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Inside the Young GOP's Civil War
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New details about the battle to elect accused racist Audra Shay as leader of the Young Republicans exposes ugly rifts that mirror the national party’s troubles.
“Come join the NEW YRNF Administration at Rock Bottom!!” So went the irony-free Tweet from Audra Shay’s “Team Renewal,” inviting supporters to celebrate her election as the new chairman of the Young Republicans National Federation at a local bar on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
“There are a lot of Young Republicans who want to take our party back, but the name has been damaged so much now, I’m not sure we want it back.”
The Young Republicans who had fought the 38-year-old Shay’s election in the aftermath of the pattern of racial and hateful comments exposed by The Daily Beast, including an apparent agreement to the idea that the president’s administration is run by “mad coons” and musings about how liberals would feel about seeing an image of Obama with a noose around his neck, were wondering if their organization could sink any lower. Some wondered if they should leave the Young Republicans altogether. Twitter threads reviewed by The Daily Beast attest to their discouraged and disgusted mind-set:
•Already hearing from people ready to break away from the #yrnf over today's election and "coongate"
•Honestly, what is this woman going to do for the party?! Make us look like morons. What a joke.
•Looks lk coons & nooses R ok 4 a leader in the Republican Party 2 advocate. Amazing.
•Dress like a hick in honor of our new #yrnf Chairwoman.
•Ugh. "Young" Republican old enough to be the mother of three of my siblings is the new #YRNF Chairman. Oh, and she thinks BO is a coon.
•AudraShay Wins Young Republican Race Despite Facebook Racism Controversy—still another sign of hypocrisy and racism prevalent in GOP.
Shay had her defenders preaching party unity on Twitter as well, sending a message to her opponents: You LOST!! Anything bad you say about Audra now is stabbing your fellow YR's in the back!
But as one Young Republican told me soon after: “I'm (like many) still trying to decide whether to quit, or fight, or try to help repair our organization's reputation, or if we even deserve repair…There are a lot of YRs who want to take our party back, but the name has been damaged so much now, I'm not sure we want it back. There truly are so many good people involved, but I feel the damage has been done by these few extreme bad apples.”
Three days later, with the dust still settling amid murmurs of a formal schism, Shay’s opponent, Rachel Hoff, gave her first post-election interview to The Daily Beast. She had been silent throughout the election process, even through an anonymous smear campaign that made insinuations about her support for same-sex civil unions. “My focus is on moving the party forward,” she told me. “What happened in this campaign does raise and confirm many of the worst stereotypes of Republicans. There is a lot of work to be done to realign our party with our principles and our heritage. As a start, we need to realize that the fight for civil rights and equal opportunity is not over. “
Hoff reflected on the campaign where Shay repeatedly labeled herself “the only true conservative in the race.” “Some people assumed that because I am young—12 years younger than Audra—and from an urban area that I must not be a true conservative,” said Hoff, who is from Washington, D.C. “But I consider myself a conservative even before I consider myself a Republican. My conservative beliefs in limited government, individual freedom, and equality—the principles our party was founded on—lead me to support civil unions, which was not a popular stance in this campaign.”
During Saturday’s vote, half of the California delegation walked out in protest, and at least one member of Hoff’s slate withdrew rather than lose to—or serve with—Shay’s team. But Hoff has decided not to back breakaway efforts, in the belief that this would be ultimately ineffective and counterproductive, citing two states—New York and California—where splits between center-right and conservative groups have led to local confusion.
It’s a conclusion shared by the country’s only African-American Young Republican Chapter head, Sean L. Conner of D.C.—who was one of the people "de-friended” by Shay after condemning the initial “coon” comment email. “We need to do two things now. First, agree with Audra when she is right, and second, challenge her when she is wrong. Voices who support inclusion and diversity have to be louder than those who do not… We've just have to double down our efforts and work a little harder now."
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Audra Shay and her ilk aren't getting the message. And they aren't going to bounce back from rock bottom. They are tightening the noose around their own necks.
The South was alway's racist, but they have never had a monopoly on it. It is the folks from all over the country who have moved into the Sunbelt,with their own racist views,who exacerbated the problem.
But the fact remains, if the lower income and minority voters would come out to vote, and not just when Obama was running, but all elections, the right wing would be limited to pockets where the rich racist live. Then they would be lucky to get less than 100 Congressional representatives,and a few midwest,especially Utah,Senators.
TDB is really showing their assess on this story ( or non-story) when the facts are examined ( go back and look at the image of the facebook page) and you get a facebook account and see how posts and comments are made. This smells like a hatchet job cooked up by moderate repubs who don't like Ms. Shay. "Seemingly endorsed" I guess it is true to say that the President has "Seemingly endorsed" a lot of questionable characters if we want to use these criteria.
OBAMA SEEMINGLY ENDORSES WEATHER UNDERGROUND TERRORIST!
OBAMA SEEMINGLY ENDORSES HUGO CHAVEZ!
OBAMA SEEMINGLY ENDORSES KARL MARX!
At least Salon (Quoted Below) has the good sense to blame Mr. Piker (whether he is a real person is unkown) for the comment.
"Shay, running at the top of the Team Renewal ticket, had run into trouble after seemingly endorsing a racist statement on her Facebook page. She wrote, "You tell em Eric! lol" on her Facebook wall below a pair of comments by someone named Eric S. Piker who'd said, "[we] need to take this country back from all these mad coons." Shay claimed that although she'd responded to Piker eight minutes after his second comment, she had only seen his first one, which didn't have any racist language."
