Posted on 07/10/2009 9:53:00 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
Yesterday, theHalfrican posted a link to the Free Republic Website where several of its regular members were bashing Malia Obama for wearing a peace symbol t-shirt. The thread had several derogotary, racist, and sexual remarks about Malia. It also included a picture of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that was accompanied with a racist caption.
I wrote the media contact at Free Republic yesterday, kristinn@bellatlantic.net, questioning the nature of the posters and the site:
Hello. I am an independent writer developing a book about the grassroots conservative movement online, of which your site, Free Republic, is included as a primary online gathering place for conservatives.
Could you please tell me how the owner of the site feels about posts like this one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/...
...in which conservatives who post regularly at the site make several racist statements about the 11-year-old daughter of President Obama for wearing a t-shirt adorned with a peace symbol? Remarks included the following:
"We’re being represented by a family of ghetto trash." "Looks like a bunch of ghetto thugs. A stain on America."
"Looks like a typical street whore."
"What we now are sending the ghetto over to represent us. and if so who the hell is that flea bag who looks to be dragged from the trash dumpster."
"you could go down any ghetto right now and see exactly the same."
"could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there"
"the world must be laughing like mad right now at that we have this kind of street trash in our white house."
"Wonder when she will have her first abortion."
"sad isn’t it that we now have ghetto street trash over there representing us in Europe."
"This disgusting display makes me more and more eager for the revolution.
"They make me sick.... The whole family... mammy, pappy, the free loadin’ mammy-in-law, the misguided chillin’, and especially ‘lil cuz... This is not the America I want representin’ my peeps."
In addition, the thread includes a picture of Michelle Obama speaking to her daughter with the caption, "To Entertain Her Daughter, Michelle Obama Likes to Make Monkey Sounds."
Before you dismiss this as only a minority of posters at the site, out of 100 posts on that thread I found only 1 that criticized such remarks. This is not the first time I have seen such an exhibition of blatant racism at Free Republic by members who regularly post there.
Here are my questions:
Does Free Republic condone this type of exercise in free speech?
Are these the type of participants Free Republic is happy to have posting at its site?
What is Free Republic's policy about posting racially offensive comments?
What is Free Republic's policy about making sexual insinuations about minors (particularly relevant in light of the David Letterman/Sarah Palin brouhaha)?
Does Free Republic believe its membership accurately represents the conservative movement?
Does the owner of Free Republic believe this kind of discourse is helpful to rebuilding the Republican Party and furthering its goals?
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your responses.
went back to the site today and saw that the offending thread has been pulled "pending review."
http://www.freerepublic.com/...
I do note that Free Republic has a disclaimer on the first page that claims it does not condone this type of post; however, I am not sure when the disclaimer was added. Does anyone know?
From the disclaimer:
Opinions expressed on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Free Republic or its operators.
Please enjoy our forum, but also please remember to use common courtesy when posting and refrain from posting personal attacks, profanity, vulgarity, threats, racial or religious bigotry, or any other materials offensive or otherwise inappropriate for a conservative family audience.
Free Republic is a site dedicated to the concerns of traditional grassroots conservative activists. We're here to discuss and advance our conservative causes in a more or less liberal-free environment. We're not here to debate liberals. We do not want our pages filled with their arrogant, obnoxious, repugnant bile. Liberals, usurpers, and other assorted malcontents are considered unwelcome trolls on FR and their accounts and or posts will be summarily dismissed at the convenience of the site administrators.
Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government.
So, the site will readily delete posts from liberals just because they are liberals and therefore everything they say is automatically considered "arrogant, obnoxious, repugant bile."
But comments calling an 11-year-old black girl "ghetto trash" and a "whore" are pulled "pending review." What is to review? Your site either supports that kind of rhetoric or it does not. Which is it?
If the Free Republic's "conservative family audience" consists of people who say such things as they often do (like yesterday), how conservative are they? And how family-oriented are they? Where were all the posts from other Free Republic regulars or from the owner of the site decrying this kind of racism directed at a child for no apparent reason than the fact that a peace symbol t-shirt inflamed their hatred to disgusting depths, like a red handkerchief in front of a mad bull?
Conservatives continually reinforce the fact that the only families they care about are conservative ones; the only troops they support are ones that do not vote democratic; the only children whose lives they value are the children of conservatives or unborn. How many of those aborted fetuses they claim to hold so dear would they trash had they been born and grown into a pre-teen who wore a t-shirt with a peace symbol or supported a liberal president? Or was gay?
