Posted on 07/11/2009 12:01:08 PM PDT by buccaneer81
Conservative Free Republic blog in free speech flap after racial slurs directed at Obama children
By Chris Parry, Vancouver SunJuly 11, 2009 11:01 AM
This photo of U.S. President Barrack Obama's daughter Malia, wearing a peace-symbol t-shirt touched off a storm of epithet-laced comments on the conservative 'Free Republic' blog
"A typical street whore." "A bunch of ghetto thugs." "Ghetto street trash." "Wonder when she will get her first abortion."
These are a small selection of some of the racially-charged comments posted to the conservative 'Free Republic' blog Thursday, aimed at U.S. President Barack Obama's 11-year-old daughter Malia after she was photographed wearing a t-shirt with a peace sign on the front.
The thread was accompanied by a photo of Michelle Obama speaking to Malia that featured the caption, "To entertain her daughter, Michelle Obama loves to make monkey sounds."
Though this may sound like the sort of thing one might read on an Aryan Nation or white power website, they actually appeared on what is commonly considered one of the prime online locations for U.S. Conservative grassroots political discussion and organizing - and for a short time, the comments seemed to have the okay of site administrators.
Moderators of the blog left the comments - and commenters - in place until a complaint was lodged by a writer doing research on the conservative movement, almost a full day later.
"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?" wrote one commenter.
"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," wrote another.
Such was the onslaught of derision on the site that the person who originally complained about the slurs, a Kristin N., claims only one comment in the first hundred posted actually criticized the remarks as inappropriate.
A note on the front of the blog reads, "Free Republic does not advocate or condone racism, violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government," but one comment on the thread read, "This disgusting display makes me more and more eager for the revolution," while another read, "I never actually wnated [sic] to be a pistol before but..."
After attention from other blogs, the thread was suppressed and placed under review, but before long it was returned to the site intact, and attracted a new series of racial slurs when the original complaint email was posted publicly to the site, with the sender's email address intact.
"The writer has a point," wrote site owner Jim Thompson sarcastically. "We should steer clear of Obama's children. They can't help it if their old man is an American-hating Marxist pig."
"I agree Jim," wrote commenter, by the nickname NoobRep. "The kids didn't pick their commie pinko pansy of a father. Nor did they choose to be put into the spotlight. But Obama/Soetoro is fair game and so is his witch of a wife."
"Poor kids. I hope they're not 'punished with a baby'," wrote another. "Hopefully they won't deal cocaine like the Kenyan."
"DIRTBAGS! All of them. Our [White House] is now a joke to the rest of the world. We have no respect and this is not going to turn out well, mark my words. We will be hit, and much worse than last time. We are now seen as weak and vulnerable. Ghetto and Chicago thugs have taken over."
Only after significant negative attention from a host of left wing political blogs did the maintainers of the Free Republic site place the thread under review for a second time, before finally pulling it.
In the wake of the controversy, some Free Republic posters complained about the vitriol.
One poster by the name of "fullchroma" wrote, "To Jim Thompson: The recent uptick here in racist vitriol, aimed at Barrack, Michelle and their children has made me wonder if I belong. My objection to Obama has nothing to do with skin tone. Is the ugly stereotype of Conservative racism true?"
Another, going by the name of TChris, wrote, "Free Republic is a political discussion forum. It SHOULD be beneath us as a group to stoop to such juvenile tactics as I see increasing here lately. Do we REALLY have to insult Mrs. Obama's appearance like a clique of nasty 14-year-old girls?"
But such opinions were not shared by all. Said Roses of Sharon, "Poor libs .... Too late, the battle has been joined." © Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
I think the kids should be left alone, too. ALL OF THE CHILDREN!
I agree that we need to do what we preach and many posts do not follow that — however, I am just very, very put off by someone from KOS preaching to and about FR after their horrible attacks on baby Trig.
I have lurked at DailyKos from time to time. And they brag that they have at least a dozen folks posting regularly here. Perhaps Jim should do some homework and trace their activities. Can’t his logs show what their referring pages and exiting URLs are? I bet you some of the worst comments were left by KosNazis.
WRONG! At most, pointing out that he has done so would be justified, not debasing oneself by name-calling and libelous comments.
Ya found another one Sherlock. Free Republic is now safe. You are a pathetic prat. Read his books and notice where he went to church. His blackness is most important to him. I'm not the one talking about white man's greed you moron. I'm not discussing anything with you Herr Goebbles.
exactly.........this is how they start the attack
What David Letterman, and most of the Liberal Media, and several so-called Conservative pundits and columnists have said about Sarah Palin and her children is inexcusable and infuriating.
For Conservatives — for FReepers — to stoop that low about Barack Obama’s family is unacceptable. If the reports are accurate, those who made them are merely asserting the same “Free Speech” rights just as did those who attacked Palin’s family. BUt the comments are immoral, wrong, and stupid — because they put weapons in the hands of our ENEMIES.
THINK before you speak/write people. It isn’t about whether you have the RIGHT to say something, it’s about how what you say will HARM the rights you and others now enjoy.
I'm on the site pretty regularly and the name given for one of the offensive posters is completely unfamiliar to me. I also suspect a set-up. How long was that person a Freeper? I am very suspicious that a percentage of recent Freepers are trolls.
Yes, but what will the caption be? "Conservative news blogger" or "rightwing bigot"?
They know places like free republic are making a difference and are attacking it. Thankfully there are still places you can go and not have to be politically correct. This is political war. How many lies and coverups were done to elect Obama. Now they are upset, that it appears, that he will not be re-elected, just a few months in. Go Palin Go.
Yes, his blackness is important to him. That doesn't mean that every negative black stereotype automatically applies to him. Perhaps that point is a little too complicated for you?
this angers me because i do remember that thread and thought some idiots wrote disgusting hateful things that would get us in trouble...but have these idiots ever been on democratic underground, huffpo, or dailykos?
its the internet...your going to get idiots writing stupid stuff all the time
completely agree with you...that thread was out of line and i knew it was trouble from the start...
It's never happened and never will.
I don't see it on here: 
I first noticed it in the 80s or 90s among rap singers, using it to emphasize a point they were making. I guess it's the equivalent of the "quote marks" used by many whites in writing and with their hands.
Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker
you know it. i know it,but we’ll all be painted with the same brush. We complain about Sotomayor being racist. what leg have we to stand on if we preach as she does?
‘And the question I have for you is why are you talking about Justice Department statistics that have nothing to do with Obama? Is it because that he’s black is more important to you than any other fact of his life?’
Nailed ‘em!!!!!!
Agreed. I followed a previous link and finally saw the picture with the daughter wearing the peace symbol shirt -and the ‘cousin’. To say that I was stunned would be an understatement. As much as I dislike the man, bloody hell!!! This is the leader of the free world and his daughter is going out in public looking like a 60’s-era hippie reject. Not to mention the bloke next to her who looks like some gangster wannabe. *shakes head in dismay* If he is such a great ‘leader’ could he not lead the bloke to some corner and read him the riot act about making all of them look like thugs and ne’er do wells? I mean, come on man! Have you no shame?
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