VIDEO: Swastikas smeared in beans found on Arizona state Capitol grounds

By GottaLaff

Vandalism like this isn't the answer, but it does provide a glimpse at what's in store when people-- and that's what they are, people-- feel persecuted, terrified, and pushed to the limit:



This country has a history of being driven by fear, anger, and hate, most recently, via BushCo's attempt to scare us into submission with their obsession with a war on a word (terrorism). Muslims became the enemy, even though only a fraction deserved the label "terrorist".

Now we have an African American in the White House. As a result, we also have hate-mongers and racists who are so terrified that their majority white comfort zone is being pulled out from under them that they attack anyone who is "different".

Dangerous armed militias are becoming more and more prevalent. Who will protect us from those nutcases? Pfft, it's much easier to target immigrants, make them the scapegoats. They don't "belong". They're "different". They must prove that they are American.

Now the "different" are starting to retaliate.

How about targeting illegal employers? How about writing constructive immigration laws that make sense rather than demanding birth certificates from anyone who strikes law enforcement as "illegal"?

Let's try to remember that we live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, not the land of the harassed and the home of the cowardly. Let's remember that E pluribus unum ("Out of many, one"), was once considered our de facto motto... not, "Where are your papers?"

Million-Fan Anti-Obama Page Doesn't Break Facebook Rules

By GottaLaff

On April 15, I posted screen grabs of a(nother) horrific Facebook page wishing very bad things upon our president.

Here is one of the shots:



Today on Twitter, I've had a number of people ask me why the page hasn't been taken down yet, especially in light of all the reporting it to the powers that be.

Now we have our answer:

Our Roll Call colleague Daniel Newhauser reports that an anti-Obama Facebook page doesn't violate the site's standards. So it will stay up -- and keep annoying people who are offended at the idea of praying for a death.

Some standards.

When I first posted, the number of "fans" was at about 73,000. Guess what it is now...

Go ahead, guess. I'll wait.

... ... ...


... ... ...



That's right, 1,064,757 "like this." And that's just on a Facebook page.

1,064,757 "like" hatred, death, and this:

David Skinner: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. --- Thomas Jefferson

VIDEO: Bill Clinton warns against violent anti-government attitude

By GottaLaff



More leaders like Bill Clinton need to keep talking about this, exposing it, and condemning it. Where are the Republicans?

Oh, wait. I know. Tacitly, and not so tacitly, encouraging it. How's that shooty killy thing workin' out for ya, Bumpits McCrosshairs?

Don't like taxes? Kill someone. President's too ethnic for ya? Threaten. Don't like gay Congress members? Shout slurs. There are so many "isolated incidents" now that it's an undeniable fact: It's a mad mad mad mad country.

The unhinged have been unleashed:

(CNN) – Former President Bill Clinton said he sees parallels in the mood of the country now and on April 19, 1995, when the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City killed 168 people while he was in the White House.

"There's the same kind of economic and social upheaval now," the former president told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview to air on Friday on "The Situation Room."

To see what Clinton had to say about Michele Bachmann, go here.

Another Twitter threat to Obama, Secret Service takes note

By GottaLaff

My Twitter pal IanDavidB called the Secret Service on this guy and they listened. The Boston office forwarded it to "The Internet Threat Desk", taking a particular interest in this tweet:


I took a screen grab of his page, just in case (click on image to enlarge, but first take a swig of something strong):


As you know, I continue to air this horrific stuff out, because I feel that ignoring it is allowing the miscreants way too much wiggle room. By exposing them, it allows the Secret Service to nail a few of them, and it calls them out for what they are: Racists, bigots, terrorists.

The level of hatred is unacceptable. The boldness with which some of these animals bear their fangs is downright scary. Whether they do it solely for attention, or because they are committed to their brand of toxic prejudicial sludge, it's out there and needs to stop.

And I repeat my demand for those in positions of leadership to stand up to them and condemn them publicly, on a daily basis, until we see this violently ugly trend ebb.

As President Clinton acknowledges:

“[L]egitimate” comparisons can be drawn between today's grassroots anger and resentment toward the government and the right-wing extremism that bubbled up prior to the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City 15 years ago.

Tea Baggers, take note. You wouldn't want another Oklahoma City on your resumes.

Facebook page wants "lord to take" President Obama the way He took Michael Jackson

By GottaLaff

I hate to do this, but here we go again. As of this writing, there are 73,086 fans on a Facebook page that shouldn't exist.