John Avlon is the only guy beating the drum on this. Is his old friend Giuliani aware of this bullsh*t?
Most commies would love a chance to get in bed with goldman sachs and give billions to wall street bankers, right?
The republicans lose cred when they live in a nonsensical fantasyland. the socialist rant is so 1920s. what voting block are they going for? why not call obama opportuniistic, it might stick better. he has no problem approving logging in national parks just like a republican.
The deeps south's racist stereotype hurts the republican party in the rest of the USA. When you get a Republican leader from LA that thinks its normal to call black people coons, its a problem. Many people may want to dodge taxes and let society collapse into a third world mess - but they dont want to associate with the KKK.
Also, in case it doesnt occur to you, when you have a 38 year old leading a young republican group, its a big joke.
I have to agree that this story isn't worth anyone's time. I'm as sick of conservative rhetoric as anyone else, but this whole episode warranted no more than a blog post--"were you agreeing with the racist's statements? What are your sentiments?" Let her say her piece and move on.
We definitely deserve an answer on whether she agrees with the racist comments, but the truth is, it's pretty plausible that she was responding to his previous comment, not the racist one. Past that, I haven't seen anything terribly controversial from this Audrey person. The comments about nooses are questions I found myself and most of my liberal friends asking when we heard about the very ugly public display of McCain in a noose during the election. It was an ignorant and stupid thing to do, and would have been even worse if someone had set up a display with Obama in it.
The truth is, I've never seen anything Avlon has put on here that was worth the click. This is pretty sad.
Ginsu,
Not a very good defense of Obama's socialist policies. The wall street bailout that was started by Bush?
Regardless, you didn't read my post, you haven't looked at he facts of what was posted by whom, and I am curious if you have ever been on facebook.
Too bad you don't have time for a thorough review of facts and as well as the perceptions being blasted out by TDB.
So much for that stereotypes of liberals being well read.
I'll do you better then that, as a 50 year old ex-republican white in atlanta...Its time for the rest of america, all of us to work for and to complete the political destruction of the filth calling itself conservative or gop period.
these people have been driven mad and are being happily led by preachers and demagogues into revolt based on some sense of their "white" having been insulted.
its getting worse just wait for sarah to hit the tent circut.
I think Lenny McAllister should rethink his comment about not leaving the Republican Party. How could the moderator of their YR message board allow a couple of those comments to be posted? Unbelievable.
There is plenty of room in the Democratic Party for fiscal conservatism, Lenny, and the word "hip-hop" paired with Democratic is not an oxymoron like when it's paired with Republicans.
I left the Repubs myself and I don't regret it at all.
Hey Roger go get a facebook account and learn what the hell it is before you start spouting off. It isn't a moderated Chatroom.
Its a bunch of people who make comments in an uncontrolled fashion to a "Friended" person. So you usually read from top to bottom ( and the comment control is at the top). So it is eminently believable that she hadn't gotten to the guys 3rd comment when she responded ( or even read it thoroughly for that matter)
So,It's a Post that get's commented on over time. Go check it out. Get an account, Friend some random people, make a comment, and they can make outrageous statements that you can be blamed for! Sound good?
This the problem with the way this is being reported. John Avlon has very little credibility anymore considering the way he has twisted this.
So your position is that Audra did not respond to Piker in a positive manner, and she did not send other messages with things like, "Obama in a noose," etc.?
Not too convincing.
Did you look at the page? Have been on facebook. My position is that you need to do some homework.
I could easily make you look like a racist if you (like Ms. Shay) had hundreds of "Friends" on facebook that were part of a Young pubs group. I create a dummy account and inundate you with the classic right wing tripe and slip a racist epithet in comment 3 or 5 or 7. If there are lots of comments you may never see it.
something like :
Prez O is really cleaning house
Pubs are on the run!
Health Care for all now!
.
.
.
.
Kill Whitey!
You read the first and say "yeah you go (insert name)! Right on!"
and it shows up under my last comment.
But you would be subject to the same attack for tolerating it.
I could also get two like-minded people ( say to progressive pubs )to point it out and vilify you!
You are condoning race war and hate!
That is a very possible scenario.
The "Obama in a noose" comment was from last October apparently. I have a feeling she doesn't like him very much.
The below is her comment from the Time-Picayune reporting.
"While I can understand how that inference can easily be drawn, nothing could be farther from the truth," Shay said. "My words were unintentionally insensitive, and I should have known better. In fact, I do know better."
As reported on The Daily Beast and other blogs in October, after news reports that someone in Hollywood had hung an effigy of Sarah Palin as a Halloween decoration, a friend and ally of Shay from Atlanta posted a photo of his home decorated for Halloween.
"What no 'Obama in a noose?' " Shay wrote on his page. "Come on now, its just freedome [sic] of speech, no one in Atlanta would take that wrong! Lol"
She said the Noose comment, and the context is discussed above. A very boneheaded comment by Ms. Shay. This latest set of comments were not by Ms. Shay However.
Wrong akcita
You make a comment at the bottom on FB. So she would have seen the racist post before she commented. Plus, it's more likely that the response she claimed to have responded to was hidden becauce FB collapes the comments in the middle to save room but always shows the last one. That means her excuse is BS. I'm on FB several times a day (on my iPhone and Macbook) so argue with me at your own risk. Perhaps you should take your own advice an learn how to use FB.
