VIDEO: Crayola Thanks the Tea Partiers

By GottaLaff

Crayola Thanks the Tea Partiers - watch more funny videos

Our pals over at the Full Ginsburg did it again. Snarkalicious.

Perry Warns Tea Partiers to Watch Their Backs on Tax Day

By GottaLaff

(via)

In addition to warning Tea Baggers to watch their backs around Evil Libruls, Rick Perry is also suggesting that it's our side, not his, that is "infiltrating" with racist signs.

Has he been under a rock for the past year? And if he really thought about it, he'd realize he just credited Democrats for being organized. Silly Ricky:

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Gov. Rick Perry is telling tea party organizers across Texas to watch their backs for liberals who wish to do them harm.

In an invitation-only conference call, Perry urged those participating in Thursday's tax day rallies to "continue looking over your shoulder."

Speaking of doing people harm, I guess Ricky GoodHair missed this violent run-in with Rep. Steve King (Not Liberal-IA), the gun-totin' not-liberal hatriots, the Weapons Stockpiler, the Springboro Tea Bagger, the Searchlighters who sold Obama mementos adorned with bullet holes, ad nauseam.

In addition to all of the above, dirty lefty hippies are peaceniks. He must have forgotten that, too.

H/t: I forgot, but thank you!

PhotOh! Tea Bagger signs from Tupelo, Mississippi

By GottaLaff

Let's take a peek at the Tea Tantrumers at Fairpark in Tupelo, Mississiissississippippippi, courtesy of my Twitter pal JenciTN.

Fairpark is a new development that includes the City Hall and a collection of shops and condos.

The crowd of about 500 (the estimate at the time she attended) brought lawn chairs, tents set up for many of the candidates who are running for office, and was chock full-o'-vendors selling buttons and shirts.

Jenci wandered around for about an hour taking pictures and was kind enough to share them with us.

There were three large tour buses "wrapped with the Teaparty Express stuff". Jenci left shortly after the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem.

Here are her snaps (click on images to enlarge):

This is my fave:


The very special and always popular Obama swastika sign:


Yet one more lovely, kid-friendly, yet oh-so-fashionable Obama tee:


Introducing the slavery theme again, the Tea Tantrumers don't play the race card at all, nope:


And finally, this one was from he front page of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal:


Another day, another batch-o'-memories.

H/t: Jenci

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.

"I've never seen any racial slurs," said the Tea Bagger holding the racial slur sign

By GottaLaff

Dale Robertson, a Tea Party activist who operates TeaParty.org, is getting stung for an old photo — taken at the Feb. 27, 2009 Tea Party in Houston — in which he holds a sign reading “Congress = Slaveowner, Taxpayer = Niggar.”

Dale Robertson has never seen any racial slurs? Really? Mayhaps someone handed him his sign while he was blindfolded, then made him promise not to look?

"These people could be anybody. I wouldn't put it past the Democrats to plant somebody there. They're trying to label the tea party, but I've never seen any racial slurs."

-- Dale Robertson, self-proclaimed founder of the Tea Party, quoted by the Washington Times.

Don't these people understand the concept of image reproduction? And hypocrisy?

Ever?

Not even a teensy weensie little bit?

PhotOh! Billboards of hate against President Obama

By GottaLaff

My pal John over at the Daily Beast sent me a link to what freedom of speech means to some people via a post by John Avlon.

I'm including samples of the handiwork, but please go here for the rest:

As the leaked GOP PowerPoint prompts outrage, its scare tactics are field-tested on America's highways. John Avlon—author of Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe Is Hijacking America, [...] on the grassroots campaign to poison the president.

[T]ake a tour of just one dozen examples of what happens when Obama Derangement Syndrome imposes itself on roadside America. Warning: Wingnuttery Ahead.

This classic from on U.S. 63 near West Plains, Missouri.

This sign appeared in Henderson, North Carolina—the hometown of PBS’ Charlie Rose—until public outcry led the owner to take it down in October ’08. Obama won the state.

Wheat Ridge, Colorado

[This] appears to have been endorsed by the Lafayette County Republican Central Committee—cause nothing says patriotism like overturning democratic elections with an armed insurrection.

Snowbaggers?

