Hatewatch Tweets
Hatewatch is managed by the staff of the Intelligence Report, an investigative magazine published by the Alabama-based civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center.
TeaParty.org Founder Labels Obama With Racial Terms
Dale Robertson, the vitriolic founder and president of TeaParty.org, blasted out a mass E-mail today that seemed meant to convince doubters that his movement is, after all, racist at its core.
Attacking President Obama for traveling home to Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend — rather than staying in Washington to lay a wreath in Arlington Cemetery as many presidents have done — Robertson falls into a string of contemptuous and racially charged terms.
Obama is going home to spend time with “his homies in the Chicago hood,” writes Robertson, who is white. The taxpayers will be footing the bill for the president to “bump and grind in the hood.” While he’s gone, Vice President Joseph Biden and his wife “will step into Obama’s sneakers” to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Obama, meanwhile, will be “shooting hoops, smoking cigarettes and goofing-off with his homies.”
Robertson, who is a contributor to the right-wing Washington Times’ “Tea Party Report” blog (and is identified there as “the Founder of the modern day Tea Party movement”), has never been a study in sensitivity. He has written that everyone who voted for the national health care reform bill is a “national socialist” — a Nazi, like those who murdered millions in the gas chambers. He says that “illegal aliens” are coming to impose socialism on the United States. But now, Robertson has gone one step further, describing Obama as the kind of person who has “homies” in the “hood,” who wears “sneakers” and “shoots hoops,” and who “bumps and grinds.” We wonder just what type of person Dale Robertson is thinking of.
on May 28th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Isn’t this the same guy who was photographed holding a sign with the N-word on it?
on May 28th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
“Isn’t this the same guy who was photographed holding a sign with the N-word on it?”
That’s him. He tried to deny it and say the sign was liberals trying to smear him with photoshop, but someone dug up a video of him explaining what the sign meant — while holding the sign.
He’s a racist and God is he dumb.
on May 28th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
And of course, Dale “The Illiterate Racist” Robertson fails to mention that Obama will in fact be laying a wreath on Memorial Day: at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, about 50 miles out of Chicago, named after the U.S. President who first established the nation’s National Cemetery system for its veterans.
on May 29th, 2010 at 1:49 am
Of course they’re going to play dumb and ask “why is that racist?” “I can’t be racist!!! I know some black people!!!”
on May 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Where’s the outrage?
I read articles from every prospective involving our national pride. America is not a white country; it is not a black country… With the mix of all races, Italian, Spanish, Greek, African, English, German… how can anyone today be screaming racism? The problem is we have no national pride we are still segregated by the very laws that were meant to pull us together. I have read many articles from the ADL and the SPLC; I am disgusted with both of you. You claim to be anti-hate, but all I read is drenched in hate, for, so called, white America. I read how the patriot movements are made up of angry white Americans; the militias are manned by angry white Americans. Where is the outrage of our intercity gangs, the black panthers, and the nation of islam? These groups are full of rage, hatred and racism. I am disgusted with the lot of you. Focus you articles on white Americans, soon you will not be allowed to spew any of your trash.
on May 29th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
R. T. ,
Nor did he mention that George H. W. Bush _never_ paid a Memorial Day visit to Arlington while he was President; Dan Quayle was the one who laid the wreaths. Three of these times (1990, 1991, 1992) he spent the weekend vacationing in Maine.
Of all the presidents since 1981, only one laid a perfect record of laying a wreath at Arlington _every_ Memorial Day while he was in office. That was Bill Clinton; a fact also conveniently left out by Dale Robertson, who I seriously doubt is a Clinton fan.
on May 29th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
The dangerous ones are more subtle, padding their narrow views with imaginary economic wisdom.
Freddie Movie Scary is that there are so many Americans that think they are the Great White Hope.
on May 29th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
In solidarity our voice is ever strong in the face of this too. Let our Nation work through and put this behind us troubling the racism may be.
on May 30th, 2010 at 8:52 am
I agree with Ruslan. Anyone who thinks the Tea Pottiers are not racists, is a fool. There’s just a pile of evidence pointing this out, from photographs to videos, from their articles and their protest signs. The racial possibilities is endless. I don’t know how anyone cannot see that, unless they are deaf and blind.
on May 30th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Racism is not the greatest of the Tea Party’s ident6ifying qualities. That slot is occupied by ignorance . . . of which racism is a pathological side effect.
on May 30th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Peterson. Dale Robertson was a screen actor who made a lot of westerns. Maybe that’s why you mis-identified him
on May 30th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
It’s more than a little ironic that someone who uses smear tactics against his enemies like some thing straight out of Mein Kamph accuses others of being Nazis.
on May 30th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
And even worse, the co-founder Glenn Beck has criticized our President’s daughter…absolutely beyond disgusting. If this is how Murdoch now makes his billions, allowing this sicko to diss our First Family, we need to STOP watching Fox News, Fox Sports, and stop buying products sold on Fox News.
This is not freedom of speech. This is sick and disgusting right wing racism at its worst. The Tea Bag movement is nothing more than a disguised bunch of wealthy, white bigots who are leading the dumbed down poor racists to “protest” everything this President has done or will do to help us ALL.
on May 31st, 2010 at 12:05 am
It’s interesting that he called everyone who voted for the national heath care reform bill nazis. Isn’t this like the old saw of the pot calling the kettle black? It seems that virtually every right-wing group is full of the absolute dregs of society; racists, bigots, those who seem to think they can be right just by yelling and name calling, the terminally stupid. He certainly fits right in there.
on May 31st, 2010 at 11:06 am
Not that I’m defending this moron, but Obama does play basketball on a regular basis.
The “homies” bit on the other hand…
on June 1st, 2010 at 12:36 pm
“Oh, we’re just common folk.” — Sean Innanity
on June 1st, 2010 at 2:29 pm
How about you gusy stop calling the Tea Party “Tea Baggers” etc………….. It’s a disgrace that you people can’t refrain from insulting them and in turn you look no better than the people the SPLC writes about on a daily basis.