The truth is that conservatives do not know the meaning of Jesus' words despite how much they love to use them when it suits their inner hatred of all those who are different. Worse, they lack basic human decency, as they demonstrate time and again.
I know you get it, I want to know if ohioWfan gets it yet?
:P
I didn't see a response on this and considering it's about 600 post thread, I can see why. There was one thread I wasn't comfortable with, another guy and I mentioned we didn't appreciate their vernacular (his word, not mine) and I had already hit abuse and i'm sure he did too and it was pulled within a few minutes. Keep in mind, it wasn't what I'd call "racist" per se, just not quite right somehow. Point being, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, hit abuse (just don't do it every couple minutes, I've seen the mods get upset at people for that!)
I agree with the people here, let the trash speak ill of Sarah Palin and her family if they feel the need, I wouldn't do to anyone what those horrid people have done to her. But she does a great job of defending her children, I'm quite proud of her. She is a great representative of the Conservative Party. A great example to us all.
It's a different day folks, stuff has changed.
So you think it's okay for the libs to go after Sarah's kids? Or you think it's okay to go after zero's kids because "they" went after Sarah's kids. I'll say one thing about the Obama's, they have more class than their followers. I've not heard them say anything bad about Sarah Palin or her kids.
Wow! Interesting picture on your home page.
The enemy is Obama. Going after his daughters is small ball and a waste of time. It may make you feel like you are "standing tall" but you are accomplishing nothing and behaving like a loser.
I'd rather fight the real fight than to feel like I'm cool because I say bad words about 11 year old girls on the internet. I don't have the need to feel important or to get attention the way you two obviously do.
So feel free to do whatever you want to do. But I won't be belittled into doing things that I believe are morally wrong.
That's the essence of character and conviction.
Maybe some day you'll understand what those two words mean.
I decided to take a little trip over to KOS, DU and a few other lib sites.
I did that once at DU. Just looked around. They were screaming about entitlements they would lose if a bill did not go through. They said get on the phone, make this pass or we lose. I did not post and did not go back. I realized they were the true supporters of obama.
By far KOS is the stupidest bunch of liberals on any site. They are the rabid whackjob moonbats that would stand up for their Messiah even if he single handedly wiped out the people of any city in America. They are so drunk with blind adoration, it's sickening.
Because they like his agenda. They want wealth redistribution. They want free healthcare. They believe they are the exception and will not get tax increases. They don't want to worry about getting loans if they cannot afford them. They don't want to worry about putting gas in their car or paying their mortgage. They want others to pay for their irresponsibility. They believe they should get what others have but not work for it. Listen to them and then to obama. They are the same. Work the system. Get all you can.
LOSERS over there, all of them.
Losers generally need help and handouts because they refuse to work hard like everyone else and be responsible. They are the ones we are paying for now in this crisis but it is not enough. They want more. Government & you people owe them.
They know full well that thread was not about race, or kids, it was about what is APPROPRIATE!!
I didn't see the thread but I did read the UK arrticle on the nuclear disarmament society tshirt obamas daughter was wearing. I thought it was a Hippie era Peace, Love tee. I thought about Quinns article that Palin used her children and here we have Obama using his daughter for something so radical and unnerving for those of us who feel disarmament puts us in harms way. If his children are to remain not a part of public scrutiny then he better keep them out of his personal political agenda.
The ones that blamed her parents for letting her dress like that.
I thought, sans the political disarmament tee, she looked adorable. It is scary dealing with these terrorist countries and I bet they had a good laugh. Remember in some terrorist countries they sell their children for suicide bombings and the children are taught early to hate America and use weapons. Isn't Obama using his daughter as a billboard for his agenda and possibly putting her in harms way? Personally I would keep my children totally out of the public eye as much as possible. No one messes with my kids.
The ones that questioned why we are paying for the kids, grandma, cousins, friends, to go on these trips. There is no need whatsoever for MO to drag half her family on every single trip that the president has to go on.
Stephanopoulos said everytime Bill Clinton was in trouble he would pull together as many people as he could and travel. Remember the Africa trip? Obama has unlimited travel now at taxpayers expense. One article said obama is like a college kid handed a no limit credit card.
I also wondered how many foreign trips Obama paid for himself and took his family before his windfall taxpayers account?
And I wondered why Palin was forced to pay back $10,000.00 for taking her family with her and here we have obama taking the family and anyone else he desires during really hard times for millions of Americans and corporations? Do governors not have the same rules as Obama?
