Posted on 07/10/2009 9:53:00 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
Yesterday, theHalfrican posted a link to the Free Republic Website where several of its regular members were bashing Malia Obama for wearing a peace symbol t-shirt. The thread had several derogotary, racist, and sexual remarks about Malia. It also included a picture of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that was accompanied with a racist caption.
I wrote the media contact at Free Republic yesterday, kristinn@bellatlantic.net, questioning the nature of the posters and the site:
Hello. I am an independent writer developing a book about the grassroots conservative movement online, of which your site, Free Republic, is included as a primary online gathering place for conservatives.
Could you please tell me how the owner of the site feels about posts like this one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/...
...in which conservatives who post regularly at the site make several racist statements about the 11-year-old daughter of President Obama for wearing a t-shirt adorned with a peace symbol? Remarks included the following:
"We’re being represented by a family of ghetto trash." "Looks like a bunch of ghetto thugs. A stain on America."
"Looks like a typical street whore."
"What we now are sending the ghetto over to represent us. and if so who the hell is that flea bag who looks to be dragged from the trash dumpster."
"you could go down any ghetto right now and see exactly the same."
"could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there"
"the world must be laughing like mad right now at that we have this kind of street trash in our white house."
"Wonder when she will have her first abortion."
"sad isn’t it that we now have ghetto street trash over there representing us in Europe."
"This disgusting display makes me more and more eager for the revolution.
"They make me sick.... The whole family... mammy, pappy, the free loadin’ mammy-in-law, the misguided chillin’, and especially ‘lil cuz... This is not the America I want representin’ my peeps."
In addition, the thread includes a picture of Michelle Obama speaking to her daughter with the caption, "To Entertain Her Daughter, Michelle Obama Likes to Make Monkey Sounds."
Before you dismiss this as only a minority of posters at the site, out of 100 posts on that thread I found only 1 that criticized such remarks. This is not the first time I have seen such an exhibition of blatant racism at Free Republic by members who regularly post there.
Here are my questions:
Does Free Republic condone this type of exercise in free speech?
Are these the type of participants Free Republic is happy to have posting at its site?
What is Free Republic's policy about posting racially offensive comments?
What is Free Republic's policy about making sexual insinuations about minors (particularly relevant in light of the David Letterman/Sarah Palin brouhaha)?
Does Free Republic believe its membership accurately represents the conservative movement?
Does the owner of Free Republic believe this kind of discourse is helpful to rebuilding the Republican Party and furthering its goals?
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your responses.
went back to the site today and saw that the offending thread has been pulled "pending review."
http://www.freerepublic.com/...
I do note that Free Republic has a disclaimer on the first page that claims it does not condone this type of post; however, I am not sure when the disclaimer was added. Does anyone know?
From the disclaimer:
Opinions expressed on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Free Republic or its operators.
Please enjoy our forum, but also please remember to use common courtesy when posting and refrain from posting personal attacks, profanity, vulgarity, threats, racial or religious bigotry, or any other materials offensive or otherwise inappropriate for a conservative family audience.
Free Republic is a site dedicated to the concerns of traditional grassroots conservative activists. We're here to discuss and advance our conservative causes in a more or less liberal-free environment. We're not here to debate liberals. We do not want our pages filled with their arrogant, obnoxious, repugnant bile. Liberals, usurpers, and other assorted malcontents are considered unwelcome trolls on FR and their accounts and or posts will be summarily dismissed at the convenience of the site administrators.
Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government.
So, the site will readily delete posts from liberals just because they are liberals and therefore everything they say is automatically considered "arrogant, obnoxious, repugant bile."
But comments calling an 11-year-old black girl "ghetto trash" and a "whore" are pulled "pending review." What is to review? Your site either supports that kind of rhetoric or it does not. Which is it?
If the Free Republic's "conservative family audience" consists of people who say such things as they often do (like yesterday), how conservative are they? And how family-oriented are they? Where were all the posts from other Free Republic regulars or from the owner of the site decrying this kind of racism directed at a child for no apparent reason than the fact that a peace symbol t-shirt inflamed their hatred to disgusting depths, like a red handkerchief in front of a mad bull?
