Vote For The White Man

Lori, I haven't seen these fliers yet! I live in a University town and honestly doubt that I will, but if I do, I'll take a snap and will send it to you! I am shocked that anyone would stoop this low...it is unacceptable in my book!

The irony in all this is that except for Sen. Clinton, all of the Democratic candidates are white men.

Susan I saw one. They are mostly down by Des Moines.

Michael they were slamming obama for being black.

I have a couple of thoughts...first, this is horrible and a reminder of far we still have to go in this country. Secondly, while I am anti-Clinton, and not really for Obama either...I don't think being a white man necessarily means that a person will be a good President.

That's so strange, Lori, because ALL of the news reports I have seen on this non-event have underscored that it's NOT a crime.

Representative sample:

"A campaign flier found in several Iowa towns is raising controversy, but police said it's not a crime.

The handwritten, photo-copied flier reads, "Vote for Edwards, not the b---- or the n----. Vote for the white man."

The flier was first discovered by campus police at an Iowa State University building. Homeowners in Slater and Ankeny have also reported finding the flyer.

Students said they're upset by the flier's racial and sexist slogan.

Ames and ISU police said they don't consider the fliers a crime and they are not investigating the incident."

From: http://www.kcci.com/politics/14709172/detail.html

So, please, enlighten us as to which "officials" are investigating this as a crime, because it sounds very much to me as if you are creating a First Amendment controversy where none exists.

Sue very good points.

BTW I just got the rest of the info. This was circulated around Iowa State University in Ames. The gentleman did sign his name to this flier. Edwards is denouncing this man and in a statement said he doesnt support the sentiment and doesnt want this mans support.

And the Iowa election officials are now saying while they cannot endorse this they will not try and prosecute....they do support this mans freedom of speech.

Elizabeth one of my friends is a professor at ISU....that is how I have the inside track. Read the update I just posted.

Elizabeth did you READ the article? I said ELECTION officials. I did not meantion the POLICE or CAMPUS POLICE.

Julie You have my vote. I support freedom of speech even for the ignorant.

Thanks for the update.

Julie aint that the truth.....How are you? Like the new icon pic.

Same as I always am. LOL

Yes Julie I was.....that was my son and then I started getting some snarky comments on that icon. This is much better. You two look very happy. And you are BEAUTIFUL!!!

Even ignorance has its place to me. It allows me to fulfill my suspicions that some remain in a state of juvenile deliquence no matter how old they may be. Hurray for free speach.

Snarky doesnt bother me....I have been known to be snarky a time or five myself.....LOL

I hear ya Spencer.

BTW if you see I deleted a comment it was my own....I said something snarky to Elizabeth regarding piss and cheerios...then I rethought it and deleted it from this thread. I NEVER delete others comments.

Wow Julie that is tough....LOL.

Have a good one.

True Jim.

You got to give the man created for trying to get people to vote his way. Even thou you may not condone his words or actions.

Sandy love the animation.

Ya that is the great thing about free speech...this Keller guy can say what he wants about white men and we are free to call him an idiot.

Monkey me neither.

What a joke.

And I have yet to figure out why Obama is being called a black man, isn't he 1/2 black? Who decides which half defines someones race when they are of mixed races?

Call me a synical suspicious old man.

I would look at the Clinton and or Obama campaign for the authors loyalty. Edwards is pushing hard toward getting the Iowa Democrat nomination. Something like this flier will create a lot more backlash than it does persuade someone.

Sounds too convienient for my tastes.

Colonel that too crossed my mind. But from what I am hearing the author was sincere in his thoughts.


Moggy I have thought the same thing. If you are half black and half white then how come the racists get to pick and choose?

that is so crazy. who the heck even THINKS like that? it makes me sick.

Firstly, well done Lori for sparking a vigorous debate. Love it!

My view -- freedom of speech has its limits. Hate stuff undermines a free and tolerant society. It needs to be rejected categorically. (Remember the Nazis.) There are acceptable ways to express one's opinions, and we should insist on them.

Political point: we just had a national election here in Australia, with a new government coming in. In one conservative seat held by a narrow margin, some idiots handed out fake leaflets purporting to be from muslim supporters of terrorism supporting the then opposition. (I.e. attempting to besmirch opposition by [untrue] association.)

End result -- conservatives lost that seat by a far bigger margin than the national swing against them.

But get this: there was a huge public outcry before the election condemning the dirty tricks stuff and its poisonous hate-message.

Bottom line (for me, anyway): stand up for decency. Don't be a wuss in drawing the line between what's acceptable and what's not -- by the standards WE want, not by the standards the riff-raff want.

As our Returned Services League puts it: "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance."

End of rant! Thanks for the opportunity to express my views.

I support his right to be ignorant, but if any campaign had a hand in these fliers, that is not a matter of free speech, that is dirty politics of the lowest kind and that possibility should be objectively investigated..

Support another's right to be ignorant.
LOL
Help me get a publishing deal with a 10 rating and comment. I comment back.

OBVIOUSLY these fliers were made up by the OPPOSING camp to make John Edwards look bad... It's called "wagging the dog"...

Lori, following Moggy's comment now do you see how ironic this mess is: I repeat, "all the Democratic candidates, except Sen. Clinton are white men."

Michael yes I got it. I just really dont know how to respond.

Jean I thought that too but the man that did them signed his name and from what I have seen is very sincere. But who knows.

Thanks Raymond.

Carol Lehane again I dont think this man thought he was doing anything wrong.

Richard rant away....the only rule on my threads is that there are no rules.

Thanks jessie.

Colour is, and shall always be a part of the American experience. Gender is, and shall always be a part of the American experience -- I believe. I cannot hide my gender as easily as I can hide my race, believe it or not. In those times when I have been able to not be seen (my face and just my voice) it initially amazed me how many times and how freely the "N" word was used. I finally tired of it and begin to let the other person know just WHO they were talking to, okay!!!!!!!!!!!
They may have known I was female (as I said it was harder to hide that), but were thrown off guard with the other. Now I use more inflection and intonation so that there may be NO MORE MISTAKES.

It does not surprise me at all.

Who wrote the poem, "We wear the mask"?
Besides,

Politics is dirty and anything goes; that is why I hate it so.

Thanks, Lori.

anyone that cries when called a name of any kind is a crybaby period in my eyes
i feel that anyone has the freedom of speech and we,as americans have a right to use it daily
i just dont agree sometimes with the context it is put in

I find that all kinds of names are called in an election. That's just what they do and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. Who am I to say what they believe in is wrong?