Over 73,000 people are endorsing a racist death wish aimed at our president.

And as always, the only way I know how to do my part is to expose this kind of filth, report it, shine light on it, and eventually, get it deleted. Yes, it will pop up elsewhere, but IMHO, ignoring it is not the answer.

Click on images to enlarge:


Here are the "fan photos". Some fans, huh?

Under "info", this is all that appears:

Basic Info

Location: Marysville, OH, 43040

Today is TeaBagger Tax Day, or as I like to call it, Scream Your Lungs Out While Sponging Off the Government Day. (follow the link) Similar images and sentiments have been provided by the TeaBaggers. That familiar, scary mob mentality is becoming more prevalent by the day, reports of violence and militia movements have increased, and overt expressions of hate have been directed at our Congress members.

This page is representative of that. My wish continues to be that those in positions of leadership will speak out as often as the loons, and eventually drown out their horrific message.

Of course, that may be asking too much, considering the money that's being pulled in on their behalf.

H/t: DarthSpacegrass

UPDATE: Reader Drew reminds us of this original story about Chris Christie, and how the above page was meant to be a response to it... which of course, is no justification whatsoever.

Gay student & developmentally disabled sent to fake prom

By GottaLaff

So many words come to mind after reading this: Cowards. Discrimination. Hate. Ignorance. Pain. Shame. Wrong. Segregation. Tears. Reprehensible. Deception. Sneaky. Bullies. And several others that are unprintable....

To avoid Constance McMillen bringing a female date to her prom, the teen was sent to a "fake prom" while the rest of her class partied at a secret location at an event organized by parents.

What must this be doing to Constance? I can't even imagine, even though I can actually relate somewhat, because I went through a lot of bullying when I was a teeny, skinny, shy teen. But she seems to be one strong kid, stronger than most:

McMillen tells The Advocate that a parent-organized prom happened behind her back — she and her date were sent to a Friday night event at a country club in Fulton, Miss., that attracted only five other students. Her school principal and teachers served as chaperones, but clearly there wasn't much to keep an eye on.

This next part will add to your current nausea:

Two students with learning difficulties were among the seven people at the country club event, McMillen recalls.

I work with special ed kids all the time. They are wonderful, sweet, and do nobody any harm. These are people, with feelings, who are being treated as if they have none, who are being looked on as less important, as something so offensive, so contemptible, that they have to be hidden away.

I can't imagine how "branded" these seven students must feel, and what an indelible imprint this has made, regardless of how courageous they may seem to us, or how big her smile is in that photo (go read the whole piece; Constance is an amazing, positive teen).

They hurt.

And I hurt for them.

H/t: BetseyB, Greg Ostravich

ObamaHate: The Health Care Years

By GottaLaff

BoingBoing has a slew of disgusting slogans and images of President Obama from various tee shirts, buttons, stickers, you name it. I'm posting some of them, but there are a lot more here.

The merchandise is from the period during which the beyond-heated health care debate took place.

Anyone who dares to claim that there is, and was, no racist slurs directed at the president should study the images below.

How in the world do we dial this toxicity back? It's essential that we do.

Here's an idea: How about a few in the GOP leadership give it a sincere effort? A few words from them could help some. Of course, there are a few Americans who are so filled with venom, nothing will help.

But one thing is certain: If those extremists who are teetering on the edge continue to be encouraged, if the worst of the Tea Baggers persist in inciting hatred and violence, it is nearly inevitable that something tragic will occur, and then it will be too late.

Click on image to enlarge:

VIDEO: Hate Obama? There's a sign for that. Plus, death threats for Congress members.

By GottaLaff



Rather than do several posts on the level of hate in this country these days, one will be enough. A veritable combo plate of vile spew and threatening words.

Have yourself a heaping pot of hostility stew (click on image to enlarge):

An anonymous conservative group has set up a website where, for $2,500 to $3,500, Obama haters can grab a billboard adorned with a cartoon image of Obama’s face and a vitriolic message.

How nice of them to share their "personal" feelings.

So far, the nameless head of the group says their Web site has received more than 1,800 hits and that contributions that go toward paying for the billboards.

Add a dash of death threats to the hostility stew:

U.S. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) says in the aftermath of passing health care reform, he and members of his staff have been getting death threats so serious, he has contacted the FBI.

“They’ve been very nasty," the 83-year-old congressman tells The Monroe Evening News.