Tthe comment button is at the top. and if you click on it after reading the first comment, the comment box opens at the bottom. Her explanation that she was responding to the first is still credible.
Yeah, she should have seen it, but it doesn't mean it isn't plausible.
djanimaequeen
Look at the actual posts. The 2nd and third posts are two minutes apart. There are plenty of scenarios when she pops in and comments on his 2nd post and gets around to hitting the post button 5 minutes later. Her comments on this thing are pretty sparse. It's not like she was chiming in very much.
And while I don't waste to much of my time on FB, I do use it and am basing my comments on that use and on looking at the page image that TDB has available.
This does have the odor of an opportunistic smear campaign by progressive republicans based on the timing of it all. Interesting the irony in that statement. the opportunistic screen caps by the Washington DC and Oregon YR folks being fed to Avlon is also interesting.
Hey akcita---Of all the places in the country to be talking about nooses, Louisiana is the last. We are the state (really a Banana Republic) that boasts the racial incident in a town not too far from Audra's that made the noose foremost in the US public's mind as a symbol of racial hatred. You think Audra would have had maybe a little, tiny bit of discretion about this, no?
Roger, i can't argue with that. The October comment was thoughtless, especially for someone with national aspirations. Very dumb.
When taken in context of the Palin dummies being hung in effigy, there is at least an understandable source for the comment rather than a spontaneous expression of what southerners are normally thinking about.
Nevertheless, a dumb, dumb thing to say.
Social moderate/liberal Republicans will ultimately be run out of their party anyway because their only growth area is in the Bible Belt where their base is social conservatives.
Why should social moderate/liberal Republicans stay in a party that uses death threats and racial slurs against their own members who take social liberal positions? The path of least resistance with greater effectiveness is to expand the social moderate/liberal fiscal conservative contingent in the Democratic Party so that any social conservative legislation can be more easily blocked instead of spending extra time and energy fighting accusations of being a RHINO or hiring bodyguards. The Democratic Party is far more tolerant of differences. Furthermore, the Republican Party has been trending upward using xenophobia in different political campaigns such as Rudy Giuliani's "Barack Hussein Obama" ploy and Elizabeth Dole and the GOP's "Godless" smear campaign. I never vote Republican anymore because of their national platform against same-sex marriage and civil unions - also because of their repeated attempts to provoke xenophobia to get votes.
Dole's 'godless' attack drew boost for Hagan
"We got responses from people who identify themselves as atheists and every religion under the sun who found that ad offensive," said Hagan spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan, who said the campaign hadn't yet calculated the dollar figure raised as a result and couldn't provide an estimate."
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/319823.html
First thing Avlon needs is a definition of racism. Like love and God everyone has his or her own meaning of the word. Calling a person a racist, is a personal attack. Without a definition the accusation has no meaning except among the sheeple. As the Daily Beast joins the Huff Post as spokesmen for the sheeple it may have meaning on this site. Nonetheless when will the closed minded liberals recognize the racism of the Obama administration ("Typical white person") and its Attorney General who insulted white people? Read Wendy Kaminer's (ACLU Board member) new book Worst Instincts, how the ACLU now censors speech and deceives its members, supporters and the public in the name of fund raising and collegiality.
I think a good definition of racism would be refering to a black person as a 'coon'.
as a white person, i wasn't remotely insulted by anything eric holder has said.....as for a definition of racism...one that accepts a friend who throws racial epithets around and defrends someone who objects..how's that?
If you have to over analyze what racism means then you are a racist. Call it a personal attack if you wish. I call it fact.
Considering that people are not alarmed about the white family that was beaten by a group of Black people. No outrage, no "Hate Crime" rhetoric, it would seem that clarity on what racism is, is a worthwhile goal.
So, you calling anyone that asks the question as a racist, indicates that you might be well served learning the answer yourself.
After the election there was an interesting online comparison between two maps...One from 1840 showed the counties where cotton was cultivated and the other was where McCain won the popular vote...The maps looked very similar.
Why don't we see this same type article about obama putting a racist on the Supreme Court? Those unhappy with the Republican party can leave it, but how do we get away from a judge who has already shown her racist views and still gets a life long appointment?
Any "moment of clarity," for these people would involve running away as fast as they can and never looking back.
How a person of color (or of good will) could be involved in this group is beyond me. Anyone white who is involved is fundamentally tainted, while anyone of color associated with this group needs to see a psychiatrist.
Will some one please tell me what's gotten into the Republican Party, young and old? What's wrong with them? If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect some mental virus that someone has released in places where they gather and meet. Most every time I listen to them open their mouths, I'm perplexed of what comes out. It's as if they are competing at who can be meaner, uglier, stupider, more racist and more hateful. It's as if they are possessed by some alien creatures or some demons that are programmed to spread fear, divisiveness, paranoia and real ugly hate with every thing they say or do. They don't make any sense, and speak and act as if they intend, on purpose, to repel, antagonize and alienate sane, normal and intelligent people away from the Republican Party. They are destroying what's left of their party with their own hands, while not having or showing the slightest concern for the harm and damage they are causing to their own party.
Whenever I hear them say something, I get, in my mind, the repulsive images of the old South, the Confederacy, the mob lynching some one who is just not like them, a mad preacher who is opposed to science, common sense and who is threatening God's wrath onto all who disagree with his version of right and wrong, and a disturbing image of a bunch of hooded guys with cones on their heads and dressed in white sheets, gathered around raging fire who are plotting to burn someone at the stake.
