Bob Collins at MPR’s NewsCut NewsQ Gather.com posts a picture…:
Notice the sign with the little arrow by it? Click for a larger view. Photo by Bob Collins.
…showing a sign saying “Tax Cuts: Even A Monkey Can Do It”. That’d be one sign, out of hundreds of signs and thousands of people at the Jason Lewis Tax Cut rally, with a (possibly) racist overtone.
Was that the sign’s intent? “A monkey could do it” is a not-uncommon way of saying “Duh”; the Bush years saw more than a few “Chimp” references that passed without (disapproving) comment from the mainstream media.
If it was racist – was it a tax protester, or one of the ringers sent from the left to stand by the media’s cameras to smear the tea party?
We don’t know. Bob Collins didn’t check. Perhaps it was because it didn’t fit the narrative that the media has set up about the Tea Party, which both the WaPo article and (wittingly or not) Collins extend – that it’s racist until proven otherwise. Or maybe he didn’t feel like walking through the crowd to check. We’ll never know. For the media’s narrative about the Tea Parties, “knowing” might be inconvenient.
Not sure if Bob ever asked Jess Mador how many racists signs were at the 4/15 rally? There were none. Partly, I’m sure, because the Tea Party publicized the fact that its security people would have cameras, and would be actively looking for scabrous signs, to post on blogs and run down identities. I’m not sure that that would have kept a racist away – it’s not like they read blogs. We don’t know. But there was not one single racist sign at the rally, and near as we can tell only one questionable one at the Jason Lewis rally last weekend.
Collins adds a bit from a WaPo article quoting a few Tea Partiers and bunch of Democrat pundits saying the Tea Party is “fighting a perception” of racism – that, nobody adds, was largely a media meme in the first place, borne of cameras lingering and editors drooling over signs at previous rallies that were – let’s be blunt – spectacularly non-representative of the Tea Parties as a whole. “But nearly three in 10 see racial prejudice as underlying the tea party”, the article says, elaborating that “About 61 percent of tea party opponents say racism has a lot to do with the movement, a view held by just 7 percent of tea party supporters.” In other words, the left – which includes the media – spreads the meme that supports their prejudices; the Tea Party itself rebukes the idea.
How to get to the bottom of this?
I invite Bob Collins to come with me to the next Tea Party event. We’ll skip the usual MPR Reporter drill – hanging out in front of the crowd taping speakers. We can wander around there the real fun is; the middle of the crowd, the fringers, the vendor row, where all the real conversation happens. Y’know – doing a crowd on the dynamics of a grass-roots movement by actually meeting the movement.
Pass the word.
Can monkeys read newspapers?
“Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman’s presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.”
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm
Sure they can, they just can’t understand them.
/jc
It’s hard to know what excuse your using from minute to minute, Mitch, so it’s hard to answer your questions appropriately. But maybe that’s the idea.
Let’s take your first excuse: that it wasn’t racist, that it was about monekys and only monkeys. It’s nothing more harmful than a Geico commercial. Take another look at the sign, Mitch
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/content_images/monkeysign-3.jpg
You really want to go with that line of reasoning, Mitch? It’s just a picture of a monkey, with larger ears, a balding forehead, and a jaw line that looks familiar to the White House Occupant? If so, there’s really nothing to discuss.
You’re also using the “best defense is a good offense” technique. There was only one sign. That’s right. There was just the one sign, which I pointed out in the piece (and which you intentionally didn’t note). You call it “questionable,” I call it racist.
Excuse #2: There was only one sign
Mitch, how many nooses does someone have to hang in a fire department before it’s racist? How many swastiskas does someone have to spraypaint on a wall before it’s racist? One, two, six?
What you’re trying to do is change what I wrote because it’s easier for you to rebut an argument that I haven’t made than to rebut one I have.
And what I’ve pointed out is there was a racist sign at the rally and nobody pointed it out or sought to distance themselves from it. That’s it. That’s what I said.
As I’ve said on Gather, why not point the person out and say ‘that person’s an idiot!” Or is the theory if we don’t acknowledge and point out racism, it’ll go away?
Maybe it was a lefty trying to look like a conservative. Or maybe it was a conservative trying to look like a lefty trying to look like a conservative. Or a lefty trying to look like a conservative trying to look like a lefty trying to look like a conservative.
I don’t know.
I only know that an awful lot of people have an awful lot to say now, who couldn’t be bothered saying something as simple as “take your sign and get lost” then.
You can decide for yourselves what that means.
