GOP Bigot Eruption: Dean Grose
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Mayor Dean Grose sent around a picture of the White House surrounded by watermelons.
He claims he didn’t mean anything racial by it.
Jesus.
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© 2000-2011 Oliver Willis
Dear OW,
BIDEN!
Sincerely,
Your trolls
But a side benefit of the President’s having been elected is rooting all of these people out of the woodwork.
Dear Parthenon,
What about him?
A nice attempt to save might have been to say that he was referring to the more recent definition of “watermelon” — Communists masquerading as environmentalists. In this case, “watermelon” means “green on the outside, red on the inside.”
It would fit Al Gore better, as Obama’s environmentalist credentials are hardly his defining characteristic, but the asshole in question didn’t even try to use it.
What. An. Absolute. Schmuck.
Say good night, Mayor Grose. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
J.
Kudos and plaudits, JT, for not just sticking up for your ‘team.’
Thanks, Parthenon… but your point chagrins me. I’ve often cited things like flag-burning as a wonderful public service — it lets us identify the assholes very readily. It hadn’t occurred to me that Obama’s election will have a similar effect, with getting racist assholes to expose themselves.
J.
A nice attempt to save might have been to say that he was referring to the more recent definition of “watermelon” — Communists masquerading as environmentalists. In this case, “watermelon” means “green on the outside, red on the inside.”
Is that what the kids are calling it now?
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t sent to offend her personally — or anyone — from the standpoint of the African-American race.”
There’s a red flag.
The party of The Southern Strategy strikes again!
It’s crap like this that’s going to kill the Republican party, for good if they are not careful. And it might be too late for this generation.
J.G.Thayer: “A nice attempt to save might have been to say that he was referring to the more recent definition of ‘watermelon’ — Communists masquerading as environmentalists. In this case, ‘watermelon’ means ‘green on the outside, red on the inside.’”
Two points…
1.) So you are saying it would have been smarter for him to lie… Okay, I agree with this point. It would have been smarter, but I don’t think many would have believed him.
2.) I think there are about as many. “Communists masquerading as environmentalists” as there are black supporters of the Klu Klux Klan. It’s a fairytale created to ignore a serious problem.
What about him?
Steno, I was pointing out that whenever OW posts a bigot eruption the boilerplate response for conservative posters is to A) explain how they believe it isn’t racist or B) say “Joe Biden” over and over, though I should have said BIDEN AND BYRD!”
Very rarely do they write some variation of ‘yeah you’re right, what a prick’ as JT did above.
They’re all Tom Metzger now
the more recent definition of “watermelon” — Communists masquerading as environmentalists. In this case, “watermelon” means “green on the outside, red on the inside.”
I’ve never heard this term before. It’s downright adorable.
It’s also strange. Communists masquerading as environmentalists? How do the goals of these groups dovetail well enough to continue such a charade? Do they manage to reduce deforestation and carbon emissions and then yell “Aha! This was all a ruse to create a classless society! Victory to the proletariat!”
Hey, look, C. S. “One Note” Strowbridge said “Southern Strategy” again! He really, really wants that toaster!
I’m saying that the mayor in question is not just a racist, but a stupid one. He didn’t even have a cover story handy.
And the “watermelons” term has been around for years and years. I’m sorry you’re such an ignorant twat, Strowbridge:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-socialism
I first encountered it in Steve Jackson Games’ Illuminati: New World Order, where “Watermelons” get a card in the Assassins Expansion set — and that was over a decade ago.
J.
I first encountered it in Steve Jackson Games’ Illuminati: New World Order,
I think I see your problem: Game. Reality.
They’re not even spelled alike.
>Steno, I was pointing out that whenever OW posts a bigot eruption the boilerplate response for conservative posters is to A) explain how they believe it isn’t racist or B) say “Joe Biden” over and over, though I should have said BIDEN AND BYRD!”
Very rarely do they write some variation of ‘yeah you’re right, what a prick’ as JT did above.
Um, maybe several of us don’t write what JT wrote because most of the time, we don’t think Oliver is right? Just a wild guess. In this case though, even Oliver looks to be right. Well done!
Quaker, it was in the game because it was based on the real world. If you check the Wikipedia article, the concept goes back decades, and the usage of “watermelon” in this context is in far, far more places than the game.
By the way, the game is brilliant in its satire — and incredibly even-handed. It has George H. W. Bush recoiling from broccoli, Dan Quayle holding a potato(e), Al Gore hugging a tree, and the Clintons — in a hysterical two-part piece of art, Hillary appears to be holding a riding crop. When you put it next to Bill’s card, it’s clear that it’s a leash around his neck.
Oh, and the Reagans show up, too. Ron has Bonzo with him, and Nancy is checking horoscopes.
But “watermelons” has a long, distinguished history outside the game.
