…you display this political statue of a monkey in an Obama mask.
How strange that people always have an excuse why they aren’t racist. Well, Mr. Caldwell is a racist by most anyone’s standards, in my book. I rarely call anyone that. He told us what was in his heart.
Curtis Caldwell of Craig County reminds us that free speech has a real ugly underbelly. I am not sure why it is always thrown in that someone is a veteran, Vietnam or otherwise. That makes him no more or less offensive. He gets no pass.
He definitely crosses over the good taste and good manners barrier. I also really resent him using the Confederate flag to spew his hatred.
If this dude lived here in Prince William County, how would the denizens handle him? Would they snub him or would things get carried further? Craig County is in rural Virginia, west of Roanoke. I think this good ole boy might face a rough time here in NoVA. What if he were your neighbor? What on earth would you do? How horribly embarrassing!
Are people just becoming more brazen in their racial taunts? This man embarrasses me, as a Virginian.
This guy is an idiot; pure and simple. His racist attitude toward President Obama is not shared by Romney, Ryan or the overwhelming majority of Republicans. Why not not dig up a lunatic person calling himself a Democrat who makes some offensive, irrelevant statement about Romney, maybe Mormon-bashing or something, and publicize him as well? I wish no public information outlet, whether it is the news station that ran the report, Moonhowlings, or anyone else would not even dignify this guy by providing the attention he wants from this tasteless stunt.
I thought about that, NTK. Then I decided to go with it. It has been all over the news. I decided to go with exposure because pretending like this isn’t going on isn’t acceptable either. Terry Jones or this clown obviously represent attitudes and behavior in society that most of us find unacceptable.
I think it is a unique situation because there is but one black president. I might feel differently about exposure if the roles were reversed.
Is Terry Jones that guy in Florida who burns Korans? I think that’s the person to whom you are referring. He and Caldwell are no longer relevant to US society. There aren’t enough of them to have any influence, and they are too cowardly to do anything beyond burn a Koran or put a monkey statue on their front lawn.
Reporters who give them attention are similarly acting in an irresponsible manner. News should reflect things are relevant to our society and contribute to serious debate. When reporters show up in Craig County or at Jones’ church in Florida with their cameras rolling they are seeking nothing but sensationalism to boost ratings. In so doing, they might get a higher price for their ad time, but they are damaging civil, serious debate in our country.
I believe one-hundred percent that Caldwell and Jones have as much right to say what they believe as we have a right to post our views on Moonhowlings. However, I think we should regard them as part of the price of having free speech, let them say whatever they want, and ignore them.
@NTK
They are relevant because they have a following. Hell there was an insurgent uprising over Terry Jones. When Americans are in danger because of Jones’ big mouth, then I would say he is very relevant.
Any yes, that is who he is. Is Westover Baptist irrelevant?
Censored is right about too much access.
The best thing for reporters to do is to ignore people like this.
The best thing for whom? I think these clowns need to be called out and shunned for it.
I have noticed over the past few years that people are feeling more and more free to express racists opinions and pretty much say what they want all under the protection of free speech. It isn’t just over race, but that is the issue today. Do we silently sit by or do we let people and society know that we find behavior unacceptable?
When I was coming along, lots of people did not descrecrate the flag because they didnt like the snot getting pummeled out of them.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)
I believe Terry Jones and Caldwell are relevant because they do represent a segment of society that feels very comfortable in exercising their free speech rights in this bigoted manner. It’s their very comfort in saying publicly what they do say that’s telling. They expect support because there is an element in our society that feels exactly as they do and we all know it.
Decades ago polite people avoided most talk of politics and religion in public (except for those actively involved in campaigns). We know how that has changed. Anyone can say anything – even the WaPo’s and NY Times’s comment sections are filled with Joe and Jane Doe’s opinions no matter how devoid of facts. YouTube and Facebook also enable any idiot to say/show any nonsense he or she desires. There is little serious in-depth investigative journalism on tv and most Americans would avoid it anyway if it didn’t jive with their predisposed opinions.
@Moon-howler
“there was an insurgent uprising over Terry Jones. When Americans are in danger because of Jones’ big mouth”
But if the media had just ignored him as I advocate there would never have been an insurgent uprising and no Americans would have ever been in danger because of him.
