Freeper “Smear” Controversy Unclear
Many on Free Republic are demanding I apologize for smearing the site and falling for a smear campaign by a known liberal racist instigator. A little background is in order…
As you know, from time to time (depending on the controversy) I’ve visited the Daily Kos and Democratic Underground looking for incendiary comments from readers and am seldom disappointed. I’ve posted screenshots to back up my finds, so one would hope that forum sites like these would police themselves, especially conservative sites that are frequently accused of intolerant hate speech.
Over the weekend, Daliy Kos contributor Chris Parry accused Freepers of posting racist comments about Malia and Michelle Obama over her wearing a peace t-shirt during the G8 Summit. Some of the comments in question were cached here and here before FR’s administrators took down the thread.
Now, here’s where I got into trouble with the Freepers….
How many times have we read stories where Democrats did this or Republicans said that? Obviously we’re not talking about all and almost everyone knows what was meant, but with this controversy, some Freepers are accusing me of painting with a broad brush.
I have gone as high up as possible, trying to get to the bottom of this issue and all I’ve gotten is that “the truth” will come out, and no “plants” were involved in planting the racist comments. Believe me, I was hoping to be told that Mr. Parry and/or others of his ilk were caught red-handed making the inflammatory comments and inciting others to follow, but as of now, that has not been proven to be the case. I would attempt to contact Mr. Parry but his word is shit to me.
To be quite honest, based on my past experience, when I first read the comments allegedly posted by Freepers, they didn’t come off as something out of the realm of possibility. That is a sad admission on my part, but that’s also one of the hazards of online forums where select assholes also have access. Thus my reason for my posting what I did yesterday.
Most of those on Free Republic were horrified and repulsed by the comments made, but the fact that I won’t be privy to the identities of the posters in question and a Chris Parry connection not being verified means that there could be a small cancer within Free Republic that tarnishes the reputations of all conservatives. This position is not one I like taking, but house cleaning is necessary from time to time.
And to be clear (for those ready to pounce), this is not isolated. Politicians, pundits, and activists on both sides make off-color statements from time to time. Unfortunately, no side has been immune. Being in the unique position I’m in, the very appearance of racial impropriety on the right is something magnified immediately by the David Schusters of the world, and it becomes an additional fire to put out I don’t need.
Should Parry admit to writing the racist comments (which will never happen) and I’m told by those involved that faux conservatives were responsible, I will issue a retraction. Until then, I stand by my conclusions.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hey, we have our nutbags on the conservative side, also. I just think people who are going to sink to the level of using nasty,personal comments need to find a site where their kind hang out. I would also like to have a personal conversation with anybody going after kids. Are you kidding?
Conservatives have a different standard and we have to hold that up. I have slipped from time to time, but try to catch myself. We cannot sink to the Daily Kos, Huffington Post level. Liberals have no values, anything goes. Marital affair? No big deal. Drug possession?? No big deal. Racial slurs and personal attacks? No big deal, anything to win. Liberals usually just get the go ahead from a few racial groups before attacking any conservative minorities. Most of the time, though, they know that conservative minorities are fair game.
So there you have it. Values vs. no values. I used to have respect for the Democratic party. My affiliation is conservative, but Democrats have their points, too. But when the Daily Kos, Move On, ACORN and the rest of the “new breed” Dems came into play, that respect is gone. Their no principal machiavellian approach to the political game has sunk to a new low. Conservatives are not innocent,either, but I don’t see the same filth and mind-boggling stupid comments that are on the liberal sites. I could go on any site and make a idiotic accusation about a conservative and it would be considered.
We have one arm tied behind our back, but that also means we have standards we try to live by.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Label both sites as a playground for the psychotics, “Do Not Engage”…
July 13th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
There are screencaps of the original thread for anyone tempted to suggest that this may have all been the work of liberal plants. The screencaps, plus links to the posters’ personal pages with registration dates, are available here:
http://freerepublicwatch.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/a-summary-of-the-malia-obama-racism-debacle-on-free-republic/
There’s also a half-dozen other threads about the topic up and they’re filled with the same kind of bating, vile statements that got the original thread in trouble. I’m disgusted that Jim Robinson is actively encouraging this lie that it was all the fault of “liberal plants”. Own your site’s hate, Mr. Robinson.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:14 am
VIDEO: MSNBC Puts Free Republic On Blast For Its R…
They’ve also laid on black conservative Bob Parks (whose posts they’ve promoted in the past), demanding that he “apologize for smearing the site and falling for a smear campaign by a known liberal racist instigator.” Mind you, Mr. Parks’ criticism…
July 14th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
The Freeper mess, Audray Shay’s (at best) tone deafness, the average tone of a lot of commentary I see at conservative sites with respect to minorities (blacks being what I pay the most attention to) is indicative of a bigger issue. The GOP has not made a decision that blacks are an essential and necessary political constituency to its aspirations for governance. Its messaging, from rank and file up to leadership, reflects this fundamental issue.
What is becoming more and more the case it seems to me is that the GOP and conservative cause more and more are making political appeals that increasingly it will be difficult for minorities to regard as anything but openly hostile. The kind of rhetoric seen on a daily basis around the conservative web make it hard to conclude anything other than that the currently ascendant far right of the party, those who regard Rush as the ideological heartbeat of the GOP, hold blacks in sneering contempt. The hostility of that segment of the party colors and influences the tone of dialogue of the rest of the party.
And its no answer to say “liberals do it”. I actually regard this as a giant pansy of an excuse. Conservatives love to say we have a higher standard. If so, stand on that, but this response of how liberals do it too is really poor and it is most often the most spirited defense we make when called to task for hostile commentary filled with racial undertones.
This issue of whether or not the GOP is going to decide to actually engage the black community as a political constituency in a serious way is key. Otherwise, we can forget about making the ranks of black conservatives grow.