J.
This isn’t the first time this happened in OC but it’s one of the few that is exposed. Remember a few months back when the Goosesteppers were handing out “Obama coupons” complete with images of watermelon and fried chicken. We got one of those “I didn’t know it was racist” non-apologies then too.
Orange County, Ca. = a bastion of Republicans, racist, christonazis and skinheads. I lived there for years and saw it all.
The Mayor knows (as usual) exactly what watermelons symbolize to Black people and his weiss constituents and his “apology” is useless. Anybody that says otherwise is a willfull liar.
As someone here said, the silver lining here is that the roaches are being exposed to the light.
As someone here said, the silver lining here is that the roaches are being exposed to the light.
And the biggest motherfuckin’ can of RAID in history is being deployed.
Um, maybe several of us don’t write what JT wrote because most of the time, we don’t think Oliver is right?
I’m sure you’re right. Doesn’t justify screaming BIDEN! BYRD! over and over when it’s completely off topic though.
Let’s look on the bright side…at least it wasn’t a cotton field.
steno, Joe Biden said so.
I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”
Obama seems to have that effect on people. Remember Jesse Jackson wanted to cut his nuts off?
J.
Very rarely do they write some variation of ‘yeah you’re right, what a prick’ as JT did above.
Indeed. I would be remiss if I didn’t say “TFJ for JT.”
In this case though, even Oliver looks to be right. Well done!
And one for Haplo, too!
>Doesn’t justify screaming BIDEN! BYRD! over and over when it’s completely off topic though.
I don’t think thats quiiite how these arguments go.
In any case, you are forgetting one thing – most of Oliver’s bigot eruption posts also include some sort of statement that all Republicans/conservatives are just like/think like whatever person he’s pointing out. This of course leads to a lots of protests, which invariably leads to “which party has more racists/bigots/bad people in it.” The Biden/Byrd/Atwater/x/y/z stuff is never far behind that.
J.G.Thayer: “Hey, look, C. S. ‘One Note’ Strowbridge said ‘Southern Strategy’ again! He really, really wants that toaster!”
Yeah, how dare I bring up the Southern Strategy in a discussion of a racist asshole in the GOP. Sorry, another racist asshole in the GOP.
There’s no connection between those two.
I’m just a broken record fort bringing it up, again.
Loser.
“But ‘watermelons’ has a long, distinguished history outside the game.”
First time I’ve heard it used that way,
First time I’ve heard it used that way,
Sorry, Strowbridge, but your ignorance isn’t my problem. I gave a Wikipedia link that discussed it.
Maybe keeping you from knowing about the term is part of the infamous “Southern Strategy.”
J.
Oh, and Strowbridge, as you’ve explained ad infinitum, ad nauseum, the “Southern Strategy” was supposed to use subtle, implicit racism — the racism of code words and innuendo — to win races. What as subtle and implicit about the White House watermelon patch?
No, this was just good old-fashioned asshole racism on display. Nothing subtle, nothing implicit, nothing particularly “Southern” or “strategic,” either.
But you really, really want that toaster for mentioning it 200 times, don’t you? Sheesh, if you want a toaster that bad, I’ll PayPal you eight bucks and you can get one at Wal-Mart or Family Dollar.
J.
I hope the appropriate action is taken in dealing with this
ignorant person. To say that he did not know this was offensive to people, especially black people, is ridiculous.
He should be removed from his political position.
Jay Tea says: “Oh, and Strowbridge, as you’ve explained ad infinitum, ad nauseum, the ‘Southern Strategy’ was supposed to use subtle, implicit racism —”
Since when?
The Southern Strategy involves using racism to win the votes of southern whites, and use those votes to win the White House. There’s no need to be subtle about it. It would be smart to be subtle about it, but there’s no need to.
However, this is immaterial, because the GOP using the Southern Strategy encourages racist people to join the GOP, and this directly ties in with this event.
So, if you don’t like it when people bring up the Southern Strategy, that’s your fucking problem. Until the GOP stops using it, they will be the party that is associated with racism.
Me: “First time I’ve heard it used that way,”
Jay Tea says: “Sorry, Strowbridge, but your ignorance isn’t my problem. I gave a Wikipedia link that discussed it.”
If you think people would believe him if he said, ‘I was referring Obama’s faux-environmental record and his communist leanings.’ then you are beyond ignorant.
It’s a ‘Macaca Moment.’
You say this Dean Grose is a member of the modern Republican party. Huh. Go figure.
steno says: “Whereas, ‘Macaca Moments’ in the Democratic Party apparently get you the Vice Presidency.”
Yeah, cause the target choose to do that. That’s a huge point that you left out.
“How nice for you. What part of the ‘Southern Strategy’ does that fit into, I wonder?”
