[stunned silence]
Wow. I’m almost in tears. I’m also about to start laughing maniacally because —
WHAT THE FUCK?!
UPDATE: Apparently, TPM doesn’t really have more. “Shockingly negative attack”!? How about “racist as fuck”?
And this:
“This ad is incredibly offensive and sexist to all women,” Hahn campaign manager Dave Jacobson told TPM. “The producer of this ad should be ashamed of himself and Craig Huey should be ashamed to have this kind of thing produced on his behalf.”
Um, hello? The ad is also RACIST AS FUCK. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. Not the sexism. The racist-as-fuckism. It’s offensive to women because it’s a white woman shaking her shit? Why do I have a feeling that the racism of the ad isn’t as horrifying to people as the sexism?
I just can’t even.
I hate everyone.
cleek
points for balls, i guess
Bill H.
And another blogger goes apeshit over a cartoon, designed and published by an idiot for the sole purpose of going viral on the Internet. Digby, Salon, and now here. This ranks right up there with “liveblogging the Sarah Palin emails.” Meaningless trivia never fails to absorb attention.
Mnemosyne
ABL, I can’t remember if you’re a native Angeleno, but the Hahn family is a Big Deal when it comes to civil rights in Los Angeles. So, sadly, this ad is even worse than you thought.
(Not that I’m a native Angeleno, but I remember it coming up before when Janice Hahn ran for office — mayor, I think?)
PurpleGirl
The maker of this ad is without a doubt going for the lizard brain and playing on the fears of white people. The music and the images are all aimed at that. A troll at one lefty site tried claiming that the ad maker isn’t racist and has black friends (paraphrased). The intent of the ad is what makes it racist.
Jay in Oregon
Your TPM link is broken? It goes to the same video but on YouTube.
And I’m at work so I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. (Mostly so I don’t get in trouble for throwing things at my monitor.)
Jewish Steel
Please fix that liiink, homiez/It goes to youtube
Tuttle
Linkzor.
TaMara (BHF)
Um…ah…WTF? It’s going to take a while for that to sink in and I can form actual thoughts.
Mnemosyne
@Bill H.:
This cartoon is trying to affect an election in my county in my state. In fact, in the same district where I lived for 10 years (before I was convinced to move to the Valley, but anyway ….) Digby is also local and IIRC currently lives closer to that district than I do. ABL lives in LA, too.
So, yeah, I do think it’s kind of a big deal that someone is trying to use racism to influence a local election. YMMV, of course.
IrishGirl
I’m practically speechless….My goodness…booty shaking and bidness going on all OVER the place…..
NobodySpecial
I’m from Wall Street, baby, you know the drill
I’m 999 million short of a bill
Ante up! Ante up!
middlewest
@Bill H.: As opposed to blogging about important things like stock car racing and legos. Oh, I suppose I just doubled the hits on your blog. You’re welcome.
Sherrell
Can we stop pretending they are playing on racists ideas now…smh
Marc McKenzie
Holy s**t…
I’m speechless. I need a drink.
4tehlulz
Julius Streicher nods approvingly.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
“…Hahn hired hardcore gang members with taxpayer money…”
Wait…They already had taxpayer money?
Judas Escargot
It’s daytime for most of us: Can someone verbalize the ad for those of us stuck behind video-blocking corporate firewalls?
(Praise the Company).
Fang
It felt like a parody of a political ad, really.
And yeah, part of me is annoyed people are giving them attention. On the other hand the attention is so overwhelmingly negative this may well play in favor of Hahn and the Democrats.
Me? I say call out for every major Republican you can to condemn it. Remember who doesn’t. Turn this sucker around into leverage.
Joel
@middlewest: This is much better than my response.
gogol's wife
I couldn’t even watch this one. I mean physically I couldn’t.
TaMara (BHF)
No, don’t you see, it was actually a Hahn supporter who put this together. Don’t you get it? To smear Camp by associating it with his campaign. I mean that’s obvious, right?
EDIT: That’s snark lest it not be recognized as such.
Jay in Oregon
It doesn’t count as a “dog whistle” if you can hear it from low Earth orbit.
JMC in the ATL
I… uh… Oh, fuck it. It’s racist douchebaggery at its lowest common denomimator, and I can’t even try for something snarky.
Tulip
@Bill H.:
I’m sorry but, fuck you. Blatant, jaw dropping racism AND sexism is not trivial. This supposedly political ad should and needs to be called out as unacceptable, disgusting, racist and sexist.
If only we had any type of functioning media, maybe shit like THIS would get the same attention as Anthony Wiener’s pecker.
The right really is made up of a bunch of assclowns.
Captain Haddock
That Janice Hahn is pretty hot when she dances on the pole like that. I’d vote for her.
Mattminus
There is no one on the internet easier to troll than ABL.
MazeDancer
That’s not a real ad. It’s repulsive, for sure. But it’s made by some sick slime looking to get people to click on it and send around the internet. Possibly send money. Or it’s a parody. Or those guys in it are looking to open up a drive-by, web-based, smear advertising shop and this is their calling card. (How else would they get people to be in such a thing?) It’s too long for actual advertising, not to mention no where would run it.
Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal
that video is offensive to everyone. i think we might want to focus on the fact that it is offensive, period, not about who should be or deserves to be most offended.
they could have at least done a competent job representing hip-hop, its not 1981 anymore.
bfeinberg
what is it with the red eyes in CA?
johnsmith1882
@Jay in Oregon:
ha, no, this isn’t a dog whistle, it’s a marching band. a marching band spelling out N***ER on the field at the Rose Bowl, so that the blimp can get a good, clear shot.
And I suppose that the Bill above is the same Bill who was at Salon defending this minstrel show. Yeah, it’s not the blatant racist message of this video that’s wrong, it’s the people who point it out. Weak.
jprfrog
Argggghhh!
Mnemosyne
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again):
They’re probably talking about Hahn’s support for Homeboy Industries. Because God forbid that ex-gang members be allowed to learn a trade and turn their lives around.
Sherrell
@Sherrell:
meant to say that are NOT playing on racists ideals…to angry to spell/grammar check
Chuck Butcher
Well, wow. You do have to wonder what will happen amongst those this thing actually reaches. Will the Aryan Nation not vote (D)? Will there be any persuadable Camp leaners that are affected?
That is the ultimate stupidity of something like this, it creates insult and outrage with no discernible effect on voting. If this is wrecking your day, you might consider that the source couldn’t figure out that much…
ABL
@Bill H.: fuck you. right in your face.
Waldo
Yeah, that’s pretty bad, but let’s not lose sight of the progress we’ve made: It used to take 90 minutes for John Waters to achieve the same level of tastelessness.
ABL
@Mattminus: see my above message.
ETA: Do you even know what it means to troll? You think these CPAC assholes are creating these ads to get a reaction or lulz out of ME (the would be trollee) or to raise support among other white racist misogynist assholes for their preferred candidate?
You’re a real fucking dick. Go play in traffic, you superior privileged asshole.
ETA 2: enjoy your lulz.
cleek
@MazeDancer:
right. not a traditional ‘ad’ in any sense. it’s meant to go viral, and its over-the-top everything will guarantee it will.
also, look at the (only) other video by the person who posted it: a 8.5 minute local Fox News segment on Hahn.
$10 says this was a professionally done bit of guerrilla politics, paid for by someone who’s planning to run against Hahn.
Joel
@MazeDancer: Turn Right USA (who created this ad) is a registered PAC.
Ladd Ehlinger, Jr. is the filmmaker behind this ad, and he’s also the guy who made that ridiculously hilarious advertisement for Dale Peterson. Clearly he benefits from this controversy because I sure as hell had never heard of him before it.
irmaladuce
Wow. Are we sure this isn’t some kind of [supremely unfunny] hoax?
ABL
@Tulip: thank you.
Georgia Pig
That’s so bad, it ought to be parody. If not, the guy that made that is one sick fella.
...now I try to be amused
@Fang:
Yep. The ad is not just racist, it’s amateurish and boring.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s a bad idea for Hahn to call for Republicans to condemn the ad? Don’t let them distance themselves from it; tie it to them! as tightly as possible. Turn Right made the ad to raise money from bigots; it was not meant to be seen by “outsiders”. The best way to counterattack is to make independents know that this is what Republicans say to other Republicans when they think other people aren’t listening.
AAA Bonds
Shot in the dark:
We have a black male Democrat as President, and a couple idiot Republican women contending for the seat.
So everyone making statements, trying to get the most fickle “swing voters” on their side, knows that the reactionaries are focusing on “racism is okay” and are made uncomfortable by “sexism is okay”, which would have worked fine across the board until Palin in 2008.
Since both racism and sexism are accepted in large parts of the American population, choosing to go there with one and not the other makes sense when one is now less of a partisan issue (that is, the explicitly pro-sexism party is trying to defend its ability to accuse opponents of sexism).
“Swing voters”, whoever the hell they are, seem likely to be the most fickle on moral issues: they will believe racism/sexism is bad when they’re told it’s bad, and will believe it’s okay when they’re told it’s okay. They’ll be told something is bad by the media when both parties indicate that it’s bad (in this case, sexism, due to Palin and Bachmann, whose defenders are going to need to accuse skeptics of woman-hating every time either of those morons open their mouths).
So, attack the ad’s sexism, not its racism, and you’re making a strategically sound choice.
It’s pretty disgusting, I won’t lie about that. What it boils down to is that the Republicans find it easier to be racist than sexist right now, and thus, so does the media.
Cain
Did you see the end where they say “suck it feingold-mccain”.. yeah.. those black actors should be ashamed of themselves participating in that bullshit.
Mnemosyne
@Chuck Butcher:
Given that the district is (IIRC) mostly white and mostly upper-middle-class, they may actually have been hoping to swing the election. You know, in that “just between us white people” way.
But it’s also a pretty liberal district, so I doubt the ad is going to have the effect the creators wanted.
ABL
@…now I try to be amused: yeah, they’ve already said “if we could take it down we would.”
their hands are tied you see. nothing to be done. WE’RE not racist or misogynists, nor do we support the explicit racist and misogynist message, but whadareyagonnado??