Have they no idea that they are giving out that image and impression, or they do and just don't care any more?
Decent, sane people who still belong in the Republican Party should pack and leave and disavow, vehemently, any affiliation with the new KKK version of the Republicans, who are nothing short of morally reprehensible and despicable mutants, who bring shame and disgrace to not only the few remaining decent Republicans, but to America at large. The founding fathers must be turning in their graves with disbelief and disgust!!
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I thought I'd seen everything! It feels like 1964!
They are products of their own IQ's.
Very well spoken. I personally have a redneck wing of my family and can offer my feeling about this. These people only converse with those in agreement with themselves, and only watch TV/ listen to radio that is in agreement with themselves.
They know how to hunt elk and know every word of the Bible, and they're pissed off all the time at they're being viewed as stupid. They also feel hugely aggrieved by any iota of assistance special interest groups receive. These people are on the margin where the things the special interests receive, are things pulled from their own hands. American Indians, Blacks, whatever - they're receiving it, while the white locals are having it taken away.
But who speaks to this anger and resentment? The haters on TV and radio.
Ok just to here are some facts (you know the things that liberals and the Daily Beast hate)-
-Shay never called Obama a racist name, someone else did on here Facebook page
-If you know how Facebook works you know that it is easy to respond to a comment while in the meantime another comment is posted, making it look as if you responded to that comment.
-The comment about Obama and the noose was suppose to be a comparison- there was a poster of Palin in a noose so she was saying how would they like it if there was one of Obama. Meaning they wouldn't so they shouldn't have a poster of Palin in a noose.
This entire thread of stories is an attempt to further the false stereotype that conservatives and Republicans are racists. Which they aren't- there isn't one clear account of racism of the right that hasn't been confronted by the Republicans own leadership while the clear racism of the Democrats goes unnoticed and unpunished (will the writers at the DB follow the careers of those that run the "Ask a Black Republican Anything"?, even the existence of such a sight sounds racists let alone the actual comments).
Anyway you knuckledraggers won't care about the truth. I can't wait to beat your asses in the 2010 and 2012 elections.
Whatever helps you sleep at night, mykehawk...
See Myke, logic doesnt help when you try to plainly prove a point that makes complete sense when you are speaking to a liberal. They see something that can be portrayed as racist and pounce. Regardless of the context, who said it, or who even knew about it. You made perfect sense in your response. A good argument and the best responce that the first liberal coud give was "Whatever". Which means he basically concedes but doesnt care. Anyway, hopefully conservatives can make some headway in the next two elections.
" I can't wait to beat your asses in the 2010 and 2012 elections."
Wow, I heard the same threats back in 2006 and 2008. Looks like 2010 and 2012 will be more of the same asswhippings you have recently taken....especially if you guys put Xena Lord of the Mooses out ther in 2012.
Sorry guy. America has woken up...well except for "SEC Country", Alaska, and Utah.
Wow the Democrats did well in TWO elections, what a sea change. The 2006 election was about a promise to end the war- didn't happen. The 2008 election was lost because McCain was a terrible candidate, probably one of the most liberal Republican candidates ever and just not a good campaigner. The only thing surprising is that it was a close election. Party power is cyclical. So the Republicans are out of power now.They will be back probably quicker than usual with the current administrations policies.
Shay did not use a racial slur, but she did defend the person who made racial slurs several times in his postings.. She de-friended the people who were complaining about the slur being used on her site but has never de-friended the person who made the slur. She had never condemned the slur itself, instead insisting that she is the target of the MSM. If she had condemned the slur when it was brought to her attention, de-friended the poster, and made it clear that his views were in no way reflective of her own views then none of this would have happened. She has only herself to blame.
@ MyCock
True Shay was not the one to post the comment she just laughed about it and agreed. If it was a mistake then she would have acknowledged it as such, instead of defriending the people who pointed it out and stated it was racist. For the third comment I'm not privy to Shay's thinking so to me it's just a comment about Obama in a noose.
There are clear accounts of racism from the right that may have been confronted but only after the MSM got ahold of them. "Obama the magic negro" who is married to "an ape"
I do agree, anyone who purports to be a liberal and in the course of deridng Shay as rasict uses racsim themselves. They are hypocrites and deserve whatever comes to them.
Once again if you use Facebook you can understand that she was lol at the racist remark but the one just prior to that. I have had similar incidents (not with racism just general comments) happen on FB. She did make a mistake by not clearly def-friending the person that wrote the comments and by de-friending the other ones that complained. But this has really been blown out of proportion and if I were her I would have probably written off the statement as a stupid remark, though if you're running for a party leadership you do have to overreact to every statement now.
There have been comments made by liberals that are far more racists than this stuff and it is over looked because the media just assumes that liberals aren't racist. Evil like racism or fascism isn't limited to a political philosophy. Sites like this one or networks like MSNBC try to play up these kinds of incidents to push their own political agenda. Strange for the most part they have lost- Republicans controlled the White House 20 out of 28 years and the Congress for over a decade. Now that we are in the majority there seems to be a sense of finality. Despite the cries that we're dead the pendulum will swing back the other way just like the economy will swing back, well not now it won't but once we defeat Obama it will.
