Tag Archives: Republicans

Republican Congressman Used to Hire 50 to 60 “Wetbacks” to Pick Tomatoes

Racist U.S. Rep. Don Young of Alaska

Racist U.S. Rep. Don Young addresses a Choose Respect (ha!) rally in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Juneau, Alaska. (Becky Bohrer/AP Photo)

With it’s recent “autopsy” and declarations of the necessity to re-brand itself to a more diverse set of voters, the Republican Party is just days into their campaign to put lipstick on their pig. They have no desire to change their positions on any of the policies that lost them the 2012 election, but they do want to stop saying what they think when other people can hear what they are saying. Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, has declared that Republicans need to stop saying “stupid” and “idiotic” things in public. Well, already an elected Republican Congressman has shown that a lot of GOP members just can’t help themselves.

In an interview with public radio station KRBD, Representative Don Young of Alaska launched his appeal to bring more Latinos into the “Big Tent” of the Republican Party. “I used to own — my father had a ranch. We used to hire 50 to 60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes,” he said. “You know, it takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now.”

In a released statement, Representative Young did not apologize but instead explained that the phrase was simply ingrained into his being because he used it when he was growing up. That’s right Don. You used the term “Wetback” (a derogatory term for Mexican migrant workers) because you have always used it… Because you’re a racist.

“I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in central California,” he said. “I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.”

It was a racial slur back then and still is today, you ignorant fool. But Don Young doesn’t see it that way. I argue that most Republicans will take his reason for using the slur as perfectly acceptable… And that is why I continue to believe that Republicans are racists.

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Trump the Race Card: Are You Sick and Tired of Being Called a Racist and You Know You’re Not One

CPAC is back! It’s my favorite time of year and I’d like to start with a Q&A discussion session titled “Trump the Race Card: Are You Sick and Tired of Being Called a Racist and You Know You’re Not One?” What a fantastic title! I’m sure some of my conservative visitors helped come up with that one.

True to form, a discussion of how Republicans are tired of being called racists turned into a display of their racism.

K Carl Smith, the moderator of the CPAC session, calls himself a “Frederick Douglass Republican.” While he was speaking, the following exchange took place. Smith, speaking of Frederick Douglass, said “When Douglass came through slavery … he [wrote] a letter to his former slave master and said: ‘I forgive you for all the things you did to me’.”

Republican Racist Scott Terry at CPAC

GOP Racist Scott Terry at CPAC

From the floor, Scott Terry (Republican and self-proclaimed direct descendant of former confederate president Jefferson Davis) spoke up saying “For giving him shelter and food for all those years?”

Oh snap! The floor broke into chaos. Smith tried to shout down the crowd with his microphone and even initially refused to yield to a young black woman who objected to Terry’s comment.

Scott Terry was accompanied by a young man (festooned with a t-shirt bearing the confederate battle flag on it) named Matthew Heimbach who is president of the White Students Union at Towson University in Maryland. As you can imagine, the group is not exactly the Rainbow Coalition.

When the chairman made a reference to Martin Luther King, Heimbach shouted out that King was a “Marxist” and said that CPAC was “Surrender Con.” Why? Because CPAC never supports running a true white conservative as a presidential candidate. “We are losing. We keep running moderate candidates.”

Heimbach supports ending GOP outreach programs to instead focus on more white voters. “If Mitt Romney had won 3% more of the white vote he would have won.” He added that he was a fan of the Russian government for encouraging white people to have more children. “I like what President Vladimir Putin is doing.” The world is officially upside down… Now Russia is an ideal to the right?

Only at a Republican convention can a discussion of how the GOP really isn’t racist turn into an exhibition of the party’s racism.

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Chairwoman of the Yellowstone County Republicans Exposes Her Racism on Facebook

Jennifer Olsen, chairwoman of the Yellowstone County Republicans and co-founder of the Montana Shrugged Tea Party group, shared an offensive and blatantly racist photo on her Facebook profile… Right after a post about a roast she was cooking in a crock pot. One of her 1000+ friends quickly grabbed a screenshot and it went viral within hours after appearing on a right-wing blog that also thought the picture funny.