Keith
For a minute I thought I was watching the start of Tropic Thunder
Xenos
The racism is deplorable, of course. Since the ad specifically depicts a candidate as a stripper and a whore who as addressed as ‘ho’ and ‘bitch’, that seems to cross a line too. The racism seems a bit ridiculous, though, compared to the sexism which is pointed so directly against the candidate, herself.
So maybe I have some sort of snowblindness that makes me unable to respond to the racism in the correct way… but it seems to me the vile insults against the candidate herself are more notable and newsworthy. If you put this ad up and had a black candidate depicted as one of the ‘thugs’ then I would consider the racism to be more apposite, and the sexism of how the women with him are depicted to be less important.
-edited for hypercommaism. Strunk would not have approved.
Linda Featheringill
@4tehlulz:
You’re right. This ad is about at the level of his fine publications. [Do we really want to expose our friends here to Der Sturmer?]
Raenelle
I’m pretty sure the media will be able to trot out some black female Republican (Amy Holmes, there’s some work for you) who will assure everyone that the ad is neither racist nor sexist.
shortstop
Fake or not, even Lee Atwater had a deathbed conversion. I picture these people lying around in hospice screaming about niggers. Still with atrocious production values.
Brachiator
@…now I try to be amused:
Yep. That’s it exactly.
The GOP wants to curry favor with racists? Make them own it.
petesmom
@Judas Escargot: Um, no. You’ll just have to wait till you get home. There is no way to express in words the vileness that is this ad. Suffice to say that the cartoon showing Obama as a dead gorilla? The picture of Obama as a witch doctor with a bone in his nose? The watermelons-on-the-White-House-lawn picture? All look mild and the racism is quite subtle in comparison to this.
I had misread the statement issued as “This ad is incredibly offensive and also sexist to all women…” I guess my mind just filled in what should have been there. It is quite sexist, but I didn’t even get to the point of realizing that without being prompted. I just couldn’t get past the incredibly blatant RACISM.
I despair for my country.
AAA Bonds
@…now I try to be amused:
I agree whole-heartedly.
We have not gotten rid of racism and sexism in America. What we have done is made many racists and sexists fearful and shameful of the ideas they nurse in certain company, and quick to condemn such behavior in others to prove their fidelity to purported American ideals.
Racists and sexists now fear loss of status, loss of employment, etc. if they speak explicitly and publicly of what they believe. Few are so principled that they will choose that willingly, and most are happy to point fingers elsewhere.
If we give these “independent” Republicans the chance to tear out each other’s throats, they just might.
gnomedad
This feels like some of weird double-reverse false-flag operation: “Let’s make something racist, but over-the-top, amateurish racist; that way, we rile up the racist rubes and maintain deniability. What? You expect us to apologize for this ridiculous amateur piece? This is obviously beneath us! How dare you? Playing the race card on us! You’re the real racists!”
Mattminus
@ABL:
See what I mean.
They designed this with suckers like you in mind as the delivery mechanism. You’re doing their work for them.
You’d be a somewhat less horrible blogger if you learned not to feed teh trolls, both on the micro and macro level.
Linda Featheringill
ABL:
Okay, maybe this is an exaggeration, poetic license. But it is pretty close to the truth.
Any fucking asshole on the planet can do something really asinine and you turn around and dump on us.
ABL, I am not your fucking whipping boy, I am not your fucking scapegoat, I was not created for you to throw a temper tantrum at.
This is an intensely racist, misogynist ad that offends lots of people for lots of reasons.
But none of us here are responsible for that goddamned ad.
I am gone. Bye.
trollhattan
That’s not a dog whistle, that’s a dog vuvuzela.
Our enlightened California GOP (at least the CRP found it icky).
Chuck Butcher
@Mnemosyne:
The Willie Horton ads were politics and they had an effect, this isn’t politics – it is some form of attention seeking. I don’t know if it is supposed to get them money or page clicks or what but it ain’t politics and either the creators were ignorantly stupid or had no such intention – I have no idea.
There is some fairly small percentage of this nation that this could appeal to, but the quiet/underground racists won’t want anything to do with something this blatant since they don’t even self-identify with those it would.
The fact that there is a small minority this would appeal to is sad, but that same kind of thing exists in damn near every race, religion, whatever. I’m a hell of a lot more bothered by the much larger group that responds consciously or unconsciously to the dog whistles.
Sure, it is a piece of shit and it also is the cost of living in a society where the outragous is allowed to be spoken. I take Rep Peter King a lot more seriously than I do this.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Mnemosyne:
Nah….It was just a grammatical error.
Allan
Shorter @Mattminus:
Basilisc
Check out the images they flash at about 1:08, around the line “Congress has enough gangsters”:
– The facelift lady from the film Brazil (I guess this is supposed to be Pelosi)
– Reid
– Rangel
– Weiner
– Schumer
– Weiner’s d*ck
Do those last three suggest there’s some anti-Semitism here too, or am I reaching? Or is it just that Jewishnewyorkers is as much a part of the right-wing rogues’ gallery as angryblackpeople or islamofascistsocialistintellectuals?
daryljfontaine
“Janice Hahn – Hates Guns – ♥ Gangs”
“Doorgunner wuz here” w/ Kilroy graphic
“For a good time call Baby Jane Harman – Cali Republicans are cowards”
“You shoulda backed Mattie, Bob! Now look whatchya got”
“Meg Whitman was a disaster – I blame Mitt Romney”
“Shawn Steele [sic] sucks”
“Englander smells funny”
“Ron Nehrig [sic] = fifth columnist”
“Collectivism is slavery”
“Your freedom does not concern them”
Lots of (misspelled) CA Republican namedropping interspersed with Randian diarrhea underlying that racist, sexist piece of shit. The author seems a bit disgruntled; I bet he’s the toast of his Patriots’R’Us message board.
D
aisce
sigh. another “get your priorities straight people!” post from abl. is it wednesday already?
because losing control and going out of your way to multiply your opponents is a totally savvy and productive way to live. i don’t know what that campaign manager was thinking when he centered his response on the characterization of his employer and candidate. what a racist.
jl
Besides being sexist and racist, it is also false.
I read that it rips a quote out of context that had to with getting Spanish speakers to do outreach with Spanish speaking individuals, to make a racist accusation regarding African Americans.
And also, it is stupid.
gypsy howell
Well ABL, speaking strictly for myself, a white woman, the racism also came through LOUD and clear.
I’m curious about motivations of the white woman and black men who participated in this disgusting thing. You couldn’t print enough money to make me do something like this.
Marc McKenzie
@Tulip:
“Blatant, jaw dropping racism AND sexism is not trivial.”
What you said. This is not trivial, and it’s just outright disgusting…but don’t be surprised if some try to, well, rationalize it. Hell, they’re even trying it here.
BO_Bill
You might sense snark, but this really is a very good song.
There are times, after all these years, that I still find myself singing it aloud.
Bill H.
@Mnemosyne:
What broadcast television channels is this cartoon running on, what shows does it accompany, and how many times per day does it air? Alternatively, how many voters troll YouTube to determine who they should vote for?
@ABL:
Oh, that really raised the level of discourse, didn’t it? It sort of proved my point.
Dilford
Like so much day-to-day political white noise, I let this one flick at my attention but didn’t bother to watch it until now. Shocking? If you expect decency from anyone not ashamed to run as a “Republican” in 2011, you don’t get out much. This is simply hardcore gutter slime-throwing and it will not be getting better soon. This is EXACTLY how/what the listeners to Rush. to Beck, to FOX News think of the world. I’ll approvingly quote Roy Edroso – “Noted civil rights activist Robert Stacy McCain steps up to defend this ad: “Are people really so dense,” he asks, “that I need to explain what Ladd’s video was intended to accomplish?” No — no one’s that dense.” To these heart-poor, low-understanding motherfuckers every complaint about this ad is a feature, not a bug.
Superking
I like you.
Mnemosyne
@Chuck Butcher:
I suspect it’s a fundraising ploy by the Turn Right USA PAC that made it. It’s not meant to influence the election so much as it’s meant to get the Stormfront crowd to send them money.
There’s virtually no way that it would influence the election in CA-36, so you’re probably right that it’s aimed at a different crowd and not the actual voters in the election.
Han's Solo
For Republicans racism is the new black. It’s the coolest, don’t ya know!
How anybody can vote for Republicans is beyond me.
ABL
@Mattminus: again. fuck you. in the face.
@Linda Featheringill: What the fuck are you even TALKING about? You’re not my whipping boy? I thought you were a woman. How am I dumping on you? I don’t even know you. I don’t care about you. What the fuck?
You know what. Fuck it. I don’t care. Some of you are absolutely out of your fucking minds.
Because obviously my pointing out shit that offends me as a black woman is really all about YOU.
Let’s talk more about how YOU, SPECIFICALLY, are not responsible for this because above all, THAT’S what’s important.
@aisce: WHAT!? I don’t know what you’re talking about either.
I honestly don’t understand what’s wrong with some of you.
Tonybrown74
I had to laugh at this, because they really just threw everything at the wall to see what shit would stick.
I mean, really!
A white woman who supposedly supports black “gansta” thugs (triple redundancy there) going after a white stripper (with the government cash, no less)?
I mean, is the white female politician supposed to be self-hating, too? Since the racism is apparently not enough.
Since they are going all-out, I wonder why they didn’t make the money welfare checks instead? And why they chose not to put the President’s pic amongst the Washington gangsters as well?
Chris
@Chuck Butcher:
I suspect the point was simply to provoke a reaction by liberals and their constituencies, hoping that this would in turn provoke a lot of conversations both among conservatives and with moderate, centrist and other uncommitted folk about how “shrill,” “sensitive,” and prone to overreaction these people are. Really, now, of course it was a nasty piece of work, but it was just an isolated incident, and it’s just annoying that these people are getting all worked up about it. They’re just so tiresome, aren’t they?
… and really, the real shame is that they’re seizing on this opportunity to play on our white guilt. And to spend all this time discussing this little thing, instead of focusing on the issues. God, it’s intolerable!
That sort of thing. Whip up non-white anger, then use said anger to bathe in themes of white victimhood. If I had to guess, that’s what they’re going for.
ABL
I wish I’d never posted this here. Honestly.
I don’t know why I fucking bother. I should have figured if I can’t get folks to understand why using the term “nigger” is inappropriate, I could possibly expect anyone to understand the dual nature of this offensive shit.