The "Obama the Magic Negro" song- well if you know the history of the song then it is less about Obama's race and more about making fun of the LA Times specifically this article and it's racism- http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story
You cons have a lot of nerve to claim something is blown out of proportion. I bet you don't think the 'wise latina' con rant was out of proportion. Why don't you drink your own kool-aid before trying to shove it down someone else's throat.
since "conservative" as it was used in the 50's was code for racist...the shoe still fits....that woman working for a republican who sent out the racist postcard of the 44 presidents to the wrong mailing list didn't lose her job....fail there, myke
OK maybe I should have qualified my remark that nationally. I have never even heard of this and after searching found it at the Daily Kos (I think I need a shower after visiting that website) and it's about a state senator's staff. That's fairly low on the chain. So one I don't know how reliable the information is and two I'm not sure if the person was fired or not.
If someone used or took a word for code for something that has nothing to do with me or modern beliefs. In reality even in the 50s -60s liberals were the real racists, that's why they created welfare programs.
Shay did not call him racist, someone else on her Facebook page did. She posted a follow-up that, at the very least, appeared to egg that person on (if not directly). When a third party expressed discomfort / disapproval of the racist comments in a polite fashion, Shay banned the third party from her page, which gives an appearance that Shay sanctioned the ideas voiced by the first commenter -- particularly when her own response to the first commenter appeared to be approving.
Had Shay wanted to say that her own comment was *not* in direct response to the first commenter, she could have done so at the time. Screen caps of her Facebook page with the relevant time stamps of reponder comments don't indicate she did that. Banning the 3rd party who said, "Hey, that's not really called for" (paraphrasing) doesn't make her look any better.
Palin and noose. Obama and noose. Neither should be used together, period. Contextually, using 'noose' with an African American has historical connotations that raise a particularly awful twist of racism, above and beyond homocide. As I said, the word shouldn't be used in either case. Neither Shay's first commenter nor Shay herself did anything in the context of the Facebook exchange to help their cases or the perceptions that arose.
"This entire thread of stories is an attempt to further the false stereotype that conservatives and Republicans are racists."
may I remind you of these?:
Longtime SCGOP activist and former state Senate candidate Rusty DePass commenting on a gorilla that had escaped from Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo -
"I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."
Republican and legislative staffer Sherri Goforth confirmed that she sent around an email depicting portraits of all the U.S. presidents - but on the last slot, where Barack Obama should be, there is just an empty black spot with two eyes "I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button..." (I guess it'd be way less offensive if she'd only sent it to her fellow bigots?)
GOP operative Mike Green - "Just heard Obama is going to impose a 40% tax on aspirin because it's WHITE and it WORKS!"
S.C. State Rep. Bill Sandifer was so tickled by one particular mailing that he printed it out and displayed it on his desk. Entitled "Why He'll Lose The Black Vote," the flyer shows a crowd of African-American men fleeing from a superimposed image of presidential candidate Barack Obama, who is quoted on the flyer as promising every African-American a job. The obvious implication of the flyer is that African-Americans are simply not interested in the jobs Obama is offering them.
Diane Fedele, president of the Chaffey Community Republican Women, says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement was followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, surrounded by watermelon, a bucket of fried chicken, red Kool-aid and a slab of ribs and labeled "United States Food Stamps."
and lastly we have all those lovely people at the McCain/Palin rallies carrying around stuffed monkeys with adorable little "Obama '08" stickers on them. In Clearwater, as they hurled obscenities at a camera crew, an African American sound man for a network was told, "Sit down, boy." There are video after video on youtube that let these people speak for themselves. And it ain't pretty...
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------
Of course these are only examples of the treatment of *blacks*. I haven't mentioned anything about their 'jokes' on 'A-rabs", muslims, and hispanics.
This is a ridiculous list of people that no one but their parents have ever heard of. It wasn't monkeys with an s but one guy with a stuffed monkey. Still wrong no doubt but hardly the gotcha moment that you're making it out to be. There is a small group that believes that Obama is an Arab or a Muslim but the Republican Party is trying to keep them in check. Unlike Democrats who go into spasms if a Republican dares to be an evangelical, then they are taking their orders from God or trying to bring on Revelations. Or the outright lies that someone yelled terrorist at a campaign rally, heard by one reporter. investigated by the Secret Service and found to be false.
I could bring up Chairman Steele having Oreos thrown at him or Biden (you know he's the VP) saying that you would hear Indian accents in almost any convenience store in Delaware. What about Jesse Jackson calling New York "Hiemy Town". Then there is the Democrats Supreme Court Justice nominee making obvious racists statements. These are the leaders of the Democratic Party who have hardly received any condemnation.
MykeHawk...
you're very very wrong about no one ever hearing of these people or these incidents. Black people everywhere see these images on TV, in papers, and on the 'net. You try explaining to a Black kid or teenager why it's OK for an organization to show our president on a Food stamp with fried chicken and kool aid... People see this and are HURT by it, do you NOT get that? I know you're responding to knee-jerk liberal outrage... but what about the people who are hurt by this kind of racism... especially children and teens.What's worse is your (and the GOPs) lack of ability to EVER admit that you are wrong and did something offensive and yes RACIST!!! The woman who sent out the pictures of Obama on the fake food stamp replied that she didn't have his race in mind at all, and she simply chose watermelon and fried chicken because they're good foods... so she's either a racist and/or a liar... good for you guys. keep defending these people and see if you EVER get any real portion of the black or latino vote
And, how is it racist to say that you can hear Indian accents in almost every convenient store? I can say in NY you hear indian accents in almost every taxi, chinese accents in every cleaner, and almost every cook (even sushi chef) in the city is Hispanic. Sure it's a broad generalization but it's not racist!
