'Tea party' protesters accused of spitting on lawmaker, using slurs
By Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus said that racial epithets
were hurled at them Saturday by angry protesters who had gathered at
the Capitol to protest health-care legislation, and one congressman
said he was spit upon. The most high-profile openly gay congressman,
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), was heckled with anti-gay chants.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) issued a statement late Saturday saying
that he was spit upon while walking to the Capitol to cast a vote,
leading the Capitol Police to usher him into the building out of
concern for his safety.
Police detained the individual, who was then released because Cleaver
declined to press charges.
"The congressman was walking into the Capitol to vote, when one
protester spat on him. The congressman would like to thank the U.S.
Capitol Police officer who quickly escorted the other Members and him
into the Capitol, and defused the tense situation with professionalism
and care," said Danny Rotert, a spokesman for Cleaver.
Protesters outside the Capitol hurled epithets at Reps. John Lewis
(D-Ga.) and Andre Carson (D-Ind.) as they left the building after
President Obama delivered an 11th-hour speech on behalf of the health
care bill.
Carson told reporters that protesters yelled "kill the bill," then
used a racial epithet to describe Carson and Lewis, who is a revered
figure on both sides of the aisle.
According to observers, Frank was confronted by about 100 protesters
inside the Longworth House Office Building, where Democrats were
huddling for another meeting about the legislation.
Some targeted Frank with anti-gay epithets and urged him to vote
against the bill.
Democratic leaders and their aides said they were outraged by the
day's behavior.
"I have heard things today that I have not heard since March 15, 1960,
when I was marching to get off the back of the bus," said House
Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking black
official in Congress.
And Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said in a statement, "On
the one hand, I am saddened that America's debate on health care --
which could have been a national conversation of substance and respect
-- has degenerated to the point of such anger and incivility. But on
the other, I know that every step toward a more just America has
aroused similar hate in its own time; and I know that John Lewis, a
hero of the civil rights movement, has learned to wear the worst slurs
as a badge of honor."
"This is not the first time the congressman has been called the "n"
word and certainly not the worst assault he has endured in his years
fighting for equal rights for all Americans," said Rotert, Cleaver's
spokesman.
"That being said, he is disappointed that in the 21st century our
national discourse has devolved to the point of name-calling and
spitting."
The incidents followed a noontime protest on the west side of the
Capitol that drew several thousand people from around the country for
a "Code Red" rally against the health-care bill.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) addressed the crowd.
As that rally ended, some protesters moved around to the south side of
the Capitol, near the entrance to the House chamber, and across the
east front of the complex.
On the first day of spring, most lawmakers walked across the street
from their office buildings to the Capitol, rather than using the
underground tunnels.
That brought them into contact with protesters forming a gauntlet on
each side of the walkway leading into the House.
At one point, when Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) wanted to
walk across the street to an office building, he was ushered into a
car by his security detail and driven a couple hundred feet through
the screaming crowd.
Saturday evening, more than a handful of House Republicans held an
impromptu rally on the Capitol steps.
Using a megaphone, the lawmakers urged on the crowd.
Shortly after 6 p.m., Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tex.) dared House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi (D-Calif.) to come out onto the House steps and address the
more than 1,000 people who were gathered at the foot of the Capitol,
prompting a loud and angry chant of "Nancy, Nancy, Nancy."
The protesters believe that the Obama administration and Congress are
ignoring the public's opposition to the $940 billion legislation,
which they consider it to be a government takeover of the health-care
system.
They carried signs saying "Remember in November"; one carried a
broomstick with cardboard pasted onto it with the label "Here's Your
Ride," for Pelosi.
___________________________________________________________
Harry
Gee, I wonder who we should believe: The Washington Post and the New
York Times - easily the 2 most respected newspapers in the world:
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/spitting-and-slurs-directed-at-lawmakers/
or, Faux Noise who says "the Black lawmakers _allege_".
-Ramon
Faux News... hmm... aren't they ones who reported Mark Foley as a Democrat?
Or was that some other disgraced Republican congressman?
--
"I've always thought the Yankees had something to do with it."
-General Pickett, on why his charge at Gettysburg failed
Sounds more like the acts of a far more volatile group in DC on
Saturday...the Iraq war protesters. The smart money says it was either
them or a completely made-up event by the the vile, lying Democretin
fascists.
Until someone can prove otherwise with an unbiased source, I call
bullshit.
What would you consider an unbiased source? Rush, Fox?
--
}(:
Spineless Dems have the House, the Senate and the White House and keep
claiming their hands are tied. True enough, their corporate and union
sponsors seem to have have now made the US Congress so corrupt that
the last thing on their minds is the interest of the voters. Want
change? SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!
Notice pig boui doing his normal act, trying to make a pile of pig
shit smell good.
The repugs tried to give these racist scum credibility. We dems
pointed out that they are racists. We got another proof today.
Yeah, tea baggers, racist and antisemitic.
"The fight which Fascist Italy waged against Jewry's three
principal weapons, the profound reasons for which may not have been
consciously understood (though I do not believe this myself) furnishes
the best proof that the poison fangs of that Power which transcends
all State boundaries are being drawn, even though in an indirect way.
The prohibition of Freemasonry and secret societies, the suppression
of the supranational Press and the definite abolition of Marxism,
together with the steadily increasing consolidation of the Fascist
concept of the State--all this will enable the Italian Government, in
the course of some years, to advance more and more the interests of
the Italian people without paying any attention to the hissing of the
Jewish world-hydra.