I give up. I fucking give up.
Peace.
Basilisc
Oh, and I know the Giffords shooting was a good five months ago and that’s like forever in political terms and sometimes it’s best just to move on and the shooter was mentally deranged ergo political rhetoric was irrelevant and all, but isn’t it just a bit, well, gauche to close a political ad in 2011 with an image of a female House candidate, then that candidate with demonic red eyes, then an assault rifle???!!??? As the audio says “Let’s keep her out of Congress now!” over the sound of f-king gunfire???!!???
Mnemosyne
@Bill H.:
You mean other than our local news channels where the election is taking place showing it because they love the controversy? Or the local newspapers writing stories about it?
Again, you may not see this on your teevee wherever it is that you live, but I am local and it’s being covered.
ABL
@Allan: he thinks he’s so clever. as if i didn’t know that would be his response based on his bullshit comments here. but whatever helps him feel like king of fuck mountain. i’m happy to oblige. because apparently calling out racism in our political process is “feeding the trolls.”
asshole.
Allan
@ABL: When are you going to release Linda from her chains, ABL? Can’t you hear the cries of your white slaves ringing out from their quarters? Their plaintive spirituals yearning for freedom? Have you no heart?
arguingwithsignposts
Not only is the ad racist and sexist. It’s fontual abuse – nobody but cheesy halloween haunted houses and third-rate horror movie directors use that horrid dripping blood font!
Mnemosyne
@Tonybrown74:
As I said when it first surfaced like a turd yesterday, it’s partly drawing on the civil rights history of the Hahn family in Los Angeles to say, “All those Hahns are n-lovers.” Literally, in this case.
Warren Terra
I don’t have time to seek a link (gotta run imminently), but the ad’s creator was interviewed on KPCC at about 10:30 AM. Exceedingly smug little shit, no shame at all.
PS did you know the often ludicrous iOS spellcheck tries to autocorrect “shit” to “shot”?
Quiddity
In the video we hear that [candidate Hahn] got some guys out of jail so they could rape and kill.
Isn’t that libel? Even for a public figure?
BTW, I live in the district and the Democrat will win. It’s not contest.
Chuck Butcher
@Mnemosyne:
Yes, that is my point along with the point that I give a damn what nation, what religion, what sex, what race you want to pick there will be some small segement that operates at this level.
There have been a shitload of studies done by sociologist, anthropologists, historians, and psychiatrists as to why some segments operate in such delusional fashion and what you’ll get finally from all of that is that is the way it is and will be as long as humans are around.
It isn’t my place to tell ABL what to get pissed off about, but I don’t find it real productive. When I decide to play in this arena I want to address the stuff that “gets by” and is actually fucking dangerous to our relations with each other and dangerous to the fabric of the nation/culture. There’s enough shit around to raise my blood pressure without getting upset about the marginal, stupid, delusional bigots of whatever stripe.
aisce
@ABL:
why are you yelling at hahn’s campaign manager for not “issuing the proper response?” how is any of this his fault?
you’re genuinely unnerving when you get like this. your posts are like out-on-your-feet, knocking over lamps, and puking all over the sofa drunk. you’re just out of control on your own drama. if you want to blame all white people for not doing more to end our culture of white supremacy, just say so. we have it coming. please, just stop ripping your hair out and quitting the site over and over again.
Jason
@Chris Exactly the opposite, this is a perfect example racists shrugging their shoulders at something that should be entirely condemned and saying “See how liberals over react to our nasty bullshit?”
Racists always react like this, it’s no surprise. Something tells me Chris doesn’t see the irony of what he’s saying.
Tonybrown74
@Mnemosyne:
Ah …
I still feel like they edited out President Obama’s picture, as if these people thought that the racism “critique” would be legitimate if he were there.
That said, my question to Mattimus (or whatever his name is) and Chuck Butler is this: why should we ignore racists and misogynists?
You honestly think if we just ignore these people that they just go away? This shit needs to be exposed so that we can remove it from our discourse entirely.
DCPlod
You know, some people here need to learn to walk 5 fucking yards in a black person’s shoes, let alone a mile. It’s very easy to brush this off as ‘marginal’, something not to get bothered about, when this shit is not directed at YOU.
@Linda Featheringill: Yes. Clearly, when ABL said “I hate everyone” out of frustration and sadness (it’s a pretty common thing to say when something really upsets you!), she had you, Linda Featheringill, random commenter on Balloon Juice, in mind. Get the hell over yourself.
The problem here is that a depressing number of people have become so densensitised to racism, just like the racist bastards making the ads and smearing the POTUS and making laws that hurt black people most intended. You need to wake up. Racism is not something your outrage should burn out on.
terry
some people here are so godsdamn vain they think every post ABL makes is ALL ABOUT THEM ZOMG
They need to consider growing the motherfuck up.
jesus fucking harriet christ zeus vishnu
Allan
Shorter @Chuck Butcher:
Don’t you have more important issues to think about?
Brian R.
How fucking stupid do you have to be to be persuaded to vote against Hahn because of this ad?
I’d actually think it would convince people to vote for her.
I mean, I can see a lot of moderates and independents saying, hey, if the mouthbreathers who made that ad like her opponent, then fuck her opponent.
Tonybrown74
This country elected a black man president, and a bunch of people lost their collective shit!
Chuck Butcher
@ABL:
No, you don’t. And you don’t mean “peace” either.
Anybody that asserts that this thing isn’t offensive and outrageous is being silly. Is it worthy of blood pressure raising fury? If it is, that would imply that you’re going to spend your entire life in that state wherever you go. That is pretty hard on a person.
Scott
It’s been shown plenty of times that ignoring bigots sends an implicit message that you agree with them. David Neiwert has written about communities in Idaho that decided that if they ignored the Aryan Nations, they’d just go away. It didn’t work out that way.
If you ignore evil, you giving it a thumbs up to continue.
jheartney
This is a slightly more sophisticated version of somebody painting racial epithets on a bridge abutment. In an era of cheap multimedia tools, you’ll get a certain amount of this. You’re doing the creator of it a favor if you let it raise your blood pressure.
Jason
@Scott: Totally agree. I’m so sick of people trying to turn calling out racism into some sort of bad thing. You aren’t fooling anybody. I shouldn’t be surprised people actually think like that. Call it out wherever you see it. Saying nothing is agreeing.
Chuck Butcher
@Tonybrown74:
I am not now and never have been a “Butler”. If you’re going to use my name try reading what I wrote and then get back to me when I have something to actually respond to.
This is the second time you’ve called me a butler and the second time you’ve used the same technique of accusing me of writing something I didn’t to amp your fucking outrage.
Allan
@Chuck Butcher:
@jheartney:
ABL should probably also stop being black in America, because it also tends to force you to confront a lot of racism, which is really bad for your blood pressure.
Whiskey Screams from a Guy With No Short-Term Memory
Ladd Ehlinger, Jr. is the guy to thank for this and no, it is not a spoof.
I am trying to decide if this video is more like a Meatmen song (designed to offend everyone, yet quite funny and smart in spite of the offensiveness) or more like a GG Allin tune, which was also designed to offend everyone. Without the funny. Or the smart. I think I’m going with GG Allin. This video is about as funny and smart as someone taking a shit on stage and then throwing it at the audience. Which, come to think of it, was something GG Allin used to do all the time.
Gotta give it to Ladd, he knows how to advertise. The world has been lacking a Lee Atwater for a while and that’s a void that somebody had to fill. I guess Mr. Ehlinger decided the money was good enough and he was going to give it a shot. So he’ll get some business.
But it won’t be much business, not in the long run, because unlike Ehlinger, Atwater knew the point of political advertising was to win elections. So he’d walk the racism and the dogwhistles to the edge of the cliff, and then stop.
Ehlinger just keeps walking right off the fucking edge.
shortstop
@arguingwithsignposts: Exactly. And the Rosemary’s Baby eyes? Really?
permazorch
@ABL
Don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t let on and don’t stop. We’re not all dicks and jerks (I usually lurk, only posting to beg you to have faith in some of us). Take the advice of the post that said this swill should be tied tightly to the right, and knot it well.
Jamie
wow, if they start with that kind of crap, where are they gonna be on the crazy meter by election day 2012?
Allan
@Chuck Butcher: Do you feel disrespected if people don’t get your name right? Does it cause your blood pressure to rise? I’d suggest you get over it for your own sake. Not really worth bothering to respond.
Just out of concern for your health.
Tonybrown74
@Chuck Butcher:
Interesting, because here you are taking offense to something that I could have meant to get a reaction … or not.
Now why shouldn’t I, or ABL or anyone else, take offense to that shitty ad?
Citizen_X
@Chuck Butcher: You people are always so sensitive and QUIT SPELLING MY NAME WRONG!
petesmom
ABL,
I don’t usually read very far into comments, so I didn’t know the extent of the BS you’ve had to put up with from some commenters. Now I know. I don’t know if
is hyperbole, but I would understand if it was not.
Jamie
What this is is playing the crazy card frequently and with enthusiasm.
Chuck Butcher
@Allan:
Nice try, not what I wrote about.
There is shit that it’s going to make a difference to try to confront and there is shit that is no more than railing at the wind. Losing a gasket over this stuff is going to have zero effect on those doing it and getting off on it. There is at least some small chance of confronting the dog whistling shit and getting somewhere. If you’ve got some “reputable” source going here then getting out the sledgehammer makes sense. I give you GOP MA state rep Ryan Fattman as the latter category. That stuff is just bigot ‘pron’.
GregB
Oh the politically correct left sees racism everywhere. Have a sense of humor, this is just tough politics.
It’s the same hardball politics that points out President Obama is a thug occupying the White Hizzy. Neither are racist.
Liberal/fascist college students hurling so many Oreo cookies at Michael Steele that the air was thick with them. That’s racist.
Calling Herman Cain a dark horse candidate, that’s racist.
Calling Clarence Thomas an incompetent political hack, that’s racist.
Snark off.
jheartney
There’s a difference between confronting racism and letting some irrelevant dipshit run your life.
This “ad” isn’t going to affect this election, except maybe to help Hahn.
