Bruce Under Fire For 'Illiterate Peasants' Remark (CO State Rep)

thedenverchannel.com (ABC) ^ | April 22, 2008 | AP

[Impy]

DENVER -- Lawmakers in the state are trying to determine what kind of action will be taken against Republican Rep. Douglas Bruce after he was ordered to leave the podium of the Colorado House of Representatives for saying that Colorado doesn't need "5,000 more illiterate peasants."

Bruce made the comment Monday during a debate on a bill that would allow the state to help immigrant workers get temporary visas from the federal government.

Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, who was chairing the floor debate, ordered Bruce to leave the speaker's podium after saying, "How dare you?"

Bruce denied later he was referring directly to people from Mexico.

"I bet you my job against yours I didn't use the word Hispanic. I didn't say Spanish-speaking, I didn't say Latin American," Bruce said.

[Da Coyote]

Listening to this on a talk show. The majority callers are saying, “What’s the lie?”

[NurdlyPeon]

“What kind of action will be taken against him”? For what?!?! Well the hell is this world comming to? We need MORE people like him, not less.

[Flintlock]

I'm guessing they feel the need for more illiterate peasants.
Dunno why.

[gracesdad]

“I bet you my job against yours I didn’t use the word Hispanic. I didn’t say Spanish-speaking, I didn’t say Latin American,” Bruce said.”

Obviously he was referring to the Amish.

[kenmcg]

Good for Congressman Bruce for being truthful. The mainstream media can’t deal with the truth.

[toddlintown]

Go and FReep their poll about this.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15947711/detail.html?rss=den&psp=news

The “I Agree”s are ahead

[TLI]

There is a poll...

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15947711/detail.html?rss=den&psp=news

[Tax-chick]

How many college faculty does Colorado have? Could they trade 5,000 of them for 5,000 illiterate peasants?

[andy58-in-nh]

Illiterate peasants are a dependable voting bloc for the Democrat Party.

[PurpleMan]

“The majority callers are saying, “What’s the lie?””

The majority of the voters will boot him.

This is his “Macaca Moment.”

[Old Sarge]

Republican = outrage

Democrat = yawn

SSDD.

[andy58-in-nh]

How many college faculty does Colorado have? Could they trade 5,000 of them for 5,000 illiterate peasants?

I believe the colleges would benefit from having people on their staff who'd actually once worked for a living.

[Sender]

Yes they are. While Bruce's comment may have been tactless, he was no doubt referring to the fact that 5,000 more aliens with no insurance, no drivers licenses and little if any English would do no more than drive up the cost of entitlements and drive down Colorado wages.

I am sick of the elites saying, "How dare you?" when anything debatable is questioned.

[Lurking in Kansas]

For what?

Speaking truth. Truth is a dirty word to Dims.

[Tax-chick]

the colleges would benefit from having people on their staff who'd actually once worked for a living

A random exchange of everything but accounting and math faculty with illiterate peasants would probably be at least a break-even proposition.

[omega4179]

How dare he speak what everyone believes!!

[penelopesire]

Typical drive by media poll! They always find a way to split the conservative opinion!

SURVEY
Do you think Douglas Bruce should be punished for his “illiterate peasants” remark?

No. I agree with what he said.

No. I think it’s his First Amendment right to say what he thinks.

Yes. It was rude, racist and wrong.

(eye roll)

[RexFamilia]

He should have re-phrased his comment saying that Colorado doesn’t need any more bitter people, who cling to picking up vegetables, hang in front of 7-11’s and have antipathy toward people who speak english.

[Blood of Tyrants]

He is right. We don’t need 5000 more illiterate peasants.

[bboop]

Yah, kill him for speaking the truth.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Click through the link and help Freep the survey.

[andy58-in-nh]

I am sick of the elites saying, "How dare you?" when anything debatable is questioned.

That is a classic intimidation tactic of the Left, and it is still remarkably effective. No good person wants to be accused of being mean or cruel, even unfairly. Hence the ubiquitous "racistsexisthomophobicbigot" rhetoric from those on the Left who use the true honor of the people whom they besmirch against them, while only pretending to be honorable themselves.

[G.Mason]

Well ... they don't need 5,000 more illiterate peasants.