Jennifer Olsen Racist Facebook Post

Jennifer Olsen’s Racist Facebook Post

To see the entire screenshot, visit this post on the Montanafesto blog.

Jennifer Olsen quickly deleted the post when the attention started pouring in and now has come out to deny that she posted it. The standard “I was hacked” excuse poured forth. The problem is that Facebook has very sophisticated security these days and a hacker doesn’t get in just to leave the password unchanged and leave her be. Facebook also messages those who use Facebook mobile to make them aware of hacking attempts. The photo was also posted from the mobile phone associated with her Facebook profile. That cannot be hacked without physical control of the phone. It’s time she just admitted her mistake and moved on.

This is just another in a long list of Republican leadership on varying levels showing brazen disrespect for this African-American President. The fact that she’s a Tea Party Republican should surprise no regular reader of this blog.

My plans for a Friday night: Step 1: Post a racist photo making fun of the President. Step 2: Post about my roast and how I hope it tastes as good as it smells. Step 3: delete and deny. Step 4: Prove once again that Republicans are racist.

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Former GOP Executive Director Todd Kincannon’s Superbowl Toilet Humor

Well, the election is over and the GOP has been in utter chaos ever since. I was thinking that maybe the vitriol towards the President would lessen but, sadly, I was wrong. I took a couple months off just to re-prioritize and get all the hate out of my head for a short time. I was hoping for a much longer break but, alas, the media demands that I get back to recording the underbelly of today’s Grand Ole Party. Well, let’s get to it.

Todd Kincannon, former Executive Director of the South Carolina Republican Party, kicks off 2013 with some of his world-class Twitter humor.

Todd Kincannon - Trayvon Martin Tweet

Todd Kincannon – Trayvon Martin Tweet

First, we’ll go ahead and assume that Ravens fans now hate him. Let’s see… Who else might? Maybe Trayvon’s parents (who are mourning his loss on what would have been his 18th birthday today) and just about any parent who has ever lost a child. To bag on a dead kid is about as low as it gets… Especially when the insult is dripping with racism.
However, it turns out he’s NOT a racist after all!

todd-kincannon-not-a-racist

Todd Kincannon is NOT a racist after all.

See? It’s all better everyone. It was just a tasteless joke but certainly not racist! Case closed. Wait… You’re still talking?

Todd Kincannon hates Natalie Holloway too.

Todd Kincannon hates Natalie Holloway too.

Oooooh damn. How deep are you going to dig this hole, Todd? Any other dead people’s graves that you want to defecate on while you try to prove you’re not a bigot?

Todd Kincannon hates yankees too.

Todd Kincannon hates yankees too.

Oh I see. That clears it all up. Problem solved! Todd is NOT racist. Why? Because he hates Americans from north of the Mason-Dixon line more than he hates dead black kids.

What the hell is this all about? Why would a prominent member of the South Carolina GOP go on a crazed Twitter rant like this? Is he an idiot? Is he stupid?

Todd Kincannon is smarter than all of you.

Todd Kincannon is smarter than all of you.

Nope. He’s no idiot. He’s the smartest (and most humble) guy we’ll never have the privilege of meeting or hearing from again. Even self-proclaimed genius Republicans can’t help but being racist, insensitive fools sometimes. When are all of the “good, honest Republicans” that I keep hearing about going to stand up to idiots like this and stop being victims of the guilt-by-association that harboring fools like Kincannon in their party creates?

Todd Kincannon is currently the Chairman of the Simpsonville Election Commission of Simpsonville, South Carolina.

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GOP Meltdown 2012: Mapping Racist Tweets from the Presidential Election

Data-mapping experts from the Floating Sheep blog mapped geo-located Tweets containing racist language during the build-up to the US election. I’m sure the results will shock you. Concentrated racism in the South? No way! As a resident of Georgia and having watched the campaign as it affected my neighbors, my only surprise is that Georgia wasn’t #1. I guess that’s part of what makes Alabama and Mississippi such magical places! Click here for details and methodology behind this image.