Joel
@jheartney: I’ll argue for the opposite. These shitballs are emboldened when people just let stuff like this slide. We need to constantly remind people that this shit is wrong, unacceptable under any circumstances. If we can’t change these people, we can at least ostracize them.
Basilisc
I tried to make this point maybe 45 minutes ago, and my comment is still “awaiting moderation” for unknown reasons, so I’ll repeat it:
Check out the images they flash at about 1:08, around the line “Congress has enough gangsters”: – The facelift lady from the film Brazil (I guess this is supposed to be Pelosi) – Reid – Rangel – Weiner – Schumer – Weiner’s, um brain.
What does this rogues gallery say about the current state of the right-wing id?
Mattminus
@Tonybrown74:
Thats a very simplistic way of looking at it. You will never be able to get rid of all racism, sexism, ageism, etc. Given that, you confront it where it’s relevant. If a politician is pushing a racist agenda, you confront it. If mass media entertainment figure is popularizing hatred, you condemn it.
If someone is using racism as a trolling technique, you ignore it. All these folks want is attention, and the more negative attention they get from liberals, the better. The ability to piss liberals off is the quality that will drive donations towards them, and that’s what they want. This is a ham handed attempt to get some of that sweet, sweet wingnut welfare.
There’s no danger that this “commercial” will ever be aired or that anyone will ever take it seriously. This is a case of “ignore it and it will go away.”
I don’t even know that the creators of the video are racist. They might just be smart and cynical enough to know how to light up that reptile brain.
Allan
@Chuck Butcher: @jheartney: It’s a good thing that you’re both here, then, to educate ABL on how she should feel and respond. She’d be absolutely lost without you.
Whiskey Screams from a Guy With No Short-Term Memory
@gypsy howell: There are plenty of self-hating people out there, but my guess is that they were probably not told what it was for.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Xenos: I agree with all this. Both the racism and sexism are unacceptable, but it’s the sexism directed straight at the female candidate, which can’t be ignored. As you mention, had a black male candidate been cast as a gang thug, then the sexism would secede in importance for that specific incidence.
Make no mistake, both are all over and throughout this whateverthefuck kinda campaign propaganda the piece is, and both are vile. But the one that’s aimed personally at the candidate has to get yelled about just a hair more loudly by me, just because it’s personal as opposed to policy based. Though I condemn both equally in use; it’s the specific application here that makes me view it this way.
Mnemosyne
@Mattminus:
Except, of course, here in Los Angeles, where it’s getting newspaper, TV, and radio coverage.
But apparently it doesn’t matter that we’re having to see this shit on our airwaves as long as it doesn’t spill over to where you are.
Violet
ABL, the first thing that jumped out to me was the racism. Then the sexism. It’s just awful on every level.
Tonybrown74
@jheartney:
Sigh …
Let’s explain this a little differently.
A person I do not know yells “nigger” at me from across the street. I don’t work for him. He doesn’t live near me. I may never have any interaction with him ever again.
Does he really affect any aspect of my life? No.
But I’m gonna still be pissed off at the motherfucker …
Tulip
@ABL:
Yep.
@Scott:
I hope you’re just frustrated and don’t mean it. But if you do (again I hope not), I know where I can find you. :)
ABL
you’re so right. how could i be so stupid? so i probably should stop rocking back and forth in the corner keening about this ad, yeah? i should probably also rethink my calendar for the rest of the week, because after i saw the ad, i penciled in “allow creator of this ad to ruin my life.”
at first i thought maybe i’d just throw up a quick post in a den of privileged a dickery, but then later i thought i’d go for the full week Festival of Oppression.
do yourself a favor and get the fuck over yourself.
Tulip
err somehow those two “replies” got mixed up.
Oh well.
Mattminus
@Mnemosyne:
I’d respond that they are also feeding the trolls.
Is this coverage context free, or is it “Holy shit, look at this racist fucking commercial”?
ABL
maybe you should write up a quick manual for me that will let me know when it’s ok WITH YOU for me to confront racism.
i mean, it’s a political ad, so i’m stupid for thinking that it’s relevant. i obviously need somebody else to tell me when the racism and sexism is racist and sexist enough. i’m clearly too close to the situation, what with my skin color and my vagina and all.
Laertes
This is trolling. When you throw a tantrum in response to trolling, the troll wins.
As a liberal, I think my preferences are generally best served by elevating the level of discourse. So if this ad was going mainstream–if it was being run by a real campaign, or by something other than a sham trolling PAC–then it’d represent an attempt to drag the discourse down and it’d be wise to loudly object.
But this video is just some insignificant bit of racist trollery. You degrade the level of discourse by engaging this bullshit and helping to spread the filth.
I’m not disputing anyone’s right to feel offended. I’m just saying that you look like a fool when you let an insignificant troll set you off.
Lisa
@jheartney: How do you know it is running her life, you fucking moron? She wrote about it on her blog. She is likely in court doing lawyer shit and not even thinking about this dumbassed ad. Just because one writes an impassioned piece on a blog does not mean that the topic is “running their life”. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you stupid or just an asshole? Why do these fucking concern trolls insist on coming here to tell the bloggers what they should or shouldn’t be writing/thinking about? Fuck you, whitesplainer.
Tonybrown74
@Mattminus:
To you, maybe. But as a person who gets live with the subtle, as well as the overt, racism every day of my life, it isn’t simplistic at all.
What annoys me (and I’m guessing ABL) as how you seem to casually dismiss my feelings on the matter, when I am telling you it pisses me off.
Chuck Butcher
@Allan:
&$^% you Allen. I directly referenced myself not ABL and directly stated it isn’t my place to tell her shit.
Do you propose that I lose my shit about black racism, or Hispanic racism or whatever racism that is this fucking blatant? Do you also propose that I lose my shit because it rained today despite me having important things to do that are screwed by it? I will have exactly zero effect on whether it is done or not because this segment isn’t in the least bothered by my disapproval and my disapporval has zero effect on those who’d cheer it on. I has an effect on me to get that fucking pissed off about something entirely out of my reach, not just pretty much out of my reach – completlely and entirely.
ABL
right. if only i wouldn’t get so outraged about blatant racism, it would go away. indeed, if i didn’t post about it, maybe it would cease to exist.
any other white folks want to tell this here negro how to respond to this type of bullshit in the future?
i’m taking notes.
Lisa
Chuck Butcher: I propose that you take your man/white-splaining ass and fuck off somewhere. How’s that for a proposal?
ABL
@Chuck Butcher: yes. because rain sucks as much as racism.
being called a nigger on a rainy day is THE WORST.
i’m past angry, and laughing at some of you.
you’re fucking ridiculous.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@Tonybrown74: It pisses me off too.
Mnemosyne
@Mattminus:
Read the LA Times link I provided above at #80 and decide for yourself. Given that the headline is “Both sides denounce ‘sexist’ ad,'” it looks like the Republicans aren’t going to be held to account for this in any way, shape or form. Especially when you add in that the maker of the ad is appearing on our local NPR station (comment #85) to give his side of the story.
ABL
@Mnemosyne: We can’t talk about racism, because when we do, we’re feeding the trolls. Plus, it makes the white people uncomfortable. And above all else, white people must not be made to feel uncomfortable.
Laertes
The point is: Punch your weight.
I’ve seen you call out racism here on this blog many times, and every time I come away from it enlightened and angry.
This time, not so much. This is just silly. What’s next, you gonna post some idiot racist comment from someone’s facebook status?
Yeah, I’m white. You wanna say it like it’s an insult, go the fuck ahead. Tomorrow I’ll still be white, so I guess I’m fucked, but there’s some chance that by tomorrow you’ll feel silly about this idiot fight you’ve picked, so at least one of us has some hope to improve as a human being.
Rihilism
I see the patronizers are out in full force today.
Dear me, ABL, when will you learn to discuss race and sexism in a manner suitable to your commenters? Don’t you know that you are not doing it correctly? Why do you insist on discussing matters that are irrelevant to your commenters? Why must you discuss racism at all since inevitably someone will find it and its context to be inconsequential? Don’t you know that only the reason that you are allowed to blog at all is because of the good graces and limitless generosity of the commenters here at BJ? Sheesh!
Finally, when you stated “I hate everyone” I knew for a fact you were not speaking out of frustration, but were specifically addressing me, Rihilism, and were attacking me personally. Why must you dump on me? I am not your whipping boy!(my gay porn performances are beside the point, thank you very much). I am soooooo out here! Goodbye cruel world! (end communication)…
Lisa
ABL: You know what? Say some white person grabbed you, raped you in the ass, and strung you up from the nearest oak tree while chanting “nigger nigger nigger”….then after you awoke from your deep coma, you blog about how fucked up it was to be raped and lynched…..Chuck Butler and similar concern trolls would STILL come here and tell you to get over it and stop letting racism “rule your life”. I mean come on, this was just an isolated incident. The guy was horny and you were wearing a short skirt. And he was just observing regional traditions when he strung your black ass up. Forget about it and move on to more constructive things.
brendancalling
@ABL:
this white guy isn’t stupid enough to tell black people how they should respond to racism, and wonders why the fuck so many white guys like me seem to think they have that right.
ABL
ARE YOU FUCKING OUT OF YOUR MIND?!
Mnemosyne
@ABL:
I’m a white people, and I’m only uncomfortable because I know that my people are out there being asshats right in public where everyone can see them. And they’re not even embarrassed about it since they’re going on the radio to brag about how awesome they are.
Laertes
Not that I’m aware, but I’m open to persuasion on that point. Wouldn’t be the first time that you’ve changed my mind about something.
ABL
you’ve got personal problems. that’s the only conclusion to be drawn.
my mother is white, you fucking idiot. maybe you think being white equals being fucked, but i certainly don’t. i do think, however, that you and a lot of other white folks on this blog need some serious fucking self-examination. you’re embarrassing yourself.
ABL
@Laertes: then perhaps you’ll explain to me how posting about a political advertisement that is getting national coverage is the equivalent of posting about someone’s facebook status.
because that’s just dumbassery from where i’m sitting.
ABL
hahahahaha. ok, that’s funny, lisa.
Chuck Butcher
@ABL:
I did not suggest that this ad was anything in the arena of “acceptable.” I did not suggest that it deserved no response. Twenty three years post alcoholic drinking I have to take a measure of what I react to at what level. Or I can go back to taking damn near everything to heart and as earthshaking and hide in a fucking bottle/other substance again.