Are you doubting the Southern Strategy exists? Or that is it still being used today?
Oh, gosh, Strowbridge. It’s not enough that you’re clueless, I guess; you need to brag about it?
I brought up the eco-socialist version of “watermelon” to point out that Grose is not just a racist asshole, but a stupid one, too. (Kind of like you keep proving your own dumbness, come to think of it.) Most everyone else seems to have picked up on that; sorry you didn’t.
And my mentions of the “Southern Strategy” is all based on a single point: that you have an obsession with it that borders on the obsessive. I am convinced that you either believe that everything relates to it, or you’re getting paid by the mention. Given the two choices, I opted to go for the second explanation, as it had more potential for mockery.
Man, it is SO true that explaining jokes kills them…
J.
J.G.Thayer: “I brought up the eco-socialist version of ‘watermelon’ to point out that Grose is not just a racist asshole, but a stupid one, too.”
Well, duh. I got that from the very beginning. That’s why I said, “So you are saying it would have been smarter for him to lie… Okay, I agree with this point.”
I’m not surprised you didn’t catch onto that. You are a lot dumber than you think you are, and that’s what can get you into trouble.
I think we are still talking about it because, as I said before, “It would have been smarter, but I don’t think many would have believed him.”
And I stand by that. I don’t think many would believe that. If you asked 100 people, “If someone used the term ‘Watermelon’ as an insult or as part of an insult, what do you think they were referring to?’ the vast majority would not say, ‘Environmentalists.’
“And my mentions of the ‘Southern Strategy’ is all based on a single point: that you have an obsession with it that borders on the obsessive”
Obsession that border on obsessive? God I hope you are trying to be funny.
It only seems like it’s an obsession, because I bring it up almost every time the GOP has one of its bigot eruptions. And that happens so often because… wait for it… because of the Southern Strategy.
The GOP uses white racism as a political tool.
Therefore, white racist people feel more at home with the GOP.
Therefore, the GOP tends to have a lot more white racist member / supports.
Racism tends to go hand-in-hand with stupidity. (See above story for evidence of that.)
THEREFORE… There tends to be a lot of Bigot Eruptions in the GOP.
Got it? Or am I going too fast for you?
“Man, it is SO true that explaining jokes kills them…”
Don’t worry, Mr. Thayer, I’m still laughing.
This is who they are.
To quote myself in another thread, because it’s not worth coming up with a new line for these circumstances:
Shorter Strowbridge on almost any occasion: “ZOMG RACISM! SOUTHERN STRATEGY FTW!”
J.
J.G.Thayer: “To quote myself in another thread, because it’s not worth coming up with a new line for these circumstances:
Shorter Strowbridge on almost any occasion: ‘ZOMG RACISM! SOUTHERN STRATEGY FTW!’”
And as I’ve said before, I only bring up the Southern Strategy when the GOP does something racist.
It only seems like I bring it up all the time, because the GOP is so fucking racist.
Of course, you would notice that if you weren’t so fucking racist as well. It’s the only logical explanation.
That or you are functionally retarded.
There’s an old joke about a guy who goes to the psychiatrist, who shows him a bunch of Rorshach blots.
“What’s this one?”
“It’s a naked lady.”
“How about this one?”
“It’s another naked lady.”
“How about this one?”
“It’s two naked ladies.”
The psychiatrist shakes his head. “You seem to be obsessed with sex.”
The patient protests. “I’M obsessed? You’re the one with all the dirty pictures!”
NONE of the DC statehood opponents here brought up race. Speaking for myself, I gave valid reasons why I opposed it. You’re the one who found the racism — because you’re always looking for it. You also found the racism inescapable (or whatever word you used) in the chimp cartoon.
This one, it’s a gimme. The mayor in question is a racist. He’s also an asshole (there’s considerable overlap; racists are a subset of asshole, but not assholes are racists — you are an example of that one) and stupid.
Did it ever occur to you that the reason you keep finding “evidence” of racism is because you go looking for it? That it is your default explanation for anything Republican-related, and if it can explain something, then that MUST be it?
Of course not. Your twisted little brain has only enough room for a single thought, and that thought is shouting “SOUTHERN STRATEGY FOR THE WIN!” at every opportunity.
I hope someday you get tired of it. But I doubt it — it’s a bright, shiny thing, and that just utterly captivates brains like yours.
J.
Did it ever occur to you that the reason you keep finding “evidence” of racism is because you go looking for it?
So if you’d just stop finding it, there wouldn’t be any!!
Close, Quaker. But if you go looking for it, convinced that it’s everywhere, you’ll “find” it all over the place.
J.
J.G.Thayer: “Close, Quaker. But if you go looking for it, convinced that it’s everywhere, you’ll “find” it all over the place.”