Not sure I've ever heard of a death threat that isn't nasty. Hence, stir carefully.

And now, add an extra splash of extremist nutcase letters:

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is among state leaders across the country receiving threatening letters from an extremist group. [...]

As of Wednesday, more than 30 governors had received letters saying if they don't leave office within three days they will be removed, according to an internal intelligence note by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

Threats beget more threats. Threats beget violence. Violence begets more violence:

The FBI is warning police across the country that an anti-government group's call to remove governors from office could provoke violence by others.

Allowing to simmer for several days, weeks, or months calls for a warning: Do not bring to a boil.

That could end in a disaster.

AUDIO/PhotOh! Hatred is alive and well in America

By GottaLaff

I woke up today to so much unpleasantness, all I can do is try to expose it, air out the airwaves and the Internets, and take a deep cleansing breath to rid myself of the poison.

It started with the ramblings of Sarah Palin at the Big Mesa Rally. Feel free to follow the link, if you have the stomach for it.

But compared to what's coming up next, that was nothing.

Hold on to your hats, grab some Pepto Bismol, get ready to write letters of protest, and join me as I share with you what has become a nasty, toxic state of affairs in this country.

Lizz Winstead linked me to this. As she worded it, "the worst thing I've ever seen". Judge for yourself:


That comes from ProteinWisdom dot com. I refuse to link. Here's some of her text:

Oh I know I’m going to get called names on this. But I’m not going to play that game anymore. [...]

I expect this will also flush out the usual Stockholm-syndrome “conservatives” who wring their hands and say “oh you can’t say that! People will take offense!”

Heck, I want to shake them up.

Some of the comments under it include:

Comment by sdferr on 3/23 @ 2:06 am #

He’s already out telling people how much she enjoyed it.

Comment by Mr. W on 3/23 @ 6:08 am #

Did you ever see one of those movies where the girl gets assaulted by the guy, but when the guy comes back for more she is ready, and she beats him into oblivion?

Yeah, it’s gonna be like that for Barry.

Comment by happyfeet on 3/23 @ 8:45 am #

The Barack Obama is a very rapey little dude I think. You know you love it he says.

There were others that were not offensive, to be fair.

Next, Joeyess linked me to a post he did over at DKos. He wrote, in part:

Give a listen to this radio spot. KMBZ claims they are forced by the federal government to run this ad. [...]

Their line-up includes such conservative luminaries as Mark Levin, Glen Beck, Limbaugh and an assorted local group of similar wannabees. [...]

The FCC should be notified. As well as the FBI and ATF about this organization.

Here is the audio:



Go here for more contact information.

There are a lot of very scared white people out there. They are feeling threatened, victimized (thank you Glenn Beck, et al. for fanning those flames), and now we're seeing an extreme backlash.

We've been transitioning from a white, male, Christian society to a more diverse one for decades. Some of the most worried among the dwindling majority are using the not whites as scapegoats.

There have been death threats against Democratic Congress members. Sarah Palin is posting maps on Facebook with Democrats in the crosshairs, using phrases like "reload".

And, sadly, we have more and more examples, like the ones in this post, and this one, of some of the worst offenders.

It has to stop before something tragic occurs... rather, even more tragic.

Barney Frank: GOP "decided apparently that they benefit from virulence, hatred, disruption"

By GottaLaff

Earlier, there were disruptive shouts of "Kill the bill!" from a protester in the House gallery. How did the GOP respond? They applauded, cheering him on. Aren't they the perfect role models for our youth?

Barney Frank had a thing or two to say about that embarrassing display:

“You have dozens of Republicans standing and applauding and cheering on a guy who was disrupting the proceedings and resisting court officers. It’s really disgraceful.” [...]

"These clowns are out there encouraging a violation of the law. They’ve decided apparently that they benefit from virulence, hatred, disruption."

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), downplayed yesterday's Tea Tantrumers' racial and anti-gay slurs and their spitting on African American lawmakers.

Another fine American.

Barney Frank was none too thrilled with him, either:

“Any movement in which Steve King and Michele Bachmann are among the leaders is probably not going to meet high standards for civility or coherence,” Frank said.

VIDEO: Dylan Ratigan throws racist teabagger off his show

By GottaLaff



I referred to this in my previous post on the rise in hate groups ("There's a great deal of overlap between the Tea Party movement and militias.") over the past year.

Now here's the video of Ratigan cutting the mic of a racist Tea Bagger.