Conservatives continually reinforce the fact that the only families they care about are conservative ones; the only troops they support are ones that do not vote democratic; the only children whose lives they value are the children of conservatives or unborn. How many of those aborted fetuses they claim to hold so dear would they trash had they been born and grown into a pre-teen who wore a t-shirt with a peace symbol or supported a liberal president? Or was gay?
The truth is that conservatives do not know the meaning of Jesus' words despite how much they love to use them when it suits their inner hatred of all those who are different. Worse, they lack basic human decency, as they demonstrate time and again.
Care to give some examples of that?
I'm half white (going by ethnicity) and seven-eights white (going by race). Is that pale enough to be one of those ignorant blind whiteys who can't see racism?
My other ethnic half is Hispanic. I guess maybe the eeevil white blood in me clouds my vision and prevents me from being a wise Latina.
Thanks. A little googling leads to pulled thread #2289769, in which BigSkyFreeper reports his name is Avery. A little more googling reveals him to be the 17-year-old son of Obama's brother in law, Oregon State Basketball Coach Craig Robinson.
 Craig Robinson |
Because of the LONG and STORIED history of people claiming that people of African descent are somehow “less evolved” or closer to a gorilla or chimp than other human population groups.
Is that fine enough of a point?
thank you for clearing that up!
Ooookay. LOL. Seriously?
So when my aunts called me an indian when I was acting like a savage/normal kid, they were being “racist?” Or when they called me a monkey?
Maybe you should accept that not everyone goes for this PC reality that’s being forced on us. Not all of us suffer from white guilt. Not all of us suffer from some ethnic victim mentality...I know exactly how Italians and Irish are viewed stereotypically. Big freakin’ deal. Oh wait, I’m not hispanic or black or an arab muslim so I can’t claim that.
“That is just how it is.”
It’s only that way because people continue to give credence to this crap.
#476 Bravo, that was a great post!
Mixed-race actress Jessica Alba, when she was pregnant, said, “I hope my baby is brown.” Not one person, liberal or conservative, criticized her for that remark.
Can you imagine the outrage if a mixed-race actress had said, “I hope my baby looks white?” Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and La Raza would be rioting in the streets, baying for her blood like rabid dogs. Why is it okay for black and brown to have pride in their skin color, but light-skinned people (whites - including white Hispanics - and Asians) virtually are required to hate themselves in this era of political correctness and Obama worship?
Um, am I missing something here? Is there any particular reason that WE are paying for every Tom Dick and Harry in their entire tribe to go on all of these trips? I am really beyond over their BS. STARVE THE BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because of the LONG and STORIED history of people claiming that people of African descent are somehow “less evolved” or closer to a gorilla or chimp than other human population groups.
_______________
I never heard that. Is it true?
I don’t hold the kid (Malia, and the other kid, Sasha) responsible. Those kids don’t represent us and they didn’t ask for it. The parents do and did.
I remember when the Bush twins were slammed for their dress, behavior, etc. Then, and now, I didn’t and don’t consider the kids or relatives of our elected officials as representing us.
I get what you’re saying. If it were my family/kids, they wouldn’t dress like that for church or a wedding or funeral, etc. Fortunately, my kids don’t have to dress for the world.
My only comment about the child is pity for her that her parents aren’t smart enough to put decent clothes on her. I would never let either of my daughters out of the house in shorts that short. It would barely be considered appropriate for a vacation at the lake but never okay for where they were.
Well said.
That's a good question. Anyone know what the rules are on the president inviting guests to accompany him on trips? How many guests have past presidents had along on such visits?
And MLk Jr was a racist. But we can’t discuss that cos it’s not PC.
They’re children. And she wasn’t wearing “hot pants.” She was wearing shorts for goodness sakes. I hated her tshirt, though.
I’m still amazed I’m discussing what an 11 yr old was wearing.
Unlike FR, which is pert near perfect!
I wasn’t offended. Oh wait, I’m not in any “race” other than white so I can’t be offended, lol.
Does that make me White Trash, or Trailer Trash? Those are still ok to say...I wonder why.
Comments I’m reading from a thread I didn’t see, classless for sure. Racist? I’m not convinced.
Then you haven't been paying attention.
It's bad enough how arrogant they are already...it's going to be a long 4 years after this!!
I’ve been told, on here, that calling a white person a monkey is far different than calling a black person a monkey.
Calling President Bush a chimp, etc. means nothing because he’s white.
RME.
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