Protesters use racist slurs and spit at Democrats
From CNN Congressional Producers Ted Barrett, Evan Glass and Lesa Jansen
Washington (CNN) - Civil rights icon and veteran Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, said anti-health care bill protesters Saturday repeatedly yelled the "N" word at him as he left a heath care meeting and walked to the Capitol.
"I haven't seen heard anything like this in more than 40 years, maybe 45." Lewis said. "Since the march from Selma to Montgomery really."
"Yeah, but it's okay," Lewis added. "I've faced this before. So, it reminded me of the 60's. There's a lot of downright hate and anger and people are just being downright mean."
The incident was confirmed by Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indiana, who was walking with Lewis at the time. Protesters were yelling, "'kill the bill, kill the bill' and the 'N' word several times," Carson said.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, released a statement late Saturday saying he too was called the "N" word as he walked to the Capitol for a vote and that he was spat on by one protestor who was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police. Cleaver declined to press charges against the man, the statement said.
Protesters also hurled anti-gay comments at Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, who is openly gay, as he left the same health care meeting that Lewis attended in a House office building.
A CNN producer overheard the word "faggot" yelled at Frank several times in the lobby of the Longworth building. Frank said he heard someone yell "homo" at him.
"I'm disappointed," Frank said. "There's an unwillingness to be civil."
Frank, who said he rarely hears such slurs anymore, said the health care issue has become "the proxy for a lot of other sentiments. A lot of which are perfectly reasonable but some of which are kind of ugly."
Things seem to truly be getting out of hand! What are your thoughts?
I saw another post about the "tea baggers" going to protest...Is this the tea baggers doing this....People are ignorant..
It's sad that they are willing to hurt their cause just to have an outlet for their anger. As adults, they should know better.
bad behavoir is on both sides. they do not represent the majority in either case.
I didn't know Barney Frank was gay. Now I'm wondering if the hatred for him goes deeper than his politics.
As Throngs of Protesters Hit Streets, Dozens Are Arrested After Clashes
In one of the most chaotic moments, members of the Republican delegation from Connecticut said they were shoved and spat upon by protesters near the convention hall, according to the state party’s executive director, Heath Fahle. He wrote an item on the party’s blog describing a “human chain” of protesters who tried to block Republicans at a security perimeter near the convention site. Besides the shoving and spitting, the protesters shouted epithets at the dozens of delegates, Mr. Fahle wrote.
Analysis: Press Largely Ignored Incendiary Rhetoric at Bush Protest
When Bush visited Portland, Ore., for a fundraiser, protesters stalked his motorcade, assailed his limousine and stoned a car containing his advisers. Chanting "Bush is a terrorist!", the demonstrators bullied passers-by, including gay softball players and a wheelchair-bound grandfather with multiple sclerosis.
I do not support the actions of thses protestores. But lets not pass judgement so quickly and lump all the people at the protest into one group. It happens in all political parties and at many protests. There are always a few bad apples.
MSNBC kicks off racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic Buchanan - About damn time
Presidential Elections- Who you voting for?
- LancesMom
on Mar. 20, 2010 at 8:58 PM