The medium is the message.
Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman’s presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.”
No, Slash. 47% of voters paid no taxes. A fair chunk of people paid more. And when the bill for Obamacare comes due, we’ll all be getting soaked.
So, Bob… does that mean you refuse to accept Mitch’s invitation?
gosh bob take a look at this:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/chimpy%20mcbush/FredWitzell/bush_chimp.jpg
or any of the hundreds of other photo effigies of bush and explain why they arent racist by your standards.
It’s just a picture of a monkey, with larger ears, a balding forehead, and a jaw line that looks familiar to the White House Occupant?
Bob free speech is often offensive speech! get over it. if its ok to compare bush to a chimp/monkey its certainly fair to compare obamma.
Excuse #3 Liberals are by nature racist.
They view everything through the prism of race. The white liberal is haunted by guilt. The liberal of minority status is convinced of victimhood.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
OK, Bob – so your question is “why didn’t anyone say or do anything about the sign?” I dunno; I’ve never heard anything about Minnesotans’ conflict-aversion, have you?
As I noted on Gather, the 4/15 Tea Party made it clear that such messages were unwelcome. And they didn’t show up. If I’d seen the sign (and I’ll cop to the fact that signs are just background clutter to me), I’d have certainly asked some questions and taken some pictures. I was on the air at the time; I’m a great multitasker, but even I have limits.
As to the “how many signs/swastikas/nooses/whatever” question – if there were 5,000 firemen, one noose might make a blanket indictment of the movement a little stretchy. One is distasteful, and too many – but hardly a reasonable observation about thousands of other people.
By the way – if I can find one Hamas sympathizer at MPR (doesn’t seem a big stretch!), does that mean MPR will need to fight the impression they’re anti-Semitic?
Look, Bob – in a movement with millions of disparate people and no barrier whatsoever to entry, you’re going to get some flakes. I’ve written about the thin film of Truthers and Jonesers (and some of the lefymedia halfwits that show up as well). But the media – the WaPo, the Times, CNN – have focused on a statistically miniscule fringe of the movement far, far out of proportion to its size and importance.
As a Tea Party sympathizer and three-time Tea Party speaker, I’m going to push back – at the oddballs in the movement, and at what amounts to a smear by association on the part of the mainstream media.
By the way – Jess Mador interviewed me at the last Tea Party. Since we’re “fighting the impression” that we’re a racist movement, I’m wondering if the fact that there was not a single racist sign happen to make headlines?
If not, why not?
Let’s move from “If I can find one” to “I can find one.”
Finding “The Protocols of the Order of Zion” at an anti-Bush rally in the mid-2000s was not difficult. Bloggers had little problem finding copies for sale and quotes up on signs. I don’t remember many alarmist news stories about the Anti-Semitic vibe of these rallies.
I guess I’d feel more concern about the extremely rare sign at a Tea Party if much of the press didn’t spend 8 years ignoring the hateful, bigoted signs and calls for violence at anti-war rallies (or the attacks on churches in California after Prop 8, or the torching of Palin’s ex-church soon after.)
Kel, if I understand Mr. Collins correctly, he appreciates that free speech is sometimes offensive speech. I don’t see him trying to stop anyone’s first amendment rights; he appears to be exercising his first amendment rights to BE offended by something that is offensive.
Both the image of Bush as a chimp and the image of Obama in the photo are ugly and offensive free speech. I think it is a fair assertion, given existing US slang that only the Obama image is possibly intended to be additionally racist. Or is your argument perhaps that it is birther instead, a reference to Africa, perhaps, given we do not have any apes or monkeys in North America?
I looked at the image again, not for the signs, each sign only represents the thoughts of one person. I looked for an indication of greater diversity, and don’t see very much, after looking at infromation such as the poll results on CNN from a week ago that also addresses perceptions about the tea party.
It pointed out that 85% of the tea party is white (I would have thought from the photo it would be an even higher percentage), in contast to whites as a lower percentage of the general population, and it indicated that of tea partiers polled in a recent survey, 1 in 10 indicated that anger at having a black president is a reason to support the tea party, and it indicated that 75% of the general population believe that racism in the US is still a problem, while only 61% of conservatives beleive that racism is still a problem and only 58% of Tea Partiers do.
So, to be fair, it is not ONLY a single sign that is contributing to the perception of racial insensitivity, if not overt racism, for the tea party. It is a matter of individual choice if the tea party wishes to self-edit signs and speech to address those polling numbers and the perceptions of the tea party or not.
