Study: Tea Party Members More Racist Than Average Americans
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Newsweek reports from Planet Obvious.
A new survey by the University of Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality offers fresh insight into the racial attitudes of Tea Party sympathizers. “The data suggests that people who are Tea Party supporters have a higher probability”—25 percent, to be exact—”of being racially resentful than those who are not Tea Party supporters,” says Christopher Parker, who directed the study. “The Tea Party is not just about politics and size of government. The data suggests it may also be about race.”
Surveyers asked respondents in California and a half dozen battleground states (like Michigan and Ohio) a series of questions that political scientists typically use to measure racial hostility. On each one, Tea Party backers expressed more resentment than the rest of the population, even when controlling for partisanship and ideology. When read the statement that “if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites,” 73 percent of the movement’s supporters agreed, while only 33 percent of people who disapproved of the Tea Party agreed. Asked if blacks should work their way up “without special favors,” as the Irish, Italians, and other groups did, 88 percent of supporters agreed, compared to 56 percent of opponents. The study revealed that Tea Party enthusiasts were also more likely to have negative opinions of Latinos and immigrants.
51 Responses to “Study: Tea Party Members More Racist Than Average Americans”
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Another bogus study from the liberal mainstream media. The people who gave the survey are the real racists, racist against those in the Tea Party.
I wish I could say I didn’t expect these types of results. It is a shame that ignorance fuels anger and hatred, instead of logic guiding civil discourse and debate.
“LIES! ALL LIES! WE’RE THE GOOD AMERICANS! ALL THE REST OF YOU PEOPLE ARE RACIST!!!!” -Teabaggers
And all this squares with Teabaggers having a “higher than average” level of education? More college graduates, they say. Jeeeeesus. We. are. pathetic.
Glad I’m not teaching college any more. One more reason for despair, if graduates can emerge with their bigotry intact.
The author and person in charge of the misguided study are comical.
I find it interesting to note that 95% of African American voted for Obama, that is racism. So with such high numbers one would not expect to find more than 1-5% at a teaparty now would you?? I am sure you will not answer the question as it destroys your entire argument and exposes you for playing the race card.
the tea party is respsponsible for helping more black candidates shoot for office than the black caucaus, haha. Just in Ft lauderdale Florida alone the Tea party are helping Allen West and Bernard Sansarisq a black man and a haitain man to office. Where is your diversity?
In fact during the recent riots in Az where illegals assualted police and citenzenry with rocks, bottles and sticks I ask, where is the diversity. I only see brown people acting like the clan of long past. Who are the racist and people acting violently on raciail issues. The progressive democratic Left, that is who. It is not the Teapartiers.
The sad part is latinos on immigration dont see the democrats and republicans for what they are, political leaders who want to ride on the curtails of the new indentured servants. They are using the immigrants of the world, not helping them. If you want to help, please watch immigration gumballs five minute version to see why allowing more and more immigrants will never help the plight of the 3rd world poor and hungry. It is a fact, if you watch the video immigration gumballs you too will have the knowledge on how to help.
Oliver Willis, You should watch immigration gumballs and write a story on how to help the migrants of the world. This is how the majority of the Tea Party People feel, to bad progressives did not share the same thoughts, we could move mountains together and get ride of the lawyers and lobbyist that say tehy represent the people when they represent the banks and corporations. We could restore teh republic which made this country the greatest in 230+ years opposed to ALL the other forms of governments that accomplished very little for the poor and middle class people of the world. It is capitalism that pulled millions out of poverty and put men on the moon, cured disease and raised the life expectancy to where it is today. What has socialism done? lol
Regards,
We The People
Pulling the race card on teh teaparty makes you look like the racist imo.
Ah, the Politics of Resentment. Wonderful. I’m sure racists Rush “Health Care Reform is Reparations/Democrats wouldn’t win without Black Votes/Sotamayor is a Racist” Limbaugh, Glenn “Obama hates white people” Beck, Michael “Turd World Nation” Savage and the rest of the Fox News-Modern Republican Party Axis of Southern Strategists and Racist Email Forwarders had absolutely zero influence on the Teabaggers’ resentment. Nah, couldn’t be.
This is the stupidest study I’ve ever read. And how exactly does Mr. Parker conclude the tea party movement is about race when the questions asked were only about race and homosexuality? People who support or oppose the tea party movement are asked questions about race and homosexuality and those answers somehow determine what the protests are about? Somebody explain how he got from point a to point b. The “study” finds the majority of “true believers” support gays serving openly in the military and support laws protecting gays from discrimination in the workplace. I guess that means the tea party protests are not about homosexuality.