Jones has a right to say whatever he wants, but he does not have a right to media coverage. I blame the media for the problems arising from this episode more than I do Jones himself. What purpose did giving him all of that coverage serve? How did it contribute to serious debate and discussion of issues in the US? It didn’t. It was media sensationlism and nothing else.
You can find a nutcase who will say or do anything, and all of them would love to get media attention. Why do we give it to them? Ratings and ad revenue. Then Americans and others suffer as a result of the media’s sensationalism and irresponsibility.
@Moon-howler
The best for US. I agree with you. Shun him. Don’t reward him with press. THAT’S what he wants.
Ignore him, let the locals point and laugh, and it withers on the vine.
I don’t think that kind of thing does wither on the vine. I wish it did. Its out there and it that kind of prejudice is very much alive and well. I hear it often as does Elena. I have ex friends who say horrible things.
Would we be saying the same thing if there was public negative outcry over Romney being Mormon or would we face it head-on? How about JFK being Catholic? There was a lot of blowback over that with lots of ugliness.
I just checked YouTube. Jones has a video posted since the original uproar about his threat to burn Korans of him actually burning a Koran and a Mohammed puppet. Perhaps the media people actually realized their irresponsibility in blowing the orginal incident all out of proporation and this time didn’t want to be at fault again for people coming to harm?
I think you are overlooking the purpose of the media. It isn’t just to show us what we want to see.
Its what they do.
Am I missing something here? How about Clown Jones not doing what he is doing. I feel like the messenger is being shot here.
This guy shouldn’t make fun of a “clean, articulate, black man”(Biden) like Obama. I mean, when you listen to Obama, you almost “forget he’s black!” (Chris Matthews). But, if we’re being honest with each other, you all know that a few years ago, he’d have been “carrying our golf clubs for us.” (Clinton).
@SlowpokeRodriguez
Comments made by a sitting Vice-President, and a former President of the United States, or by one of the most widely-viewed pundits in the country are obviously newsworthy. Comments made by an obscure Florida pastor with a tiny following, or a guy with a monkey statue on his lawn in Craig County, not so much.
@SlowpokeRodriguez
Biden, probably
Matthews-totally out of context
Clinton- out of context if it exists. the only record of it is in some conservative rag.
Let’s stick to facts.
@Need to Know
If they happened at all. I don’t think Biden was a sitting Vice President when he made the remark.
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I am hoping that some of the readers here don’t equate a comment about articulate (which we say about people of all races and creeds) with a moneky statue.
Tell me that isn’t what you all are trying to accomplish.
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@Need to Know
Actually I did do a thread on the minister who said Mormons weren’t Christians. I did it last spring.
It sounds to me like you are being a little touchy.
https://www.moonhowlings.net/index.php/2011/10/10/perrys-pastor-proclaims-mormons-are-a-cult/
https://www.moonhowlings.net/index.php/2012/04/16/pastor-jeffress-is-still-at-it/
Apology accepted….ooops one wasn’t given. Why must a person be a Democrat? I never mentioned any party in the original post. Anyone who wants can say they are a D or an R. Why hold either party responsible someone not even on the books.
Had I said look at this racist Republican, I could understand the touchiness, but I didn’t. Republicans and Democrats have no control over who supports them and who doesn’t.
@Moon-howler
Moon, none of us accused you of Republican bashing. My criticism is directed at the media. As much as I enjoy Moonhowlings and discussions with everyone here, I don’t think its influence extends to being able to incite unrest in the Middle East. You are absolved.
Actually, I think that if someone like Mr. Caldwell is going to be discussed the appropriate forum would be a local blog and no video footage to make him feel more important than he really is. Cargo said it well, “Ignore him, let the locals point and laugh.” Prince William County discussing Craig County might be a bit of a stretch, but there it is.
Still, I maintain that the best way of dealing with sundry and assorted crackpots and nutcases is to ignore them.
What a bigoted little man. Hating black people is his reason for getting up in the morning.
Oh, I think maybe you’re taking him out of context.
I know you took Chris Matthews out of context and I don’t think bill Clinton said it. Let’s be specific.
There is a huge difference and really have nothing to do with the topic.
@Need to Know
My response was to the following comment:
Many people have been taken to task here for being tasteless, including today’s racist redneck.
I don’t believe in ignorning malevolence. I have watched people do it all my life.
Isn’t that what people are so up in arms over at PENN State? ignoring malevolence?
Penn State was a crime in progress, though. Or are you talking about Mann’s climatology? 😉
Penn State was not a crime in progress.