Supposedly the mother in law moved into the WH(at our expense I might add) so that she could watch the kids while they traveled on business, etc. That is BS because every single thing they do, every single place they go they drag the kids, grandma, cousins, friends. Anyone they feel like bringing and that is disgusting. They are hypocrites. Telling Americans to cut back, give up some of our pie so others can have a little more, well now we know who the *others* were.... THEMSELVES and the polls show people are finally *getting it*.
I agree. We did not elect Michelle or her mother and we should not have to pay for their travel and as obama sells out America on each trip. We pay for obamas family and we pay for obamas global handouts each trip. Obama only knows how to work the system. The system of welfare and entitlements but on the grandest scale ever now.
Did you see what we pay for yearly so Michelle can be involved in Obama's decisions?
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12652
Michelle's chief of staff even told axelrod when I call you need to get back to me immediately. Michelles aide sits in on obamas daily and weekly policy meetings and reports back to Michelle. Michelle is also down as administration on the white house website. With Jill Biden there too. I had no idea they were appointed or elected, did you?
The Wagu Beef, flying in Pizza chefs from Chicago, the AF1 ride that terrified half of NY, parties for friends every Wednesday night, the date night trip to NY, the Valentines Day date night to Chicago, and I could go on and on. Why don't you tally up those numbers and get back to me. Don't forget the planes, the SS, the local LEO's, etc.
Plus The Luau where no media or bloggers invited were allowed to tweet or report outside the event if they attended. Paid for by taxpayers. when tony hawk skate boarded through the halls of the white house he had to get his tweets okayed by obama.
Michelle Obama's 2 plus million cost to speak at the UC? Her million for travel and 1.2 million costs to the UC. And a article from some professors in san diego to shut down a couple of UC's so they don't get a 8% pay cut just makes the indulgence of Michelle Obama's 2 million dollar speech all the more outrageous.
As long as the obamas are entertaining colleagues, constituents or foreign leaders, their costs are paid for by taxpayers. Once they have a sit down dinner with family, they pay. Get the picture here?
We are also paying for non stop 24/7 photo ops of obama like talking to someone at his office door, his feet on the desk talking on the phone. THOSE pictures will be used in his upcoming book he has already been paid half a mil for. Obama working the system.
Buying and flaunting VBH clutches that cost 1650. and 5595.00. Then when exposed the WH issues a statement and LIES and says it was a cheaper one, only 875.00. They LIED!! Blatantly lied. It is the 5995. ALLIGATOR one. VBH knows the WH lied. Lanvin sneakers at 600. a pop, hell she gets them in every color.
I do not think she pays for one thing. Once again Obamas know how to work the system and just like nancy reagan did the designers loan or give the first lady items for free publicity. Michelle learned this early during the election that they would give her anything she wanted. And with media hype over MO any designer would be nuts not to hand over anything she wants. I look at many of the things she wears and sometimes wonder what they were thinking. No one would buy the piece because it was not for MO body type.
It's her money, not taxpayers, so she can buy what she wants,
I don't believe they use a dime of their money. They know exactly what they can get away with. Emanual, axelrod have all been around long enough to know the system they can defraud. And I believe when your only thoughts are how can I get this free from taxpayers, that is fraud. Let's keep an eye out for Obamas worth as his 4 years goes on. I bet he had every dime and more when he is out.
The obama's are using their daughter to make a political statement.
Yes, they are and a dangerous one at that. I think it is shameful. Maybe baiting people to say something too. Obama has a agenda to control the internet and blogs so it is not out of the realm of what he would be told to do by say Rahmbo.
Excessive, no class, users, disrespectful to ALL Americans.Doesn't this family have any class at all?
Obama has to work fast and abuse taxpayers early because the American people are wising up and he is destroying everyone. Even dailykos and DU supporters are not going to get what he promised. Everything obama is doing is fodder for 2010 elections so keep track. As Gibbs said we kept track of the votes and we won? Now it is our turn.
Now let’s get to the guy walking with her. KOS says it's her hair dresser.
I had not seen this guy. He looks like he stepped out of Kenyan tribe or a dress rehearsal for hammertime. Isn't it nice MO can take her hairdresser along with her on taxpayers dime? Obama is not paying. Bet me on that. I have no clue who the guy is but we paid for secret service and travel for him?
Her father has been for total nuclear disarmament since college. He thinks there will be world peace, suddenly everyone in the world will love one another, Daisies will bloom in the winter, the sun will shine every single day, their will be no more earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes,we will have rainbows every day and there will be pink unicorns all over the place and he will be king of the word and savior of the earth.
I do not think Obama is doing this because he believes good will come of it. I think obama has all evil intentions towards America. Only when he breaks America can he move towards global power.