By GottaLaff

A display of snowmen was set up to send a message to Michigan lawmakers. (Photos by Dawson Bell/Detroit Free Press)

First things first: Who knew snowmen could write, let alone make signs that say "Raise New Taxes? When Hell Freezes Over!"? Or that they had such a lame sense of humor?

Or that snowmen were overtaxed?

And where are the snowwomen? Why are they all white? Where's the diversity?

Are they getting compensated for their efforts? Do I detect a scandal brewing?

And they may want to rethink that whole death tax thing, since their cold little life spans are so short.

The display was the work of a mid-Michigan group called Common Sense in Government that is affiliated with the Tea Party movement.

This group might want to reconsider using the words "common sense" when their best idea is to go to all the time and effort to build a bunch of snowmen with signs to make their point... only to see them melt symbolically away.

H/t: Zaxxon23

Atlanta Anti-Abortion Billboards: Black Children Are An "Endangered Species"

By GottaLaff

"It's ingenious"? Really? That's not the word that comes to mind when I look at that billboard:

The reaction from black leaders has been mixed, but the "Too Many Aborted" campaign, which so far is unique to only Georgia, is drawing support from other anti-abortion groups across the country.

"It's ingenious," said the Rev. Johnny Hunter, national director of the Life Education and Resource Network, a North Carolina-based anti-abortion group aimed at African-Americans that operates in 27 states. "This campaign is in your face, and nobody can ignore it."

These zealots are outright discriminatory. You can't get much more blatant than this:

The effort is sponsored by Georgia Right to Life, which also is pushing legislation that aims to ban abortions based on race.

So white abortions pass muster? How about Latina ones? Or Asian? What other things might they ban based on race?

Will they encourage more births based on race, too?

"The language in the billboard is using messages of fear and shame to target women of color," said Leola Reis, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Georgia. [...]

In 2008, Issues4Life, a California-based group working to end abortion in the black community, lobbied Congress to stop funding Planned Parenthood, calling black abortions "the Darfur of America."

Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler said a race-based strategy for anti-abortion activists has gotten a fresh zeal, especially in the wake of the historic election of the country's first black president, Barack Obama, who supports abortion rights.

"Fresh zeal". Somehow that sounds especially crass, doesn't it? "Fresh zeal". How nice for them that they're so energized. So... zealous.

The next time some conservative insists that there's nothing race-based in their condemnation of all things Obama, please feel free to share this post with them.

"To use racist arguments to try to bait black people to get them to be anti-abortion is just disgusting," said Guy-Sheftall, who teaches women's history and feminist thought at the historically black women's college.

Maybe we should ban anti-choice groups by race. And age. And height. And weight. And gender. And everything.

H/t: Ellen

PhotoOh! The Other "Miss Me Yet?" Billboard

By GottaLaff

I assume you're all familiar with this billboard by now:



Now there are spoofs! Lots and lots of spoofs! 9 more here. This was my favorite:

Reinventing theTea Partiers: No more Obama as Hitler, Joker signs

By GottaLaff

Wearing wigs and three-cornered hats, Bill O'Connor and Ruger Rusnak share a quiet word at the national Tea Party convention in Nashville on Friday.
(Stephen Crowley, The New York Times )

Yeah, they wouldn't want to look, you know, crazy:

But at the inaugural National Tea Party Convention here this weekend, gone were the placards that protesters carried last year with Mr. Obama’s face wearing a Hitler mustache or superimposed on the Joker. Gone, really, were any placards, unless you count the poster of Sarah Palin in her signature red jacket that hung from one of the wrought-iron balconies of the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.

Organizers said that anyone “looking too crazy” would have been tossed out. They had a goal that turned out to be shared by pretty much everyone here: to turn the Tea Party into a serious political force, rather than the angry fringe group they say it had been branded as.

"They say it had been branded as." Had been branded? When a group of so-called revolutionaries dress up like loons, carry hostile, hateful signs, lie, fear-monger, and scream their way through town hall meetings, they kinda invited that whole "branding" thing.

Poor them. They've been unfairly branded.

Angry fringe is exactly what they are. It's a little late to shake off that label, although it's just swell of them to try to tone it down. Good for them! Wow. Putting that toothpaste back in the tube. Magic!

