Malia Obama Wears Peace T-Shirt, and Gives Right-Wing Nutters Excuse To Get Racist…
Monday, July 13, 2009Posted in: American Politics, arseholes abound, Terrorists in America
As much as I hate the extreme left-wing nutters, there seems to be a malevolence to the extreme right-wing nutters, that the lefties have no chance of competing with.
This story about the racial slurs darted at Malia Obama made my stomach cramp.
“A typical street whore.” “A bunch of ghetto thugs.” “Ghetto street trash.” “Wonder when she will get her first abortion.”
These are a small selection of some of the racially-charged comments posted to the conservative ‘Free Republic’ blog Thursday, aimed at U.S. President Barack Obama’s 11-year-old daughter Malia after she was photographed wearing a t-shirt with a peace sign on the front.
The thread was accompanied by a photo of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that featured the caption, “To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds.”
Though this may sound like the sort of thing one might read on an Aryan Nation or white power website, they actually appeared on what is commonly considered one of the prime online locations for U.S. Conservative grassroots political discussion and organizing – and for a short time, the comments seemed to have the okay of site administrators.
Moderators of the blog left the comments – and commenters – in place until a complaint was lodged by a writer doing research on the conservative movement, almost a full day later.
“Could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there?” wrote one commenter.
“They make me sick …. The whole family… mammy, pappy, the free loadin’ mammy-in-law, the misguided chillin’, and especially ‘lil cuz… This is not the America I want representin’ my peeps,” wrote another.
Such was the onslaught of derision on the site that the person who originally complained about the slurs, a Kristin N., claims only one comment in the first hundred posted actually criticized the remarks as inappropriate.
These people actually need putting down, like one would do with a rabid dog.
These people are no better than terrorists, but unfortunately, they are too stupid to realise it.
Assholes.
Amarinda Jones
July 13
8:39 am
What the??? I also read this bit…
“I agree Jim,” wrote commenter, by the nickname NoobRep. “The kids didn’t pick their commie pinko pansy of a father.”
I was going to say these commenters seem to be regressing back to the apes but that would give apes a bad name. What a bunch of wankers.
Edie
July 13
10:28 am
Oh My Fucking God
That is disgraceful!
KristieJ
July 13
10:43 am
Words fail me at this level of hatred
vanessa jaye
July 13
11:29 am
That’s just sickening.
Nora Roberts
July 13
12:01 pm
There are no words.
Actually there are many of them, but these sort of people aren’t worth the trouble.
And oddly, whenever I see/hear/read this sort of vicious behavior, I nudge just a little further left.
Shiloh Walker
July 13
12:03 pm
This is why extremism on anything bothers me. Extremism destroys brain cells, common sense and basic human decency, as far as I’m concerned.
How awful. Poor kid. 🙁 Nobody should be the recipient of that sort of bile-children, though, children should be off limits. Always.
Maili
July 13
12:30 pm
Children are, and should be, strictly off-limits. Only the weak and the stupid would attack kids. But racism? Could they be even lazier?
I’m having a really crappy working day and that article is a cherry on a crappy cake of this day. What a bunch of arsefuckingholes, especially site owner Jim Thompson. It’s both funny and tragic that these people don’t see they are just as bad as extremists of the world. Morons.
Las
July 13
12:59 pm
That’s the Republican Party for ya. They’ve made it a point to court racists and xenophobes for votes, and because they’re very good at creating blind loyalty, even the most intelligent and reasonable conservatives don’t speak out too loudly against them.
Mireya
July 13
2:48 pm
The Republican Party didn’t use to be like this. There was such a thing as “moderate conservatives”. Sadly, the extremist minority has turned the Republican Party into the representation of their “American” ideals … ideals that have absolutely nothing to do with what the forefathers wanted for this country. The Republican Party, in its own desperation, has been courting those extremists and religious zealots for a while now.