Geo-located Tweets using racist language, mapped by state and exact location. Click for larger image

Geo-located Tweets using racist language, mapped by state and exact location. Click for larger image

And, for those of you that only watch auto racing for the accidents, here is a sampling of the racist Republican twitterverse’s reaction to Election 2012. Prepare yourself for all of the grammatical and spelling errors that you have come to know and love from poor, uneducated right-wing loonies! Enjoy!

Racist Tweets - Presidential Election 2012

Racist Tweets - Presidential Election 2012

Racist Tweets - Presidential Election 2012

Racist Republican Tweets

Racist Republican Tweets

Mapping Racist Tweets in Response to President Obama's Re-election

Racist Tweets in Response to President Obama's Re-election

Racist Tweets in Response to President Obama's Re-election

Racist Tweets in Response to President Obama's Re-election

Racist Tweets in Response to President Obama's Re-election

Ane we could go on and on… After all, Twitter Republicans are the most vocally racist of them all!

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Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Racist Conservative

Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative

Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative

When one thinks of the mindset of a Republican in Arkansas, it is not hard to imagine them being pretty extreme. It is along that line of thinking that I will present quotes from the book “Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative” written by Republican Legislator Jon Hubbard of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

For my racist readers (and I know you’re there,) this is a book that you’re going to love. It’s not only chock full of bigoted statements, it even includes the prediction of a full-on race war similar to what we saw in Nazi Germany. It’s yet another peek into the mind of another elected member of the GOP. It’s filled with contradictions and horrible interpretations of Biblical scripture.

Here is a list of some of the choice quotes as compiled by the Arkansas Times.

Slavery was good for black people:

“… the institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise. The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth.” (Pages 183-89)

If you think slavery was bad, you should have seen Africa:

African Americans must “understand that even while in the throes of slavery, their lives as Americans are likely much better than they ever would have enjoyed living in sub-Saharan Africa.”

“Knowing what we know today about life on the African continent, would an existence spent in slavery have been any crueler than a life spent in sub-Saharan Africa?” (Pages 93 and 189)

Black people are ignorant:

“Wouldn’t life for blacks in America today be more enjoyable and successful if they would only learn to appreciate the value of a good education?” (Page 184)

Integration was bad for white people and black people are lazy:

“… one of the stated purposes of school integration was to bring black students up to a level close to that of white students. But, to the great disappointment of everyone, the results of this theory worked exactly in reverse of its intended purpose, and instead of black students rising to the educational levels previously attained by white students, the white students dropped to the level of black students. To make matters worse the lack of discipline and ambition of black students soon became shared by their white classmates, and our educational system has been in a steady decline ever since.” (Page 27)

It’s basically hopeless:

“… will it ever become possible for black people in the United States of America to firmly establish themselves as inclusive and contributing members of society within this country?” (Page 187)

Immigration is bad:

..the immigration issue, both legal and illegal… will lead to planned wars or extermination. Although now this seems to be barbaric and uncivilized, it will at some point become as necessary as eating and breathing.” (Page 9)

Don’t forget Nazi Germany:

“American Christians are assuming a similar stance as did the citizens of Germany during Hitler’s rise to power.” (Page 158)

Now that should whet your appetite. Get out there and grab a copy. Only one elected Republican wrote it but he’s far from being alone in sharing the book’s sentiments. Finally, there is an owner’s manual for the modern Republican “Christian” mind.

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Texas Republican Lynches An Empty Chair

Texas Republican Lynches an Empty Chair

Strung Up! Texas Republican Lynches an Empty Chair.

Yesterday in Texas, the Burnt Orange Report received a photo of an empty chair, representing President Obama in a bizarre Clint Eastwood homage, being lynched in the front yard of a Texas Republican.

The poor chair was lynched in the front yard of an Austin, Texas homeowner and has many on the right asking, “How is that racist?  Chairs have no race!”

