GOP Scrambles to Condemn Rancher's Remarks on Race

originally posted by: buster2010
GOP Scrambles to Condemn Rancher's Remarks on Race

Offering words of encouragement for a rancher leading an armed standoff against federal rangers turns out to be not so great of a political move – especially when the rancher in question muses publicly about the benefits of slavery.

Republicans – including possible 2016 candidate Rand Paul -- are scrambling to distance themselves from defiant Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy after he made startling comments about slavery and African-Americans in a New York Times article published Wednesday night.

“I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro,” he said. Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, “and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids — and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch — they didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do. They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do. “And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?” he asked. “They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.”

What's the best way to lose GOP support? Start running your mouth like a racist ahole.

Seeing how this man has made his living by allowing his cattle to graze on public land and not paying for it then he is no better than the people he is complaining about seeing how he is getting something for nothing. Some of the ignorant comments that really stuck out is "they put their young men in jail" are all judges black now? And why were the slaves allowed to have families? Because that puts more workers in the field and more product you can sell in the form of their children.

He simply can't see in his mind that they do have more freedom simply because they don't have someone standing over them with a whip beating them if they didn't work fast enough.

Where is the video or soundbite of him saying this. I have yet to find it. If someone can please upload. thanks

The point isn't what he said. The point is the GOP scrambling. Like cockroaches. And I'd say the same thing if it was that other side, whatever they're called (I really don't care).

Pretty hilarious thread All of it.

ETA: Awwww he even lost Sean Hannity!

Sean Hannity, for his part, just broke his own silence on his radio show.

"His comments are beyond repugnant to me, his comments were beyond despicable to me, beyond ignorant to me," he said. [Source]

a reply to: NotSoAnonymous
Erm...page 1 of the thread?

[EATA: Here's his press conference in response to this mess.

originally posted by: theantediluvian

You know what's worse than people "pulling the race card?" People pulling the "they're just pulling the race card, card" to excuse every ignorant old hillbilly who says some stupid sh*t in front of a camera.

It is amazing to me that the first people to claim other people of making racist remarks are the first ones to actually MAKE a racist remark.

Fox News Host Sean Hannity Calls Cliven Bundy's Remarks ‘Racist' And ‘Beyond Repugnant'

Even this arch-conservative denounces this guy because they ( the GOP establishment) are worried about being revealed to the VOTING public for being a supporter of a racist who they have elevated to hero status.

For the past several weeks, the conservative Fox News network has given a major platform to Bundy. Some of its hosts and guests have portrayed his standoff with authorities over not paying fees to use federal land as a populist fight against an encroaching government. In a two-week stretch this month, Fox News devoted four hours and 40 minutes to Bundy’s story during late afternoon and evening broadcasts, according to progressive watchdog Media Matters. But Fox News was noticeably silent on Thursday morning as others reacted to Bundy's controversial remarks on race, published Wednesday night by The New York Times. The Times' Adam Nagourney reported that Bundy had wondered during a public press conference if “Negro” people were “better off as slaves." Fox News host Greta Van Susteren quickly condemned Bundy’s remarks on her blog, but media attention remained focused on how Hannity might respond. That's because Hannity has led the charge in promoting Bundy’s cause and, in recent days, sparred with Jon Stewart on the issue.

originally posted by: gladtobehere
a reply to: namehere

originally posted by: namehere
i think he was comparing how the government behaves today to slave owners, saying that life is worse now for poor and minorities than slavery ever made it, in his opinion. i don't think he was trying to be racist at all, i think he was just pointing out how destructive the government is to the people.

I'll paraphrase what hes saying.

• Blacks under slavery had a skill, cotton picking, which they passed on to their children. As silly as it may seem, it was an actual skill when you consider the abrasiveness of the plant itself.
  
• Without skills, they and their families were now left relying on government subsidies.
  
• He goes on to say that the family unit was more in tact during those days than it is today.

Is there some truth to what he's saying? Possibly.

Is it a poorly worded analogy? I'd say yes.

Does he really think that slavery was a good thing? I doubt it.

a reply to: anon72

originally posted by: anon72
IF he did make those statements,

Does not lessen the wrong doings by the Feds/BLM.

This is absolutely correct.

Regardless of his personal beliefs and opinions, it is absolutely inexcusable for the government to send an army of 200 to 300 men to "collect fees" and impound cattle.

This is nothing more than a red herring.

Character assassination plain and simple intended to deflect from the real issue: the fact that our government is quickly turning America into a police state.

Is there no end to the contortions! Cotton picking is a skill? One that they passed on to their children? Children who held down good paying cotton picking jobs I suppose? Are you f'ing serious? Unfortunately, I think you are.

Let's see, hundreds of years of slavery followed by 100 years of oppression, segregation, disenfranchisement, lynching and the most abject racism you're incapable of fathoming and all that goes along with that from no access to decent education, no opportunities for meaningful employment and therefore virtually no opportunity to accumulate wealth or assets. IF ONLY THEY HAD KEPT UP ON THEIR COTTON PICKING SKILLS they would have surely been immediately upwardly mobile as a group 50 years ago when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed.

Please, do me the courtesy of outlining all of the wrongs of the "Feds/BLM" because I have yet to see anything but a man who doesn't want to pay the same grazing fees that other ranchers have been paying for 80 years and he and a bunch of armed supporters are living out their extremist fantasies.