This scares me on several levels, and makes me think that an attempt will be made by one of these crazies against Obama himself, or worse, his wife or children.
sallahdog
July 13
3:00 pm
these are the same people who were “horrified” by jokes made about Palins kids (which I also didn’t agree with)… I am always amazed by the hypocrisy… John McCain called Chelsea Clinton (who was a teen and going through her ackward stage) the family “dog”…. Yet was upset when remarks were made Bushes Camp about his adopted daughter (which were sick, btw)
I feel for the kids of any politician. They didn’t ask to be put through the wringer, and they all too often are..
Alisha Rai
July 13
4:02 pm
The racism makes me ill. And the way the site responded to it, ugh. This part:
Classy. Thanks for shoving me a little more to the left Jim.
Lauren Dane
July 13
5:34 pm
Just a perfect example of why I avoid the Freeper site in general. It’s good that they’re public about it, I’d rather know who they are face to face than have this sort of crap hidden. Their own words are the best example of who they are. However, I’d also like to point out it’s not just the nutcases on the freeper site that make the monkey comments. We’ve had several republican party officials making those comments in public and sometimes via their local party newsletters, etc.
I feel bad for the republicans who aren’t this way because in the wake of the election, their perspective gets heard less and less.
Like or hate the Obamas, their children are beautifully behaved and intelligent young women raised by people who seem to put a great deal of time and energy into their upbringing. God knows the world could use more parents and kids like these. Of course, this is what rankles these constantly raging, grumpy, hateful assholes.
Jill N. Noble
July 13
6:51 pm
How sickening! I used to get involved in political discussions online, but ran into this kind of disgusting, racist, hateful behavior. Wore me out, made me lose sleep, and I just figured I was better off directing my energies elsewhere.
PS (and totally off-topic). Nora, just in case you happen to be around, I am currently reading Birthright. The first 4 pages of the book might be the best beginning to any book I’ve ever read…and I’ve read a lot of books! 😉 Simply incredible.
Jaci Burton
July 13
7:30 pm
It’s nauseating to see this kind of ugliness and hatred based purely on race. Politics doesn’t even enter the equation. To use children to get across a message of hate sickens me.
And the Republican party is being swallowed up by these extremists, their message being lost, as people who spit out the voice of hatred and lack of tolerance for anyone who isn’t white and votes their ideals become the front and center voice of the party.
I’m glad I’m a Democrat. I feel sorry for those who support what the Republican party used to be. You have an epic battle ahead of you to claim what once was. I hope you succeed.
Fear and ignorance are powerful, frightening weapons.
MB (Leah)
July 13
7:36 pm
Color me unsurprised by this when you have what’s supposed to be fair and unbiased news reporting from supposedly respected new channels spewing completely false and ridiculous rhetoric based on nothing but their own fears and bias. *coughFOXcough*
Jenns
July 13
9:56 pm
Absolutely disgusting.
Is it just me, or have the right-wing screwballs gotten worse – more hateful, more racist, more disgusting?
Maybe what they’re feeling is sheer desperation, as it becomes more obvious that they’re going to stay behind, the more they refuse to change.
*Stepping off soapbox now.*
Las
July 14
1:27 am
Same here. We need two (or more) viable parties. All we have now is Bad and Crazy. I hate that every time I vote it’s a decision about who pisses me off less.
Anya Howard
July 14
2:49 pm
I am just sickened. Racist, hateful remarks are ugly enough, but used against children? Simply evil. And I don’t understand what has happened to the Republican party; my adoption father was a staunch Republican, and I have never once heard him utter a racist remark (born and bred Southern, too). He’d be very, very disappointed to know this is happening.
Christine Rimer
July 14
4:55 pm
This filth struck me as so far beyond it, I sputter and make raging noises trying to come up with a response. I don’t know what happened to the reasonable, responsible Republicans either. Maybe they’re laying low, waiting for the witless racist far right crazies to run out of steam.
Carolyn Crane
July 14
7:47 pm
This is just shocking and disturbing. I know there are good people who are Republicans – some are even family members of mine, but this is sick, and really, it wasn’t stopped?
I think a lot of these nuts cultivate a fantasy that they are being victimized, and it makes them feel justified in this sort of thing. As the extreme right casts itself more and more as “victims” of socialists and gays and whatever else they think is out to hurt them, we will likely see more of this scary behavior.