And i can't count the number of times Jesse Jackson has been publicly scorned and rejected by Dems, bc they know people are often turned off by his apparent racism...
and throwing oreos at steele... well he deserves it for hanging out with a bunch of racist white people like the GOP... if he had any pride in his heritage, he would leave the group... especially because you guys treat him like your little house negro anyway... it's sad...
See that is what you don't understand, I do think that they were wrong. Frankly any national leader would say that these people were wrong. But you have to dig deep to even find examples and then painting the entire part because of a couple of no name losers that only readers of the Daily Kos and the Huffington Post know about.
Meanwhile dismissing and excusing the obvious racism of the Democrat leadership. Oh well some people will believe what they want despite the facts, no wonder the Democrats are the party of the Global Warming superstition.
well... virtually NO republicans spoke out against ANY of the things I mentioned or the previous post mentioned... so for you to say that any national leader would say its wrong is false.
Also, you do not have to dig deep to find these things... they are in everyone's faces... especially Blacks who are seeing even more overt racism than they have in the past several years... having a Black president is making some people so crazy they can't contain themselves and this is the result.
Racism is wrong for either party to use... but I stand by what I wrote before. Biden's statement WAS NOT racist..
And I think we can all agree that Jesse Jackson is a racist... and it's no surprise that he's merely a talking head, and will never be successful in any prominent position of office. And people on BOTH sides speak out against him all the time!
But your guys won't EVER denounce the racism that comes from your own party... especially from Rush who, even as a child, I understood to be one of the most hateful people I've ever heard speak.
You guys just attempt to sweep racism under the rug and call it "free speech."
And saying "I am sorry if anyone was offended" is NOT an apology because it doesn't acknowledge that what you did was wrong... it's like saying "I'm sorry you feel that way"
The fact of the matter is, not ALL republicans are racist, but you guys embrace racism and racists because those kinds of people make up a large part of your constituency. If the GOP were to be loud and clear about denouncing racism, you might lose a great deal of southern voters.
"...the false stereotype that conservatives and Republicans are racists"
This statement brought to you by your local 'Blind and Cannot See'.
Fascinating story line and comments. However, as a non-affiliated independent, I watch and listen to both sides. What I'm waiting to hear are the comments from the intelligent moderate deep thinking Republicans. I know they are out there. I think they have chosen to be quiet while the madness runs it's race and the yelling and outrage holds center stage. That's why they are intelligent and deep thinking. :-)
When the dust settles, they will find a way to make sense of what has happened to their party and fix it. We need at least 2 parties in this country. As much as I disagree with a number of their platforms and policies and most of what I hear from and about them right now, I'd hate to see them disappear. My message to Republicans of color, Republicans of moderation, gay Republicans etc. Stay in your party and reform it. America needs you to keep your skin thick and your principles strong.
This is an interesting comment: "You LOST!! Anything bad you say about Audra now is stabbing your fellow YR's in the back! " If they're consistent it would mean that anyone who criticizes Obama is stabbing their fellow Americans in the back. Or is that party is more important to country to them?
Good point.
Hoff is quoted a saying: "My conservative beliefs in limited government, individual freedom, and equality-the principles our party was founded on-lead me to support civil unions, which was not a popular stance in this campaign."
Like most Americans, Hoff is rather ignorant of history. The Republican party was founded on the idea of individual freedom, in so far as this means opposition to slavery. But individual freedom as it is used nowadays, not so much. If you read the Wall Street Journal, you will find that Obama's health care reforms are an attack on civil liberties. And so is every other type of government spending, program, or regulation other than the military. It is Milton Friedman, not Jefferson, Lincoln, or Martin Luther King, who made us free.
Lincoln was no believer in limited government, judged by the standard of his day. He was a great believer in government spending for internal improvements such as canals, railroads and bridges. In fact, in his early years as a politician, he helped nearly spend Illinois into bankruptcy. As president, Lincoln presided over the creation of the Dept. of Agriculture, which he called "the peoples' department," since it would be providing assistance directly to farmers.
Further, Lincoln created the basis of the modern Federal government, increasing its power and scope of functions at the expense of states' rights. In fairness, the Civil Way left him no choice. But there is nothing to suggest that he regretted the necessity.
Modern social issues like gay marriage are so far removed from anything is Lincoln's day that there is no way to know what he would have thought. But Lincoln was a free thinker. He certainly would not have believed that Leviticus was the final word on the subject.
It is Milton Friedman (or at least his followers) who got us into today's economic mess. And the U.S. is not the only disaster of his making: I suggest you read Naomi Klein's book "The Shock Doctrine".
That book is a con job. It omits any evidence that contradicts its thesis. Perhaps the best example is Milton Friedman's vocal opposition to the Iraq War. "Class Act" Klein's star has certainly risen in the wake of the financial crisis. Why isn't she the beneficiary of disaster? If that strikes you as specious, it's because it is, for the same reason her claims against the Chicago and Austrian schools are.
If only Friedman's theories were adhered to, we'd have never gotten into this mess in the first place. Her book is exactly wrong.