If I had run across this and chosen to react it probably would have been with the sadness of:
“So much for the post-racial/bigoted America”
I is the operative pronoun and I may have different priorities for dealing with my mental health. And, yes, for me there are serious outcomes of the rain and I do need it to go away, rather badly.
Lisa
@Laertes: This is a person running for elected office. Even if it was for dog-catcher, it would be important. YOU and people like you are the reason that the Democratic party is run by cowering, quivering nerds. We ignored the Anita Bryants (oh she is just some wingnut); we ignored the crazy creationists who were running for the school board; we ignored the city council members who sent out racist email after racist email……then one day we look up and these people are running the country. Because they got away with their shit at the grassroots level while we were picking our asses and ignoring them in favor of doing important shit like buying hand tooled canvas shoes made by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, buying “ethical” lattes, and bugging the shit out of everyone about our new raw food diet. You are why being a fucking progressive is a goddamn joke these days.
celina
I swear, these guys would have shown more dignity dancing for fried chicken at a Klan rally. So shameful.
gypsy howell
@Whiskey Screams from a Guy With No Short-Term Memory:
Bet they’re rethinking taking that gig right about now.
BTW, am I just politically illiterate or was I supposed to know who those mugshots and other random photos were of?
Tuttle
This thread is like watching a train wreck. Or killing Belgians.
Marvelous!
Lisa
@Chuck Butcher: You can stop digging any time now.
ABL
@Chuck Butcher: your analogies need some work. i’m sure you didn’t mean to compare being a black woman with being an alcoholic.
STOP DIGGING.
Huckster
@Laertes:
You are so right, I really shouldn’t let an insignificant piece of dumbass like you set me off, so do us all a favor and fuck the hell off
Laertes
Okay, perhaps I’m misinformed here. I was thinking that this spot came from some sham PAC that was launched just last week, specifically for the purpose of creating this web video and producing a sadly predictable reaction.
You’re right, though. If it’s a candidate for congress that’s running this ad, then I’ll admit my error and humbly apologize.
Got a link?
Brian R.
@gypsy howell:
One of them was Dillinger, I think. No, it doesn’t make any sense to me either.
I think if you turn off your brain, it might make sense. Seems to be the level the ad creators were aiming for.
ABL
i really feel like if i just banged my head against the wall a few hundred times, this trainwreck of a comment section might begin to make some sense.
Rihilism
@Laertes:
Allan
@Chuck Butcher: You appear to be losing your shit over someone disagreeing with you in the comments section on a blog.
Denise
I think Rihilism and Lisa just shut this mother DOWN. I mean really, what else is there to say???? I’m sure the Trolls of Privilege will keep yapping about how ABL hurts their feewings and is far too sensitive to things that are racist as FUCK, but they’re just going to keep looking stupid. Please, go attend a Tea Party or something, you’ll be of more use there.
Out.
Tonybrown74
@Lisa:
Uh oh! You called him Chuck Butler instead of Butcher. Hey may take offense.
However, since it’s a White Man’s problem, it’s okay for him to be upset.
Please note: I actually like white men. I’ve even slept with (quite) a few of you.
Donald G
I think you’ll like Charles Johnson’s headline over at LGF
Chuck Butcher
@Lisa:
So, you’re a TonyBrown clone? You’re understanding of what I wrote is limited to his comment? Um, fuck yourself.
Oh, yeah – I really wish that damn near all of you would get over the idea that the fact that I wear a nail apron makes me an over-paid monkey. Or that the fact that we do things with hands and tools that crushing our wages was just the outcome of being too stupid to be paper shufflers. (you care now that you’re getting fucked) I’m real pleased that you acted like your house was a piggy bank or short term investment and played along with the banksters. I can lose my shit everytime one of you is stupid or I can do what I can to shift the damn dialogue without taking your stupidity to heart.
No, I’m not black, female, gay, Muslim, etc – what I am is that disposable part of society that is identified by calluses and sweat and sawdust.
Lisa
@Tonybrown74: HA!
Laertes
What I see here is a woman I respect, a person of intellect and moral force, feeding a goddamn troll. It’s beneath your dignity.
(Also, you’re not crazy for imagining that people are more offended by the sexism than the racism, since the idiot press flack called out the sexism and not the racism. I can’t imagine anyone but him having that reaction, though. The insignificant youtube vid in question struck this white boy as a three-decker racism sandwich, with a slice or two of sexism as filler.)
Lisa
Shorter Chuck BUTLER: “You people just need to get over it and be a hardworking white man like me. You lazy, mortgage-getting niggers! I am so tired of working hard and bailing you slobs out.”
Careful Chuckles, your wingnut is showing. Better adjust your poorly constructed “progressive” mask!
timb
@Joel: He’s also hanging out at Robert Stacy McCain’s racist site and claiming the whole thing just hurts Democrats SOOOOO much they can’t even believes it.
Stacy, who never met a racist he did not like, is all over its probative value
El Tiburon
@ABL:
@ABL:
I knew I shouldn’t a clicked on the link, but I did, so here I am, not discussing the topic, but the ‘fuck you in the face’ comment. And you wonder why the comments go to shit. As the Front-Pager ABL, I would like to think you have some obligation to engage, not ‘fuck someone in the face’ then wonder why it all goes to shit. No, I ain’t telling you what to do. And yep, if you respond to me, I do expect it to be nasty and devoid of any substance.
@Chuck Butcher:
It is ugly, we all agree. We may disagree with our reactions. Some may not think too much, others that it’s the end of western civilization. Others may offer to “fuck you in the face”.
You know. Whatever.
Allan
@Chuck Butcher: Dear Mr. Butler,
It has been brought to our attention that you have been displaying negative emotional responses and possibly unwarranted anger in response to materials others have posted on the internet.
We will be convening a panel shortly in order to review your comments and make a determination as to whether your feelings are justified, and whether you should express them in the manner you have chosen.
Once we have come to a determination in your case, we will notify you as to our decision.
Sincerely,
The Patriarchy
scav
Well, seeing that white men have mastered being Arab lesbians, I guess they’re now giving lessons on how to be minority women and bloggers. Très amusant. I mean, their track record of running things is impeccable it goes without saying. I guess we all must be verry verry qwiet and wisten verry carefwlly.
Lisa
el tiburon, thank you for being honest and just saying it outright – I don’t like this post because I don’t like ABL’s attitude.
Seriously, she does not have an obligation to do anything on this blog but post blog entries. If the blog entry says “fuck you in the face” and Cole is okay with it, then go ahead and whine and cry about what a mean assed blackassed bitch she is. But she is certainly not obligated to have a pleasing attitude for your edification and enjoyment.
jheartney
Well, her post ends with “I hate everyone”, and so far I count 18 replies to the thread. I could be mistaken, but it looks to me like she really let it get under her skin.
BTW, nice spittle-flecked namecalling.
You really think that is the same as coming across some idiot’s ignorant YouTube? Really? Wow.
Rihilism
You simply MUST STOP THIS, ABL! Think of your health! Think of how you allow these racists control your life! You are mere putty in their hands to be molded and cast aside. Can’t you see what this is doing to you and to me, Rihilism, your whipping boy?! As a white man, it is my duty to educate you, to lead you, to guide you, to tell you what to feel and to inform you about that which it is OK for you discuss. As a liberal, I have taken a solemn vow to elevate the discussion to the appropriate levels. You must not deviate from this course else you degrade us all…
Chuck Butcher
@Lisa:
How odd that the DPO Black Caucus and LGBT Caucus find me an important ally and friend and did what they could to help me with a campaign for US Rep. when they had other choices. And you?
ABL, that wasn’t a metaphor or simile about alcoholism and race/sex. It was about my decisions and reasoning – as you’re fond of making clear, some of us are not of the same race/sex – I assume you’re not a recovering alcoholic and I am.
Cliff in NH
@Basilisc:
I can’t believe it took till comment 79 for someone to mention this, Its among the first things I would think should be mentioned.
It’s really sick that no other commenter even mentions it.
I totally agree, and hope the secret service pays this dude a visit.
And the gun starts blinking when the gunfire starts.
Tonybrown74
@Chuck Butcher:
Oh, please! Who the fuck are YOU?
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
@Scott:
This, a thousand times. This isn’t like internet trolls slobbering for attention, thwarted simply by turning your back. This shit is a long line of strategy, and simply turning a blind eye to it allows shit like this to be normalized. When you have something THIS blindingly offensive, you can’t just let it go and pshaw it like a frat prank or something.
TooManyJens
Man, how would black people ever know how to properly react to racism if they didn’t have white people to tell them?
Also, fucking seriously, people are clutching pearls about a blogger at fucking *Balloon Juice* going all misanthropic and I-hate-everyone? Isn’t that what we love about Cole?
Chuck Butcher
@Tonybrown74: Unlike you, not the least anonymous. Easy enough to find out.
jheartney
@Cliff in NH:
I think being gauche was pretty much the whole idea. Check off as many deeply offensive things as possible. Yup.
Josie
@Chuck Butcher:
“I is the operative pronoun and I may have different priorities for dealing with my mental health.”
4jkb4ia
This ad was so awful, even ABL could not find words.
(Unnamed Political Wire commenter: “Holy crap”.)
ABL, that guy is her campaign manager. When he looks at that, he sees her demeaned in the eyes of everyone who saw it when she is trying to have a serious campaign for office. He also sees that Debra Bowen, another woman, was supposed to be her real competition.
But also too, the sexism grows out of the being racist as fuck. It grows out of every sexist gangsta rap video you ever saw.
4jkb4ia
And BREAKING: Greg Sargent talked to the people on the conference call on Israel that fed the Washington Times story that fed the Rubin piece of propaganda. They don’t know what the hell she is talking about. So there.
Chuck Butcher
@Josie:
Um, that was the point…
Rihilism
@Lisa:
A while back, if I recall correctly, our esteemed Mr. Cole was drunk blogging on a open thread when he threatened to fuck a commenter with strap-on over a disagreement regarding musical tastes. Personally, I found Mr. Cole’s comment delightfully highlarious…
Tonybrown74
@Chuck Butcher:
The question was rhetorical.