MichelleR
July 14
8:43 pm
Actually, sallahdog, it was Limbaugh who called Chelsea the family dog — McCain just said she was ugly because her real father is Janet Reno.
This is what happens when you cater to bigots — they give you the votes, but then they trash up your party and you’re forced to either denounce them or keep feeding their hatred.
These are also people who are incapable of realistically assessing people. They can’t see class, if the person is the wrong color. Because they can’t tolerate a black family in the White House, they think the rest of the world feels the same, even though the world is full of people of different hues, and when the evidence is clearly on the side of most thinking we got this one right. Or, er, righter.
Those girls are lovely — inside and outside — and their mother is lovely as well. Their father is an inspiration, and that should be clear to even those who disagree with his politics.
It’s like the protesters outside of Letterman calling his child a bastard with no sense of irony. Only some kids are off limits, I suppose.
The flush of embarrassment I feel is not caused by our dignified first family, but at the thought of people thinking these hate-mongers speak for anyone other than bigots and morons.
What needs to happen is that these sorts of people need to be denounced. The rhetoric needs to change to stop encouraging these people to feel welcome in any party that values intelligence and higher principles. Talking heads need to take some responsibility for calling people Nazis and Baby-Killers — no more looking surprised when some loon starts shooting. No more blaming Obama because your governor decided to explore the Appalachian Trail — as Limbaugh has tried to spin it. Oh, no more Limbaugh. Clean house, let some sunlight in, and come back as a viable party with serious contributions to make.
sallahdog
July 15
2:05 am
Actually, sallahdog, it was Limbaugh who called Chelsea the family dog — McCain just said she was ugly because her real father is Janet Reno.
ahh yes… now I remember, its hard to keep the insults straight…
Its embarrassing, I am registered independant, and used to vote both ways, usually for whomever I was excited for… lately, I spend more time holding my nose and voting for the least loathesome… which is a sad thing to say… But the fact is, I havent voted for a republican in a long time (other than in some local elections) because they have been so coopted by the bigoted elitist elements, and I just can’t stomach thinking that the party of Lincoln has come to this…
Fiscally, I probably agreed more with McCain than I did Obama, but I couldnt stomach the elements of the Repug party that McCain had to have his lips pressed to the ass to…
Annamarie
July 15
3:16 am
So, the republicans go all out in whining and complaining when something is said about one of the Palin daughters, and they scream about “Women rights” and how we “need to treat women with respect”. Except, they do this to Malia Obama? Nothing but a bunch of hypocrites.
And please explain to me how wearing a peace shirt makes someone a “street whore”, “ghetto thug”, and whatever else it is that you pull out of your ass?
Sam
July 15
3:27 am
Annamarie,
There is no explanation. These people aren’t rational. They are the KKK 21st century style.
Melissa Blue
July 18
3:39 am
I’m not surprised. I’m not even saddened or mad. I’m just numb to idiots like this. There is nothing you can say or do to make them believe anything different. Now what does make me sad and angry is that some people don’t see prejudices when it has nothing to do with color.
jorge
July 5
7:09 pm
I won’t even bother commenting on the caustic anencephalic comments from either political extreme, but instead point out that the “ghetto” reference might be for “Puffy”, who she’s evidently PeaceMarching with, arguably ironic for a <13 year-old daughter of a (prematurely awarded) Nobel Laureate President who's now deploying US arms and troops in SIX different conflicts (far more than his media-assaulted warmonger alcoholic cowboy predecessor). So, where's the 'hate crime' rage for ALL those 'news stories' about the Bush43's past coke usage or HIS teen daughters' binge drinking? Double standards? Media bias? Rampant hypocrisy? Race-baiter faux accusations to distract common Americans from the fiscal holocaust being perpetrated by D.C. criminals (on both sides of the aisle)? You bet. Two party choices is no longer enough when special interest groups control them and the fifth element sides with whoever spends more $. The same hyper-sensationalist media (mocked in "Network" decades ago just helped get another murderer 'off' (anyone remember OJ?) … meanwhile the thieves (flash-mob and bankster puppet poltroons rob our Treasury blind) Wake Up folks, you're being led off a cliff by pied Pipers and don't even smell the seawater…