Grow up and at least show that you’re an adult and refrain from name calling.
I read the comments here and I fully believe that all of you would support a Dictatorship as long as it was full of far left liberal types. It’s scary that you want to take away free speech and free thought from over half of America and reduce any form of debate or disagreement.
Would all of you go along with Obama making himself king? You know what’s crazy about Obama? He’s JUST LIKE BUSH.
He’s expanded the illegal occupations in the Middle East, expanded secret arrest of US Citizens (including sending them to secret prisons w/o a lawyer or giving them the right to contact anyone for an indefinite amount of time that he sees fit), Let the illegal wiretapping and Email collection of all US citizens continue, Kept GITMO open and in active use, has not opened up his administration to transparancy… all of these things are broken promises by him from when he campaigned. He’s a liar, proven liar, and he’s an exact clone of every neocon-republican out there. If you read the writings of the Project for a New American Century, you’ll see that Obama fits right in with those hard right PNAC radicals.
Obama = Bush
on June 1st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Disgraceful. It disgusts me to read drivel like that which is spewed out of the minds of ignorant people. Like someone I know who refers to Pres Obama as a “stinking scuz-bucket”…plus he labels himself a “Christian” but won’t admit that his behavior is not very Christ-like. Very sad…
on June 1st, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Wow. Talk about hypocritical. This rag and a great many of the talking heads here need to get out more and breath some fresh air. There is an old saying that goes, “seeing the splinter in their eye because of the log in mine,” absolutely applies. Some of you people take hate to a new level. Of course, let us not talk about that.
To paint the Tea Party with a broad brush as a bunch of “racist” is not only dishonest, it is a falsehood. Of course, calling those people “tea baggers” doesn’t fit your definition of ‘hate speech’ either. It’s about what I expected.
on June 1st, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Oh lookie here, a conservative tried to slip in with his nonsense…
Well “Johnathon”, let’s break your claim down.
Jonathan said,
on May 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Where’s the outrage?
“I read articles from every prospective involving our national pride. America is not a white country; it is not a black country… With the mix of all races, Italian, Spanish, Greek, African, English, German… how can anyone today be screaming racism?”
How can anyone be screaming racism? Because it’s still there, that’s why. Studies show that it is on a regular basis. This is a typical right-wing argument. They acknowledge that at some undetermined time in the past, there was blatant racism in America(conservatives only recognize overt racism), but then all that was fixed in the 60s. But at some point that wasn’t enough for the blacks, Latinos, etc., and they started demanding “special rights”. The supreme irony being that conservatives can’t recognize the racism in that very statement.
“The problem is we have no national pride we are still segregated by the very laws that were meant to pull us together.”
Yeah, black people purposely ask to be denied loans which would allow them to buy houses in the suburbs.
“You claim to be anti-hate, but all I read is drenched in hate, for, so called, white America.”
Oh do provide examples. Something better than what you mention below.
” I read how the patriot movements are made up of angry white Americans; the militias are manned by angry white Americans.”
Let’s see, they are mostly all white, and they are very angry. I think that’s pretty fair.
“Where is the outrage of our intercity gangs,”
Oh those are all black or Mexican right?
” the black panthers, and the nation of islam? These groups are full of rage, hatred and racism.”
Inner-city gangs are racist? Secondly, if you actually READ the SPLC’s pages, you would find that they do highlight certain non-white extremist groups. As for the New Black Panthers, their ideology is quite different than the original BPs, who had good reason to be angry.
“Focus you articles on white Americans, soon you will not be allowed to spew any of your trash.”
What is that some kind of threat?
on June 2nd, 2010 at 1:47 am
OK, now, ya’ll, the tea party isn’t all bad. Fighting for the rights we have in the Constitution isn’t a horrid idea. If we are against hate, we can’t hate those that want a limited government and less spending, that think government spending is out of control. $ 13 trillion is a bit unnerving, and we don’t want to go down the road Greece is on now. Let’s not cast them all as racist, just because one guy is.
on June 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 am
Who the heck is Dale Robertson, anyway? There are many so called tea party founders- as a tea party supporter, this guy means nothing to me. Why must you always build the straw man, Potok? This guy probably is ADL, or a federal deep cover agent who started a website to coopt the tea party and discredit the average American who makes up the movement. Have you been to a tea party– totally milquetoast!
on June 2nd, 2010 at 8:02 am
You don’t like it
You don’t like it cause the white man losing his power. Yes I said the white man is losing his power. Everywhere you look it happening.
Here a lesbian running the city. Here a meskin own the airwaves. Here a Muslim, a brother, here the landlord a quiet Chinese but he don’t bow and scrape. You used to buck your teeth and squint and he remembers. Now you pay the man.
For you the only black man worth mention is Bill Cosby or Famous Amos. That what they teach you in the schools. But you do not have the power to stop Louis Farrakhan.
You locked up H Rap Brown, Huey Newton, the only place you keep a black woman on her knees.
You keep the monkey on the junkie back, locked up tight and messed up so when he come out he ties up again, maybe this time be the last.
You deny the Tea Party a white supremacist organization. But I don’t see any black faces in that crowd.
You say that your Miss America not barred to any color, but when the real beauty win you claim it was rigged against the whites. Oh you losing your looks too baby.
And you don’t like it.
That’s why you keep a list and laws. That’s why you lie about it, distort the figures on murder, kidnapping, rape, the crimes that white people refuse to do. Assaults, smugglers, drop houses, home invasions, drugs and welfare recipients. These are the small pox blankets poisoning the minds of America.
And who care about something – anything! — other than that a socialist.
Presidents elected while black deserve the black ball. No matter he cleaning house after the white man’s watch, the house that the black men built.
This is America.
What’s not to like and cheer about?
We got illegals in our schools getting learned on the white man’s dime and why is that they always a white man on the dime, nickel, quarter or dollar in the country of freedom and equality. E pluribus unum.