I do know, emphatically, that at least one t-partier, Mitch himself, is not a racist. I think Bob Collins should take him up on the offer.
I can’t tell from that photo, was it really Obama made up to look like a monkey? From that photo it just looks like a monkey.
I hate the arguement “oh yeah, well your side…..” as that is admiting you have a problem and you are trying to deflect it. But!……..DFL convention in Duluth the year Allen Quist ran for the Republican nomination for Governor…..saw some DFL delegates wearing buttons that said “Quistians” and had a slash drawn through it. Does that mean that the DFL is anti-Christian?
Ever seen a liberal protest that didn’t have anti-Israeli signs amoungst the crowd?
given we do not have any apes or monkeys in North America
We have plenty of both. They are in zoos.
As for 85% of the Tea Party being white, is that a surprise given the demographic of the population?
As for the percentage of the population that thinks racism is still a problem in America, see Excuse #3.
given we do not have any apes or monkeys in North America
We have plenty of both. They are in zoos.
As for 85% of the Tea Party being white, is that a surprise given the demographic of the population?
As for the percentage of the population that thinks racism is still a problem in America, see Excuse #3.
“It pointed out that 85% of the tea party is white (I would have thought from the photo it would be an even higher percentage)”
hey dog, ever been to a Twins game? What percentage of the fans are white? 95%? 98%? Does that mean that Twins fans are racist?
Dog,
Your insinuation is on the face of it obnoxious… and wishful thinking on the part of your pernicious sidekid
he appears to be exercising his first amendment rights to BE offended by something that is offensive.
Anyone can say something that offends someone else, and their right to say it outweighs the offense of the offended. At least in a free country.
I agree with David Poe. After 8 years of putting up with Chimpy McBushHitler this all seems like so many crocodile tears. I was at the rally and I saw that sign. I WAS tempted to walk over and tell the person he would be like a magnet for the chronically/professionally offended…to get offended, and would provide all the fodder needed for the leftist mantra of “RACIST TEA BAGGERS”. But I’m from Minnesota, as Mitch mentioned above. We were there to protest the people in and activities taking place in the building behind the speakers, not each other.
bobcollinsmn wrote:
“Mitch, how many nooses does someone have to hang in a fire department before it’s racist? How many swastiskas does someone have to spraypaint on a wall before it’s racist? One, two, six?”
Interesting you should mention swastikas. During Operation Cast Lead, when the Jews decided they’d had enough of rocket attacks from the jihadists, there was a demonstration and march by the pro-Islamists. Amongst them, were white leftists and other “Peace and Social Justice” types. I did not see any mention about the sign in the equating the Star of David with the Nazi swastika. That wasn’t the first time I saw it, either – and that was on the side of a flatbed truck with side panels just south of Lake St. near 35W.
Nor was there much notice of the fight between supporters of Fatah and Hamas at a rally ON THE STEPS OF THE STATE CAPITOL. Didn’t catch that one, either, right, Mr. Collins?
There “progressive left” in this town is full of anti-Semites that regularly hold meetings and the occasional vicious anti-Israel demonstration. Some of the material on their websites are a sight to behold. The left in Minnesota has no shortage of anti-Semites….on the left. The latest spasm of vomit from that side was the DFL Progressive Caucus’ BDS resolution, which was recinded after Brian Melendez read them the riot act. That resolution is why I am now back on the DFL State Central Committee as an Alternate.
Don’t use the Jews to prove a political point. It’s just one notch above the people who say the Arizona immigration lawbreaker statute is analogous to Nazi laws.
In case you’ve missed it at the Minnesota People’s Radio, with all the millions of dollars Minister Kling is raking in, here. Read what’s happening outside your bubble.
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/al-muahid-at-the-dfl-progressive-caucus/
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/jennifer-jajeh-loves-islamist-fascism/
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/twin-cities-pride-jihad-yes-christians-no/
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/star-tribune-whitewashes-pro-hamas-rally/
http://loyalopposition.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/5th-cd-greens-an-endorsement-and-hamas/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhOW__RKx_U
According to the official political handbook “Politics in Minnesota”, 88.9% of the population of Senate District 45 (Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, Eastern Plymouth and North Golden Valley) is white. Does that make SD45 racist? It is just as specious an attempt at painting a group as racist, as saying “since 85% of tea party supporters are white, they’re obviously racist”. It misses out on the whole concept of “voluntary association”.