I really don’t give a fuck who you are.
aisce
@Cliff in NH:
silly racist cliff in nh. you weren’t supposed to notice it.
your filter is faulty and blinkered, my dear. sure, that ad may have also dabbled in advocating violence against women, violence against elected officials, and antisemitism, but if you mention any of that without making it absolutely clear that it’s also RACIST, RACIST, RACIST, RACIST, RACIST, RAAAAAAAACIIIIIIIISST first and foremost (because, i guess that was in question?), well…you’re just such a privileged dick, you know?
let’s get our priorities straight here.
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
I read so many of the comments here…and I can’t help but think of that one argument. You know, ‘Racism is dead except for the real racists: the African Americans who keep playing the race card because they can’t get over how racism is dead.’ You know, the bullshit that lays the blame of flat out racism on the victims because ‘oh, if you just ignored it it’d go away because it doesn’t really exist’.
Fuck that shit.
Chuck Butcher
@Tonybrown74:
Oh good, there’s a fan club it’s important to join. I’m glad and everyone one else must be that you’ve joined.
ABL
@El Tiburon: i appreciate your concern. i’m sure you make a point to tell john you don’t like his attitude when he uses unladylike rhetoric, yeah?
or is it only me? somehow i think it’s only me, and frankly, i’m positively flattered.
HyperIon
@Jay in Oregon:
I guess.
But that is one steaming pile of racial and sexual stereotypes.
Somebody wants to scare idiot white people.
And they probably will.
But they will also piss off lots of other folks.
Isn’t the black and female vote important in LA?
Or is her district extremely pale and male?
Ah-clem
The GOP deals in hate and racism among other things, usually it is more subtle than this, but occasionally there are those who didn’t get the message, and let forget that they are supposed to cover it up with nice wrapping paper,, bows, bunnies and patriotism.
ABL
@Lisa: the funny part is, i suggested that matt should fuck himself in his face (or however one wants to interpret “Fuck you. Fuck you in the face.”) in response to his opening “let me belittle you” salvo.
so el tibby’s objection is overruled; matt still required to make this “Fuck you in the face” thing happen.
Mattminus
@ABL:
I guess I can put oral on the menu for tonight.
Q.Q. Moar
Angry Black Lady, why you always gotta be so Angry? Why don’t you ever want to be Chillin Out Black Lady?
Lysana
@TooManyJens: Cole’s allowed. He’s One of Them. Straight white men get to do whatever they want with the privilege of being seen as individuals because they are the default and the pinnacle of the social structure. The rest of us have to represent our respective minorities to the default and its worshippers, so we’re required to only react as we are told to.
As for the video, I noticed the sexism in it is so intertwined with the racism that I can’t split the two apart until it gets personal against Hahn. Until it’s her face superimposed on the pole dancer, she’s an anonymous white girl being used as a prop by the rappers. And oh, holy saints, the font abuse. That was so close to a mocking parody of a racist political ad I was half-hoping for a gotcha at the end. “Suck it, McCain-Feingold” wasn’t the gotcha I was hoping for.
ABL
@Mattminus: my condolences to your partner.
Josie
@Chuck Butcher: Sorry if I misunderstood your point. I thought that you were advising ABL not to let it get to her and raise her blood pressure.
Chuck Butcher
Now bored with the “I’m more anti-bigot” theme especially from those who’ve risked absolutely nothing and spent exactly nothing in the process.
Mattminus
@ABL:
Hey, you’re the one that made it a requirement.
lawsipan
I just wanted to take fifteen seconds out of my day to say: ABL, I love you. Keep fucking people in the face.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@aisce:
That’s what makes this whole thread so amusing. The linked article did make it “absolutely clear.” It used the word “racist” twice and the term “Willie Horton on steroids” once. Not to mention “shockingly negative,” “offensive,” “vile.”
Lysana
@lawsipan: Co-signed.
And now to walk away from the stupid. Remember, folks, most of you can walk away from this video. ABL can’t walk away from being black. And THAT is the motherfucking point.
ABL
@lawsipan: and with this comment, i’m out.
brilliant.
HA!
i’ll let the trolls take it from here.
shortstop
@Rihilism: Why a strap-on? Was he so drunk he couldn’t use the Colenis?
TooManyJens
@shortstop: I’ll take “Questions That Really Don’t Need Answers, Dear God No” for $600, Alex.
shortstop
@TooManyJens: I might say the same thing, if I had as much dignity as curiosity. Sadly, it’s down to you.
Q.Q. Moar
“ABL can’t walk away from being black.”
SOME people can’t walk at all. Why are you ignoring their plight? Able-ist!
Tehanu
@Cliff in NH:
Hey Cliff, ignore Troll aisce at 188. The fuckin’ ad is both racist and encouraging violence, and you were perfectly right to point out the latter. aisce just feels it’s his absolute right to correct ABL’s perceptions, since she actually admitted to being (gasp!) a black woman. If I were ABL, I wouldn’t just be “angry” — I’d be volcanically, earth-shatteringly, explosively enraged.
greenergood
@bfeinberg: Stolen from Brit-land:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/election2001/images/0,9350,449562,00.html
Surly Duff
I can’t believe I’m even wading into this morass…
Yes, the video is offensive, vile, and racist. ABL definitely has a right to be pissed at the creator and anyone who promotes or supports this shit.
What I am confused about is why she is angry at TPM or Hahn’s spokesperson Jacobson. TPM called the add “Willie Horton on steroids,” and Jacobson stated, “This ad is incredibly racist, offensive and sexist to all women,” Jacobson said. Most of the news on the google news feed refer to the ad as racist and sexist.
Is the anger that the reports didn’t condemn the racism strongly enough? I get the outrage at the video; be angry as hell about the creation and support of the video, but angry at the people who are condemning it? That is a little confusing to me.
Mnemosyne
@Rihilism:
It’s possible to have civil discussions here at B-J, but I don’t think it’s really what we’re known for.
Pangloss
The GOP noise machine produces this work of art the same week they pass a congressional bill banning the use of “end Medicare” in mailings about the Ryan budget plan.
Parody, RIP.
fasteddie9318
WTF–this thread, of all threads, turned into something? Seriously?
elftx
ABL, I am soooooo with you.
(even if I am lily white )
Rihilism
@shortstop: I’m assuming the little Cole was equally inebriated, thus the need for a suitable prosthesis.
@Mnemosyne:
Thank the dear god motherfuckin’ baby jeebus for that!
elftx
not to change the subject or anything, but nobody does it better than Samuel L. Jackson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idCIenj4mFw&feature=related
Cliff in NH
@Josie:
If you want a paragraph in a blockquote put 2 underscore thingies in a row in between the paragraphs
If ya just want block quotes, Highlight the text you want the block around and click the blockquote button
Bill H.
Whoever put the obscene comment on my blog, real classy. Whatever I say here, popular or not, I use my name and do not hide behind an anonymous label. Calling people obscene names as an anonymous poster is cowardly. Come back and post it again with your name. I’ll delete it again. but…
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@Surly Duff:
Yes, the linked article at the top references racism more times than sexism. Is this your first experience with ABL?
Q.Q. Moar
“Why do I have a feeling that the racism of the ad isn’t as horrifying to people as the sexism?”
Because you always have that feeling.
Trabb's Boy
You know what really sticks in my craw about this piece of shit “ad” is that it is so shocking, so appalling in its racism that it gives cover to ordinary racism. The assholes who talk about welfare queens and young bucks with T-bones and people who don’t want to work and all that other racist garbage dogwhistle crap can feel and act all smug because they’re not REAL racists. It makes it that much harder for people to call out racism, because in comparison to this, referring to the White “Hizzouse” is just playful. Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little? It’s not like I showed Obama raping a woman with an automatic rifle, right?
The other thing that sticks in my craw is that ANYBODY would interview the pieces of shit who made this. There is absolutely nothing wrong with expressing outrage over the ad, but to give the people who made it any airtime is outrageous. They should be completely ostracized or, possibly better, spat on and then ostracized by anyone who believes it takes a tiny bit more than DNA to be considered a human being.
Ugh!
ABL
why do i bother?
the linked article’s “references” to racism consist primarily of reporting how one group or the other views the ad. apparently, it is too much to ask that liberals call a spade a spade, because the word spade is icky.
sometimes when someone says “this shit is racist” you just say “no doubt.” and shut up. well you don’t. many others don’t either.
i should work on being less black for you all, i know.
ABL
@Q.Q. Moar: i’m going to assume you read the thread before posting that, and leave it be.
ABL
@Surly Duff: it was the first report that i saw. i immediately headed to the black blogs and the reaction was more forceful, and i wished that TPM’s response had been more “that’s fucked up” and less “how unfortunate.” there’s a difference. i understand that many don’t understand and grasp it.
is it crazy that sometimes i want everyone to be outraged about this stuff? because believe me, i’m outraged about “your” stuff, too.
it sucks that no matter what i post here, the same calvary of jerks pop their stupid heads up to tell me how i should react, and that i ‘m angry about the wrong things, and just ignore it and it’ll go away.
it’s exhausting. 8 months of this shit.
i’m exhausted and over it.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@ABL:
The linked article’s “references” to sexism consist entirely of “how one group or the other views the ad.”
The author of the linked article states for himself that the ad is “Willie Horton on steroids.” Not only that, TPM’s tease for the article on the front page was and is “Willie Horton on steroids.” Unless “Willie Horton on steroids” is some secret liberal code I’m not familiar with TPM and the article in fact emphasized exactly what you wanted them to emphasize.
Which is exactly what TPM and the article said. Well, except for the shutting up part. They didn’t just notice the video, they did a feature article on it and highlighted its racism.
PS
Hoo-boy, late again. Lessee. This ad is (in no particular order), racist, sexist, moronic, ugly, discordant, and doubtless many other things, also, too. But if you don’t say it’s amateurish, I’m going to throw all my toys out of the pram.
Because if there’s one thing I want from my racist, sexist, moronic, ugly, discordant ads, it’s professionalism.
Seriously, I am hoping this ad is counter-productive, and I suspect it will be, but holy shit people, whatever you think of the sexism (etc etc) can’t you get righteously offended at the brutal racism in it? Because if not, get yourself a fvcking mirror and have a good look. That’s what modern racism looks like.