Out of many, one.
Yeah, we know who the money is. We know who the many and who the one.
We got madmen trying to take the Indians out of Cleveland and the Redskins out of Washington. We even got our Fightin’ Whities trying to fake us out.
Rights are there for the white man, promises for everybody else. Promise of reparations promise of reservations, promises never to do it again.
And like every promise ever made by the ones writing those rights who it went to? Who get the benefits? Who turn those words into profit?
Now those laws are turning. This nation is rising up and sinking under your feet. It’s got a rotted core. It’s an earthquake, tsunami, storm and rage that rend the bedrock of your temple. The alabaster pillars going to drop.
The great white father turning to dust.
No more entertainers, no more football players, no more basketball, no more waiters and dishwashers, no more cleaners with your white shirts, nobody to hate cause they part of America too. Look around you.
They running it!
–An immigrant poem by beholder
on June 2nd, 2010 at 9:24 am
JT, why is it any time that racists are found within the Tea Party movement in full view, you guys always claim it’s some kind of “plant”?
on June 2nd, 2010 at 11:29 am
To those of you who say it’s immature for us to call them ‘Teabaggers’ , they came up with the nickname themselves! It’s not our fault that they are that stupid!
on June 2nd, 2010 at 4:50 pm
hate is like a virus- it spreads from a simple outbreak into a pandemic.
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/r.....wayne-home
on June 3rd, 2010 at 10:55 am
I am with the tea Party – never heard of this guy – until now.
I suspect if he were as important as he (or at least the Southern Poverty Law Center claims) the Tea Party would never have gotten any where – and I would not be a member.
So is the SPLC keeping tabs on the Black Panthers who were standing at the Philly polling place with billy clubs for the 2008 election?
I know if there were KKK aholes at a polling place doing the exact same thing they would be strung up.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 am
The tea baggers were calling themselves by that name, before they realized the double entente. They consistently open themselves up to ridicule by lying, saying racist things and giving interviews that show their flagrant ignorance of the issues or even reality. There is no comparison between mocking illiterate racist morons with spewing racial vitriol.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:04 am
PSPS said,
on June 1st, 2010 at 2:29 pm
How about you gusy stop calling the Tea Party “Tea Baggers” etc………….. It’s a disgrace that you people can’t refrain from insulting them and in turn you look no better than the people the SPLC writes about on a daily basis.
Mr./Ms./Mrs./SFB,
I think you had better thank your lucky stars that the TeaBaggers aren’t being called worse names. This is the gracious we can be at the time, taking into account this story of your illustrious leader. Be very thankful you are all least compared to a used Tea bag and not anything worse. Now go take your meds and let Mommy put you down for your nap. Sluggard!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:06 am
What the Left intentionally fails to recognize is racism is a dehumanizing collectivist notion – it groups people together by some trait that they have no control over and ignores the values, beliefs, hopes, dreams, goals…that are attributes unique to individuals.
The Tea Party, The constitution – specifically the Bill Of Rights (BOR) – is about individual freedom – It is a promise to protect the individual FROM the government.
Have we made it complete to the promises of the BOR? Nope, the struggle continues…and it is a struggle against collectivism forced on the people via government. The evils of government collectivism like slavery and Jim Crow are ignored by collectivist because they are more infatuated with gaining control of government to force their own goals upon the unwilling.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:12 am
Good comment David. As for me, considered to be white by most standards we have set.
Until a “whale” or another “non-human” knocks on my door, puts a gun in my face, shoots my family dead, runs for a government office, insists on citizenship, that’s when I’ll get concerned with race!
Black, brown, yellow, mixed white, etc. we are all human folks! So what if we are no longer completely white or black! Just like religion is used as a controller, now the powers that be have found another. RACE!
Play into it if you like but your only letting someone control you when you do!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Having met the tea party peopole face to face at a family event in Selah, WA, I can safely say, that their issues here are neither concern for America, no it was concern for self- the expressions on their face, the pastor’s wife fingering the pistol in her apron, ( who when confronted with what the Bible REALLY says misquoted grossly)-the hate was palpable, as it is in this whole county- their thing is NOT America, it is a White, Christians only (and only their twisted take on the Bible), a heterosexual only America, and America where “I got mine, so I AM HAPPY”, and “I don’t care if you get yours”. What chilled me the most was the pastor’s wife saying we need to “remove them from office”- when I asked what that meant, she said, what do YOU think?!
Racist? YES! Homohaters? YES! But then this is no surprise, they hated EVERYTHING that didn’t agree with their way. I don’t know if this represents all tea partyiers or not, but certainly those in Yakima, WA are just what I described above- I can’t help but believe that the rest of the movement is like this- if they’re not then they should go out of their way to distance themselves from this sort of hate-filled, delusional, group. NO booth like that should be at a family outing with kids- but then life is just like that in Central WA!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:19 am
I am amazed at the amount of racial hate that this site has allowed and the amount of anti white rhetoric that is spewed. Perhaps it is time for the SPLC to list there own oranization as a hate group? The division of the people in the United States and across North America is only increased with the focus being placed on such small numbers of people that only have small ideas. Stop with the somebody owes me something mentality. Can’t get a loan to move into the suburbs, this is truly laughable, perhaps a quick look at the demographics of last batch of let’s move everyone to the suburbs loans is advised!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 11:37 am
I am disgusted with all of you. I have been involved with the ADL and SPLC professionally for years and have come to realize their speech is no less hateful that those whom they single out for attack. Jonathan is correct in saying that this organization has become full of very hateful people. You and your followers attack with hateful speech and dismiss others “conservative” opinions. I think I may start up my own “Hatewatch” on this organization… I for one will not attend any more of their seminars and will try to prevent further attendance from these representatives from the organizations I associate with, as I believe some very hateful people are feeding us a very bias viewpoint.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Yanno, if just one of you was the least bit intellectually honest, you’d read the posts here and admit that the hate you accuse the tea partiers of is EXACTLY what you demonstrate yourselves.
