Posted on 07/11/2009 12:01:08 PM PDT by buccaneer81
Conservative Free Republic blog in free speech flap after racial slurs directed at Obama children
By Chris Parry, Vancouver SunJuly 11, 2009 11:01 AM
This photo of U.S. President Barrack Obama's daughter Malia, wearing a peace-symbol t-shirt touched off a storm of epithet-laced comments on the conservative 'Free Republic' blog
"A typical street whore." "A bunch of ghetto thugs." "Ghetto street trash." "Wonder when she will get her first abortion."
These are a small selection of some of the racially-charged comments posted to the conservative 'Free Republic' blog Thursday, aimed at U.S. President Barack Obama's 11-year-old daughter Malia after she was photographed wearing a t-shirt with a peace sign on the front.
The thread was accompanied by a photo of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that featured the caption, "To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds."
Though this may sound like the sort of thing one might read on an Aryan Nation or white power website, they actually appeared on what is commonly considered one of the prime online locations for U.S. Conservative grassroots political discussion and organizing - and for a short time, the comments seemed to have the okay of site administrators.
Moderators of the blog left the comments - and commenters - in place until a complaint was lodged by a writer doing research on the conservative movement, almost a full day later.
"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?" wrote one commenter.
"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," wrote another.
Such was the onslaught of derision on the site that the person who originally complained about the slurs, a Kristin N., claims only one comment in the first hundred posted actually criticized the remarks as inappropriate.
A note on the front of the blog reads, "Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government," but one comment on the thread read, "This disgusting display makes me more and more eager for the revolution," while another read, "I never actually wnated [sic] to be a pistol before but..."
After attention from other blogs, the thread was suppressed and placed under review, but before long it was returned to the site intact, and attracted a new series of racial slurs when the original complaint email was posted publicly to the site, with the sender's email address intact.
"The writer has a point," wrote site owner Jim Thompson sarcastically. "We should steer clear of Obama's children. They can't help it if their old man is an American-hating Marxist pig."
"I agree Jim," wrote commenter, by the nickname NoobRep. "The kids didn't pick their commie pinko pansy of a father. Nor did they choose to be put into the spotlight. But Obama/Soetoro is fair game and so is his witch of a wife."
"Poor kids. I hope they're not 'punished with a baby'," wrote another. "Hopefully they won't deal cocaine like the Kenyan."
"DIRTBAGS! All of them. Our [White House] is now a joke to the rest of the world. We have no respect and this is not going to turn out well, mark my words. We will be hit, and much worse than last time. We are now seen as weak and vulnerable. Ghetto and Chicago thugs have taken over."
Only after significant negative attention from a host of left wing political blogs did the maintainers of the Free Republic site place the thread under review for a second time, before finally pulling it.
In the wake of the controversy, some Free Republic posters complained about the vitriol.
One poster by the name of "fullchroma" wrote, "To Jim Thompson: The recent uptick here in racist vitriol, aimed at Barrack, Michelle and their children has made me wonder if I belong. My objection to Obama has nothing to do with skin tone. Is the ugly stereotype of Conservative racism true?"
Another, going by the name of TChris, wrote, "Free Republic is a political discussion forum. It SHOULD be beneath us as a group to stoop to such juvenile tactics as I see increasing here lately. Do we REALLY have to insult Mrs. Obama's appearance like a clique of nasty 14-year-old girls?"
But such opinions were not shared by all. Said Roses of Sharon, "Poor libs .... Too late, the battle has been joined." © Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Your a classic bigot and you don't even see it. That's hilarious. Spend some time checking out those negative stereotyping crime statistics from the Justice Department.
With the possible exception of "man for man" (above). Should have included, "and woman for woman. In fact, our woman can outthink, outtalk and outshoot their men."
and I would venture to say that some of those comments could have been made by infiltrators to this site. Good to ‘see’ you, hadn’t seen you post in awhle.
Excellent post, in its entirety.
You got that right! Thanks!
And I might add:
Woo hoo!! Go Sarah!!
I like your name. Does that make us racists?
‘This is why a lot of the comments associating Obama with “ghetto” stereotypes feel bigoted to me. From everything we know about Obama, they are more aloof snobs than people from the ‘hood and Obama is more of a geek than gangsta rapper. Yet people insist on fitting them into those negative black stereotypes even though we know better.’
Perfectly describes one who may not be a racist but, certainly, talks and thinks like a racist.
Don’t agree> Go over to one of those white nationalist sites (one beginning with an ‘s’ comes to mind) and you will see see some of the same comments from the more ‘moderate’ wn’s.
The left can’t understand that unlike their leader, we true and proud patriots refuse to bow to anyone.
And "Jim Thompson" has plenty of these drive by hit pieces done on FR in the past - nothing new.
Personally I wouldn't allow racist posts because they demean us, but on the other hand I would not shut down talk about Malia when her parents trot her out dressed in clothing that sends a message her father is currently trying to spread around the world.
See my later message about the book Stereotype Accuracy and bigotry. If you want, I'd be happy to discuss the subject in more detail with you. And the question I have for you is why are you talking about Justice Department statistics that have nothing to do with Obama? Is it because that he's black is more important to you than any other fact of his life?
Excellent point. I don't know if I'd go all the way -- "You're a bigot" "No, you're a bigot" conversations are pointless -- but it certainly is stupid and counterproductive to play up all the black stereotypes just because one is talking about someone who happens to be African-American.
I totally agree. When I see ebonics on here to insult blacks in public life, it is rarely a witty play on words -- it's usually just clumsy and offensive. I hope everyone will hit the abuse button when you see something that is over the line.
That said, FReep on!
>That should read, “Common decency requires that all minor children of politicians should be off limits.”<
Do you believe the press of that era were wrong in hounding Jimmy Carter for relying on Amy’s views about nuclear disarmament?
Should nothing have been said when Bill Clinton included Chelsea in on talks with international leaders?
The original thread title had something to do with Obama’s daughter sending a message to the G8 leaders. Yes, the moderators had to delete a number of posts, and one poster kept posting really racially tinged comments. She was finally banned, after ignoring a warning to desist.
Free Republic is very different from The Daily Kos in that once racially inappropriate material comes to the attention of the moderators, it is flushed.
WOW they are desprate. Great to see they are without answers and are now giving free republic free air time. His numbers are dropping so quickly, might as well impeach him, rather than wait for the next election.
I'm not going to complain about it not being fair - because I don't care. Political correctness only works when enough people will knuckle under. People will say what they will about us no matter what we say or how we act. Going on a Macacca apology tour only validates their slurs.
I agree as well, but when you really think about it, it should not even need to be pointed out as any such comments should immediately be assumed to be coming from a libtard. I would not attempt to label you as a troll for your comment.
Well said and I stand with you. I have been with FR almost since the beginning, as a lurker for a few years before I joined. Increasingly I am frustrated by the level of discourse here. I'm embarrassed by the ugly tone of some of the comments. Scanning the first 100 posts on this thread the general reaction is one of justification. The left attacked Palin, Bush, Reagan, all our sacred cows, etc. People, that doesn't mean we have to sink to their level. Two wrongs don't make a right. The Obama racist jokes and comparisons have been abundant. We have bigger issues with Obama than skin color and his wife's physical characteristics. They have no control over their genetics than the rest of us do. I like to think we can be better and win with our intellects instead of DU-type ad hominem attacks.
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