VIDEO- Hate groups at record levels + Dylan Ratigan cuts Tea Partier's mic

By GottaLaff



UPDATE: VIDEO OF RATIGAN CUTTING TEABAGGER'S MIC HERE.

Dylan Ratigan is discussing a rise in "Anger in America". Just jotting down random notes:

The election of the first black man in the White House who of course, wants to put us all in concentration camps, has something to do with it. Fear mongering, hate groups, are on the upswing.

Tea Tantrumer Mark Someone-or-other won't respond to Dylan's question. Dylan keeps pushing hard, but gets nowhere, and is getting really annoyed.

Oh wow, Dylan just cut his mic, said he was offensive because he just came on the show to spread his hate!

I'll try to get the video later. I got a phone call while writing up the post and missed a minute or two.

Meantime, via the Southern Poverty Law Center:

Today, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released its annual “Year in Hate and Extremism” report. The number of extremist groups in the United States exploded in 2009 as broad-based populist anger at political, demographic and economic changes in America ignited an explosion of new extremist groups and activism across the nation.

Watch the video. "There's a great deal of overlap between the Tea Party movement and militias." Scary.

Unspeakable

By GottaLaff

UPDATE, GOOD NEWS: Looks like since I started writing this post and reported them, it's been taken down by Facebook.

Screen Grab, reluctantly. I am only posting this because it will disappear, and I must preserve a record of it. I'll drop the image down to the bottom of the post. Do not scroll down if you are offended by disgusting, hate-filled, racist, altered images of our president.

And yes, I reported them.

Previous posts about this group here.

The small print:

Added by Adolf Haitier
to the group "Fuck The Haiti Earthquake"

Comments: (Check out the last one... some things are NOT funny)

3 people like this.

Josh TheKoolkid

ur my hero :D

Yesterday at 4:41pm · Report

Nicolas Chevallier

joshh ur gayy men !!

4 hours ago · Report

Adolf Haitier

lol you guys think its offensive i voted for obama its just a parody learn to laugh

23 minutes ago · Report

H/t: EileenLeft

Shocking VIDEO: Hate In Jerusalem on Eve of Obama's Cairo Address

By GottaLaff

Warning: this video contains profanity and material offensive to just about anyone.



This video is awful beyond words.

Max Blumenthal writes: On the eve of President Barack Obama’s address to the Muslim world from Cairo, Egypt, I stepped out onto the streets of Jerusalem with my friend Joseph Dana to interview young Israelis and American Jews about their reaction to the speech. We encountered rowdy groups of beer sodden twenty-somethings, many from the United States, and all eager to vent their visceral, even violent hatred of Barack Obama and his policies towards Israel. Usually I offer a brief commentary on my video reports, but this one requires no comment at all. Quite simply, it contains some of the most shocking footage I have ever filmed.

As Keith Olbermann would say, WTF?

H/t: My Twitter buddy lwdgrfx

Sarah Palin blamed by the US Secret Service over death threats against Barack Obama

No one could have predicted, huh? I hope she's made to wear this shame every day of her life.

The Republican vice presidential candidate attracted criticism for accusing Mr Obama of "palling around with terrorists", citing his association with the sixties radical William Ayers.

The attacks provoked a near lynch mob atmosphere at her rallies, with supporters yelling "terrorist" and "kill him" until the McCain campaign ordered her to tone down the rhetoric.

But it has now emerged that her demagogic tone may have unintentionally encouraged white supremacists to go even further.

The Secret Service warned the Obama family in mid October that they had seen a dramatic increase in the number of threats against the Democratic candidate, coinciding with Mrs Palin's attacks.

Michelle Obama, the future First Lady, was so upset that she turned to her friend and campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett and said: "Why would they try to make people hate us?"

VIDEO: 10 seconds that sums up Gramm-pa McCain's Campaign-O'-Hate

By GottaLaff



Gramm-pa McCain says, right out loud, that he is proud of a mailer that connects Obama with terrorists. Way to tamp down the hate speech, Grammps.

H/t: Reality Chex

CNN's Ed Henry Hit with Gum at Gramm-pa McCain Rally

By GottaLaff

Ed Henry is one of the more visible members of CNN's TBPNTOTV!!! in my Sunday posts. I snark at them relentlessly, but I don't think any one of them deserves this:

As Republican congressional candidate Keith Fimian warmed up the crowd at an afternoon rally with Sen. John McCain, CNN's Ed Henry was co-anchoring his network's weekend political coverage live from the press risers. Fimian was speaking about his personal accomplishments as Henry quizzed Bill Schneider, who was standing at another camera position at the rally.

