Free Republic

Rodeo clown Tuffy Gessling was banned for life from the Missouri State Fair rodeo after he wore an Obama mask and taunted bulls at the state rodeo. ... But Tuffy still has a committed fan base. Tuffy the Rodeo Clown, who mocked Barack Obama at the Missouri State Fair, is running away with the “Person of the Year” award in Sedalia, Missouri.

rest of headline:...had nothing to do with race. Obama Rodeo Clown Tuffy Gessling has chosen to come forward after he’s been deemed a hater by so many to explain that his performance that night had nothing to do with race or hate; it was just entertainment as they’ve done with past presidents. He also talks about some of the death threats he’s received.Video:

...The clown, Tuffy Gessling, has reportedly received a lifetime ban for the gesture, which was part of his clown act for an event focused on entertainment. The taxpayer funded Missouri State Fair Commission, reportedly given Gessling a lifetime ban from performing again at the fair. It is not clear to what extent this could be a violation of Gessling’s first amendment rights to free speech, but many have noted that the United States has a long tradition of satirizing presidents and politicians...

The Missouri chapter of the NAACP appealed for the U.S. Department of Justice and the Secret Service to launch an investigation and open a federal case against the rodeo clown who donned a mask of President Obama’s face... ... the fallout so far has included the resignation of the head of Missouri’s rodeo-clown organization, and the announcement of Missouri State Fair officials that all rodeo clowns will now have to take sensitivity training as a condition of their employment. ... the clown who actually performed the skit... has been banned for life from state rodeo performances.

I was just on Tuffy Gessling’s Facebook page. It’s being reported that Tuffy was the rodeo clown wearing the Obama mask at the Missouri State Fair. On the “About” page, you can see he’s liked the Facebook page “Support Tuffy Gessling, Professional Rodeo Entertainer.” So have over 16,000 people:Let’s go ahead and make that 16,241. Too late. It’s already 16,262. There’s a call for solidarity across the rodeo clown world and have thousands of Obama masks in the rodeo arena Labor Day weekend. That would be an incredible show of support and resistance. Update: Fifteen minutes later, it’s up another...