The problem with the GOP is that, in order to be considered a "true" conservative you have to walk in lockstep with every single issue and idea in the party.
On the other hand, there are prominent Democrats on both sides of literally EVERY important issue be it gay rights, fiscal responsibility, abortion, gun rights, national security and more. People on the right view this as "flip-flopping" or not having strong values... that's why people continue to leave the GOP or risk being called RINOs. It's not fair to shut out people from the party just because they don't share EVERY conservative belief.
Until the GOP understands that (which I doubt will happen anytime soon) they will continue to shrink as a party.
if there are any Repubs out there reading this... i have an honest question: I have heard many arguments against gay marriage, and while I disagree with them, some are valid arguments... and most of them use the platform that civil unions and domestic partnerships are sufficient in assuring equal rights... but what are the arguments against civil unions? I honestly haven't really heard any, and I am not sure why anyone would oppose them... someone please answer me.
Thanks!
The best solution I have heard to the marriage/civil union debate is to say that marriage is a religious ceremony and civil union is a legal contract. When you think about it, you need a liscence from the state to get married in church but you don't need a church to be married by the state. If a religion wants to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman, that is their right. If another religion wants to say that marriage is between two consenting adults, that should be their right also. The state is only interested in legal contracts and therefore regulates the legal aspects of the relastionship. That means the state can still outlaw relationship between adults and minors (minors cannot enter into a contract) or bestiality (animals cannot enter into a contract) or multiple partners (the contract can only be binding between two individuals at one time) or any other slippery-slope argument that those opposing same-sex marriage put forward. It's a sensible solution, so it probably doesn't stand a chance.
Keyes-Obama debate 3 (Religion and Gay marriage)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG5u04Gbg0A
"On September 19, 2007, [Mayor of San Diego Jerry] Sanders abruptly reversed his public opposition to same-sex marriage before signing a City Council resolution aimed at overturning the state's ban on same-sex weddings. He gave a tearful speech in which he explained that he could not tell his daughter Lisa, who is gay, that her relationship with a partner is not as important as that of a straight couple and that he had "decided to lead with my heart...to take a stand on behalf of equality and social justice."[4]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Sanders_(politician)
City of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Speaks Out For Marriage Equality on Eve of Justice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qplbiS5jl0
I'm way far from a Repub, but I'd like to take a crack at your question.
1. "most of them use the platform that civil unions and domestic partnerships are sufficient in assuring equal rights."
Civil unions and domestic partnerships are NOT sufficient in assuring equal rights. The fact is that the word marriage has far more power, legally, than the words "civil union." Not the space here to be specific, but educate yourself or trust me that a "married" person has far more rights in the eyes of the law, than a person in a "civil union."
2. Marriage is both a civil and religious word. However, in this country, it is a state word first and if you don't believe me, try to get legally married without having the stamp of the state. The state decides everything from how you should be taxed, to your rights as a parent to how you are divorced, to your rights of inheritance, to your right to pull the plug on your partner on the basis of marital status.
3. The only reason to oppose gay marriage is religious or ideological. But this country was founded on laws that should prevent both from denying anyone their civil rights. There is nothing in the constitution that says all citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law---except if you're gay, or black, or a woman, etc. etc.
Furthermore, IMO, one of the most sacrosanct parts of our constitution is the division between church and state. One look at the theocracies of Iran and the Taliban should tell you why this is so important.
4. Words are important. And most gay people know that a "civil union" as it stands today, is second best to marriage, legally and culturally, and there's no reason why they should have to suffer that in a country that promises so much more.
In short, without religion there is no basis to deny a gay person the right to be married. And if you want to argue with that, than you better be willing to argue with the founding fathers' wisdom in separating church and state.
Here's a question- Why do the people that want to keep what has worked for centuries have to to make any case or present any argument beyond that? The burden of proof should lie with the ones that want to make a change to the basic social structure. Just saying that it's about equal rights isn't good enough either, because there are all kinds of sub-groups in the U.S. that don't have their particular cause codified in law.
This whole situation is unreal. The fact that a woman tied to racial slurs (whether guided towards our president or towards and random person on the street) could still be elected is shocking. Instances like this just speak to how prevalent racism still really is in our society- it begins at the highest levels and trickles down. At least there is sufficient outrage about the Young Republicans election, even among party members themselves. It is troubling that in order to be considered a "real Republican" today, you seem to have to agree along strict, conservative party lines.
Ghundson68,
If only there were the "sufficient outrage" about Shay's election you hope/claim there is. But as far as I can tell, the story of Shay was totally absent in the MSM and outside the Daily beast, barely covered on line as well.
If anyone thinks Audra Shay is an anomaly in her racist views in the Republican Party...they are kidding themselves.
Ms. Shay is openly and blatently a racist. She applauds the racist comments on her Facebook site. Just because she was not the originator of the statement does not let her off the hook. She supported and encouraged those statements. The republican party has morphed into an offshoot of the Confederacy and the Dixiecrats. They have their black allies like Steele and that cros-eyed brother that keeps popping up on MSNBC. They are filled with self hate and they wish they were white.
People who are for limited govt, less foreign intervention, and more tolerance on social issues need to realize that both parties are corrupt and have sold out to big business. This is what the founding fathers warned about. We need to break away from the GOP/Democrat labels and find something new without the baggage of the two main parties.