Here's what would go down in a real police state:

He'd be dead. Everyone there would be dead. We'd probably never know about it because it wouldn't be in the news. Drama queens with guns.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

I saw evolution before my eyes on this thread. It went from "there's no proof he said this" to "media twisted what he said" and then finally to "well he's kinda right you know, blacks did better under slavery than now". The armed chair patriots who quickly ran to support bundy (because he was opposing Obama's federal government enforcing the law) without really doing research into the legitimacy of his claims to grazing now find themselves having to defend more of his idiocy. But hey, you won't get any of their supporters admitting they jumped the gun into supporting this man, no siree, point of no return now. Just make any excuse to support him despite the mounting evidence to the contrary. Quite a pickle Bundy supporters find themselves in. It's fun to watch though.

a reply to: Southern Guardian
But hey...it's entertainment...albeit predictable.

originally posted by: theantediluvian

Children who held down good paying cotton picking jobs I suppose? Are you f'ing serious?

lol...

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
The armed chair patriots who quickly ran to support bundy (because he was opposing Obama's federal government enforcing the law) without really doing research into the legitimacy of his claims to grazing now find themselves having to defend more of his idiocy. But hey, you won't get any of their supporters admitting they jumped the gun into supporting this man, no siree, point of no return now.

What part of "Disproportionate militarized response to resolve a civil matter" is confusing you? I could give a rat's ass who or what Cliven Bundy is or what he's doing... My problem is the Feds sent snipers and enacted an illegal as hell "Free Speech Zone" outside his property in the name of rounding up some cattle. That's wrong and it warranted a patriotic boot jammed so far up the feds' ass they could taste their breakfast from the previous week.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

The point isn't what he said. The point is the GOP scrambling. Like cockroaches. And I'd say the same thing if it was that other side, whatever they're called (I really don't care).

Wait so if someone is sticking up for someoen because they see an obvious over reach in goverment activity, they cant NOT agree with a belief system they have thats totally UNRELATED to the issue presenting itself with his cattle?

How is it "scrambling" , to come out and say "Look we totally do not agree with your remarks and we think your viewpoint came off racist, and if you are racist we definitely dont agree with that"

I dont see that as scrambling to do anything.......

But I do love the obvious bias and drooling and lipsmacking by not only some people on this website but the media at large......

The only scrambling I see, is the media and the liberal left to try and get in a sucker punch as fast as they can

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
The armed chair patriots who quickly ran to support bundy (because he was opposing Obama's federal government enforcing the law) without really doing research into the legitimacy of his claims to grazing now find themselves having to defend more of his idiocy. But hey, you won't get any of their supporters admitting they jumped the gun into supporting this man, no siree, point of no return now.

What part of "Disproportionate militarized response to resolve a civil matter" is confusing you? I could give a rat's ass who or what Cliven Bundy is or what he's doing... My problem is the Feds sent snipers and enacted an illegal as hell "Free Speech Zone" outside his property in the name of rounding up some cattle. That's wrong and it warranted a patriotic boot jammed so far up the feds' ass they could taste their breakfast from the previous week.

Oh come on now. Anyone would respond to the threats Bundy and his family made in exactly that way. But it was more like a few park rangers with dogs and tasers anyway. Many of the pics that went viral to feed the masses this drivel were taken from other places. This entire non-story and the corresponding righteous indignation should just be called "Exaggerate Much?"

a reply to: Willtell

Even this arch-conservative denounces this guy because they ( the GOP establishment) are worried about being revealed to the VOTING public for being a supporter of a racist who they have elevated to hero status.

Wait so let me get this straight........you cant NOT agree with someone who sounds like a racist if youre a republican?

Hmmm interesting, sounds a lot to me like youre saying all republicans are racist.......

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask
My amusement is at the entire thing, no one "side" or the other. I think this entire story from start to finish (is it over yet? please?) is just another disgusting example of brainless idiots following other brainless idiots...probably off a cliff in the end.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

Was there or was there not a "Free Speech Zone" established on the site by the feds?
I am looking for a simple "yes" or a simple "no" here. No need to soliloquize on it, yet.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Oh hell I have been republican all my voting life and I have been one of the most outspoken people against Bundy on this website since the get-go.

I'm still laughing my butt off at all this idiocy though.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

That wasn't the first goddamn "free speech zone" the governement set up! Where the hell were you the first damn time they did it?

the first time you didn't give a flying # is where you were... you only seem to care now cause hes a rancher...

well I used to run cattle too and this man's using all of you!

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: ~Lucidity

Was there or was there not a "Free Speech Zone" established on the site by the feds?
I am looking for a simple "yes" or a simple "no" here. No need to soliloquize on it, yet.

I think there was but there was no one in it for the majority of the time it was up so they took it down.

And frankly, I don't care either way. The entire response to this idiocy is embarrassing.

And don't tell me when to "soliloquize" and when not to. This is a free speech zone.

Oops.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity

And frankly, I don't care either way.

Thankfully, there is no clause in the Constitution that declares our American Civil Rights and Liberties are "based upon the apathy or interest of one, ~Lucidity." Therefore, I care and others care and our cares matter. Free Speech Zones aren't right or just and, particularly when established by a federal entity, represent an encroachment on Americans' right. When those zones are managed and compliance is coerced through threat of militarized police violence, then the agency has demonstrated it is a threat to the People and our rights and, to be real honest, requires a response which poses an equal threat to their well being if they step out of line. Enter the militia.

ETA:

And don't tell me when to "soliloquize" and when not to. This is a free speech zone.

Well played.

originally posted by: OpinionatedB
a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Oh hell I have been republican all my voting life and I have been one of the most outspoken people against Bundy on this website since the get-go.

I'm still laughing my butt off at all this idiocy though.

thats what im saying lol there seems to be a WHOLE lot of labeling going on here, and the labeling im seeing is coming from the left, not the right.........

I see repubs and conservatives doing the right thing and speaking out against this guys racist remarks......

and I see the left condemning them for it........

they like to create no win situations like this and blanket label anyone whose a conservative......

i find it nauseating