Right here. Right in your own words.
Anyone up for this introspective challenge?
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:02 pm
What this entire conversation boils down to is that a small portion of our Anglo-American population is highly insulted that they are being treated as common folk, when they are absolutely certain that they are heirs to the entire kingdom instead.
Face it folks- the color of one’s skin has absolutely nothing at all to do with any person’s character. If you are judging people by appearance, place of birth, or their native language, you are asking to be victimized by cheats and warmongers. It’s time to smarten up and stop letting politicians jerk you around for their own benefit.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I agree with you. This group has become as bad as the nazi groups. They wave a different flag.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:14 pm
I see a LOT more hate here at the SPLC within the “reports” and comments from SPLC supporters.
Suddenly “homies” “hood” and “bump and grind” are racist words? Seriously? Grow up. With that kind of thinking, “buddies” “suburbs” and “swing” should all be anti-white hate words.
At the last Tea party in Richmond, there were three black speakers, yes black. And they were all VERY good.
As far as I am concerned, SPLC itself is a hate group. It hates the Tea Party activists. This kind of “reporting” is only serving to divide America even more. This is a dangerous and irresponsible organization.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:48 pm
When I see sayings like ” Bail yourself out” and a smug person getting into their $60,000 car, I remember that it must be nice to have the system work for you and have all the advantages from family connections to the ” right” college and that 1st job that your dad discussed over a marini at the “club” with a colleague or partner from the law firm.
The attitude of what’s good for me is good and forget everyone else has to change in this ever changing global world and economy. President Obama is a poster person of the changing times and the ” good ole boys” can’t stand the change.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 1:14 pm
I am really starting to wonder about the intentions of some of the folks that write articles like this that do not amount to anything racial, to use the term tea bagger as President Obama has done on many occasion is rather insulting, how do you feel about that. I do not see why the left radicals like some of the folks on this site feel the need to entice the radicals on the right, both sides seem to want to do nothing more than divide our country even further and this comes at a time when our country needs to stand united to get through some major difficult times. The SPLC is a good organization that has a good cause, please keep the political agenda out it, the hatred that is shown towards the Republician party could deem you as needing to go on a watch list also, you hardly mention anything negative inregards to anyone that is affiliated with the Democratic party and they are just as much to blame as the Republicians for alot of the problems that we are facing as a nation. get back to the task of fighting for justice, equal rights and freedoms for our fellow man, women and child. Stop the hate people before many more of your supporters decide to stop listening to your cause.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
O im sure its the left wing made this up
the right wing radio man told me so
on June 3rd, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Ok, it is time for me to unsubscribe to SPLC. Lately, every time I read it, I see you as the ‘racist’ instead of the defenders. You think just because you have white Lawyers defending against KKK type hate groups that anyone who disagrees with your ideology is racist. You cause and stir up more hatred then you stop. Your un-imaginative view of the “tea-party” is uninformed at least and hate spewing at best. If you can not see that America wants less government and less taxes….you are the idiots. I don’t care about your race. You are American or your not. The draw to the tea party is…there are no leaders…just concerned Americans. If this guy wants to say he is the President…I don’t care. An unbiased person would have looked into it and not just passed on what he “heard” as truth in an article. An unbiased person would have googled ‘Bush protest’ and found all the Nazi, hanging, death threats that Hilary Clinton called Democracy in action and that disagreement is the highest form of a Democratic government. But this writer is just like the rest of you….a hater of whites. So, I will unsubscribe here and to the magazines I get. I’ve had it with one sided bigotry and finger pointing while you spew shit.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
“Focus you articles on white Americans, soon you will not be allowed to spew any of your trash.”
Going to overturn the First Amendment, are you?
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Molly, did you just say that the author of this article is a “hater of whites” because he criticized the tea party?
Sounds like you are _admitting_ that the tea-party is a racially-based movement!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:26 pm
#
FunnyStuff said,
on June 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 pm
“Yanno, if just one of you was the least bit intellectually honest, you’d read the posts here and admit that the hate you accuse the tea partiers of is EXACTLY what you demonstrate yourselves.
“Right here. Right in your own words.
“Anyone up for this introspective challenge?”
Reporting hate-filled talk and actions isn’t the same as being hateful oneself. If you can’t stand to hear the truth, unsubscribe yourself.
The political hatred is coming from the radical right, which is the last time I’m going to use that term. The truth is that they’re hate-ridden fascists, the vast majority of them are white, and why any non-whites would be part of this movement I don’t know. There are always people who will work against their own best interests, pathetic creatures that they are. And white fascists will point to them to say: “See? We aren’t prejudiced.” But I bet they don’t invite these people home to dinner. I’m sure none would allow one to marry their daughter. No, the non-whites of fascist Tea Baggers are there for show only.
Their existence doesn’t disprove the overwhelming racism inherent in the movement.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
The ignorace in these comments is astonishing. Stop grouping all members of a movement into one group. The Tea Party in no way pushes a racist agenda so therefore it is NOT racist. Some of its members are absolutely racist bigots, but then again so are members of any group. The “Tea Party” is not a national machine like many other membership-only groups, it’s made up of many seperate groups. To clump all of these groups together and label them as racist is simply immature. Grow up – all of you.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Several writers above attempt to defend the Tea-baggers, a self-applied term, as being law-abiding, non-racist, true patriots, etc. We are admonished that “we’re not all like that,” and there is no leadership, we’re just a bunch of concerned citizens.
The main problem with that argument, it seems to me, is that we see Tea Party rallies on TV and in our neighborhoods. Yes, you ARE all like that. We see it on our screens, we see you waving signs that carry racist, insulting propagandistic speech that mimics the talking points of the Far Right and in some cases Near Right. And the themes in Oregon are the same as the themes in Arizona and South Carolina. We see KKK, Christian Right, NeoNazi symbols and slogans, threats against civil order. We see it on a regular and consistent basis.
