, a large former police officer who said he wasn't frightened but worried about the 70-year-old Lewis, who is twice his age. "He said it reminded him of another time."

Kristie Greco, spokeswoman for Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said a protester spit on Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who is black and said police escorted the lawmakers into the Capitol. Cleaver's office said he would decline to press charges, but Sgt. Kimberly Schneider of the U.S. Capitol Police said in an e-mail later: "We did not make any arrests today."

Clyburn, who led fellow black students in integrating South Carolina's public facilities a half century ago, called the behavior "absolutely shocking."

"I heard people saying things today that I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to try to get off the back of the bus," Clyburn told reporters.

Inside House office buildings, protesters made their views known by visiting lawmakers' offices and chanting at legislators walking by.

Among the demonstrators was Delane Stewart, 65, of Cookeville, Tenn., who had come with her husband, Jesse.

"You know what's coming next if this happens?" she said, referring to the health bill's passage. "They're going to come after gun control."

Retired businessman Randy Simpson, 67, of Seneca, S.C., also said the health bill was just a first step.

"My concerns are about the health care bill, and the direction it takes us is toward communism, quite frankly," he said.

At a daylong meeting of the House Rules Committee, members of both parties squeezed into a tiny hearing room traded accusations in a session that was often a shouting match.

"You all in the minority know what the American people think," Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., said loudly and mockingly at Republicans repeatedly saying the public overwhelmingly opposes Obama's health care bill.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, said a tricky voting procedure Democrats had been contemplating "corrupts and prostitutes the system" and would "unleash a cultural war in this country."

Obama's Capitol Hill visit was the day's emotional peak for House Democrats as he sought to energize them to finally approve the legislation.

He conceded that it could be tough for some to vote for the bill, but predicted it would end up being politically smart because once it becomes law people will realize they like its provisions like curbs on insurance companies.

"It is in your hands," the president said in what Clyburn later called the best speech he'd ever heard Obama make. "It is time to pass health care reform for America, and I am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow."

___

Associated Press writers Charles Babington and Christine Simmons contributed to this report.

It is an attempt to make such a large & growing movement by just plain Americans look bad.
You are looking a just a few out of so many, I would thing that blacks out of all people would see how wrong that is.

it's people have risen on the side of human decency over the indecent acts of the ignoble few.
HI, Free , just something from your post " I'm proud American"
Have a great day.

I don't blame you for being angry. But there will always be those people who have nothing intelligent to say, so they stoop to throwing around not only racial slurs, but any general term that they feel somehow gives them some high ground. You started the "dumb down" thread. You KNOW that there are a great many truly ignorant people in this world. And I'm afraid there always will be. Hell, free, you survived the Comcast Election forum. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Wish there was a way to shut them up. They make our country look ugly. And unfortunately this type of person also believes the louder they are, the better their point is made.

It does not affect the status of Blacks in this country one bit. In fact it provides an opportunity for them to take the high ground and appear the better person. All it does for the person making the slurs, is show them up for who they are. Ugly human beings with low character who have already lost the fight and are incapable of showing graciousness in defeat. The fact that they can't even see how their behavior plays, speaks volumes.

I would think you would take some pride in knowing you are lightyears ahead of these people in every way. Why do you let these idiots hurt you?

It's not an attempt to make this movement look bad. They are doing a pretty fine job all by themselves. Over on Comcast some are actually trying to point the finger back, saying that the people who did and said this are just plants. The so called good people do NOTHING about those that stand there with their racists signs and slogans. Doesn't matter if it is just one, it's one to many. This sort of behavior is unacceptable and reprehensible, and when those of this large and growing movement do nothing to stop it, makes each and every one of them just as guilty.


[quote="micocyco"]It is an attempt to make such a large & growing movement by just plain Americans look bad.
You are looking a just a few out of so many, I would thing that blacks out of all people would see how wrong that is.

I have to agree with you pix on most of that. I don't know how any group can stop it, but if I were a member of a group who had a member act in this way, I would sure be standing up and letting people know just how reprehensible I thought the action was.

Doesn't have to be the group that stops it. What I want to see and hear are individuals coming out and saying this needs to stop, this is not what we are about, take your racist signs and go join a KKK rally, you are ruining it for the rest of us. Just by standing next to someone with these racist signs and not saying anything, implies tacit agreement. What I seem to hear the most though are excuses and scape-goating. I hear "well people are angry". I hear that it's just a few, so what's the big deal? I heard again, that they are probably plants to make them look bad. I say even if they are plants, you still are keeping silent about it. You are still standing next to these people and doing nothing about it.

It is an attempt to make such a large & growing movement by just plain Americans look bad.
You are looking a just a few out of so many, I would thing that blacks out of all people would see how wrong that is.

I won't accept anyone pointing this back at me, as if I don't see the bigger picture. Wrong is wrong and there simply is no defense anyone could serve up that would justify that kind of behavior. I remember during the election, when Rev Wright said what he said. Everyone in that congregation was labeled racist and un-American because they stayed there and listened to those sermons. Nope, you can't have it one way for some and another way for others.

it's people have risen on the side of human decency over the indecent acts of the ignoble few.
HI, Free , just something from your post " I'm proud American"


Yes, that is why I'll be fighting against the Tea Party until they themselves start calling these jerks out for what they are and not standing by letting them perpetuate their nonsense. I'm positive you would be saying the same thing about me if I didn't speak out against the New Black Panther Party with their nonsense. You won't find me defending them in the least. As I have said before, the Tea Party will either start calling these people out and become respected by all Americans or they'll meet stiff and certain resistance to their demise in this country.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke. But he also said, "Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident security." And I am not at all confident in the security of thinking it is a few making the many look bad. I'll end with this because it is so true.

"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me and by that time no one was left to speak up."
Martin Niemöller

I am not letting idiots hurt me, Paddy. I'm pointing out their indiscretions loudly. To act as if they are not happening only emboldens that kind of mentality. The days of sitting quietly by are over for me and should be for the vast majority of Americans. We have to speak out against this behavior no matter who it's geared toward.

Awesome!