Garafolo says tea parties were racist (enemy, Taliban, billion, Lincoln)

[jayrandom]

Aren't there three separate issues as play here?

1) Were there racists as the tea parties?
2) Were all in attendance at the tea parties racist?
3) Are the ideas being raised by the tea parties worthwhile?

Unfortunately, most of the arguments against the tea parties have focused on the first two points. For every article I read that said something like, "hey, wait, maybe the government spending money isn't such a bad thing" I had to see a dozen saying that the tea parties were just right-wing nut jobs who like to shoot their guns and be racist. When someone argues to the man and not to the issue, even if the man is a total racist, it gives the impression that they don't have a valid argument on the issue.

Unfortunately, name calling and angry yelling seem to have more traction than an open, informed debate on the issues. It's not just Ms. Garofalo, it seems like its everywhere (especially this forum).

[brenbf2]

I didn't see or hear one single thing mentioning "I hate (put anyone's race in here)" at the Atlanta tea party. Liberals are looking for something to target conservatives about and to show their own prejudices, showing their true colors (pardon the pun). Whatever happened to "free speech" and "peaceful demonstrations?"
I've been reduced to repeat the jaw-dropping comment by our "show your arms" first lady "I've never been proud of my country", which I've changed up to suit my own self-" I always was proud of my country, but am no longer."

[uber_bwnage]

I'm sorry Jeanine, have you worked in the last 10 years? And we care what you think why?

Racist...more like taxpayers vs. non-taxpayers. If that falls between race lines, so be it. What else is new?

[Predos]

Isn't it interesting how one group, doesn't matter which one, attacks the thing they fear to be true most viciously?

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Predos

Isn't it interesting how one group, doesn't matter which one, attacks the thing they fear to be true most viciously?

And resort to turning it into something sexual as in "teabagging"? Can't win on the merits of our argument or provide any facts so we'll denegrate it using sexual innuendo and vile smears.
Yep, that's "progressive"!

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Aren't there three separate issues as play here?

1) Were there racists as the tea parties?
2) Were all in attendance at the tea parties racist?
3) Are the ideas being raised by the tea parties worthwhile?

1) Yes
2) No
3) Yes

[boiseguy]

Originally Posted by uber_bwnage

I'm sorry Jeanine, have you worked in the last 10 years? And we care what you think why?

Racist...more like taxpayers vs. non-taxpayers. If that falls between race lines, so be it. What else is new?

I pay taxes.. in fact last year I paid over 10 grand in taxes... and I certainly wouldn't have been at the tea party gatherings.. with their signs and chants about socialism and gay marriage..
They advertised it to be about one issue.. but what I heard from the park here in boise.. was about 12 issues you had to agree with them on to feel welcomed...
so.. I think it would be accurate to say there was a racist component, certainly not the entire premis.. from what I heard and saw on a number of different issues...I would be naive to think that some of those people in the crowd have negative feelings against obama because he is black... certainly not the majority though...
The truth is somewhere in the middle...
but don't sit here and make it out to be just about taxes.. because that's not the only thing I saw and heard coming from the park behind my house

[ELOrocks17]

Garafolos boot licking not withstanding, Why would Olberman even have this hack on in the first place? Was she really the only hollywood loser he could find?

[janelle144]

April 16, 2009
On Today’s Program


Despite media, Tea Parties rock America

As Glenn predicted, the media would reluctantly cover the tea parties on tax day and express their frustration by mocking the events and the people attending. The Tea Parties didn't exactly get fair 'journalistic' treatment. Headline after headline did their best to call these 'GOP' sponsored events that aren't really grassroots---it's just angry rich people. Glenn encourages listeners to stay positive despite the underestimating of crowd sizes, crude sexual innuendo jokes, and the portrayal of protesters as 'angry' and stupid. You have their attention, no matter how much they try to pretend you don't.

>> Watch Glenn's opening monologue live from San Antonio Tea Party
>> Pictures from several of the Tea Parties

CNN 'journalist' shows true colors

A truly amazing piece of audio -- a CNN reporter (using that phrase very, very loosely) interviewing a man with his child, and seemingly personally offended that someone could actually criticize the government spending that's going on. She demonstrates her complete lack of understanding of history and instead reveals her pro-Obama views as she calls the protests 'anti-government,' 'anti-CNN' and the best for last... 'it's not family viewing.' Huh? ( Transcript, Insider Audio)

[janelle144]

Glenn Beck: CNN 'journalist' shows true colors at Tea Party

Audio Available: April 16, 2009 - 10:58 ET
Related Video
GLENN: And then, of course, we have this report from CNN. Listen, listen to this report from CNN. There is an anchor. She is walking up to a guy who's this clean‑cut regular Schmo, standing there with his 2‑year‑old daughter. Now, the people around, you don't have any idea. Like last night when I was doing the television show, I was doing interviews, et cetera, et cetera. You can't hear. And when people are shouting, you know, "USA, USA," it's very, it's difficult to do if you're a professional like me. If you are a nervous per son that's not used to being on television and people are screaming and shouting things all around, it's very hard to be able to have a conversation with somebody because you're very distracted by what's going on, okay? She didn't even give this guy a chance. Listen to the way this interview went.

VOICE: Okay, let's see. You're here with your 2‑year‑old and you're already in debt. Why are you here today, sir?