As to less government and less taxes, the kingpins of the Kooks, Krazies and Kriminals brigade are now screaming that the “government” hasn’t done enough. Jindal, Palin and Bachmann have all reversed their position and are parroting in lockstep like the TeaParty sockpuppets we always knew they were. Sorry, that’s is slighty off message, but is responsive to the previous post which was slightly off topic, but that’s a favorite propaganda technique isn’t it.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Wow five minutes and molly’s mad as a hornet. Imagine five centuries.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
The bare facts is quite clear. President Obama was elected President of the USA. Mainly white people and various others of different persuasions cannot except the fact that a mulatto (half white/black or mixed blood person) became President of the United State of America by a large percent of the changing population, minorities and young people. The haters are living in fear and feel they are losing control.Also Obama became president before a white woman. He has a black wife that’s also intelligent and has a mind of her own. They think Obama is too intelligent and uppity. The Obama’s have two little black girls/children running around the White House and many people hate that image. The status quo cannot believe this family is living in The White House. The hatemongers are seething and cannot control their feelings. They want to do anything to make the first minority president seem evil and bad. If he sneeze its bad, if he looks side ways its bad, if he shakes an Arabian diplomat hand(s) its bad, and if he talks to anyone in a civilized manner or not its bad. If he goes on vacation its bad. President Obama is pure evil in their eyes because they feel black people are evil. Deeply rooted in some white people psychic is the old Jim Crow mentality and the so-called Christian doctrine which favors themselves and their kind. Lots of white people dislike blacks and other minorities period because they are different. Many whites have a superiority complex. Basically, many white people on a whole think they are better than everyone else and that God gave them superior rights and that others people are basically subhuman and beneath them. Whether the haters like it or not Obama is our President. They have to live with it. Its just too bad for the haters. If they don’t like America they need to go back to Europe or wherever their ancestors came from. The only true Americans or the Native Americans. The Hatemongers had George Bush for 8 years but did not mention a word about his deplorable leadership qualities and how he swindled the American citizens on various issues and policies. Its unrealistic how they expect Obama to fix 8 years of misguided leadership and policies in a short amount of time. Hateful whites are always telling other people to leave America. Why don’t all you white hatemongers go buy an Island off the Baltic Sea or wherever there are a great percentage of white people and just leave America period. Go back to your motherland and spread hate and lies and see how far it will get you. Do give President Obama a chance to lead this country and try to develop an open mind and stop being ignorant and blind. Stop spreading hate, lies and half truths about our President Obama; the first black President of the United States of America. Keep up the good work SPLC thanks for keeping the American people informed whether we agree or disagree with your articles. Thanks for all of your hard work and I will continue my subscription to your magazine.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 6:52 pm
This is the same climate, same mindset and the same type of people that let Hitler, Stalin, Caesar; I could continue down the line of dictators in history, take over. The people I fear are the ones that live around me. My fellow “Americans”.
I don’t know who the dictator will be, I don’t think he’s yet made his appearance, but he’s coming. In this type of undercurrent one will step up to the plate, give people something to hate, to unite around and lead them down the super highway to their own demise. The destruction of a nation that willed it to happen through their own greed and vitriolic ambitions to rule the world.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 8:39 pm
The Bible has much wisdom about such dark-hearted people as Messrs. Robertson and Beck. For example, Jesus said “…a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit…Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:17-20/KJV).
The bitter hatred and bigotry which these people inspire and direct will result only in more evil. As Christians, we must pray that God will forgive them their horrible sin and bring them to repentance very soon.
“God is Love” (1 John 4:16/KJV)
Bill Kinsland
on June 3rd, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Ya know, I can’t have a decent cup of tea without thinking about all the hate anymore. No wonder I drink more coffee now.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Wow Behold, that was deep “-An immigrant poem by beholder”, very deep. Telling it how it is.
on June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Anyone who thinks the Tea Pottiers are not racists, is a fool. – said as if all on the other side of the poltical fence are puritans! What a bunch of race card “stuff”!
The facts are MOST people on BOTH sides of the fence are TIRED of this race baiting! Not to mention the Government mandated racism called affirmative action. What happened to color blind? Thought race was NOT to be used as a criteria for ANYTHING!
on June 4th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Well it look like in the middle of the night a few morons managed to slip through during the Banzai charge of idiocy.
Let me address a few of them: First off, to everyone accusing the SPLC of “anti-white” racism- please substantiate this.
To Tom M, no, slavery was not a matter of government but private property. The government defended slavery under the pretext of defending private property, something you libertarians worship religiously. Also don’t pull the “racism is collectivism ergo I can’t be racist because I’m a libertarian” nonsense. There is no easy formula for not being racist. The thing is people like you can’t even perceive racism.
Take the individual on here who just couldn’t figure out why someone saying “Obama’s going to hang with his homies, bump and grind, etc” is racist. If you can’t figure out why that is racist, maybe you just don’t know a lot about race.
on June 4th, 2010 at 7:24 am
Term Mad Hatter came from the unfortunate reality that people who made hats for a living were using mercury in the process and suffered brain damage because of it. I’m thinking about the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland. Maybe the Tea Party folks have been huffing to many industrial pollutants in the process of being palsy walsy with big business. Maybe they’re actually VICTIMS! What if they need government disability and actually turn it down because of their afflictions.
on June 4th, 2010 at 9:40 am
The tree of hatred
Would it bloom on unbled soil?
The harvest arrives
–Haiku by beholder
on June 4th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Hi there — a few notes.
1. Teabagger was a phrase I would not initially use until it was explained to me what the origin was. According to various media sources — “The term, teabagger, emerged after protesters displayed placards using the words “tea bag” as a verb, mixing the sexual meaning (teabagging) with “Mailing Tea Bags to Washington, DC” in protest.” [Wikipedia - with MANY references] While some tea party members have objected to the name, others (including a couple of our conservative friends) embrace it strongly. At this point I am neutral to it, just as I am to my own community members using “faggot” to describe themselves and African American friends who use the word “nigger” to describe themselves (and sometimes their close white friends, including me). I would not use the name “teabagger” for a member of the movement who dislikes it – but would not hesitate to use it with our friends, who like it as an appellation and are more likely to be offended if I didn’t use it.