I did my own survey. I found that tea party supporters are more likely to be Red Sox fans than Yankees fans. Conclusion? Tea Party protests are about Yankees hatred. — This makes just about as much sense as the conclusions that came about as a result of this “study.”
The questions themselves in the study are asinine as well. “Over the past few years, blacks have gotten less than they deserve.” Agree or disagree with that statement? Apparently if you disagree, you’re a “racist.” Exactly how does one arrive at that conclusion? And what the HELL does that question even mean anyway?
It’s amazing people actually earn a living publishing this tripe.
Shorter Jay: A study has reached conclusions I would rather it not, it must be the work of the devil. Tea party!
Hey man, so sorry your ideological brethren are statistically significantly more racist than most Americans. I can tell you think that would (on balance) reflect poorly on you and your Movement, as it is no longer fashionable to be overtly racist (just ask Lee Atwater). It’s almost like the Teabaggers don’t know to keep it to forwarded emails (and make a mealy mouthed, half-assed non-apology if busted). What’s wrong with this generation anyway?
I am intrigued by your survey. Could you share the methodology and design with us? Thanks in advance!
Keep on ‘baggin!
How many race cards ARE there in your deck?
In the first place, the survey questioned Tea Party supporters, not Tea Party members.
As I said before, when you try to pawn a previously ill formed survey on us as proof that Tea Party folks were racist: This is like saying that since the fans of Seinfeld favor chocolate ice cream over vanilla ice cream, that means the CAST of Seinfeld likes chocolate ice cream.
And ditto Jay
and
ditto We the People.
You’re the racists.
So, just the supporters of the Tea Party are racists? Is that the level of argument the cons are down to?
They got something better?
Oliver , this study, flawed as it is in every way, doesn’t support the way you’ve been trying for the last year and a half to depict the tea partiers.
If you were being honest about it, your headline could’ve just as easily been written as:
Study: Tea Party Members Not as Racist as I Claimed
Here comes the Lesson:
Just because some people in Group A are racists, doesn’t mean all people in Group A are racists.
Second, it is always possible that racists who wouldn’t be welcome at a Tea Party rally support what they are doing, BECAUSE they are racists. The survey makes no distinction.
Until you ask these questions of people at a Tea Party Rally, these surveys are meaningless.
Finally, perhaps the people who are Tea Party supporters don’t conceal their racism from public scrutiny, the way so many liberals do.
Everybody tea party!!!!
I think when tea baggers say they wish to return to the basics the founding fathers stood for, they’re really just talking about wanting to own slaves.
Just kidding, Oliver’s trolling tea baggers. Just kidding. Maybe.
Im a “teabagger” as you put it, and yes, I am resentful. So what? Why shouldn’t I be? I’m taxed to hell and have one political party has made it practice to discriminate against my demographic….on purpose and admittedly! So call it what you want, either way, I don’t think you’re going to be able to shut people up with the “racism” garbage anymore. And in the not-too-distant future, the Democratic party is going to have real problems with whtie voters. Really….. I just watched thousands of hispanics, many of them not even US citizens, pracitically riot because they are more loyal to their own demographic than they are to the state of AZ or this country. And I just watched blacks vote by a 24:1 ratio for one political party that uses me as a scapegoat for their failures.
Say what you want, we don’t give a shit anymore. This is one white boy that’s done pissing into the wind. I’m voting my own self-interests from here on out. And that would include not being taxed to death or discriminated against.
Gosh I’m such a racist.
Cons see whites as the underdog against the evil blacks and latinos who want to break into their home and steal their mayonnaise. Hence all the gun and survival talk
Over the past few years, blacks have gotten less than they deserve.
Oliver, explain that statement and explain why it is racist to disagree with it.
You sound pretty resentful. Oh, and any chance we can see your survey design and methodology soon? And the deal with the avatar picture? Intentionally ironic or the alternative?
Here comes the Lesson:
Oh boy, I bet this is gonna be good…
Just because some people in Group A are racists, doesn’t mean all people in Group A are racists.
I don’t believe anyone has claimed that, dummy. You set up strawmen like it’s your job. Christ. The teabaggers are populated, on average, by more racists than the general population. This does not mean that all teabaggers are racist – it only demonstrates a tendency.