MattMinus
@ABL:
You’re like a cartoon liberal drawn by Rush Limbaugh.
“Simply put, the ad is Willie Horton on steroids” isn’t calling a spade a spade? Really???? Too subtle?
And who’s arguing that it’s not racist?
Anyway, now that you’re doing the “liberals are the real racists” phase of your routine, will you move onto the Dramatic Rage Quit next? That part is always fun.
Lisa
OMG, The Blacks™ love Chuck! He is so much more important to The Blacks™ than actual black people. Thus, it is totally appropriate for him and his coterie of whitetards to tell black people what to think about racism.
Now we can all go home and have a beer and not worry our nappy little heads about racism. Chuck has it all under control.
ABL
@MattMinus: i was done with you at #198.
@Shoemaker-Levy 9: i get it. calling something racist makes you uncomfortable. white unity and all that. you can stop talking now. (although i’m sure you won’t because the fact that i just used the phrase “white unity” has likely made you deposit something foul into your underpants.)
Rihilism
@MattMinus: Oh, pretty please, continue with the lecturing and patronizing routine cause that shit never gets old and man are you hilarious…
Lisa
ABL I am with you girl. This shit IS exhausting. And disheartening. But I have found out who is a real progressive and who is just a fucking poser asshole who shops at Whole Foods and drives a Prius but really thinks The Blacks™ and the dumb wimminz need “guidance”.
There is so much latent (and not so latent) sexism and white supremacy in these guys (because it is always the same group of MEN) who show up to tell us that we are overreacting (because of course they know best what anyone should be upset about).
ABL
@Rihilism: so one-note, isn’t he? mocking my “routine” to detract from the fact that he is an inflamed hemorrhoid on the sphincter of humanity.
i’m comforted that he is, again, in the minority here. along with shoemaker, and Donald “Chuck” Trump. :)
ABL
@Lisa: It is the same group of white assholes. I need to figure out what the KKK/Women Haters hours are here, so I can avoid posting during them.
Odie Hugh Manatee
Shit like this makes me embarrassed to be white. Same with the stupid fuckers who think that this is no big deal and should be ignored because talking about it only promotes it. As if ignoring evil and hate is a good thing.
Keep hammering away at it ABL. The truth hurts and that’s why you are seeing the negative responses here. They are angry because they don’t have to see racism and hate if you don’t point it out to them.
Keep pointing. Because they never will.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@ABL:
Won’t work. Everybody can plainly see what I really wrote (that is, unless you start editing responses) and now your plainly dishonest response to it.
TPM and the article’s author plainly called the video “Willie Horton on steroids.”
Lisa
Just a thought for you fuckers who like to tell people what they should think or feel:
When you tell someone to “calm down” or “get over it” or “this is so stupid and lame why are you even pissed about it” are INVALIDATING STATEMENTS. You are hearing/reading their thoughts or feelings about something and summarily dismissing them. You are saying, if I don’t feel what you are feeling or understand what you are experiencing, it is not real. It is completely socially maladaptive (and you wonder why people react angrily to you? Really?). I would not be surprised if the most meaningful relationship you have is with the meth-head hooker that you spend a quality 15 minutes with on payday.
ABL
@Shoemaker-Levy 9: and that, to me, is not the same as plainly stating “it’s racist.”
so you want to argue semantics with me? tell me how to feel about the use of language? or do you want to concede this one and wait for my next post where you can continue to reveal yourself to be the privileged asshole that you are?
Lisa
I think the article did a pretty good job of calling them out for the racism and misogyny. It was Hahn’s spokesperson who only mentioned the sexism. But that is totally beside the main point which is…..a 527 group WENT FULL FUCKING WHITE SHEET ON OUR ASSES to boost their candidate’s numbers. It is disturbing that they thought something this odious would HELP their candidate. Something about the tone of today’s discourse told them that that would be totally okay. THAT is what is unspeakable. And that is NOT a small and insignificant thing.
eemom
I read this whole thread before I watched the video. Then I watched the video.
Um, yeah. Racist as hell is kind of what stands out.
And that produced an argument WHY, exactly??
TooManyJens
@Shoemaker-Levy 9:
Hahn’s spokesperson didn’t say a thing about racism, though, and it was his quote ABL was reacting to in the post [edit: it was mostly what she was reacting to; I see she did also criticize the TPM article]. I realize that it doesn’t apply specifically to his client, who is white, but still. He should have said something.
ABL
as i sit watching Chris Hayes’ bit on this, i’m struck by one thing: the ad itself hasn’t wrought havoc on my day.
it’s this comment thread that has. the ad itself is so racist it’s comical.
I should hang out at Red State more, maybe.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@ABL:
Slow down. Any functioning adult older than a high school student knows that comparing something to the “Willie Horton” ad is to say that it’s racist. To say that it is “Willie Horton on steroids” is to say that it’s really racist. Or, as you put it, “RACIST AS FUCK.” Now, TPM didn’t include the F-word and put its editorial content in all caps like you did. Did failing to do so make them part of the “white unity” movement?
Wouldn’t occur to me. Just as it wouldn’t occur to me to casually accuse others of being part of a “white unity” movement for no reason whatsoever.
Do you thinkk Talking Points Memo is part of a “white unity” movement?
Chuck Butcher
@Lisa:
Ah, so doing actual politics versus ranting coments on BJ makes me a Trump. Yep, OK – my mistake.
Not too bad a job of ignoring Caucus which is a political entity and that doing actual politics generally involves political entities with an agenda. Actually, not too bad a job of ignoring what I did write as opposed to what you’re on about.
I’m not too sure why I bothered to check back on this nonsense other than that the web analysis showed BJers hitting my site which was, frankly, unexpected. Maybe the non-anonymous assertion.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@TooManyJens:
Yes he did. Follow the link up @212.
ABL
@Shoemaker-Levy 9: i’m sooooooo done with you.
jheartney
Really? Personally I think it’ll depress their numbers, not boost them. Independents hate this stuff, and the wingnuts who like it were already voting their way.
No, I think the reason they did this was to be outrageous and get attention. They were COUNTING on it not being okay. That was the whole point.
TooManyJens
@Shoemaker-Levy 9: Well, that’s good, anyway.
eemom
@Shoemaker-Levy 9:
you are so full of shit.
How many people on this blog or TPM are not even fucking old enough to REMEMBER the Willie Horton ad, much less regard it as a synonym for racist? And no, it’s not “anyone older than a high school student.” The ad ran in 1988. Do the math.
More to the point, why do we need cryptic buzz words to call a spade a spade?
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@eemom:
Do you think that TPM’s editorial decision to quote one person as calling the video “racist”, referring to it as “racist” in a more abstract sense a few sentences later, and themselves calling it “Willie Horton on steroids” is evidence of a “white unity” agenda on their part?
Rihilism
@ABL: Honestly, I couldn’t take it and I admire the fact that you continue to post on race despite the absurd responses you receive. Responses that are so repetitive, so arrogant, so insulting and so ludicrous that I actually worry that my attempts to lampoon them might be taken seriously. I expect the occasional outright racist comment from some shithead, it’s the “You must not talk about racism this way” or “Why must you be angry about racism” or “You are a fool being played by racists” or “Don’t worry about racism and it will go away” or “Stop talking about race because it’s not as important as my issue and we can only focus on one issue at a time”, etc., garbage that shocks and baffles me. It’s a fucked up world we live in and unfortunately the comments you receive are a bit more fucked up than usual…
aisce
@eemom:
because abl is a troll. she’s every bit the shitheaded troll she accuses everyone else of being. these threads keep repeating themselves, and it’s because this is how she wants it, whether she wants to admit it or not.
that’s why she has to talk shit about tpm. like the wording of their response is just so goshdarned important.
i get abl’s problem. by not specifically decrying the racism first, she thinks white media and the candidate herself are doubling down on it. like the shame of the ad is that a white woman would be objectified and defiled by black men like that. not the portrayal of the “gangbangers” themselves. i get it.
but you want to know why the thread wasn’t about that? because abl is a troll. ok, whatever. so is dougj. and cole. and everybody. the only difference is they don’t lose their shit and threaten to quit the site (well, ok, cole threatens all kinds of stuff sometimes). know thyself.
The Raven
Wow, play the sexism card and the racism card, all in one video. It seems the sexism card trumps the racism card.
Sympathies, lady.
It may be effective propaganda, too. Hominids, kraw.
Andre
Even if it is “trolling”, how does it benefit anyone to let this slide? Calling it what it is-racist, misogynist bullshit that is associated with the GOP and that should never have been made-is the only rational response here.
Pretending that it’s nothing to get worked up about is a great way to ensure the same approach will be used in the future.
Midnight Marauder
@Chuck Butcher:
I mean, this is just the height of clown talk.
What an abysmal comparison.
Dr. Morpheus
Cryptic buzzwords?
If someone made an anti-Semitic ad like this one and it was condemned as, “Goebbels on steroids” would they be guilty of “cryptic buzz words” because WWII was seventy years ago?
Are you drunk?
What fucking stupid thing to write.
ABL
@aisce: i’m not a troll, moron. i’m a front-pager. how the fuck can cole be a troll of a blog he owns?!
you’re stupider than a bag of really stupid hammers.
oh, and nice contradiction: either cole does threaten stuff or he doesn’t. which is it?
and this:
if you’re so far from “getting it” that you can’t even see getting it. it would be so much easier if on all of my posts you just wrote:
“ABL. I don’t like you. I think you’re a shitty blogger. I think racism isn’t a big deal and I don’t want to hear about it anymore, especially not from you.”
Then you and the other handful of assholes could co-sign and spare the rest of us your bullshit.
ABL
@jheartney: you’re wrong.
do those sound like the words of someone who knew the ad was not ok?
are we still arguing about this bullshit?
fucking hell.
(edited for grammar)
Dr. Morpheus
Just to be clear, I think this ad is racist and sexist as hell.
The only thing I’m objecting to is the outrage at the ‘insufficiently level of outrage’.
“I didn’t get a ‘hrrumph’ out of that guy!”
ABL
@Cliff in NH: i tried that underscore block quote thing to no avail. meh.