Remember dailykos is the slime who posted Palin's son was not hers and the whole internet took of with the story. Just like huffpo who had a story putting down Palin's baby, they are the worst of society. Angry, haters of anything good. If they have their way Aemrica will be ruined by the time we get obama out. No country can survive on handouts and no jobs.
Truth is expectations for the rats are extremely low while for us extremely high,just the way it is.
It's what you get when one party has high standards and core values and the other has nada.
We can be nice and above it all, but at some point you have to fight fire with fire. The left has to be made to understand that there are consequences for bad behavior. Perhaps if we do stand up and show a little bit of disgust in the form of verbal “back at you”, a message with be sent. That message is long overdue. This is about our country, it's not about being nice, showing “class” or being above it all.
If that troubles you, then leave it to those of us who will stand up and say “no more”. You can remain above it all.
I'll make you a proposition ohioWfan, you show me where I have advocated going after the kids and I'll make an immediate donation to FR for a hundred dollars. In fact, I have specifically warned against it. Conversely, if you can't, you make the same donation.
Further more, I haven't bullied you, I merely stated a strong opinion, if you can't handle it, don't worry, there are those of us who have carried your kind before.
If I'm an Internet thug, you are a very weak individual, with people like you on our side no wonder we are losing.
Put up or shut up, big mouth.
JimRob,
This is your site, and while on it I abide by your rules. Nevertheless, I suspect that the Palin family and Joe the Plumber find the Kossacks’ selective outrage disingenuous, to say the least.
There it is there, kudos to you.
Do all President’s take nieces/nephews etc. on state trips? I suppose I’m paying for that? And he tells us to cut back!!
I was wondering about that too and I haven't seen an answer. I know at least one person was zotted on the thread talking about the article. I saw "post deleted", then that person wrote "I should have proofed that before I posted" and then zotted. It apparently was a repeat of the post they had put on the original thread, for all I know, could have been the poster of the thread. I'm sure that's being looked into. Newbie of course.
It was a setup.
I never said a thing even remotely related to your rantings. You're right about your not being a thug. You're not that strong. You're more of a gnat.
Now go back and read my posts here, and where you disagree with my points, counter them with facts. If you believe that Obama should be the target and not the girls, then there is no reason that you should have pinged me at all with your ridicule. We agree. But the fact that you chose, unsolicited, to give me a hard time, means that you haven't got a clue as to who the enemy is, nor how to fight this war we are in.
At any rate, if you don't have anything better to do with your life, feel free to keep being a pest and making no sense whatsoever, but unless you say something of substance to me, or state the truth regarding my opinion (which you haven't yet), I won't respond.
Stop playing games, and equip yourself to fight real battles. All you're doing here is throwing spit wads at people on your own side.
It's dumb.
All I have to say is:
This type of stuff should not be happening on the Fashion Police threads. These threads are dedicated to discussing fashion and nothing else.
Remember, you can’t hide from what you post on the internet and you are responsible for it.
Thank you.
Wow! I am stunned. These are seriously sick people. I had no idea there was that much derangement. No wonder Palin is stepping out of office.
I hope she sues every one of those pigs.
And please send this stuff to those out there calling Palin a whiner. Even conservatives — they have no idea!!!
Thanks for your work in gathering this collection of pure evil!!
Really, I challanged you to a bet after you accused me of criticizing zer0's kids.
I stand by it, can you prove me wrong? No you can't
Like I said, put up or shut up big mouth....I'll be waiting, in fact, make it $500.00, lets see how tough you are since I'm a gnat
Unless you make a comment regarding something I posted before you started nagging me, then there is nothing more to say. You may get your kicks out of picking fights with people on your side of the war, but I prefer not to.
(Your cohort, mojito thinks it's just fine to attack the kids. Maybe you should take your argument up with him. I only posted to you because you annoyed me with a dumb, insulting post that made absolutely no sense relative to my position or my posts. Now stop pestering me and insulting me, and find something constructive to do with your life).
Oh.......and btw, my mouth is small, thank you. No more posts from me unless you post something legitimate about what I actually said.
Good night.
Ron is making up the phony accusation because he wants to pick a fight. He knows full well what mojito had said, and knows I was posting to him as well.
Poor Ron needs to fight with someone. I suggest that he fight with mojito and not with people like me who are in agreement with him that the kids are off limits.
Thus ends my participation on this thread.
Don’t know what I find more upsetting — reading some of the nasty posts or to have our hands slapped by someone from that hateful, arrogant KOS site.
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