VOICE: Because I hear a president say that he believed in what Lincoln stood for. Lincoln's primary thing was he believed that people had the right to liberty and had the right ‑‑

VOICE: Sir, what does this have to do with taxes? What does this have to do with your taxes? Do you realize that you are eligible for a $400 credit ‑‑

VOICE: Let me finish my point. Lincoln ‑‑ Lincoln believed that people had the right to share in the fruits of their own labor and that government should not take it, and we have clearly gotten to that point.

VOICE: Wait. Did you know that ‑‑ did you know that the State of Lincoln gets $50 billion out of this stimulus? That's $50 billion for this state, sir.

VOICE: Ma'am. Ma'am, ma'am, I ‑‑ can you stop this, sir? Hold on.

VOICE: Okay, well, we'll move on over here. I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti‑government, anti‑CNN, since this is highly promoted by the rightwing conservative network Fox. And since I can't really hear much more and I think this is not really family viewing, toss it back to you.

GLENN: This isn't family viewing. I mean, I can't believe this. This isn't family ‑‑ he's standing there with his 2‑year‑old. I mean, what is that? Unbelievable. I would like to take this from the beginning but I want to stop and start this. I want to take this apart. Go ahead.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

VOICE: Okay. Let's see. You are here with your 2‑year‑old and you are already in debt. Why are you here, sir?

VOICE: Because I heard the president say he believed in what Lincoln stood for. Link even's primary thing was he believed that people had the right to liberty and had the right ‑‑

VOICE: Sir, what does this have to do with taxes?

GLENN: Stop, stop.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GLENN: This shows the ignorance of this reporter. She doesn't have any clue as to what this man is talking about. What this man is talking about is Abraham Lincoln saying it is immoral to pull down the house of one to build another house for someone else. You can't do that. He thought it was immoral, he thought it was unconstitutional. You do not take the fruits of the labor of one person and give them to someone else. He was very clear. But she didn't even know where he was going with this because she clearly doesn't understand and she's like, well, what does this even have to do with taxes? That was the point of Abraham Lincoln! You cannot take and tear down the house of one to build a house for another. That has everything to do with taxes. That is the point that Abraham Lincoln was trying to make.

STU: What's that got to do with taxes? He's talking about houses. It doesn't make any sense. It's not family‑friendly at all.

GLENN: I know, I know. Well, we're just, what is it, apoplectic brainiacs. So what do we know. Okay. So go ahead. Lynn to what she has in response.

VOICE: Sir, what does this have to do with taxes? What does this have to do with your taxes? Do you realize that you're eligible ‑‑

GLENN: Stop, stop, stop.

(END AUDIO CLIP).

GLENN: Now remember, I'm not a journalist. They always make fun of me: Glenn Beck, he's a pseudojournalist. No, I'm not a journalist. I never claimed to be a journalist. I am an opinion person. Listen to what she did. She moved now clearly not just in the way she was handling everything but by what she just did, from journalist to opinion maker. What she did is she said, "What does this have to do with taxes?" Question, period. What does this have to do with taxes. Well, let me explain: Abraham Lincoln said you can't tear down the house of one person to build another, okay? That's what it has to do with taxes. But she wasn't interested in the actual answer. She wanted to make her point. That's what an opinion maker does, not a journalist. Listen to what she says on her point: What does this have to do with taxes?

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

VOICE: What does this have to do with your taxes? Do you realize that you're he eligible for a $400 credit ‑‑

VOICE: Let me finish my point.

GLENN: Stop, stop.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GLENN: Do you realize you're eligible for a $400 tax credit. Okay, she's shilling the DNC talking points. She is selling. She's now moved from opinion maker to saleswoman. She is now selling something that they are again so clueless, they don't understand who we are. We didn't want the eligibility for a tax rebate when Bush gave it to us. We don't want tax breaks. We want lower taxes. We want lower spending. But see, the DNC, CNN, all of these leftwingers, you can buy them. We're not for sale. They are. When you say to somebody, you know, on the left, "Hey, all you have to do is sell out your values and you'll get this in exchange," they'll do it. Some rightwingers will do it as well. The people who gathered on the streets yesterday won't. Their credibility, their Constitution is not for sale. This is why I said you've got to make it about principles and values because she's now trying to sell you on, "Get out, get out." But wait. There's more.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

VOICE: Lincoln, Lincoln believed that people had the right to share in the fruits of their own labor and that government should not take it, and we have clearly gotten to that point.

VOICE: Wait, did you know that ‑‑ did you know that the State of Lincoln gets $50 billion out of this stimulus? That's $50 billion for this state, sir.

VOICE: Ma'am. Ma'am, ma'am.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GLENN: I mean, I can't believe it. The only thing she could tie to Lincoln and the State of Illinois and the only reason she could do that is because it's on a license plate. I mean, this woman is amazing to me. "Did you know that it's not only you are eligible for this, but wait, there's more. Now how much would you pay for that Constitution?" It's really, truly incredible. I don't think we need to go all the way to the end of, "It's an anti‑CNN rally." No, it's not. There are a lot of good people there and unfortunately that are too many like this there that have absolute contempt for you, absolute contempt for what you believe, I believe contempt for the American dream as our founders saw it.