A woman towards the back of the crowd angrily turned back and started yelling at Henry, asking him to stop talking during Fimian's speech. The woman grew so angry that she threw a pack of Dentyne Ice gum at Henry, which hit his back as he wrapped up his conversation with Schneider.

Henry finished his live shot and turned in the direction of the woman, who gave him the cut sign across her throat. Henry turned back, bent over to pick up the pack of gum, shrugged and shook his head as he tossed it to his producer.

Her anger might have had something to do with another unfortunate bit of timing -- an earlier live shot of Henry's had started just as the crowd of thousands began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

It's way, way past time for Gramm-pa McCain to rein in his reptilian little gangsters. Between the hate speech and the violence, he and his Merry Band-O'-Thugs are well on their way to leaving a legacy of nothing but offensive behavior and brutality.

Grammps' reputation has already suffered immensely. He should have publicly put an end to these reprehensible acts, and has been called on to do so.

But he hasn't, and he won't. The P.O.W. powerhouse he so incessantly forces on us and so lovingly crafted is disintegrating. He's stuck with a quickly-(d)evolving loathsome image of his own making.

VIDEO: Man Arrested for Mowing Down Bicyclist While Screaming Racial Slurs

By GottaLaff

You'll need a strong stomach for this one:

‘All Black People Should Die’: Man Mows Down Bicyclist While Screaming Racial Slurs

A driver is accused of intentionally running down and hitting a woman with his car because she is black and then yelling "all black people should die" and other racial slurs at the injured woman, police said. [...]

Cosby admitted to hitting Cato on purpose with his car and then calling her the n-word repeatedly after breaking her leg, police said.Witnesses said Cosby screamed, "These black people need to die. Help me kill them. I saw her on the bike and went to take her out." [...]

"I don't have hate in my heart," Cato said. "I just wish he didn't hate me." [...]

Cosby faces charges of aggravated battery and simple battery.

This is one more very good reason why it is imperative that the Palin/McCain campaign keep their "wonderful" supporters', as well as their own, big mouths civil, and encourage mutual respect. But no, winning is more important. Country Campaign first.

H/t: Alison

Beat the press

By GottaLaff

If you incite hatred, you get hatred... and violence:

But this one, from a reporter working on a piece for the Greensboro News-Record, stands out. He writes that he wandered to the back of a Palin event to talk to some protesters:

I sidled up to one of the Obama supporters and asked why they were there, what they were trying to accomplish.

As he was telling me a large, bearded man in full McCain-Palin campaign regalia got in his face to yell at him.

“Hey, hey,” I said. “I’m trying to interview him. Just a minute, okay?”

The man began to say something about how of course I was interviewing the Obama people when suddenly, from behind us, the sound of a pro-Obama rap song came blaring out of the windows of a dorm building. We all turned our heads to see Obama signs in the windows.

This was met with curses, screams and chants of “U.S.A” by McCain-Palin folks who crowded under the windows trying to drown it out and yell at the person playing the stereo.

It was a moment of levity in an otherwise very tense situation and so I let out a gentle chuckle and shook my head.

“Oh, you think that’s funny?!” the large bearded man said. His face was turning red. “Yeah, that’s real funny…” he said.

And then he kicked the back of my leg, buckling my right knee and sending me sprawling onto the ground.

Compare that to the calm, reasoned, peaceful attitude of the Obama campaign. A vote for Gramm-pa McCain is a vote for negativity: Negative attitudes, negative economic numbers, negative everything. Obama is his polar opposite.

Palin Supporter On Obama (Again): "Kill Him"

Yeah, and the exact same things are happening at Obama rallies according to good Ole Johnny Mc. Each instance needs to be documented and investigated. Via TPM-

Multiple TPM Readers are flagging this blood-curdling moment at a Sarah Palin rally in Pennsylvania today, courtesy of the Times-Tribune:

Chris Hackett addressed the increasingly feisty crowd as they await the arrival of Gov. Palin.

Each time the Republican candidate for the seat in the 10th Congressional District mentioned Barack Obama the crowd booed loudly.

One man screamed "kill him!"

No word on whether Hackett, who was -- ahem -- warming up the crowd for Palin, suggested that this isn't really considered acceptable political rhetoric.