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.
Other African-American members of Congress, including the highly respected civil rights era icon Rep. John Lewis, were also targeted with racial slurs as they walked to floor votes.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has issued a statement condemning the behavior, available here; House Minority Leader John Boehner has issued a similar statement, available nowhere, as he apparently hasn't condemned the behavior. I don't expect him to do so, as on Friday, he reminded the Tea Party types that "it isn't too late to make your voices heard."
His followers listened, and on Saturday, they did "make [their] voices heard."
Mission accomplished, Mr. Boehner. Hope you are proud of your influence.
5 comments:
Are there some racists who also support the tea party movement - probably. Are there some racists who show up so they can express their 60 seconds of hate - probably.
Should John Boehner be responsible for every heckler or spitter who chooses to show up in Washington, DC for the lead up to a historic event? Note: the bombing of Hiroshima was a historic event.
Where's the YouTube video? We're supposed to belive an ethically-challenged slimeball like Clyburn? We're supposed to believe Barney Frank, a man who should be sitting in a jail cell for all the crimes he committed with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Unless there's video, it never happened. Just a bunch of lying politicians making up stories to slime their opponents, while the liberal media gobbles it all up without any proof whatsoever.
SHOW US THE VIDEO RANDOM MUSINGS!
If you ain't got no video than shut the hell up, and apologize.
Thane - If the spewings had been weeks later from some Arizona crazies 2000 miles from DC, I wouldn't have said anything about Boehner; a day later and inside the very Capitol building in which Boehner operates and in fact made the call for them to "make their voices heard"? He takes some of the heat.
Eric - It wasn't just Clyburn, this wasn't the first instance of Tea Party types spewing hate-charged epithets or using hate-filled threatening gestures (hanging Congressmen in effigy, etc.), and it was on TV. I saw a CNN report with video from inside the Capitol.
I can respect people with differing viewpoints (witness the interactions with Thane, above), but if you and your TP associates want to be treated with the respect accorded to a legitimate political movement with serious issues of concern to them, then behave in a manner worthy of that respect.
No apology forthcoming here, nor am I going to "shut up."
You don't need to apologize for telling the truth. Even Republicans admitted on the House floor today that the deplorable incident happened as reported. Mr. Dondero should be ashamed of his racist teabagging compatriots (or does he agree with them?).
Yeah,
there's even more
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/rep-ciro-rodriguez-targeted-with-ethnic-slurs/
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