Feel free to justify whatever you want.
@Moon-howler
Moon, my point was directed at the media rather than you. I know that you and Elena have been dealing with issues of racism and discrimination for a long time and would be offended by Mr. Caldwell’s actions regardless of the election.
My guess is that Republican bashing is a significant factor in the media’s programming decisions. They have been more biased trying to reelect President Obama than toward any candidate in any election I can remember – and I’ve seen a lot of them. That video shows the monkey wearing an Obama mask next to a Romney/Ryan and a Goodlatte sign. Guilt by association, perhaps? Those candidates would consider Mr. Caldwell’s message abhorrent and not want to be associated with it.
Sure it does, but it’s not flattering to the left, so you can’t see it (denial).
I read what Chris Matthews said. I remember what he said. You didn’t say what was said. Bill clinton. Where is it?
What YOU fail to see is that you can’t just throw out crap and try to make some point, especially if it didn’t happen.
I went back to reread your point. You really don’t have one. It is just more digs because you always have to say something crappy rather than discussing the issue at hand. If you think biden making the articulate remark, which I am not disputing, in any way is equivalent to this Craig County guy and his monkey statue, than it sure explains a lot.
It is one thing to say something that makes the rest of us groan or to not think of it implications. It is quite another to go out of one’s way to demonstrate biogtry and prejudice using time-tested offensive imagery. Do you fail to see that? If that is the case its probably a good thing you work at home.
Awkward remarks and deliberate racial prejudice shown like in the video above are just light years apart, regardless of who is doing them.
I
@Moon-howler
Your are talking about the coverup of Sandusky, right? That was a crime in progress. He was caught in the showers with a boy. If that’s now what you’re talking about, then what are you talking about?
Justify what? Didn’t try to justify anything.
I am talking about Penn State getting the blame for Sandusky who was no longer an employee. It wasn’t a crime in progress. There were incidents.
Some of them happened many years ago, back in the 90s.
The only point in mentioning PENN State was to talk about ignoring evil. Wrong doing was ignored and that is what brought down the house that Joe built.
It took a long time for the wrong-doing to get caught up with.
@Need to Know
I suspect the media appears to be Republican bashing simply because the Republicans have bashed so many groups in the past few years that the howl those groups raise gets the media’s attention – whether it’s women, gays and lesbians, immigrants, welfare recipients (however you want to define them), people in need of better medical coverage, scientists, government employees (particularly teachers), and on and on and on.
The great swath of red welfare states would like for everyone to believe racists are as rare as hens’ teeth, but that isn’t so. (Hee hee- although scientists, God forbid, have discovered that some hens indeed have teeth, but who’s to believe those guys!)
Yeah, it happened. You can’t erase the fact that stuff happens by liberal denial. Well, you can inside your head, but out here in world, we know. You found a racist, you’re running around saying “we found one!!, we found one!!” I’ll give you this much, it’s much harder to find a conservative racist than it is to find a liberal racist. So you at least did your work. I’m just saying that for people who are not motivated purely by partisanship, we not terribly impressed.
The stuff you’re denying is pretty common knowledge.
It doesn’t need to be flattering to the left or the right. I think your examples are llike comparing fleas to elephants. Why are you deflecting rather than discussing the behavior of people like Caldwell who obviously hate and are proud of it?
Once again, you want to take a jab at the left. I want to take a jab at someone who thinks it is perfectly ok to hate and be openly prejudiced. You must want that some pass for the New Black Panthers?
btw. pokey deflector, the remarks Clinton supposedly said were alleged. Everyone who supposed they were said to is now dead. How convenient. Do you think just maybe he didn’t say them?
This is so typical of you. You simply can’t discuss the actual issue at hand because it is apparently uncomfortable for you. So you try for the “other side.”
Can’t you just talk about how inappropriate he is in today’s society or agree with him or something?
When I see a white person I assume they are racist.
We minorities are the only non racists.
I want my reparation money and cell phone!!
All people can be racist. In fact, my own personal theory is that everyone is, to some degree. Probably Mother Teresa wasn’t.
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@Marinm
As a Louisiana Acadian (half) and a Catholic, AND a male, I am a minority.
I want my reparat…wait. that’s coming from my taxes. I just want to keep my money. No more taxes for minorities!
Remember, the individual is the smallest minority. Respect minority rights.