The GOP is NOT worth saving. It is a party that is imploding and becoming more extreme. In their eyes, the people who stand for decency and moderation are "what's wrong" with the party. Why waste your time and energy trying to change a dysfunctional organization that does not want change? Better to channel that energy into creating something new and appealing that represents moderates and conservatives from BOTH parties.
...and the reason it's getting worse is that the internet offers enough autonomy that people with racist and other Neanderthal views can express their opinions without making themselves look stupid to those in their immediate vicinity. In the South, especially, race is never discussed in public, maybe only a snide crack or two with friends that share the same opinion.
So through viral emails and wacko websites, they positively reinforce each other until some total screwup happens like the one under discussion. So, I don't see anything getting better.
I lived through the civil rights struggle in the North, moved South in 1975, and until us old farts die off so we can't indoctrinate our kids and grandkids any longer, the Republican Party is screwed, limited to the South and a few rural areas where nobody lives.
And it serves them right.
It is hard to out-shout racisist, hypocritcal bozos in your party when they are the ones on the stage with the microphone.
And you put them there.
Anybody up for reviving the Bull Moose party? Or something?
Hey Akcita,
Angry Much?
I happen to Know Mr. John Avlon, and I bet his bonefides could crush yours. Take a chill pill, have beer, adjust your meds! But most of all got to an anger management class and try to enjoy life. It's too short. Let the man write his articles and do his job. You worry about yours. Don't worry, be happy!
"but as any reformed alcoholic knows, sometimes it takes a public disgrace to hit rock bottom and then bounce back. It's called a moment of clarity."
I wouldn't bet a dime on Audra Shay's "moment of clarity." I do believe she experienced many "moments of fear" when she got caught for who she is and feared she'd lose the election she thought she had put away.
I'm telling you, anyone caught responding with a "You go get em'! LOL," to the vile post I read is a loooooooong way from rehabilitation.
In these recent days, as I have watched endless old white men try to skewer Sotomayer because of her "wise Latina" remark, I have often thought of this story. Although if it weren't for the Daily Beast, you'd never know it happened. Crickets on the MSM.
(How upside down is this world when every news organization in the country covers the endless attempts of the GOP to accuse Sotomayer of racism and says NOT ONE THING about the Young Republicans capitulation to rancid racism?)
No sir, I don't believe this has anything to do with "clarity." And while I have empathy for those quoted in this article who have decided to stay and fight from the inside, I also pity them.
Audra Shay's web behavior should have defeated her, hands down. Period. The fact that it didn't, does not bode well for the GOP in the months and years ahead.
Ok here we go... another example of right out racist remarks towards PRESIDENT Obama by a politician..
ATLANTA-Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller criticized President Barack Obama's recent travels overseas, telling a group of mostly Republican lawmakers Thursday that the White House Chief of Staff needs to put "Gorilla Glue" on Obama's chair to keep him in the Oval Office. (Boston Globe)
NOW> Zell Miller states to do damage control explaining his remarks..he states" he was actually stating a brand name of a glue..titled Gorilla Glue".. not to infer that he was referring to President Obama as a Gorilla..
my response is .. that's a bunch a DO-DO(can't say the word I would like to say) ..
Zell Miller.. could have said , "CRAZY GLUE"..
See the ignorance racist is not making racist comments.. that's a given.. and I can tell you as an african american..not a day doesn't go by.. that I'm responded too as an african american and as an exception (and I'm working towards my second degree) .. most african americans can probably attest to the same experience treated as an exception and not a taxpaying educated american.. its called the african american experience living in america.. however, when I go abroad around the GLOBE my experience is totally diiferent I'm look at as JUST AMERICAN..and received with RESPECT and WARMTH moreso than my OWN fellow white americans..it's called the african american experience..living in america..
.. but Zell's racist remark is what it is >no EXCEPTIONS..but to INSULT african americans intelligence.. as if we are so stupid to BELIEVE what he stated is NOW ..NOT AS HE STATED as commented?.... WOW! RACIST people have SUCH miserable and a (GODLESS) LIFE...to where they can't OWN up to who and what they are.. if you are a racist.. OWN IT..its' the FIRST STEP to recovery from BEING GODLESS..LEARNING to LOVE.. which HEALS ALL human infirmities..
I just heard the tail end of the Zell Miller thing this evening, and didn't know any facts. Thanks.
Just another example of how pervasive racism is amongst older generations. Yes, ol' Zell's got a possible out for the apologists on the right to disclaim, in all innocence, the racist nature of this, but that's bullshit and we all know it.
In any event, if he thinks at all before he speaks, Zell would have known not to use the Gorilla word. He is (was) a politician, after all, and nobody stays one very long if they don't watch their choice of words.
But the apologists will try, for sure. It's been really funny watching them to try to establish that reverse racism exists in equal measure to what the honkies have done for 160 years.
I was there as a delegate. My delegation didn't support her at all. She's not the voice of Young Republicans.
Gatekeeper - no offense, but Gorilla Glue is one of the best commercially available glues around. It can be purchased by the average person, without needing special chemicals to make it work.
Maybe - just maybe - Zell really did mean to say he wanted to use the best glue he knew of.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Obviously, the Republican party continues to pull itself away from the mainstream. Perhaps I am being naive, but I don't believe most people in this country would support Shay's facebook comments. If the future Republicans want to embrace this sort of thinking then they will render themselves immaterial on matters of national interest.
With apologies to Walt Kelly: We see the enemy, and it is us!!
Thank you.
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