2. I think that many members of the tea party movement are not racist. Our friends are not – they are libertarian. On the other hand – many members of the tea party movement ARE racist. I went to a rally with our friends out of curiosity (we are strongly liberal and they and we understand that won’t change – they’ve gone to things with us, I went to something with them), and the racist effluvium was palpable, as was the absolute hysteria about healthcare. Having been hysterical about our invasion of Iraq myself – believe me I recognize the same phenomena when it occurs on the other side. They were actually embarrassed by some of the signs I saw (they are not racists as I said) and apologized for some of the (pretty blatant) racism that was present. I told them it wasn’t their fault, but questioned why their politics would require them to be involved in something that seemed to have a very vile edge. We haven’t discussed the rally since, but I think they are still thinking about that.
Which brings me to a point.
Why is the tea party getting all this press and attention?
Prior to our invasion of Iraq my partner and I attended an anti-war rally in NYC (the one that was addressed by his Gracious Eminence, Arch-bishop Desmond Tutu). Initially the NY Times reported that there were 200,000 of us, until the BBC which used actual grid counting techniques reported half a million — at which point the Times printed a retraction of their earlier figure (WAY back in the paper) and admitted to a higher figure, noting, as I recall all these years later, the BBC figure. Not noted ANYWHERE were the tens of thousands of additional people who were in feeder marches that were effectively blocked by the police (the police admitted to blocking 65 feeder marches). All of Manhattan was full of protesters if you walked the streets. After the invasion I attended a rally in Washington that was at least as big, possibly bigger.
We were reported on, briefly The reporting lasted less than 24 hours each major rally. Our smaller rallies and subsequent activities were UNREPORTED and far from being touted by the media for having 25% support we were denigrated for our lack of support, since it was only 25%. Furthermore, the tea party movement has turned out NO WHERE NEAR the crowds for their public rallies. A half million? Not yet. 200,000? Not yet. In short, the opposite of the treatment that we received is what the tea party is receiving – It is less organized, has the same casual and less dedicated support than we did, and turns our smaller crowds, but it is getting dozens of times the media coverage – mainstream and Right wing.
That may be the real story.
What liberal media?
Regards,
Reyn
on June 4th, 2010 at 11:18 am
The tea party is only repeating what has been repeated decades ago, under a new name, but the same game. I just watched a movie called Betrayed. This movie was made in 1988 with Debra Winger and Tom Berenger. It was about an FBI agent (Winger) who infiltrated the Sons of Liberty. The movie rings true about what is happening now, about politicians flirting with these type groups saying, “we must take back our country.” The only thing is, this group knew that the politician was lying to them in order to get money and votes, and they killed the politician in the movie. The movie showed how entire communities get involved with these groups, participating in robbing of banks, to people inside the government giving personal and confidential information to these groups, to teaching their children to hate anyone other than white, all the while being a church community, and killing of minorities.
My mouth fell open as I was shocked at the realness of this movie. They say history often repeats itself, and it often does. I am thankful that SPLC enlightens people of the true danger out there with these groups, because the MSM won’t.
on June 4th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
It figures that an asinine male such as Dale Robertson would let his bigot beliefs surface during the holiday weekend. The tea party or bigot party have twisted things like other racist groups. The similarity of recession and poor employment in Germany before WWII are scary. The American People have to wake up and realize that they use the tax platform but all along they blame race and culture for the problems of a broken system (federal). Our President and past Presidents are not perfect but President Obama always has to work harder than the white presidents.
I only hope that history does not repeat itself and the American People watch out for the vitriolic people like Robertson. These type of people are very dangerous and should be expose for who they are. Nazis and White Hate Groups are upfront and dangerous. Robertson is sneaky and manipulative to ignorant people who follow the leader.
on June 5th, 2010 at 12:02 am
Give him a blood drug test, if he fails, I will give him my support.
on June 6th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
I cannot even put what I want to say into sensible form, it has to do with being disconnected I am going to try. The negative commenter’s seem to be disconnected from realityagain and again in the statements it is mentioned on how the SPLC is a hate group. They seem to not realize that watching and reporting on groups that openly and without excuses say and act racist is being hateful and racist. This is the disconnect their brains are unable to discern difference, it is like serial pedophiles they just do not see what is wrong in their thinking. Intense mental therapy may cause some to come to their senses and become thinking people, but most will never develop, sadly.
on June 8th, 2010 at 9:25 am
First of all, this is a BLOG, not an investigative journalism piece with corroboration and references and footnotes.
Second, on my own second reading of it, after also reading all of the comments so far to this point, I can imagine that some of us wrote our replies without even reading all the way through the opening piece once, let alone twice, let alone confirming if our subsequent accusations can be accurately applied as a response to the opening post. That’s okay, I guess — it’s a BLOG, and we all apparently have something to say, and we’re grateful for the platform to share. Kudos to Southern Poverty Law Center for permitting the otherwise totally deletable wanderings off topic.
Third, on topic, I see this initial BLOG entry above as a place marker for highlighting hate speech, and after reading it twice, I find that it did it’s assigned job reasonably well. As I mentioned, I prefer investigative journalism pieces with corroboration and links and references, but as a BLOG piece, an OPINION piece, I have to give it “editorial” leeway — as SPLC has obviously also given great leeway to us responders who have just vented our spleens!