I bet an even higher percentage of Hispanics took part in Cinco De Mayo rallies last week. Since there were few, if any, whites involved, does that cast racial aspersions on the Cinco De Mayo movement?
Of course most of a Minnesota tea party is white. The state, last I knew, was 92% caucasian. Duh.
And the picture? Sorry, it’s a chimp, not Obama. If liberals want to argue that their guy looks like a chimp, OK, but it would be awfully nice if they’d for once admit that they, not we, have the issue with bigotry.
For reference, count this Tea Partier (or person who wanted to be at some at least) as admitting this nation has trouble with racism. Specifically, you can find an awful lot of racists….
…on the left side of the aisle.
Collins says that the sign bears an “obviously racist message”. He even compares it to swastikas and nooses.
Collins made no attempt to locate the person who displayed the sign and find out what his or her intent was.
This is a smear. In his article Collins identifies the sign as unambiguously racist:
“But a photograph in the Star Tribune revealed an obviously racist message that muted the message protesters wanted to deliver.”
And then smears the tea partiers collectively for tolerating this ‘racist’ message:
“. . . at some point, doesn’t someone have to say, “Hey, buddy, ditch the sign; you’re killing our cause, here”?”
The charge is framed in such a way that it’s impossible for the tea partiers to defend themselves from it. Despite Collin’s claim, the sign is not “obviously racist”. He’s accusing no particular individual of anything.
The proper response to this smear isn’t to try and prove that the sign wasn’t racist or protrest that the tea partiers can’t police everyone at their rallies. The correct response is to tell Collins to go fuck himself.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I’ve looked at the image, and it reminds me of James Carville. That said, I don’t think there’s a lot of the tea party folks who think that Carville has figured Obama out.
Hey Terry, when did you stop beating you wife?
Hey Terry, when did you stop beating you wife?
Don’t be too harsh on ol’ Bob; he’s not tossing out these accusations willy-nilly.
Guys like Bob read and write detailed headcounts at political rallies, detailed according to the color of the heads, that is, and think that’s a good thing.
Guys like Bob say and write things like “look at all those white people” and don’t see anything racist in it…because after all, “white” isn’t a color, right? At least not one that matters to the scary smart, reality based community.
Guys like Bob can be found standing before an audience of racial minorities and telling them that cutting government services is a direct, personal assault on them, and never, not for a micro-second, will the thought that equating a person’s value, ability and future success with the willingness of others to hand hold them throughout their lives is more of a demeaning, dehumanizing, racist line of crap than was ever spewed out of any Kluxers pie hole.
So when someone holds a sign up with a picture of a monkey, guys like Bob are wholly incapable of understanding that the slur has nothing to do with skin color, but is meant to insult their intelligence.
Nope, guys like Bob just don’t get it…
Kermit’s in an echo chamber today.
Let me be clear here; I have nothing but respect for Bob Collins.
But I do believe – and believe the data will show – that the mainstream media’s coverage of the Tea Parties have focused on a tiny fringe of racist signs at rallies. It’s to support a narrative that is, at the end of the day, intended to silence ALL dissent, in this case via smear by association.
As to the question “why didn’t someone do something about it?” Everyone likes to think that they’re the hero who will do something about racism – or even pay attention to the signs waving around them. But when you’re face to face with someone with an objectionable sign, how many of you can go over the top and do the deed?
Bob? Well, you have some vocational practice at it. So did I (and I will claim some credit for the “ounce of prevention” policy at the 4/15 Tea Party, thanks). But for most people? It’s a little more daunting than that – and not because people are racists at heart.
More later.
Oh, and by the way…the juxtaposition of a leftist mongrel that sees nothing wrong with killing children showing up to chastise someone else for not valuing others humanity? Priceless!
Thanks, for the chuckle, DG.
DG,
It pointed out that 85% of the tea party is white (I would have thought from the photo it would be an even higher percentage), in contast to whites as a lower percentage of the general population,
Let’s break this down: 5% of Minnesota is black. That means 250,000 people, including children. 92% of them voted for Obama; I don’t know what turnout numbers are like for black voters in Minnesota, but we can extrapolate that it means that there are 12,000 black Minnesota adults who might have voted Republican in 2008 – a quarter of a percent. Let’s say that that number is up 50% from people who realize that Obama is a fraud and a joke; that leaves us 18,000 black Republican voters in Minnesota.
That means in a group of 2,000 conservatives – like the 4/15 Tea Party – if one presumes equal distribution, one might expect seven black Tea Partiers.
