Obit Request Spurs National Outpouring-Sally Baron Hailed as Hero by Many (FR mentioned)

The Capital Times (Wisconsin's Progressive Newspaper) ^ | Saturday, August 23, 2003 | Lee Sensenbrenner

[kristinn]

The story of Sally Baron, a Stoughton woman whose obituary asked that memorial funds go toward the removal of President Bush, was catching hold across the country as her family held memorial services Friday.

Dozens of people from around the United States have written to The Capital Times saying they will make donations to various organizations in her name, and the request was aired on national TV Thursday night.

Baron's story is also being hotly discussed on online bulletin boards, among both liberals and conservatives.

Baron "has become a sort of poster girl for all of us who despise George Bush," wrote Nancy Tonies of Appleton.

Baron raised six children, one of whom died of leukemia at age 21, in the timber and mining country of Iron County. Her husband was crushed and nearly killed in a 1969 mining accident and died seven years ago, shortly before Baron moved to Stoughton.

Her family described how their mother - a waitress, cook and factory assembly worker - was furious with Bush for what she saw as a stolen election and dishonest statements. Baron's favorite nickname for Bush, which she used to shout at the TV, was "whistle ass."

"I did not know Sally at all, but I wish I had had the opportunity," wrote Linda Brown, a retired teacher in Thousand Oaks, Calif. "We would have had fun shouting back at the TV together. I suspect my language would have been worse than hers."

Online comment on the politically left Web site democraticunderground.com embraced Baron as a hero.

"We can't lose now. We have a very special angel on our side," a person posting under the name "shirlden" wrote.

Another said: "I am amazed at how much more hope, more peace I feel after reading the story of this family of such generous spirit. Too often I feel such despair about our current situation, but here just one wonderful story lifts me up."

Others said they had made T-shirts with her picture on it, and would blow whistles to acknowledge Baron's nickname for Bush.

On the political right, those posting on the Web site freerepublic.com were not so kind.

"Pack of rust belt commies," one person offered. "Screw 'em. Screw 'em all."

A joke that was repeated by several on the site was whether Baron would keep voting after her death. One person wrote: "May she be remembered forever as a testiment to media propiganda and political slime."

But there was one area of consensus between the conservative and liberal commentary: Many people were taken with the nickname, and wondered where Baron had come up with it.

"Whatever else this article says pales in importance next to this useful insult. I really do like it," a freerepublic.com poster wrote.

"Has this insult been around long? If so, I'm sorry I missed it. I'm going to try to slip it into every conversation I have today," someone called "LanPB01" wrote on the same site.

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, who hosts "Countdown," repeated Baron's request and her nickname for Bush on his Thursday night broadcast.

Baron's family members said they weren't sure of its origin, only that Sally had used it for a long time and it was her favorite term for Bush.

[kristinn]

I wonder if the family's memorial service for Mrs. Baron yesterday was anything like the Paul Wellstone Funeral Jamboree her fellow liberals held in nearby Minnesota last year.

[FreedomPoster]

Probably didn't have the same level of respect and solemnity.

[StarfireIV]

" ...We have a very special angel on our side..."
With agents like Bill Clinton and Larry Flynt, a very special angel indeed.

[Paul Atreides]

Dozens of people from around the United States have written to The Capital Times saying they will make donations to various organizations in her name, and the request was aired on national TV Thursday night.

Dozens of people. Wow! Bush had might as well throw in the towel right now.

[Paul Atreides]

Others said they had made T-shirts with her picture on it, and would blow whistles to acknowledge Baron's nickname for Bush.

I don't want to know what they blew them with, given the nickname.

[Paul Atreides]

I bet she would've given anything to blow Bubba's whistle.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

A joke that was repeated by several on the site was whether Baron would keep voting after her death.,/i>

That wasn't a joke. It was sad comment on our times.

[doug from upland]

This action epitomizes that which we mock about the political left. She had a child die at 21 of leukemia. Rather that asking that donations be made to the leukemia society, she wants them sent to the criminal enterprise known as the DemocRATic party. I don't know whether she is an angel in the afterlife, but in her life on earth she was clearly a fool.

[tet68]

Funny, no mention of those who said they were going to donate to the republican party in her name.

[Paul Atreides]

Not to mention how she wanted to cheapen her own obit.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

She is from Wisconsin. Nuff said.

[Timesink]

Baron "has become a sort of poster girl for all of us who despise George Bush," wrote Nancy Tonies of Appleton.

Keep on spreadin' that homegrown HATE, Nancy baby! It helped us immensely in 2002, and it'll help us even more in 2004! Keep up the good work, bimbo! BWA-HAAAA!

[DoughtyOne]

I have a daughter and a son. Neither are a child any longer. They are both over 20 years old. I just have to remember, that liberal topics are always about children.

Let's see, people are rich if they make $25k per year. They are still children as long as their parents are alive. And if they are leftists, thier blovating vulgar insults will be repeated on air by mentally/decency challenged leftists.

I'm sad the woman died. I'm even sadder her brain preceeded the death of the rest of her.

[ErnBatavia]

the Paul Wellstone Funeral Jamboree her fellow liberals held in nearby Minnesota last year.

I know this is off subject, but when Mrs. Bat and I saw that "tent revival", we did the ROFL thing and went to bed knowing that we had won...

[eddie willers]

Well I see the Dems have the loser vote wrapped up.
What else is new?

[Timesink]

I know this is off subject, but when Mrs. Bat and I saw that "tent revival", we did the ROFL thing and went to bed knowing that we had won...

I don't think it's off-subject at all. It's proof that using hate and vulgarity as your main campaign strategies will guarantee that you will lose. This article shows that the Democrats have learned absolutely nothing from their 2002 annihilation, and are planning on using the exact same strategy again this time ... and they will get the same results.

Enjoy your whistles, asses! The results you get from them are really going to blow!

[Timesink]

You're quoted in this article! (Which is surprisingly objective, given the source.)

[L`enn]

The descendants, no doubt, of the turn of the century Communists and Anarchists that Europe expunged like a fat turd only to wash up on these shores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas.

[Timesink]

By the way, has anyone else noticed that the insult "whistle ass" makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, in any context? Such raw wit the late Sally Baron possessed...