Fourth, I see side discussions of “teabaggers” as if SPLC mentioned the term first. They did not. A response written by “Mary in TN” mentioned the term “tea bag” first, two days after the opening BLOG entry, and then “Kim” mentioned the term “teabagger”, five days after the initial BLOG entry. SPLC is NOT the source of such references. In my own research, the term “tea bag” and the terms “teabagging” or “teabagger” in the past before this political movement were not interchangeable terms. I’ll let you all do your own research on their prior and contemporaneous meanings of these terms. No one has to use them, and I decline to. Regardless, the phrase in any form was not mentioned by SPLC.
Fifth, regarding SPLC supposedly hating, and this BLOG entry being an example of SPLC hate, all I can do is re-read it a third time to look for any kind of SPLC hatred in it, and I find none. I do find a report about a white person using black ghetto terms to identify a black person (who happens to be NOT from a ghetto, if that matters), and I presume they used that characterization in order to cause white readers to fear that black person, associating that black person with American media’s prior fears of violent black men from ghettos in the news over the years (in the light of Jim Crow, the “riots”, Crack Cocaine, and so on). I see this as calling white readers to fear a black man by associating him with memories of other black men the whites were lead to fear. That is plain as day to me. I’m quite confident that this was the author’s intention. So, I do see the original email mentioned as a hateful, racist characterization of our President designed to instigate fear and hate.
Sixth, again, as I read the opening BLOG a second time, I clearly understood that the author was pointing out that the author of the email mentioned claimed the President was selfishly taking a vacation away from Washington DC on the taxpayer’s money, and was neglecting to honor America’s soldiers who died in war, when actually, the President went to the original memorial for such purposes, a memorial set up by the originator of the whole idea of honoring war dead, President Abraham Lincoln, in Illinois, where the President is now from. So, I see the original email as mentioned is written very boldly as a lie, designed to cause resentment and anger against our President.
Seventh, for the writer of the email mentioned in the opening BLOG entry above to have twisted the facts so blatantly to denigrate our President, and to use derogatory racial stereotypes, deserves very loud and wide publicity. For anyone to defend the author of the email, or to attack anyone who identifies this person’s horrible, hateful lies is unconscionable. I would expect every member of the Tea Party to denounce such racism and fear mongering. Anyone who is a member of any Tea Party who does not separate themselves from the author of the email has identified themselves with this person and their practices.
Sarah Palin?
Michele Bachmann?
Rush Limbaugh?
Glenn Beck?
Rand Paul?
on June 14th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
While I’m a bit late to the party (so to speak), I wanted to reiterate what a couple of people have already mentioned – the use of the word ‘teabagger’ by Tea Party members. It is true that some of them had the word(s) ‘tea bag’ or ‘teabag’ on posters, but it is also true that some of them had begun to refer to themselves as ‘teabaggers’.
It wasn’t until some in the media started broadcasting these comments, and then commenting on the speakers’ apparent lack of knowledge of the ‘risqué’ connotation of the word, that they realised what they’d done. Almost immediately, the ‘former’ teabaggers claimed that the media had started calling them this, when it was they themselves who started it. A perfect example of how the Tea Party will lie to get their points across…
on June 20th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
I just want to say I’m proud to be a “Tea Partier”. It’s become obvious that the liberals of this country, to include President Obama no longer hold sacred the principles of those original Patriots and Statesmen who sacrificed everything to establish this nation. We have seen our President and his officials turn from the noble cause of governing “by the people, for the people” and have resorted to looking inwardly to their own prosperity and glory without respect to the plight they inflict on the very people they were elected to defend and sustain.
The original “Tea Partiers” at the Boston Harbor and those with similar convictions purchased the right for all of us to be called Americans. Well I for one am willing to stand up and speak up for that America. I will never demean her character nor will I apologize for her greatness.
Only by standing together and putting off apathy; by standing up and speaking out; and by getting up and taking action will we ever see our founders’ vision realized once again, and in doing so, once again earn the right to be called Americans.
on June 21st, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Guardian,
Can you think of any times in history when nationalism led people to act against the material interests of their country?
on June 22nd, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Beholder, my friend,
True nationalism will always lead people to do what is in the BEST interest of their country. No one person’s or one party’s personal or material interests should come before the best interests of the people they have sworn to serve.
When a leader who has so little pride in his chosen country, to the point he becomes obsessed in destroying that country in an effort to recreate it in his own image; when ego, arrogance and personal ambition become the driving force behind that leader’s efforts, then that country ceases to be the nation it was born to be. This is what leads people of character, true patriots and lovers of freedom to act. And this action is what defines a true American!
on June 29th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I can see how some degree of “nationalism” (that is the strong link between personal and national political identity, as least that’s how I define it) might be useful for political results in the supposed interests of the nation — for example going to war.
However I can also see how “nationalism”, when it becomes a sentiment of superiority over other peoples, nations, ethnicities, religions and so on, can also work against the material interests of the country.
For me, the test is not so much in the failures of a charismatic leader, who can use nationalistic sentiment to bend political events to his or her will and against the interests of the nation, but indeed, of the people who believe blindly in nationalistic ideals without considering the danger thereof.
The “tea party” as I see it is a short term phenomenon that will melt away into other political channels. It lacks the leadership and national scope of unity that is required of a lasting movement across the country. It was invented by the media, and has been perpetuated by those who see in the media image something that speaks to them.
What that something is, eventually, lacks substance. There is no real movement beyond the theatrical display of Founding values and trappings, because unlike the labor movement, for example, or the civil rights movement, or even anti-war movements, in our nation’s history, the tea party was created at a national level (by Fox News) and imitated at a local level.
The other, genuine, social movements I describe began from the ground up. That is their strength, and that is how they managed to achieve political success.
To define “patriotism” and “love of freedom” as principles of change is inherently flawed. There are few Americans who, if pressed, would not call themselves patriots, and I don’t know of anyone (Bush’s comments about our supposed enemies notwithstanding) who “hates freedom”.
If you have something pragmatic, such as lower taxes (or at least responsible taxation) of interest to all, then there is no need to couch such policies in the dazzling illusion of nationwide patriotism. It requires rolling up the sleeves and setting to work. As the Tea Party exists in a moral rather than practical sphere, I cannot see how it serves the interests of the country.