Shoemaker-Levy 9
@Andre:
Oddly, that’s exactly what TPM did. Their front page tease says, “Republicans go Willie Horton on Steroids in new ad…” which clearly tags the ad as racist and the responsibility of Republicans. Sadly, you have to dig into the body of the TPM article to find any commentary on the misogyny. I hope this doesn’t mean that TPM have “male unity” agenda.
ABL
@Dr. Morpheus: it’s not so much insufficient outrage as it is “why does it take ten words to say one thing: racist.” it is more evidence of what someone on my blog called “white unity” — the unwillingness to use the word racist to describe racist people and actions.
i’m not actually angry that TPM chose “Willie Horton on steroids” instead of “extremely racist.” but it would be nice to find those words outside predominantly black blogs.
and my first reaction upon reading TPM’s write up after watching the ad was “really? that’s it?”
ugh. whatever.
Dr. Morpheus
ABL, I can only hope that the stench from this ad sticks to the Republican party like flies on shit.
ABL
@Dr. Morpheus: indeed. i also hope the stench of this comment section sticks to the lofty notion of post-racialism like flies on shit. :)
Karen
How about we switch it around on the GOP campaigns using racism by creating an ad with the Republican Candidate superimposing that candidate on top of a film of people with white robes to imply that the GOP candidate palls around with the KKK. Or something that could be a swastika that isn’t actually one and before anyone calls me anti-semitic I’m Jewish. But my point is, our side can use dog whistles too. Or is the reason we won’t do it is because we’re afraid that the dog whistle we mean to rile up our side and show them how racist, homophobic, etc. the GOP is will really be a dog whistle to those Dems who don’t see an association with the KKK as a bad thing.
Seriously. Why don’t we do an pro-union ad by showing the dystopia that will happen when the unions are gone. Show 6 year olds working ten hours or more a day and the schools chained because all children are working now and have the voice over that this isn’t a third country sweatshop, this little girl lives in a New Jersey suburb and since welfare will only give money to those who make under $4K a year, everyone including their daughter must work.
You all talk about how you think the Dems are spineless. Let’s see the party do this. Shock may be what’s necessary to wake the American public up.
El Tiburon
@Lisa:
Ok, so fuck you in the face. Just fuckmfuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck you right int he fucking face. And while I am whining, go fuck yourself in the face. ABL is here form one reason, wait, hold on, go fuck your face.
Wow, I did not realize how cool it was to go tell someone to go fuck their face. Shouting loudly all the time and cursing is the bees knees. But seriously, thank you. Thank you for fucking yourself in the face.
Lots o’ maturity right there. Hey Cole, can we put that on a mug. I’d buy it for a dollar. My fault, I should not have clicked on it. Won’t happen again.
ABL
bullshit. you’ll click and you’ll write some bullshit and most people except the other bullshit purveyors will roll their eyes and move on.
eemom
@Dr. Morpheus:
Oh yes — Goebbels and Willie Horton are TOTALLY equal in name recognition.
What a stupid thing to write.
jheartney
@ABL:
Sounds like your garden variety wingnut moron. Free Republic and Redstate are stuffed with these types.
When he says
he’s saying that normal political discourse wouldn’t allow someone to say the stuff he’s about to say, i.e. it’s not “OK” according to polite norms. So he’s patting himself on the back for having the “courage” to say this stuff that he and his pals think but normally aren’t allowed to say.
It’s the same old “I’m a transgressive truthsayer” fantasy. Racist? Of course.
The good news is it won’t help his side politically.
eemom
Just ftr, we are now at a flame war approaching 300 because — why?
Because ABL wrote a post calling out an act of raw, reeking racism — and certain people here have a problem with the fact that she did that. Including the fact that she criticized another blogger and a campaign spokesperson for being insufficiently responsive to such raw, reeking racism.
Because on this blog, we RARELY see posts critical of such people…..and when we do, it is only in extreme cases where all less critical alternatives have been ruled out. We would NEVER see a post criticizing such a person for being — oh, just stupid as shit, for example.
But calling out TPM and the spokeperson here for their reaction to this incident is WILDLY out of line.
Because every post on this blog MUST meet some standard of……what again?
Yutsano
I’m not gonna bother to read it all. The fucking privilege on this thread sickens me. I’m gonna go make spanakopita until I puke.
AxelFoley
@Mattminus:
Yeah, fuck you, pal.
Q.Q. Moar
And eemom, if you think Willie Horton is some obscure, old code, welcome to politics. It’s been going on for a while. If someone uses a metaphor you don’t understand, always blame them for being elitist dicks. It’s a guaranteed conversation starter, you stupid bint.
AxelFoley
@Scott:
ABL
@eemom: racism = rainy day. it happens. nothing to be done about it. why keep talking about it? this is why we hate meteorologists. rabble rabble.
Yutsano
@ABL: Meteorologists can predict racism? Hoocodanode?
AxelFoley
@TooManyJens:
HA!
bjacques
I’d call Ehlinger a turd-flinging monkey, but…well, you know the rest.
On that video the racism really is worse than the sexism. The delivery is a white bigot’s idea of every rap video ever made, turned up to 11: a woman bent over, festooned with dollar bills and dry-humped. But the message is obviously racist, that this is what white America can expect, on their tax money, thanks to to Hahn. The delivery is more eye-catching than the message, a nice bit of misdirection, whether intentional or not. It’s an evil piece of shit all around.
I think Whiskey @ 102 called it. Ehlinger’s like James O’Keefe, a cheap dimestore hood who tries to get in with the mafia by setting fire to homeless people. The video’s an advertisement for a person who will stoop to anything. But unless Ehlinger gets a hookup like O’Keefe with Breitbart, he won’t get the big-money campaign video work. He’ll just be another go-to guy for vile hit jobs on which his bosses don’t want to leave their own fingerprints, and kicked to the curb when no longer useful.
Bonus points for a young Joseph Stalin and maybe Leon Czolgosz (assassinated Pres. McKinley) among the gangster pics. Looks like someone had a copy of Bloodletters and Badmen to scan.
greybeard
The thing that surprises me is when people say that we must call out this racism, we must label these people as racists, and that will hurt them politically! No. The vast MAJORITY of whites in this country , even the liberals, have an immediate, visceral negative reaction to hip-hop (some would say that is the intention of the hip-hop artists) and this ad plays to those fears. You cannot ignore this ad, or mock it; you must refute it as though it were a scholarly treatise on economics, class, and crime. We are not past this. We are not in a “post-racial” America. Liberals lose votes because they are seen as promoting unfairly an undeserving un-American Black underclass that represents the absolute negation of White values. Start there and keep arguing. ABL’s despair comes from realizing the task is eternal – at least until the races merge.
Kevin
When an ad resembles the “black congress” scene from Birth of A Nation, calling it merely offensive is the opposite of hyperbole.
FeFiFo
The treasurer of TurnRightUSA is publicly considering leaving the PAC because of this ad; yes, I know, the bare minimum one should expect from someone associated with this entire mess, but still telling.
I feel like the fact that most people have a decency line under which something so childish and revolting and offensive doesn’t deserve comment or attention has been turned into a strategic advantage. Normal people speak and market to other normal people, within a depressingly wide definition of the term. But below that, underneath the baseline of decency, resides a fat fucking swath of mouthbreathers just waiting for someone to come along that speaks their language. Those mouthbreathers are the right wing base now. The normal people are still too distressed to even discuss how bad this crap has gotten.
brantl
@Mattminus: Blow me.
Mara Magee
I’m pretty amused by the whole “They are just trolling, you got fooled, lol” responses.
I mean, it’s pretty fucking clear the whole point of making this video so over the top is to save face – you can’t get mad, it’s a joke lol! Amirite?
It’s a win-win, the dog whistles are sounded loud and clear, and all the pseudo-rationalists tsk tsk at anyone that dares point out the blatant racism and misogyny of the ad.
So yeah, there may be some trolling going on here, but it’s really not what you think. The idiots that are actually getting trolled are the folks that have spent the last day or so defending a bunch of racist and sexist crap to the death so that they can pat themselves on the back for how logical and cool they are.
And although I’m way late, lol @Chuck Butcher for getting all butthurt after someone (deliberately or not) misspelled “Butcher” on this thread, particularly since it comes right after his post lecturing the folks about how we should only “address the stuff that “gets by” and is actually fucking dangerous to our relations with each other and dangerous to the fabric of the nation/culture.”
This disconnect there is great. Getting upset about this ad is so trivial, but mah name! You will use the correct spelling of mah name! I laughed pretty hard at that one.
Lisa
@Mara Magee: (Claps loudly) Hear hear!
brantl
@Mattminus: You’d be a somewhat less horrible dick, if you had any human empathy. Keep trying, barfbag.
Lit3Bolt
The white whines on this thread are hilarious.
nota bene
Confront racism. Always. Confront sexism. Always. Fuck the concern trolls.
Silence is complicity. There is no high road anymore.
pwc
Just wanted to shout out LISA at comment 149! rocking my world over here!! i concur with everything you said!
Umbrella
@Xenos 49–I think you’re right. That was bothering me, too.
d. john
all of you concern trolling privelaged white fucktards can get fucked in the face – I wholeheartedly agree with ABL and Lisa
You stupid ignorant pseudo-intellectual arrogant assclowns are actually making me feel ashamed to be white. Seriously, fuck you, you stupid punk ass moron fucking bitches. Word’s fail you arrogance and depravity.
I hope you go to prison one day. You know, those institutions where we lock up most of the black folks? That would be fitting.
Bill H. You are a twisted sad little fuckmouth troll
Chuck Bulter: Butler Butler Butler. Fuck you and your white privalage. Your blistering lack of self-awareness would be evident even to you, if you weren’t so infuriatingly dumbstupid.
Mattimus: You are the reason I support extra-late term abortions. How old are you? That’s how late.
I’d go on, but there are not enough foul phrases in my vocabulary to accurately convey my utter contempt and shame at these people who I must share a melanin deficiency with.
Christ, why don’t you all just fucking die.
ABL, God bless you for putting up with this shit. Jesus christ. I don’t know hou you do it.
Sorry I didn’t visit before, but I didn’t have the stomach for this the first time around – I had already read about the ad. These clown’s reactions were sadly fucking predictable.
I can see why their comments were worse than the video.
Fucking hell.