They need 5,000,000 more illiterate peasants, or enough to wake up the general population of citizen peasants to revolt and take back their government.

I personally hope that which ever goober wins the WhiteHouse, that he/she/it does so much damage that it wakes us all up.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

[Fox_Mulder77]

It’s true.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Related, from Monday........

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2004870/posts

[w1andsodidwe]

A random exchange of everything but accounting and math faculty with illiterate peasants would probably be at least a break-even proposition.

I think it is hilarious that you left science out of this. But we all know why.

[Between the Lines]

Typical drive by media poll! They always find a way to split the conservative opinion!

Actually they are splitting the liberal opinion. There are still a lot of libs who think believe in freedom of speech.

[popdonnelly]

The bad news is that 36% think that their opinion of what he said is more important than his First Amendment right to say it. Bring back free speech! I’ll bet almost every one of that 36% is a Democrat.

[popdonnelly]

How are you supposed to have a representative body, when you don’t allow members to speak their minds? Isn’t freedom of speech most important in a body that actually makes the laws?

[popdonnelly]

Hey, the Senate let Tom Harkin make spurious and untrue remarks about Rush Limbaugh!

[Mr. Jeeves]

Yah, kill him for speaking the truth.

It's the history of humanity. As Robert Heinlein pointed out, Jesus was essentially crucified for preaching without a police permit.

[Between the Lines]

"I was surprised to hear the comments made by Rep. Bruce," said the consul general of Mexico in Denver, Eduardo Arnal. "I found them not only unfortunate, but offensive.

I would be willing to bet that te consul general has used the term peasant many times while reffering to the very same people.

Peasant - A member of the class constituted by small farmers and tenants, sharecroppers, and laborers on the land where they form the main labor force in agriculture.

[Tax-chick]

But we all know why.

Global Warming.

[KC_Conspirator]

This guy did nothing wrong.

[OldBullrider]

I just voted 3 times, does that make me a democrat?

[xzins]

He’d have been far better had he said poor dirt farmers who can’t read or write.

:>)

[imskylark]

“Lawmakers in the state are trying to determine what kind of action will be taken against Republican Rep. Douglas Bruce”

Obama says something similar and the Dems say, no big deal. Republican says it and they say, how dare you? Hypocrisy at
its finest.

[george76]

Poll half way down.

[Tax-chick]

LOL!

[penelopesire]

Liberals believe in free speech for liberals, but not the rest of us.
After all, it is liberals that are passing laws about ‘hate speech’ and running around the country promoting ‘political correctness’ to the point of absurdity.

[mmichaels1970]

How are you supposed to have a representative body, when you don’t allow members to speak their minds?

My concern as well. It doesn't matter if he was right or wrong. He still should have the right to state his case and his beliefs on the floor. His constituents are the only ones he should need to answer to for his remarks.

[dynachrome]

Poll on Douglas Bruce to freep in #7(or #8). Bruce is a loose cannon but absolutely correct on this one.

FREEP THIS POLL ***PING!*** FRmail me if you want to be added or removed from the Fearless Poll-Freeping Freepers Ping list. And be sure to ping me to any polls that need Freepin', if I miss them. (looks like a medium volume list) (gordongekko909, founder of the pinglist, stays on the list until his ghost signs up for the list)

[dynachrome]

"would allow the state to help ILLEGAL immigrant workers"

[dynachrome]

Thanks. Tried to post it, but it is a Gannet operation which isn’t allowed on FR, so I pinged the usual suspects to the thread.

[GunnyHartman]

Choice Votes Percentage of 921 Votes

No. I agree with what he said. 451 49%

No. I think it’s his First Amendment right to say what he thinks. 171 19%

Yes. It was rude, racist and wrong. 299 32%

[dynachrome]

Douglas Bruce website and email:

http://www.douglasbruce.com/

[pattty]

Do you think Douglas Bruce should be punished for his “illiterate peasants” remark?

Choice Votes Percentage of 935 Votes

No. I agree with what he said. 460 49%
No. I think it’s his First Amendment right to say what he thinks. 175 19%
Yes. It was rude, racist and wrong. 300 32%

Thanks for taking part in our survey! Check back later for updated results.

[dynachrome]

Notice how they split the yes vote!