I do not even see how it serves its members, who have failed to advance any policy of national scope at all, except for giving them a probably false sense of community and belonging.
on July 1st, 2010 at 12:50 am
I think you are missing the point of the tea parties. The tea parties were never meant to be a political entity in and of itself. Much like the tea party of old, they are meant to make a statement, to motivate, to give hope to people in a time of governmental oppression.
As for “patriotism”; a person isn’t a patriot just because they call themselves one. Either you are or you are not. Patriotism is defined as “one who loves and is devoted to his country”. Obviously President Obama does not fall into this category. This is evidenced by his own admission during his “World Apology Tour” and his wife’s testimony that she has never been proud of this country until her husband was nominated president. They are simply proud of themselves and lovers of their own achievements. And therefore it is undisputable that anyone who supports such a person also disqualifies themselves as a patriot. And you cannot be a “lover of freedom” without being a true patriot.
on July 1st, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Guardian are you saying that only those in America by your narrow definition of patriot can be a lover of freedom? Or can a citizen, say, of Iran, also love freedom at the same time as they love their country, culture, and rich cultural heritage and history? Does everyone born in China, for example, have no chance of loving freedom, by virtue of their birthplace? Is freedom a concept for you defined only by citizenship of the United States?
on July 3rd, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Beholder,
Well I’m sorry this is the only thing you took from my commentary. But let me address the issue at hand. “Is freedom a concept for me defined only by citizenship of the United States?” Quite the contrary. You can have patriotism without a love for freedom, but you cannot have a love for freedom without patriotism. Every person in every nation must decide for themselves if their version patriotism will lead them to action; to stand and fight with those who love freedom or with those who would keep their citizens under oppression and tyranny. I’m sure the American slave owners thought themselves to be patriots, but it is certain they had no love for the freedom of all men. Thank God for the actions of true lovers of freedom who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring to an end this horrific injustice.
It is a sad commentary that our highest leader, whose ancestors were once in bondage to this horrific form of oppression, would now, after being elevated to the most distinguished seat in the nation, practice the same sort of arrogant injustice toward others.
So not to lose focus of the real issue; my concern at this point is America. Once again there has come a time in our history when men and women must make a decision and be willing to take a stand. As for me, I have chosen to stand with those true American Patriots who fight for freedom for their fellow citizens against those who stand only for themselves.
on July 6th, 2010 at 1:55 am
While I am not here to defend anyone’s actions, who is INNOCENT until proven guilty, you sit there in your fancy chair and judge a man by his color.
ALL OF YOU!
You all bleed, do you not?
The use of the term racist is Over the top and no one cares anymore because it is always used to shut up the opposition. Your politic rants sound like babies crying while your government takes away your freedom.
Get a JOB, get an education. Make something of yourself instead of HANDOUTS and calling people names and deriding people that care about your freedom, because they know that your rights are inalienable and God given and are out there willing to fight for them. For YOU and your freedoms! WAKE UP!
We know that you are TERRIFIED because the TEA Party has hit a nerve.
You don’t like freedom. You’d rather all be slaves.
on July 8th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Guardian,
Before their were nations, was there freedom? Are the birds and beasts dependent upon policy to determine their direction and action? Do to the fishes in the sea look to Sarah Palin to help them guide their schools?
And what of anarchists, who love freedom yet have no nation and recognize no government? By accepting the yoke of codified conduct that you call freedom, are you not a slave? Indeed, is not your mind trapped behind behind iron bars of nationalism, so that you are unable to think freely for yourself?
This is not an apology for anarchism. It is merely an observation on the limitations of your worldview.
Andrew Jackson was arguably one of the great advocates of American patriotism and “freedom” of the style you espouse, who charged into combat with no regard for his personal safety in wars against those he considered tyrant.
And he was a slave owner.
on July 10th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
If only life were that simple. But we do have nations; nations of people; people who in the beginning came to this continent seeking true freedom and penned these words in the founding document, ‘that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’. This is a truth, not because it is in the American Constitution; it is in the Constitution because it is a truth…for all men! I am hard pressed to find any fault in these words.
Although the tools of an effective civil war have changed from the gun to the pen, these words are no less worthy to fight for now than they were then. I neither condone any man who would deny freedom from another, nor would I deny my support of any man who would fight for the freedom of another. If not this type of freedom, then what is worth fighting for?
By the way, I would have been proud to have served under the republican president, Abraham Lincoln, who as you know, being the history buff you are, never owned a slave.
on August 12th, 2010 at 7:35 am
See many examples of Tea Party racism gathered together at one site LATFTP.com
on April 8th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
you have been duped… The Republicans are the biggest socialist spenders in the history world. They defrauded you and the rest of us of 8.5 trillion in welfare for the Super rich. The democrats set it up the trap for Bush to pull the trigger… You are in a delusion… Brain washed…
These are the Presidents that have been complicit, Reagan, Bush1, Clinton, Bush2, Obama.
They are stealing from all of us… The Economic Royalty owns both parties and they own you…
on April 8th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Socialism for the Economic Royalty… 8.5 trillion dollar bailout. More than all the defense budgets in the world put together… You want to cut spending, TEA PARTY? Start there because you just paid the top .01%, 30 grand from every person in your family! ARE YOU ALL SO STUPID? None are so blind as those who will not see…
It was a planned stick up job. They break the economy and make you bail them out because, they are “BIG TOO FAIL”. Then because they hammered the economy and people lose their jobs it creates a huge budget deficit in addition to the deficits caused by tax cuts for the super rich. And now they are after your soc. sec and medicare that you pay for. LOL…
They have the victims fighting for the perpetrators… Bunch of idiots… Hey? Why are the ultra-rich people making billions a year paying 15% in taxes or less. And the poor 100K per year middle class paying at least 35%? Because they think they are rich and are dumb and dumber? Pawns!