In rightwingland there is a new rallying cry: It didn't happen. As in the spitting of an African American congressman after the health care vote and John Lewis being called a nigger by teabagger activist. Right wing talk radio is furious that these good A-merry-cans would be tarred with a racist brand, and they claim that there is a $10,000.00 reward for anyone who can produce a tape or a video of the incident.
Why is there no tape? Why is there no audio? You mean to tell me that not one of the main stream reporters who were there could pick up an audio or video tape of this incident? How about cell phones? In this age of camera phone why was there not one single camera phone picking up this alleged incident? Why is there no You Tube moment? And so it goes with the wingnuts. Wait, it gets better:
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told a crowd at a Duluth, Minn., rally over the weekend that there is no evidence that several black lawmakers were harassed by conservative protesters on Capitol Hill in the days leading up to the health care reform vote. Black lawmakers, including civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), reported that they had been spat on and slurred by protesters demonstrating against the health reform bill last week."Democrats said that they were called the 'N word,' which of course would be wrong and inappropriate. But no one has any record of it. No witness saw it, it's not on camera, it's not on audio," she said. "They said that they were spat upon. No one saw it."She went on, "There's a $10,000 reward right now for anyone who can produce a video or an audio. Don't you think we would have seen a video or an audio by now if there was something out there?" [story]
Did you hear that A-merry-ca? If it's not caught on tape or on audio it didn't happen. All those niggers who got their asses kicked in L.A. before Rodney King were just acting. They were trying out for a part in crime movies. Well Michelle, I am guessing that if one was among tea party friends one isn't going to call out one of their own. But that's just me. Besides, if it comes down to the word of John Lewis or a teabag protester I am going with Mr. Lewis every time. And as for Mr. Cleaver, well, let's go to the video tape, shall we?
And staying with the wingnut theme: I love the interaction from regular readers, I really do. I got an e-mail from a reader named AJ who turned me on to a very interesting article. Seems our girl Cynthia McKinney would rather join with the right wingers than the A-merry-can government.
'“We are ruled not by two parties but one party,' Cynthia McKinney, who ran for president on the Green Party ticket, told me. 'It is the party of money and war. Our country has been hijacked. And we have to take the country away from those who have hijacked it. The only question now is whose revolution gets funded....”'
“'It is time for us to stop talking about right and left,' McKinney told me. 'The old political paradigm that serves the interests of the people who put us in this predicament will not be the paradigm that gets us out of this. I am a child of the South. Janet Napolitano tells me I need to be afraid of people who are labeled white supremacists but I was raised around white supremacists. I am not afraid of white supremacists. I am concerned about my own government. The Patriot Act did not come from the white supremacists, it came from the White House and Congress. Citizens United did not come from white supremacists, it came from the Supreme Court. Our problem is a problem of governance. I am willing to reach across traditional barriers that have been skillfully constructed by people who benefit from the way the system is organized.'
We are bound to a party that has betrayed every principle we claim to espouse, from universal health care to an end to our permanent war economy, to a demand for quality and affordable public education, to a concern for the jobs of the working class. And the hatred expressed within right-wing movements for the college-educated elite, who created or at least did nothing to halt the financial debacle, is not misplaced. Our educated elite, wallowing in self-righteousness, wasted its time in the boutique activism of political correctness as tens of millions of workers lost their jobs. The shouting of racist and bigoted words at black and gay members of Congress, the spitting on a black member of the House, the tossing of bricks through the windows of legislators’ offices, are part of the language of rebellion. It is as much a revolt against the educated elite as it is against the government. The blame lies with us. We created the monster..." [Article]
Interesting article. And in many ways I agree with McKinney. Working class people-black and white- should come together and fight for their common interest and realize that they are being played. But sorry, I am not down with a revolution where I have to watch the guy marching behind me because he wants to kill my black ass. I will unite with his racist ass when it can benefit me, but don't expect me to be "storming the Bastille" with a bunch of racist wingnuts who will be just as bad as the ruling elites we just threw out. With all due respect to Francois Mignet; I am not quite that "intoxicated with liberty and enthusiasm" just yet.
Finally, speaking of interaction from readers: I have gotten e-mails and read comments where some of our regulars want to ban another regular named Alicia Banks. I understand your concerns about the multiple posts,the language, and the vitriol (not just by her) shown to fellow people who comment.
But I cannot and will not do it. I refuse to ban or censor another poster. It's just not in me. If you don't like what she says, just skip over her comments. The comments section on this blog can get nasty at times, and I know that we have our share of trolls. Really nasty ones. The kind that Stormfront would be proud of. But hang in there and roll with it. Believe me, you will be a better person for it. Think of it as going to a part of town or a country that you were initially afraid of, but after leaving and experiencing it, you were stronger and wiser for the experience.
True confessions: I got into blogging because I was banned by the black Christian wingnut La Shawn Barber, and believe me, I had only commented on her blog, once. I asked her a question about her political beliefs and ideology and I never got a response or a chance to respond. I was shocked. But it was her blog, and she could do with it what she damn well pleased. So I vowed to start my own and kick her ass at every turn, and with every blog rating and ranking system out there. Well, to quote the frat boy: "Mission Accomplished".
So sorry, I won't become what I despise. It's a blog folks, not a member of your home. And as much as I would hate it if you did; you can always walk away.
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