Tea Party Racism

Filed in National by on February 5, 2010

Last night former presidential candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo opened the Tea Party Nation Convention with a speech:

Tancredo told the audience that the country had elected “a committed socialist ideologue in the White House” because “we do not have a civics, literary test before people can vote in this country“:

The opening-night speaker at first ever National Tea Party Convention ripped into President Obama, Sen. John McCain and “the cult of multiculturalism,” asserting that Obama was elected because “we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country.”

The speaker, former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told about 600 delegates in a Nashville, Tenn., ballroom that in the 2008 election, America “put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House … Barack Hussein Obama.”

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Jim Crowe era laws, but literacy tests were a tool used by authorities to prevent African-Americans from voting.

Tom Tancredo has been an anti-immigration demagouge for many years. I have no doubt he believes what he’s saying (because he’s nuts). Perhaps Rove, O’Reilly and Tancredo should have a talk because Rove and O’Reilly just told us the R2K/Daily Kos poll of Republicans just wasn’t true.

Sarah Palin is scheduled to give the keynote address at the convention tomorrow.

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  1. From Pine View Farm » Tea Party Speaker: “Jim Crow Good” | February 5, 2010
  1. Jason330 says:

    Polls that expose the fact that Republicans are insane are atttacked because they steal the thunder of GOP keynote speakers.

  2. MJ says:

    Tancredo – wasn’t he the one who hired illegal aliens to remodel his home? Also, the teabaggers are planning on organizing for the midterms – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/05/AR2010020501694.html?hpid=topnews.

  3. Truth Teller says:

    If you ever heard this guy you would know that he couldn’t pass a civics’s test

  4. just kiddin' says:

    This is nothing but proof positive the TEA bag Nation are rascist to the core. White Supremacists, the Birchers and Klan got nothing on this guy. If you know the history, the Freedom Marchers in Alabama were teaching blacks how to answer the Alabama questionaire. The questionaire/answers was delivered to a “board” who determined whether the applicant passed or failed. If you were black and answered every question accurately, yours would be round filed. A white person could get every question wrong and still be permitted to vote. Alabama changed its tests 4 times in 2 years. The statement made by Tancredo is telling in that he blames the election of Prez Obama on blacks who can’t read or write or comprehend common sense matters.

    Why do the pundits even discuss this group. They are obviously not sane people, obviously not in touch with reality, obviously so minor they should be ignored. So blame the media for giving them any attention, and lets move forward.

  5. Miss AO says:

    …and the origin of the law the supreme court ruled against that placed campaign finance restrictions on corporations was originally written because [Republican] corporations were viewed as favorable toward blacks and their power in elections limited.

    Dang, can’t have that both ways now, can we?

    See: Tillman Act 1907 by “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman

  6. cassandra_m says:

    And at the time, African-Americans had limited power in elections too. So one has a difficult time figuring out what your point is. Especially since Republicans aren’t exactly immune to being bought by Big Banks or other Industries while pretending to some “populist” cred.

  7. Lizard says:

    I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Jim Crowe Democrat era laws, but literacy tests IN CHINESE, were a tool used by Democrat authorities to prevent African-Americans from voting. ofcourse the African American were welcome to register as republicans and the republicna paty fought to insure their right to vite.

  8. Delaware Dem says:

    I am not sure how many more times I have to tell you idiot Republicans this, but those Democrats were Southern conservatives who are today Republicans. Like the terrorist lover Richard Shelby, Trent Lott, and racist Strom Thurmond.

    And since you and your fellow racist teabaggers want to reinstitute those same literacy tests, I must say, Lizard, that last comment by you will make you ineligble to vote for the next generation.

  9. Lizard says:

    I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with Jim Crowe Democrat era laws, but literacy tests IN CHINESE, were a tool used by Democrat authorities to prevent African-Americans from voting. ofcourse the African American were welcome to register as Republicans and the Republican party fought to insure their right to vite.

  10. Jason330 says:

    “We the People of the United States, blah blah blah…the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, blah blah blah…suck it frenchie…blah blah blah…the end.”

    From Teabagger Civics 101: The Constitution – An old timey Document Dealing With Guns

  11. cassandra_m says:

    It is amazing to me that when confronted with the structural racism of their party, these repubs can only answer that Democrats did it first.

    No condemnation of the racist bullshit, no outrage that someone in their party is making them look this bad, no high dudgeon over an American looking to infringe on the rights of other Americans.

    You Did It First is no excuse. Especially since you refuse to acknowledge that there is a lesson to be learned from the fairly extensive purge that Democrats did of the racist elements of their party. And it is your fault that you decided to adopt those former Democrats who couldn’t abandon their bigotry.

  12. Jason330 says:

    It is the only answer because, as you point out, the GOP is a racist organization by design. There is no defense offered because there is nothing to defend. There are no excuses made. There are just words tossed out to bide time until the next call for tax cuts or deregulation.

    I’m amazed that you still respond to them Cassandra.

  13. anon says:

    From Teabagger Civics 101: The Constitution – An old timey Document Dealing With Guns

    Civics 102: The Tenth Amendment forbids Americans to have health care.

  14. jmb27 says:

    Predatory Lending is a major contributor to the economic turmoil we are currently experiencing.

    Here is an example of what I am talking about:
    Scott Veerkamp / Predatory Lending (Franklin Township School Board Member.)

    Please review this information from U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley regarding deceptive lending practices:
    “Steering payments were made to brokers who enticed unsuspecting homeowners into deceptive and expensive mortgages. These secret bonus payments, often called Yield Spread Premiums, turned home mortgages into a SCAM.”

    The Center for Responsible Lending says YSP “steals equity from struggling families.”
    1. Scott collected nearly $10,000 on two separate mortgages using YSP and junk fees. 2. This is an average of $5,000 per loan. 3. The median value of the properties was $135,000. 4. Clearly, this type of lending represents a major ripoff for consumers.

    http://merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=A09C6A80-537A-4EB1-83C5-31925F046B6F

  15. anon says:

    “Did you know Republicans are Stupid AND evil?”

    – Bill O’Reilly

  16. We are doomed says:

    This is how the nazis rose to power during the 30’s. What seems to be happening in the US is ominously similar.

    “the cult of multiculturalism,” asserting that Obama was elected because “we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country.”

    Wow! Can’t you see the madness and evil in this statement when most if not all of them are DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS OF EUROPEAN ORIGIN!?!? So whats the problem? A feeling of racial superiority, unquestioning nationalism, an unhealthy obsession for the military and religious fundamentalism. Sounds like a duck, looks like a duck and walks like a duck.

  17. fightingbluehen says:

    Party of Lincoln baby, party of Lincoln !