Second, it is always possible that racists who wouldn’t be welcome at a Tea Party rally support what they are doing, BECAUSE they are racists. The survey makes no distinction.
First off, what? Secondly, what does this distinction matter?
Until you ask these questions of people at a Tea Party Rally, these surveys are meaningless.
You do not know the definition of the word “meaningless.” I would say that it’s pretty fucking interesting and meaningful that teabag support is more racist, on average. You’re just moving the goalposts in an effort to dismiss the survey offhandedly, so you can still say “Neener neener, OW and his lemmings are all wrong about the tea party! You can’t prove anything! Prove they’re racist, go ahead!”
It doesn’t matter how much data we collect, or how many examples we cite – you will always deny, deny, deny. You ignore the data that is in conflict or harms your personal beliefs about the teabaggers (and about most things, actually). It’s fucking pathetic. You want to know why most scientists are liberal-leaning? It’s because of this.
Finally, perhaps the people who are Tea Party supporters don’t conceal their racism from public scrutiny, the way so many liberals do.
If we conceal our racism, how do you know about it? Is it just because we are that transparent? Man, I didn’t realize that I was so easy to read. I totally hate black people, and Jews, and pretty much anyone who has brown skin. I tried to hide it for so long, but dammit, you found me out. Oh, and don’t get me started on the gays!
Oh wait – that’s all nonsense. Liberals are not the ones who pursued the Southern Strategy. Liberals are not the ones who sought to maintain Jim Crow, slavery, or segregation. Know who did? People like you, Frank. You disgust me.
Gosh I’m such a racist.
Yep, probably.
I am shocked that the teabaggers tend to be more racist. Go figure. Never would’ve guessed. *rolls eyes*
Oh, those poor, downtrodden white males. How do they carry on. Boy to be one of those lucky ducky brown people huh? They have all the power in this country huh?
Liberals are not the ones who sought to maintain Jim Crow, slavery, or segregation. Know who did? People like you, Frank.
Actually, it was proud members of the Democratic Party.
Except he didn’t say anything about party. Nice try though.
…and those proud Democrats either became better on race (Robert Byrd) or jumped over to the GOP once the Democrats started giving passes to institutional racism (Hi, Strom! Hi, Mr. Helms!)
Which does nothing to change the fact that it was in fact the Republican Party, the “Party of Lincoln” who was responsible for ending slavery, Jim Crow and segregation. Despite the best efforts of Democrats to the contrary.
HA! Says the man who interchangeably uses the terms “Republican” and “conservative”. Pot, meet kettle.
Yeah, except he was talking about Democratic Party members in the 1920′s (or thereabouts), and Oliver is talking about present-day Republicans/Conservatives.
Show me a liberal Republican, and I’ll show you a black Republican. And they can have a national meeting inside a Subway sandwich shop.
Nice try, but FAIL.
Again, you’re talking about ancient history here. Back when KKK members in the Southern states were more likely to be Democrats than Republicans. The whole “Dixiecrat” phenomenon, which has pretty much dried up and blown away since Ronald Reagan (if not the moment LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act).
DOES. NOT. APPLY.
So, since President Obama just gave you a tax cut this year, I take that means you’re going to be voting Democratic?
Any of the Usual Rightie Trolls want to defend this entirely predictable product of the Southern Strategy? Have at it. And congratulations.
And they can have a national meeting inside a Subway sandwich shop.
The “fiscally-responsible Democrats” can meet in the men’s room.
I find it interesting to note that 95% of African American voted for Obama, that is racism.
90% voted for John Kerry, who I remind you, was white.
Interesting data point here:
“Asked to volunteer what they don’t like about Mr. Obama, the top answer, offered by 19 percent of Tea Party supporters, was that they just don’t like him.”
Huh…wonder what that means?
In the first place, the survey questioned Tea Party supporters, not Tea Party members.
Until there’s actually a membership process, they’re the same thing.
“This is one white boy that’s done pissing into the wind.”
Took a while for you to figure out that pissing in the wind is a bad idea, but congratulations anyhow.
So, since President Obama just gave you a tax cut this year, I take that means you’re going to be voting Democratic?
By “tax cut”, you mean that awesome $13 a week people are getting back? Which adds up to, what, about $680 a year?
Let’s see what a prominent Democrat has to say about a “tax cut” of that magnitude:
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
“It is capitalism that pulled millions out of poverty and put men on the moon, cured disease and raised the life expectancy to where it is today. What has socialism done?”