In fact, you can see how successful they were at that if you watched Palin's "serious political" speech last night. Not angry fringe-y at all. No, she's her usual knowledgeable, rational self, full of constructive ideas, compassionate, wise, and not at all snide or nasty. In fact, CliffNotes McTelePalmer was as well-prepared as she's always been.

Nope, the Tea Tantrumers don't look "too crazy" any more. They've completely reinvented themselves.

Tea Bagger Photoshops his "N Word" sign on website

By GottaLaff

Typical of the Tea Baggers. Remember this?


Whaddya know. The Big Brave Illiterate TeaBagger went all limp on himself and dicked around with his own sign on his own website (photo at link).

Take a look at his lame attempt at a whitewash. Cowardice: One more pathetic trait of the party that wants to take over America.

H/t: Markos

Sarah the Banner

By GottaLaff

A couple of friends and fellow bloggers, Gryphen and Shannyn Moore, have been banned by Ms. Democracy in Action! Ms. Everyone Picks On Me! Ms. Mavericky! Ms. Vogue Rogue.

Ms. Guided:

My first hint that something may be wrong down in Who-ville was when I was asked for my ID, not once, but twice. Then as Dennis and I were about to sign in, and the lady behind the desk took our picture with a little digital camera! WTF? I have never had anybody do that before at any other event that I attended as a media representative. I wondered why there was such tight security, unaware that my question was only seconds from being answered. [...]

I turned around and came face to face with a local police officer who quickly apologized and then informed me that I was on the "banned list". [...]

Outside Dennis joined me and told me that he had learned that both he and I were on the banned list, along with Shannyn Moore, and that they even had pictures of us to reference for quick identification.

Another reporter headed toward the entrance overheard us and asked us if there were REALLY a "banned list". "Yes there is, and we are on it" was our reply. "I have never heard of that!" she said. Welcome to Sarah Palin's Wasilla.

You've got to read the whole story. It verifies what we already know: Sarah Palin is not interested in anyone but herself, has no regard whatsoever for her fellow Americans, doesn't understand the meaning of the word "freedom", is threatened by anyone who might disagree with her, is an unethical joke of a.. a... whatever she is, and excels only at quitting.

I would be honored to be kicked out of any Barbie McEvent. It's one of the most legitimate ways I can think of to prove one's worth.

Billboard: Prepare for war... against our government

By GottaLaff

Via Think Progress:

This billboard replaces one that warned that the socialist “Obama-Nation” is “coming for you.” It’s unclear who the owner of the billboard is, but the first one was the work of a “Missouri businessman.” (HT: Oliver Willis)

Sometimes free speech gets under my skin. I've ranted about this subject so often I've temporarily run out of rant.

Your turn.

Georgia restaurant sign: "Obama's plan for health-care: N****r rig it."

By GottaLaff

The owner of a restaurant in Georgia says he's merely against what he calls a "sub standard healthcare plan," that he stands by his president, and is simply exercising his First Amendment rights.

I call it something else:

When you walk into the Georgia Peach Oyster Bar in Paulding County, you feel like you've walked into a different era.

Behind the pool tables stands a mannequin in a Klu Klux Klan costume, but it's what's outside of the Patrick Lanzo's restaurant that has some people angry.

Lanzo put up a sign that reads "Obama's plan for health-care: N*&%*r rig it."

See? Not racist at all. It's just opinion, just self-expression, just....

.... despicable.

“Why did you use the N word?” Marsh asked.

“Well, I’ve used it most of my life. There are different ways to put your opinion up, but that's just the words I choose,” Lanzo answered.

Pshyeah! It only stands to reason that if you use racist language long enough, it becomes acceptable. What were we all thinking?

Despite the sign, Lanzo said he's not a racist.

Of course he isn't. Silly us. By the way, both black and white people in the area want the sign down.

“I stand by my president, but I also stand by my First Amendment right to criticize him if I feel he’s wrong,” Lanzo said.

Here's what the West Metro NAACP had to say:

"This latest ploy for attention by Mr. Lanzo is not surprising. What is of concern however, is the total lack of leadership and action from the elected officials of Paulding County, who repeatedly have allowed this type of toxic public display."