The problem, as pointed out by Katherine Haenschen, is that Texas has a long history of very real lynching. From 1885 to 1942, only Mississippi and Georgia had more lynchings and the overwhelming majority of those lynchings were of African-Americans.  He didn’t have to include a winking emoticon to make sure we all get his point.  It’s pretty easy to translate.

When contacted and asked about the chair by Haenschen, the Austin homeowner had this to say: “I don’t really give a damn whether it disturbs you or not. You can take [your concerns] and go straight to hell and take Obama with you. I don’t give a shit. If you don’t like it, don’t come down my street.” Ahhhhhh, the freedom to choose!  I wonder if all of his neighbors have the same option to avoid his bigoted message.  I believe his comment says all we need to know about the intent and the very audible dog-whistle sent by this… He wants President Obama hanged and has already done so on his front lawn in effigy.

The man is not alone in presenting this message either. This report from Blue Virginia shows another empty chair lynching in that state.

Check out the entire story here from the Daily KOS and add two more to the ever growing list of Republicans that are racist.

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Why I left the GOP – An Insider Comes Clean

George W. Bush

This week, Salon.com published an article by Jeremiah Goulka that was an unexpectedly good read. I feel I should share this piece as it discusses a subject that I find particularly fascinating….  The refusal to admit to yourself when you’ve been fooled and how it relates to so many in the Republican Party.

This is the story of how in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and later in Iraq, I discovered that what I believed to be the full spectrum of reality was just a small slice of it and how that discovery knocked down my Republican worldview.

I always imagined that I was full of heart, but it turned out that I was oblivious.  Like so many Republicans, I had assumed that society’s “losers” had somehow earned their deserts.  As I came to recognize that poverty is not earned or chosen or deserved, and that our use of force is far less precise than I had believed, I realized with a shock that I had effectively viewed whole swaths of the country and the world as second-class people.

This is not your typical party switching story as it crosses over into the subject of this website.  It helps me get closer to answering questions that I have been asking myself for years.  Why do so many Republicans not understand their advantages?  How can good Christian people be so callous towards the poor?  How did a party with a proud history of fighting for civil rights take such a racist turn?  It’s also a very interesting read.

Many people see the wider spectrum of reality because they grew up on the receiving end.  As a retired African-American general in the Marine Corps said to me after I told him my story, “No one has to explain institutional racism to a black man.”

Jeremiah Goulka writes about American politics and culture. His most recent work has been published in the American Prospect and Salon. He was formerly an analyst at the RAND Corporation, a recovery worker in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.  Check his story out.

On a website with such an unpleasant theme, it’s nice to post something that gives you a little hope every once in a while.

“Why I left the GOP” on Salon.com. Originally published at TomDispatch.com.

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Republicans Kicked Out Of The Republican National Convention

CNN first brok this story and it has since been confirmed by RNC officials.  Apparently, two attendees got the boot for tossing peanuts at a black CNN camerawoman while shouting “This is how we feed animals!”  The two were asked to leave by security.

Now is about the time  when the GOP Powered Media steps in and demands proof.  This is the same response they had to members of the Black Congressional Caucus being spit upon outside of the Capitol during the signing of the Affordable Care Act.  Deny, deny, deny and then claim that the people pointing out the racism are actually the racists.  The fact is that a couple of GOP rowdies got drunk and spoke out loud what so many others in that audience were only thinking.

Catch the speech by Condoleeza Rice last night?  My favorite part was how they kept showing close-ups of one black audience member and then they would pan out to show how he was alone in a sea of white people.  I know they wanted to highlight diversity at their convention but all they really did was illustrate one point…  Republicans are Racists.

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Don’t Re-Nig in 2012: Dogwhistles are for Sissies

Don’t Re-Nig in 2012

Don’t Re-Nig in 2012

Republicans keep stooping to new lows and the racism becomes more and more blatant as the election arrives. This bumpersticker, sold by Stumpy’s Stickers, is just the latest in an ever-growing library of offensive attacks on the President of the United States by so-called patriots on the right.

If you think this kind of thing is okay to say about the elected leader of the country you supposedly love, then you are another example of how today’s Republicans are racists.

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