Cory and I was at the DC Tea Party for three and a half hours and we must have missed these.
They were spotted last weekend on Capitol Hill under the Tea Party banner protesting the health-care-reform bill. Some carried a signs that read “If Brown [Scott Brown (R-Mass.)] can’t stop it, a Browning [high power weapon] can.” Some shouted racial and homophobic epithets at members of Congress. Others assumed the role of rabble, responding to the calls of instigating Republican representatives gathered on a Capitol balcony.
— Colbert I. King, Washington Post
I find it real suspicious that the fine folks over at Think Progress and select liberal blogs are the only ones who saw and photographed this particular sign.
h/t Brent Baker, NewsBusters
interesting sign. grade-A example of how the left cherry-picks things however..
Bob, I assume you did check for Photoshopping, right?
See, I’ve got to wonder how many times one sees two handheld signs in a crowd and both signs are facing directly forward like that…
Yes.
People who do manipulate photos are usually in a hurry and/or lazy. There are resolution mismatches, cloning matches, etc.
Aside from the vivid colors and sharpness of the graphics themselves, unless the P-shopper created each individual sign, along with individual folds and creases, my verdict is the signs were real and probably belong to a liberal who held them up long enough for a cohort to get a pic and later distribute.
If I were in the opposition and came across those who held these signs, I’d want to make sure the world knew who the rat bastards were. Notice, we don’t see the faces of those holding them?
It is also interesting to note that these signs appear to be on the back of other signs and that the other side is the one actually facing the Tea Party crowd. I wonder what was on the other side. Was it equally provocative or did it have a safe message so that no one would suspect they were plants? And as you pointed out, since this is a still photo you never know how long these signs were actually displayed.
I am also suspicious of the professional printing job. Have you ever noticed how labor unions and other libs like the yellow signs with black lettering?
Now, I am not completely discounting the fact that there may be a few loons at ths protest. I’m sure there were a few in the crowd looking to the skies, afraid that the black helecopters would show up at any moment. And there may be some racists there as well. But, from what I hear, those with racists and hateful signs are usually asked to leave Tea Party gatherings. But this was an open demonstration with a lot of different groups, so you really can’t make people go away. And thus, you can’t hold any group responsible for who is there and what they are saying.
The fact of the matter is, if any racists were present, the people most responsible for their presence are the same people reporting about it. As we know, racists are stupid and they are stupid enough to listen to the MSM and believe everything they hear. No one can find any evidence that Tea Party’s have promoted any racist agenda. They haven’t sent any invitations to the KKK or the Aryan Nation to come join their group. But the press has. In fact, they have practically sent out engraved invitations. MSNBC tells them everyday, over and over, that the “tea baggers” are racists, so it is possible that some may show up expecting acceptance.
But these folks my not be looking for attention rather than acceptance. They know they are guaranteed their 15 minutes of fame because the press will seek them out for an interview. If people are willing to launch a big balloon and cause a citywide emergency just for a few minutes on the news, you don’t think they wouldn’t hold up an offensive sign in hopes of getting an interview?
EDIT: “But these folks may be looking for attention rather than acceptance.”
The one thing that makes me suspicious is the shadow of the sign on the right. The yellow sign is on the back of what looks to be a 1×3 or 2×4. With the sign in such close proximity to the sign on the other side I don’t believe it could cast such a long shadow no matter WHERE the sun was located. I would expect a greater distance between the signs in order for such a long shadow to be cast. I suspect this is a pretty decent photoshop fake but they screwed up on the shadow. Combined with the fact that the media has been reporting bullshit stories about the protests I would definitely say this is a fake or at the very least a staged sign by liberals.