This reminds me of unsuitable parents who don't discipline their unruly children, and then everyone wonders over the years how the kids got that way. Unacceptable behavior has to start somewhere, and subsequently be tacitly or overtly encouraged for it to persist.

This guy needs a time out and some extended grounding... badly.

Video here.

Holder of this sign being investigated: "Death to Obama. Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids.”

By GottaLaff

What an utterly sickening excuse for a person. Investigate, incarcerate, throw away the key:

The Secret Service is investigating a man who authorities said held a sign reading "Death to Obama" outside a [Sen. Ben Cardin] town hall meeting on health-care reform in western Maryland.

The sign also read, "Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids," referring to the first name of President Barack Obama's wife, said Washington County Sheriff's Capt. Peter Lazich.

These disturbing incidents seem to be multiplying by the day. And we're worried about a swine flu epidemic?

Photo: Get over it

By GottaLaff

Clear?

H/t: Charyl on Twitter

VIDEO: "Abort Obama, Not the Unborn" sign "not a threat"

By GottaLaff

Um, illegal or not, maybe he could have worded it differently?

The police officers who stopped Oklahoma City motorist Chip Harrison and confiscated a sign from his car told him he has a right to his beliefs, but the Secret Service "could construe this as a threat against President Obama," according to the incident report released this morning.

The sign, which read "Abort Obama Not the Unborn," was returned to Harrison later that day, the report said.

Police spokesman said this morning that the sign was taken in error, and Oklahoma City residents should not be worried that their First Amendment rights will be violated.

Good call, bad taste.

RNC: Fear trumps integrity

By GottaLaff

Via Ambinder, an e-mail from one of his readers:

Anyway, we got the Ayers robocall on our voicemail in Colorado yesterday. I saved it for my wife. She was aghast (we moved from Chicago since the previous election). I was more bemused than anything.

My question: Do these things work? I would suspect that they rile up the opposition supporters as much as anything, especially in an information-saturated environment like the current one.

(And as purely anecdotal evidence to convince you to move Colorado to lean Obama, my bus ride home takes me from an up-and-coming trendy part of Denver, through several very wealthy neighborhoods, to a more middle class suburb-in-a-city neighborhood on the south edge of the city. As of yesterday, the sign count was 17 Obama houses and 3 McCain houses.)

And Ambinder responds:

Put it this way: I know some RNC staff members who aren't proud that their committee is being associated with calls, but fear has prevailed upon their bosses.

They're scared, they're cowardly, and they're unscrupulous. And they've made their choice. Now it's time for America to make theirs. I'm more and more hopeful that they'll make the right one.

Texas Students Punished for Dorm-Room Obama Signs

By GottaLaff

I've been trying like crazy to post about the NSA's eavesdropping on Americans' pillow talk, but the video won't load. Now we have freedom of speech being crushed... again:

The University of Texas has barred two students from registering for spring classes after they refused to take down political signs from their dormitory window.

Connor Kincaid and his cousin and roommate, Blake Kincaid, said they were told by a UT staff member during an administrative hearing Wednesday to take down their signs supporting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

''This is an important free speech issue,'' said Connor Kincaid, a 20-year-old junior who claimed during the administrative hearing that he saw a sign supporting Republican candidate John McCain in the window of another dorm.

The university says their policy of no sign posting in dorm windows is designed to avoid the appearance of their support for any candidate.

University Democrats and Republicans are working together to fight rules they say are unconstitutional. They said they were encouraging students across campus to put signs in their dorm windows as a form of protest to force the university to hold thousands of hearings.

Meanwhile, it's the Obama supporter who suffers the consequences of this rule. Big surprise.

UPDATE, via Eve (who lives in Texas):

UT suspends ban on signs in dorm windows

By Patrick George | Thursday, October 9, 2008, 12:12 PM

University of Texas officials announced this morning that they are suspending a rule that prohibits displaying signs in dorm room windows.

Two cousins were involved in a battle with UT officials because they displayed Obama campaign signs in their windows. The rule against displaying signs of any sort was widely criticized by students, as well as University Democrats and College Republicans.

Jeff Graves, associate vice president for legal affairs at UT, said that rule was suspended this morning and the university will convene a committee of students and staff to review it. Until then, students are free to display whatever signs they want in their windows, he said.

Thanks, Evers!