jimt 2 years, 3 months ago

"I told him about how my father (a Marine) fought in the Pacific during World War II so that we wouldn’t have to live under Marxist, socialist governments."

Fact check time: Your father, bless him, fought in the Pacific in reaction to our being attacked, an act of war, by a totalitarian militaristic government running Japan. A State can become involved in a war in one of two ways, it can be attacked by another State, or it can have war declared against it. The U.S. found itself in World War II because Japan attacked an American territory (Hawaii) and Germany (with another totalitarian militaristic government then in place) declared war against it. In neither case did the U.S. ensue to fight against "Marxist, socialist governments." Instead, it entered into an alliance with a Marxist, socialist, and totalitarian government (the Soviet Union) to fight Germany, and later Japan.

Leaving aside the "racist" label with regard to the Tea Party, I'm afraid your letter illustrates the lack of knowledge regarding basic historical facts that to many, myself included, seems to characterize the organization, its objectives, and many of its public supporters.

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dustyrhoades 2 years, 3 months ago

It seems James' grasp on reality is once again as tenuous as his understanding of what a "century" is.

The Tea Party is all about resentment. Racial resentment, the idea that "those people" are getting stuff you're not, is a big part of that, but it's only part of the whole message.

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dustyrhoades 2 years, 3 months ago

I know the TPers despise facts and links to facts, but here's a summary of some actual polling data:

"... A new survey by the University of Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality offers fresh insight into the racial attitudes of Tea Party sympathizers. "The data suggests that people who are Tea Party supporters have a higher probability"—25 percent, to be exact—"of being racially resentful than those who are not Tea Party supporters," says Christopher Parker, who directed the study. "The Tea Party is not just about politics and size of government. The data suggests it may also be about race."

"Surveyers asked respondents in California and a half dozen battleground states (like Michigan and Ohio) a series of questions that political scientists typically use to measure racial hostility. On each one, Tea Party backers expressed more resentment than the rest of the population, even when controlling for partisanship and ideology. When read the statement that "if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites," 73 percent of the movement's supporters agreed, while only 33 percent of people who disapproved of the Tea Party agreed. Asked if blacks should work their way up "without special favors," as the Irish, Italians, and other groups did, 88 percent of supporters agreed, compared to 56 percent of opponents. The study revealed that Tea Party enthusiasts were also more likely to have negative opinions of Latinos and immigrants.

These results are bolstered by a recent New York Times/CBS News surveyfinding that white Tea Party supporters were more likely to believe that "the Obama administration favors blacks over whites" and that "too much has been made of the problems facing black people." The survey also showed that Tea Party sympathizers are whiter, older, wealthier, and more well-educated than the average American. They're "just as likely to be employed, and more likely to describe their economic situation as very or fairly good," according to a summary of the poll."

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/04/25/are-tea-partiers-racist.html

Add to that the frequent appearance at TP rallies of placards showing the President as an African witch doctor, comparing his plans to "White Slavery", etc, and a reasonable person can see how there's virulent racism among a number--not all, but a significant number--of TPers. The ones who claim they aren't don't seem to have any willingness to acknowledge the problem or do anything about it, choosing instead to be even more resentful and defensive, not to mention downright whiny.

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JK 2 years, 3 months ago

Mr. Rhoades,

You are very far out of your element on this one and you should stop before embarrassing yourself further. When you discuss the TEA Party only as racists and do not mention taxes or irresponsible government spending it only further validates that you are not to be considered “a reasonable person”.

Moreover, before commenting on the theme of Mr. Cutler’s original article further, I suggest you go back and relook its intent. You clearly missed the point…

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POGO2 2 years, 3 months ago

I read these pages often but have rarely commented. The more I read of Dusty's comments the more I am convinced that I could solve my own financial woes and maybe those of the county and state if only I could buy Dusty for how smart he really is and sell him for how smart he thinks he is. I have frequently wondered how long the Pilot will continue to waste their money on his rant. It may be a clever ploy on their part to fire up we conservativies and keep us buying their rag and reading his tripe.

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POGO2 2 years, 3 months ago

James: I'm not worried. I know what he is and I know who he is. I really do wonder though how a liberal rag like the Pilot prospers in a county that is a majority conservative stronghold. The owner of the Pilot comes from a long line of NC liberals dating back to the beginning of our Republic and Bouser, despite his denial, is also a liberal of long standing. It must really bother them to publish in a county so out of concert with their personal views and slanted editorial policy.

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POGO2 2 years, 3 months ago

James: You may be right. Dusty may just be the best recruiting tool we conservatives have.