I counted more than that.
And in a room of 2,000 republicans (like the GOP Convention) one might expect 7-8 black delegates.
Yep. There were more than that.
By the way, 7 out of 2,000 is a higher percentage than, say, afro-American liberal bloggers in the Twin Cities.
it indicated that of tea partiers polled in a recent survey, 1 in 10 indicated that anger at having a black president is a reason to support the tea party,
You need to provide a cite for that. That question, and its tabulation, sound rife with possibilities for abuse.
and it indicated that 75% of the general population believe that racism in the US is still a problem, while only 61% of conservatives beleive that racism is still a problem and only 58% of Tea Partiers do.
Leaving aside that it’s tautological – obsession with race is a liberal franchise – as well as gives no context, I’d like to know if the poll crosstabbed for black conservatives. What do THEY say?
So, to be fair, it is not ONLY a single sign that is contributing to the perception of racial insensitivity, if not overt racism, for the tea party. It is a matter of individual choice if the tea party wishes to self-edit signs and speech to address those polling numbers and the perceptions of the tea party or not.
Nonsense. The general perception, among non-Tea Partiers, is a product of the media’s coverage and the non-stop drumbeat about the ‘perception’ that they themselves have had a primary role in feeding.
I do know, emphatically, that at least one t-partier, Mitch himself, is not a racist. I think Bob Collins should take him up on the offer.
Well, thanks, DG.
I somehow doubt that’ll happen, though. With all due respect to Bob, this story is a (possibly unfortunate) factoid that collided with a preconception.
I have had enough of the conclusion jumping, misinformation and ignorance in this thread!
That is a chimpanzee on that sign. A chimpanzee is an ape, NOT a monkey!
Sheesh. You people disgust me.
I looked at the picture and immediately thought of “Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.” But that doesn’t fit the narrative either.
“Let me be clear here; I have nothing but respect for Bob Collins.”
Does this story meet minimum journalistic standards, Mitch?
Maybe it should be held to lower standards because it’s on gather.com rather than MPR?
So when someone holds a sign up with a picture of a monkey, guys like Bob are wholly incapable of understanding that the slur has nothing to do with skin color, but is meant to insult their intelligence.
Yeah, that bothers me too. The idea that it juuuust miiight not be an Obama reference gets dismissed with the kind of brusque abruptness that often accompanies stampedes to conclusions.
Kermit’s in an echo chamber today.
Wordpress keeps doubling my comments. I think it’s a racist thing.
Terry, Mitch can respect Mr. Collins and still believe is is an ill-informed tool. America’s a great place.
Say
SlashBobo?If FICA and Medicare taxes get us to 7.65%, which it does, are you saying you believe that the claimed 9% is a good number?
1.35% left for Income, Sales, Excise, and Real Estate taxes combined?
Get yourself a bananna and sit in your corner until it’s time for you to ride that tricycle.
Folks on the Left seem so certain that the Tea Party is racist… but they are not so sure about radical Islamic “enthusiasts”.
http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2010/05/11/left_is_certain_of_tea_partiers_motives,_but_finds_terrorists_inscrutable
As to the question “why didn’t someone do something about it?” Everyone likes to think that they’re the hero who will do something about racism – or even pay attention to the signs waving around them. But when you’re face to face with someone with an objectionable sign, how many of you can go over the top and do the deed?
In addition to that, there was a VERY LARGE contingent of people there who are of the mindset “You leave me alone, I will do likewise. I don’t care what you do/say until it directly affects me” and those types of people are not the types who get easily offended by mere words.
Kinda the whole point of the event.
Folks on the Left seem so certain that the Tea Party is racist… but they are not so sure about radical Islamic “enthusiasts”.
Well, to be fair, it’s not so much a matter of “certainty” as the fact that they’ve gotten an “impression”.
The mainstream media has been bending over backwards to make sure no such “impression” gets out about Islam. They’d hate to be called racists, after all.
But there’s no problem giving that “impression” about a bunch of middle-aged working schlumps and ripe sucks in flyover land who didn’t have the foresight to silence a questionable sign before Bob Collins took its picture.
Mitch,
You either studied Sir Humphrey Applebee or Francis Urquhart.
😉
Islam is NOT a race. But I don’t expect idiot reporters to figure that little fact out.
Bob Collins did not take the picture. He found it in the Star-Trib.
As I said, Collins’ piece is a nothing more or less than a smear.
