Democratic offices vandalized
By JUDY L. THOMASAuthorities in Wichita and some other cities across the country are investigating vandalism against Democratic offices, apparently in response to health care reform.
And on Monday, a former Alabama militia leader took credit for instigating the actions.
Mike Vanderboegh of Pinson, Ala., former leader of the Alabama Constitutional Militia, put out a call on Friday for modern “Sons of Liberty” to break the windows of Democratic Party offices nationwide in opposition to health care reform. Since then, vandals have struck several offices, including the Sedgwick County Democratic Party headquarters in Wichita.
“There’s glass everywhere,” said Lyndsay Stauble, executive director of the Sedgwick County Democratic Party. “A brick took out the whole floor-to-ceiling window and put a gouge in my desk.”
Stauble said the brick, hurled through the window between Friday night and Saturday morning, had “some anti-Obama rhetoric” written on it.
Incivility and When Perception Becomes Reality
in·ci·vil·i·ty (
n
s-vl
-t
)
n. pl. in·ci·vil·i·ties 1. The quality or condition of being uncivil.
2. An uncivil or discourteous act.
Just for a moment, remove any accusation of racial slur, the N-word, or spitting. How many of us would like to be an older black man having to walk through an angry mob of white people screaming, taunting, booing, hissing and whatever else they were doing. Those congressman practically had to part the white sea to even move through the crowd.
In the first place, the crowd should not have been that close. The congressmen should have had police escort. I found myself having bad flashbacks to things I have seen on TV throughout my life, things that were going on during my lifetime. No one should dismiss it. Those men were brave to make that walk. If one of them said he was spat on, then he was. Perhaps it was just the spray from the vehenom of hatred spewing from a protestors mouth, but spit is spit–stream, lunger or spray, all gross.
Note: The video is the one Cargo Squid referenced.
“Baby Killer” Utterer Randy Neugebauer Turns Himself In
As anti-abortion Democrat Bart Stupak attempted to speak on the House floor, a lone voice called out what sounded like ‘Baby Killer.‘ The entire House errupted in muffled whispers over the affrontery. Gavels were banged and people whispered back and forth over what they thought they heard. Rep. Stupak had held out his vote for Health Care Reform until President Obama promised to write an executive order stating no public funds were to be used for abortion. The ‘baby killer’ remark must have smarted. Again, rudeness.
Now the shouter has stepped forward and confessed, along with a little equivocation. It seems that he meant the Health Care Reform legislation was a baby killer, not Stupak. Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Tx) had the following to say:
Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support. In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase ‘it’s a baby killer’ in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.
“I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill. The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate.”
Yea right, Mr. Neugebauer. Let’s have a listen. It’s brief:
We must live in an ‘anything goes’ culture where the rules of civilized society have been abandoned. On the national level, Members of Congress call the the President a liar, call each other names like ‘ Baby Killer.’ Outside, protestors spit, make racial slurs, and threaten with gun signs. At the local level a supervisor thinks its ok to call his constituents names and refer to them as ‘crap.’ There must be some rules of decorum. It’s one thing to speak informally with friends. It’s quite another to make public statements and direct racial slurs at people. The threatening and bullying must stop. And our leaders and entertainers who reach into millions and millions of homes per day must stop aiding, abetting and inciting this kind of behavior.
Vicki Kennedy Praises Health Care Passage
The huge unseen presence hung over the Capitol yesterday as the democrats voted for the hotly debated Health Care Reform Legislation. That presence was the spirit of the Lion of the Senate: Senator Teddy Kennedy. Health Care Legislation was Kennedy’s life-long goal during his long tenure in public service. His widow, Vicki Kennedy, visited the grave of her deceased husband to reflect.
Huffington Post:
Appearing on CNN’s ‘John King, USA’ the widow of former Sen. Ted Kennedy pointed to the commitment made by President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi as particularly critical for reform’s passage.
“I think that President Obama showed incredible determination and courage and focus when he continued this battle; and Speaker Pelosi to continue to rally the troops and the leaders in the House of Representatives showed incredible determination and focus and courage,” Kennedy said. “And I think it is a real tribute to all the members of the House of Representatives as well. I think it is a real tribute to all of them and I am deeply, deeply, grateful, as I think are the American people.”
Kennedy echoed a common refrain from her late husband — a longtime health care reform champion — in arguing that the public will fully embrace the legislation’s passage.“You know Teddy always said that when we finally pass health care reform and when people understand what’s in the bill and what benefits there are for them, they are going to say ‘What took you so long?’ And I think that’s going to happen here,” Kennedy said
