One more from the left: Free Republic Pulls Thread Bashing Malia Obama

DailyKOS ^ | Fri Jul 10, 2009 | by CatM

[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.

[ohioWfan]

This guy wouldn't recognize truth if it hit him between the eyes, Lakeshark.

He's got "issues."

Have a nice dinner. I'm outta here.....

[RegulatorCountry]

(Remember YOU attacked ME, and not the other way around. I just defended truth. And I always will).

Hoo boy ... oWf, Defender Of Truth, Justice and the American Way.

[ohioWfan]

Actually, I do defend truth, justice and the American way - at least the conservative side of it.

Maybe you should try it sometime rather than randomly attacking your colleagues and telling whoppers.

[RegulatorCountry]

I was advised last night that you’re a “pernicious last-worder” via FReepmail, and just to let it go, that you’re going to go on with the insults well after I leave, no matter what. Should have listened to that advice last night, but, darn it, you baited me back into this again.

It seems wise in light of this to just leave you to your food.

Bye again, oWf. It’s been something, as usual. Just like old times.

[ohioWfan]

I baited you??? ROFLOL!

Nice try, RC, but no cigar.

Yes. Old times. Some random malcontent whom I don't even know (and am glad for it) blindsides me with tall tales and imaginary conspiracies and covens (wow. where do you GET these things??), and then attacks me for defending myself.

These is your "old times?" You can have them, child. You can have them.

(I do like the "pernicious last-worder" though.........just remember that you willingly gave it to me. I just was gracious and took it. :)

Truth. Justice. The American way. ---Try it some time.

[ohioWfan]

These ARE your old times.....

[Admin Moderator]

Knock it off!

[ohioWfan]

Will do. Thanks.

[RegulatorCountry]

Thanks. I will.

[ohioWfan]

I’m sorry. I was out of line.

[Lakeshark]

Dang.

I just came back with popcorn.....

:-)

[ohioWfan]

LOL!

Well, you can still eat the popcorn. :)

[Lakeshark]

Not sure I should share popcorn with a post menopausal who knew Howlin....

Sheepishly adding /sarcasm.........

[Lakeshark]

Btw, what was the argument about?

[ohioWfan]

As one who has never had a single hot flash in my sixty years, I'm not sure I understand your reluctance to share.

It's not like your popcorn will catch fire or anything, you know...... ;)

btw, if you see Howlin, let her know I say hello. No idea where she's hanging out these days.

(She helped hang Dan Rather, you know. Smart lady!)

[ohioWfan]

I have NO idea.

[Lakeshark]

I was strangely fortunate to be on that FR thread the night that Buckhead posted his little note saying why the letter looked like it was forged on a word processor. It was a part of history. Howlin picked it up, but unlike me who was just thinking about what he said, she did something.

Later that night it broke on Powerline, went to the rest of the blogs, and the Pajamas warrior was born.

[ohioWfan]

Exactly. Howlin was a significant part of an historical event and a key moment in conservative Internet sleuthing, right here on FR.

I'm proud to know her.

Very cool that you were here that night. I picked it up the next day.

[Lakeshark]

I wish we had more victories like that. Sad to say we’ve been on the losing end for a few years now. Hopefully the wheel will turn soon.

[ohioWfan]

Well, if people would focus on fighting the enemy more than each other, perhaps the wheel would turn.

We've got an absolutely evil, tyrannical, Marxist in the WH, and some people here just can't seem to focus on getting rid of him.

That's got to be our goal as conservatives.