"The English situation is not so favorable. In that country
which has 'the freest democracy' the Jew dictates his will, almost
unrestrained but indirectly, through his influence on public opinion."
http://www.ihr.org/ www.vanguardnewsnetwork.com/
http://www.natvan.com http://www.nsm88.org
http://heretical.com/ http://immigration-globalization.blogspot.com/
Teabaggers are racist?
I'm shocked! SHOCKED!
You could knock me over with a feather!
Bret Cahill
Not to mention picking on poor Barney, and being unable to accept a
female Speaker.
Fascists are the same the world over---it could as easily have been
Tehran, or some village in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan.
-tg
> Bret Cahill
Rasmussen polling will slow or postpone some spree shootings as it
gives rightards something to cling to until election day.
Of course, as reality sets in the spree shooting will resume.
Bret Cahill
I'm waiting for when they try to block the changes in the Senate. I
just hope someone has the balls to point out that they are trying to
block a bill that lowers taxes and eliminates special favors.
Of course, the mainstream media is bought and paid for by
corporations, so that's not likely.
-tg
Yeah, I know. But the US is more progressive than the Republicans as
well. If I won the lottery, I think I would spend the money on having
polls done and honestly reported. The majority actually thinks the
bill should pass or objects to it because *it isn't progressive
enough*. But the MSM is full of people afraid for their jobs if they
stray too far from the official Fox line.
-tg
> --
> Damn the living - It's a lovely life. I'm whoever you want me to be.
> Silver silverware - Where is the love? At least I can stay in character.
> Oval swimming pool - Where is the love? Annoying Usenet one post at a time.
> Damn the living - It's a lovely life. We support you, Sarah.
You know I read the entire article, and I didn't see one reference
that this group was an official "tea party" organized event.
Did I miss it?
The corp. boss controlled media would much much rather have the public
discussion on imPOOORTant issues like abortion, gay marriage and naked
nazi flag burner parades.
The only silver lining for the media is Big Pharma must now pay the
media 100s of million$ to run their ads.
Bret Cahill
With the compromises with anti-abortion Democrats the media may yet
get an opportunity to hype abortion 24/7 out of health care reform.
You know that what they really want to hype.
ANYTHING to Jerry Springerize the political debate.
Bret Cahill
As a Nazi, you are, above all else, a craven coward.
You are afraid to compete with others as equals because you know
you can not measure up.
You are afraid of your own inadequacy, so you want to murder your
betters.
You are afraid of the truth, so you want to murder those who would
tell it.
You are afraid of history, so you want to murder the past, to wipe
out the knowledge of the degeneracy, cowardice and failure of
National
Socialism.
Finally, you are afraid of the power of educated, informed adults.
Freedom of choice terrifies you... which is why you choose minor
children as sexual partners. You can not interact with competent
adults in a consensually sexual
way. You need to be able to impose yourself on a helpless victim, be
it a prepubescent
boy, or a patient in a mental hospital.
That is what you are, a Nazi, and there is nothing polite or
honest about it.
Michael
Michael
Another tea bagger claims it wasn't his guys. Exactly the same thing
the White Citizens Council used to do.
Try again.......
Michael
OK, here you go:
I read the entire article, and I didn't see one reference that this
group was an official "tea party" organized event.
Did you?
LOL! Thanks - that was my laugh for today!
Sort of reminds you of the liberal racists who derided Bush's cabinet,
doesn't it? :)
I, a liberal, don't know any liberal racists. So tell us, drooler,
who are you referring to? Got any names? Or is just another right
winger who won't answer.
And does it matter if Bush's cabinet cracked all of us up? Does that
make it right to use the "N" word? Attack a Jew for his religion?
Speak up, pig.
Riiiiiggghhhhttttt, no tea baggers at any of these rallies.
Suuuuuurrrrrreeeeee............
How many "official tea parties" are there? Dozens? One or two?
These filth ridden scum are too busy trying to cut down each other to
make their own group bigger. We dems love it. Just a couple of lawn
chairs and a few icey cold beers and we can watch you tea baggers
attack each other.
The fun in Nashville! Happy days!
David Duke's anti-war views have been a matter of record for over
five years. In His own words:
http://www.davidduke.com/general/7th-anniversary-of-invasion-of-iraq-thanks-neocons_17281.html
http://www.davidduke.com/general/the-war-against-america_8.html
http://www.davidduke.com/general/what-the-iraq-war-is-about_3749.html
So if the Tea Party movement is racist because a racist
participated in it, and David Duke, a known white supremacist, spoke
out against the war in Iraq, then...
Michael
Michael
Let me jump in. Here ya go Kevin:
Robert Byrd, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, Harry Reid, Ted Rall, and
Hillary Clinton.
Is that enough?
Evasion noted...
Sounds like a true liberal to me.
Syria welcomed David Duke.
Michael
Now that's scary, and very revealing.
Most Jews are anti-war. How many U. S. blacks are anti-health care?
Bret Cahill
Michael
Anyone on the street protesting and dignifying one of Dumbya's
quagmires of mass distraction by calling it a "war" ain't gonna to be
too politically astute in the first place.
Anyway you dodged the question:
Since you pulled the statement that "most Jews are anti-war" without
qualification out of your ass then it's OK for them to simply make up
a number regarding blacks and healthcare yes?
Unless of course you can provide any kind of credible cite backing up
your statistics.
"If con is the opposite of pro then is congress the opposite of progress?"
Without your youtube video of you proving that CO2 is always harmless
no one will care about the lunatic fringe.
We'll just use you guys to discredit the GOP.
Bret Cahill
Most liberals aren't.
Maybe most liberals aren't good at understanding GOP bottom fishing
but if you Google _Das KapitalOne_ rightard after rightard thought the
Federalist #10 was written by Karl Marx.
Bret Cahill