You do realize the Southern Strategy is real, right? It exists. Trent Lott apologized for the GOP using it, then the GOP leadership made him apologize for apologizing.
J.G.Thayer: “NONE of the DC statehood opponents here brought up race.”
No. But you fired off an insult, so I fired one back.
“This one, it’s a gimme.”
Glad we agree on that one.
“Did it ever occur to you that the reason you keep finding ‘evidence’ of racism is because you go looking for it?”
Again… Southern Strategy.
The GOP has used racism for 40 years to win elections. It is not a surprise to find racism in a party where it’s their winning strategy.
In your example, it would be like the doctor showing pictures from Playboy, Penthouse, etc. and acting surprised the patient sees naked ladies.
You hate it when I bring up the Southern Strategy, because it reminds you that the party you support caters to racists in order to win. (Which is why they are starting to lose more than they win.)
You hate it when I bring up the Southern Strategy, because it reminds you that the party you support caters to racists in order to win. (Which is why they are starting to lose more than they win.)
Actually, I hate it because I have this mental image I just can’t shake of you pounding out the phrase one-handed while your other hand is…um… “occupied.”
If your intention is to keep saying it until I gouge out my own eyes, you’re getting closer all the time.
J.
But if you go looking for it, convinced that it’s everywhere, you’ll “find” it all over the place.
Interesting theory.
What happens if you go looking for it, convinced that it’s everywhere, and you actually find it instead of just “finding” it?
Then, Quaker, you wake up and realize it was all a horrible dream.
J.
Actual racism is only a bad dream?
I want to live in your world.
J.G.Thayer: “Actually, I hate it because I have this mental image…”
Of black people waiting in welfare line?
(Okay, that was uncalled for.)
However, I can’t help notice that you keep ignoring my point. The Southern Strategy was / is the central part of the GOP political campaign since the 1960s.
The reason it is so easy to see racism in the GOP, is because it’s there.
You absolutely refuse to see that and think these GOP Bigot Eruptions are few and far between. Unrelated incidents and not part of a pattern. Not part of an intentional plan.
Quaker in a Basement says:
“Actual racism is only a bad dream?
I want to live in your world.”
He implies real racism is nothing more than a bad dream, and he thinks I’m the one with problems over this issue.
The only way you can think racism isn’t real, is if you are racist and in denial.
…Or literally mentally retarded.
If you can think of another reason, I would love to hear it.
Sheesh, Strowbridge, usually your putting words in my mouth is more subtle. Guess that rabies must be progressing.
No, Quaker, I meant that assholes like Sharpton and Strowbridge who see racism in EVERYTHING are the dream — or, if you prefer, nightmare.
In Sharpton’s case, it’s understandable. He’s made a whole career and lifestyle out of it.
Strowbridge, it seems, does it purely for some kind of pseudo-sexual thrill.
J.
“The mayor of a small Orange County city says he will resign after being criticized for sharing an e-mail picture depicting the White House lawn planted with watermelons under the title “No Easter egg hunt this year.”
http://cbs2.com/local/Los.Alamitos.Email.2.945592.html
Another Racist Bag Of Shit leaves the building.
[...] Grose, the Republican mayor who sent around that picture of watermelon surrounding the White House has resigned in shame. Don’t [...]
In Sharpton’s case, it’s understandable. He’s made a whole career and lifestyle out of it.
Probably also because he has experienced it a hell of a lot more than you have.
I don’t know about making it a “lfestyle.” Not sure how that would work.
J.G.Thayer: “No, Quaker, I meant that assholes like Sharpton and Strowbridge who see racism in EVERYTHING are the dream — or, if you prefer, nightmare.”
No, I only see it where it exists. And since the GOP runs on the Southern Strategy, it exists, a lot.
Do you deny this?
I don’t particularly think it’s relevant to the discussion at hand. The asshole in question was not any kind of strategic move, just a dipshit who’s now resigning — and good riddance.
But in your book, it’s always relevant, and you just can’t wait to shout “SOUTHERN STRATEGY FOR THE WIN!!!” at the proverbial drop of a hat.
Lord, I’d hate to see your dry-cleaning bill…
J.
J.G.Thayer: “I don’t particularly think it’s relevant to the discussion at hand.”
Really? You don’t think having a political strategy that inflames racists feelings will increase the number of racist people who join that party?
Are you think disconnected to reality?
“Are you think disconnected to reality?”
No response?
Or are you still trying to think of one?
It is simply unquestionable to say the Southern Strategy increases the number of racist people who will join your party, at all ranks. From the foaming at the mouths ‘Obama’s a monkey’ people at those McCain / Palin rallies, to small time politicians like this mayor, to leaders of the party like the candidate for the RNC who belonged to a whites-only club.
The Southern Strategy is the cause of this, and it is not unrelated like you want to claim it is.