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moonchild7 2 years, 3 months ago

If the TEA PARTY wasn't racist and REALLY concerned about our economy and taxes, then they would have formed as soon as George Bush went to war in Iraq and then the Medicare Drug Benefit Plan. They DIDN'T so THEY ARE RACISTS!!!!!!!!!! And don't come back with the fact that a lot of Democrats also voted to go to war in IRAQ and MEDICARE...where was this so called TEA PARTY? WHERE WERE THEY, GUYS?!!!!!!

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None 2 years, 3 months ago

@Moonchild, you still have not answered this simple question. If a black conserative, black tea-party, other a member of another ethnicity opposes Obama and his policies are they also racist?

Simple yes or no. Don't need to a 2 paragraph explanation typed in capital letters

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moonchild7 2 years, 3 months ago

ChiefHammer, I've answered this time and time again. If President Obama has put forward or suggested the same ideas that George Bush did(and were approved or else NOT demonstrated against by TeaPoppers)and are now protested AGAINST by the TP, then they are racists! YES,YES, YES since the only difference in the "situation" is the color of the skin of the person who made the suggestion/idea. HUGE Gov spending? George is an okay guy according to the TP but Obama is a Marxist/Socialist for increasing the budget. What's so difficult here? Is there an education problem?

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moonchild7 2 years, 3 months ago

Oh, here's what I forgot to say, Did any of you guys watch, "MEET THE PRESS" yesterday? Well, Mr. TEA PARTY himself was on...Rick Santelli and here's what he said: "If this country is ever attacked like it was in 9/11, we all respond with a sense of urgency. What's going on balance sheets throughout the country is the same type of attack." First, it's reprehensible for him to make that kind of comparison but I'd like to know if he ever railed against George Bush when the spending spree of government money began in 2003 with the IRAQ War? Does anyone know?

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moonchild7 2 years, 3 months ago

No, but if and only if they also opposed the same policies while George was President. Did they oppose and protest the War in Iraq? Did they oppose and protest the Medicare Drug benefits? Did they oppose and protest TARP? Did they oppose any of George's Stimulus packages? Otherwise WHY are they OPPOSING them NOW? And show me the proof because I just don't recall there being many protesting those things(other than most Liberals that is).

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moonchild7 2 years, 2 months ago

People need to think long and hard about the opinions and decisions they spout out. There are consequences of course and to approve of the funding of a war, the funding of an extra medical benefit, stimulus monies and TARP bailouts with one President but NOT another can(but not always)reek of racism when it appears and is obvious that it's only because this next President is very "different." Those Dems who were against Obama caving in on Bush's tax-cut extension were probably(not sure)against them under Bush. Consistency has it's merits.

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teufelhunden 2 years, 2 months ago

MC7-Aren't you lumping all Tea Party Activists together? Isn't it you that has a problem when all Muslims are lumped together? Think about it. What happened to your peace and love and butterflies and mushrooms and tolerance? You try to paint yourself in a certain light and it's coming through rather dark.

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JER 2 years, 2 months ago

The best way for the left to have their cause receive a shot in the arm is to quit having arguments with the right and let them drive the train for a while. A couple of years with the conservative/Republican/TP folks in charge is all it will take. Talk is extremely cheap. Actions will be a little harder. When the top 5% of the citizens are all happy and comfortable and the other 95% are not, we'll see how many conservatives we have.

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JER 2 years, 2 months ago

Every person on this planet is racist in some manner or form. Mr. Cutler should not have been surprised that he was too. Having blacks in the TP or being elected with TP support should not seem unusual, after all, it was blacks in Africa that facilitated the ship loads of their fellow blacks sent to foreign shores as slaves.

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moonchild7 2 years, 2 months ago

"Birds of a feather flock together?" Why else would anyone want to be in a group, if the "GROUP" didn't somewhat all tend to think alike? of course every once in awhile people get a little "off-track" and soon realize that maybe they don't quite think the same as those in the said group. I believe everyone has a chance for "redemption" for maybe not thinking or seeing things through in a logical manner and then they begin to SEE THE LIGHT!

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nothingspecial 2 years, 2 months ago

JER, great idea if only the "left" as you say would get out of the way, let the Republican Congress make a good try at reducing at least 100 billion of the budget deficit and quit hiding out in Wisconsin. Lucky for you we won't be allowed to see what the Conservatives would do, as that is looking more and more like the actual will of the 2010 voters.

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irkim13 2 years, 2 months ago

Funny some of those on the Left ignore the racism of abortion while supporting it tooth and nail especially from Planned Parenthood's founder Margaret Sanger who wanted to "exterminate the Negro population". 12% of the population is black yet 36% of abortions are by black women and 49% of pregnancies of African American women end in abortion. That is racism.

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