I think that the first rule in these cases is Go on the offensive. Who took the picture? Who was carrying the sign? Did you talk to him or her? How can you write this drivel? Didn’t you learn anything at J-school? Does your boss know that you think this is journalism?
Here is the CNN poll; there are many like it, it is not unique.
I selected it from those many, because it addresses perception and was recent. (How many more would you like?)
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/05/poll-tea-party-allies-deny-racism-element-critics-say-otherwise/?fbid=icKS65KfRbz
It was written by CNN political producer Shannon Travis.
I would point out that this is addressing national statistics, including population demographics, so with respect, it applies to a larger population than just Minnesota.
Badda – we had a meeting, Pen and I, and mutually decided that since I had written more of the Penigma content in the past year than he wrote, HE decided to be MY side-kick. Only now I think I would rather be Batgirl than either Robin or Batman in the scenario, for future reference. As a continuing Penigma author, who also comments here, we could always offer the Robin sidekick role to AB….
If Bob changes his mind and joins you on a tea party tour, I will vouch for you being always a charming raconteur and companion. I probably should warn Bob though that he won’t get a word in edgewise, given the differences between your two radio stations……..(and because it is fun to tease you, Mitch).
I did just post a comment on Bob Collin’s article, as DG, if you’re curious.
Dog Gone, that is not a link to a CNN poll. It is a link to a CNN story about an ABC News/Washington Post poll.
You have got to learn how to evaluate evidence better, Dog Gone.
Here is the poll mentioned in the CNN story Dog Gone linked to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_042810.html
It does not support Dog Gone’s allegation that “1 in 10 indicated that anger at having a black president is a reason to support the tea party”. The only question in the poll that resembles a racial question re: teapartiers & Obama is #26d:
The question was not asked of tea partiers, but of anyone contacted by the polling company, and it does not ask if having anger at a black president is reason to support the tea party.
Epic fail, Dog Gone.
“Badda – we had a meeting, Pen and I, and mutually decided that since I had written more of the Penigma content in the past year than he wrote, HE decided to be MY side-kick.”
I wonder how many people here knew anything had been written recently on the penis blog at all.
That being said, I’m sure you had to be counting teh peevee’s run on sentences as paragraphs since the idea that anyone could out drivel teh peevee is preposterous on it’s face.
Liberals think that calling their political opponents “racists” will help their cause. So they do it a lot.
I think they need to be laughed at. “Hey, look at the stupid liberal who thinks everybody else is a racist. What a loser.”
I think that’s where this whole thing is going. I hope so, because it’s getting really tiresome.
Terry, here is the quote from the story as you correctly pointed out, about the poll.
“A small number, one in 10, said that anger at having an African-American president is a reason to support the Tea Party movement.”
Perhaps you should check with CNN for a clarification of what question they were identifying.
I would point out this is not the first and not the only poll which has identified racial attitudes associated with tea party supporters. Before you give me a fail (instead of CNN) may I suggest you look at a larger number of polls. We participated in a recent one by CBS and the NYTimes that also addressed the issue of racism, perception and the tea party for example, so I can personally vouch for the questions being asked.
Ah, Swiftee, sour as ever. You have no idea what is written on Penigma; you were banned some time ago. Come to think of it, you haven’t contributed a comment on AB’s blog either, since the criteria prohibitig trolling was instituted there. Seems to me I recall other places you have made yourself persona non grata…..
“
dg stop peeving
Perhaps you should check with CNN for a clarification of what question they were identifying.
Well, no, DG – since you’re trying to use a poll to impugn the Tea Party, the burden of ensuring accuracy is on you. It’d seem you used it erroneously.
I would point out this is not the first and not the only poll which has identified racial attitudes associated with tea party supporters.
Right – and the other polls (as I recall) pretty much dealt with the general population’s view of the Tea Partiers, rather than self-reported attitudes. Please cite.
In a Gallup survey in 2008, 100% of dogs said cats made for good chasin’, while 0% of cats agreed. Does that mean there’s a genuine 50% split on the issue, or does it mean half the voting population is bringing another agenda to the table?
Before you give me a fail (instead of CNN) may I suggest you look at a larger number of polls. We participated in a recent one by CBS and the NYTimes that also addressed the issue of racism, perception and the tea party for example, so I can personally vouch for the questions being asked.
Well, that’s fine, but I’m more interested in what the questions were, the survey samples, and the crosstabs.
All the polling I’ve seen so far seems to break down as “Democrats think Tea Partiers are racists; Tea Partiers disagree”.
Thin gruel, to say the least.