Similar accomplishments.
Please, you’ve defended rebates more paltry than that. Do all conservatives have memory spans of goldfish or something?
Link?
Republican $600 tax cut = “What can you do with that?”
Democrat $680 tax cut = You should be grateful Obama has cut your taxes
Just want to clarify just how stupid that argument looks.
Actually, it was proud members of the Democratic Party.
Jesus Christ, Dave – I know you’re smarter than this. You are actually one of the few conservatives on this board that can string two sentences together and not sound like a total idiot.
The Democratic party of that you speak of has little to do with the Democratic party of today. The Republicans of yesteryear bear little resemblance to the party that Lincoln was a part of. The racist conservative Democrats fled the party to become Republicans in the wake of the civil rights movement. I was speaking about conservatives – I did not mention party at all.
And the facts remain: Conservatives, at each step I mentioned, fought tooth and nail against social progress and civil liberties for anyone other than white males. Liberals did not.
And which party is, overwhelmingly, politically conservative today? Hint: It’s one of the two major parties, and it’s not the Democratic one.
Stop being dumb. I seriously cannot believe you thought you could get away with such a stupid statement.
Dave, better read your history books. The Jim Crow laws came about in the south in response to Republican “leadership,” many years aftr the civil war. And Lincoln only freed the slaves in southern states, not in the north or in neutral states.
Notice that the Tea KKKlan is very very quiet on the AZ immigration law.
That basically confirms the racism argument. Here we have a law that does EVERYTHING the Tea KKKlan complains about, and not a peep. In fact, many of them in AZ support it, even though law enforcement do not because it’s a waste of resources.
Tea KKKlaners and their supporters are no better than Nazis. And we should deal with them accordingly.
That basically confirms the racism argument.
Tea KKKlaners and their supporters are no better than Nazis. And we should deal with them accordingly
I must say, you are quite the creative thinker. Dare I ask how you arrive at the finding that since the Tea Party (which has no Party organ to communicate with) has not registered any complaints about Arizona’s Immigration Bill, confirms their racism.
As for your second statement, exactly what would you recommend as a “Nazi – like ” treatment for Tea Party members?
Nuremberg type trials ?
Declaring war on them?
Getting the Mossad to kidnap them?
Do tell.
He did, however, smear me, when I actually said nothing to him, nor did I even suggest any such a thing at any time.
But I guess you could say I started it – you do think alike , so it stands to reason – liberals stick together and logic, right and wrong, morals and ethics be damned!
If I consider the idealology of the Tea Party movement I would expect anyone who considers themselves a supporter to answer this way. The Tea Party movement is about small government, fiscal responsibilty and individual responsibility.
“When read the statement that “if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites,” Substitue black and white with nearly anything you like and the answer will be the same. I assert that most tea party supporters equate this to hard work = success, which is one of their core beliefs
“Asked if blacks should work their way up “without special favors,” as the Irish, Italians, and other groups did” Again substitute any race for black and you will get the same answer. (Not sure what Irish and Italians have to do with it.
IT seems that this survey has been worded purposefully to paint those who believe that there is an oppportunity in America for anyone to succeed as racist.
MicNight: Bingo ! Thou hast said it !!!
Another way is: Capitalism is racist, because blacks are not thriving in it Therefore, to favor capitalism is to be racist. But blacks do thrive. They thrive when they conform to their own community’s standards, not “white” community standards.
When they don’t thrive, it’s because, once they have made poor choices – as ALL people are tempted to do, and do – they are SUPPORTED in those choices by Democratic policies. This is the “subtle / covert racism” I have referred to (as have many Republicans / Conservatives). This is the “soft bigotry of low expectations” that says, “We don’t expect much of you, because you are black, so we will give you training wheels for YOUR bike, that we will not give to white people that make the same mistakes as you. But, remember, if you vote Republican, they’ll take away the training wheels, and you’ll fall down.”
It has been working for over 50 years.
‘True, for several generations, blacks couldn’t own bikes. But that’s all in the past. No excuses now.’
BTW, offering Hispanics translations, and bilingual speakers to help them is in the same category of “training wheels”. It is not a ‘recognition of their culture,’ it is a way to keep them dependent on the people who favor such assistance, rather than encouraging self-reliance, which we all find a little intimidating.
Yuk,yuk …