EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR GETTING UGLY

WNY Congresswoman Louise Slaughter

(photo by Ove Overmyer)

Rochester, N.Y.--  In the last week, Democrats have faced racial slurs and death threats. But Republican leaders have been mostly silent or dismissed these occurances as isolated incidents. The anti-health care protesters were out in force in Washington and in our back yard too—and some of their behavior was deeply disturbing.

Then this week, the Democrats who voted for reform started getting harrassed—one had a coffin left on his lawn and another was told snipers would kill the children of lawmakers who voted yes. Several Democrats had their district offices vandalized like my Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY 28th), and a gas line was cut at a home that tea partiers mistakenly believed belonged to Rep. Tom Perriello.  The labor community stands firmly behind all the lawmakers who voted for healthcare reform.

A crowd of tea partiers shouted the "n word" at Congressman John Lewis, a former civil rights leader who marched with Dr. King. They yelled homophobic epithets at Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman. And one protester actually spat on a Black member of Congress.

A few Republicans have spoken out against the racism and violence, but most are still treating them as "isolated incidents." These are not isolated incidents. They've been part of a Republican-supported effort for almost a year and they're a natural consequence of telling people that reform is a totalitarian plot.  The Tea Party movement is a thinly disquised hate group in sheep's clothing, but they are not pulling the wool over my eyes.

It's an outrage, and no American should tolerate it. How can we tell our children that bullying in school is unacceptable when right-wing nutjobs are intimidating our elected officials by using gun references and violent metaphors?

Instead of calming the tea partiers' anger, Republican members of Congress have stoked it. NBC reported that on Saturday, Reps. Mike Pence, Tom Price, and Michele Bachmann all addressed the tea partiers and that Bachmann stirred them "into a tizzy." Protesters from that rally then fanned out across Capitol Hill and were behind the assaults on Reps. Lewis, Frank, and Cleaver.

Yesterday, Ohio Rep. John Boehner called the violence and threats "unacceptable." He did not go far enough.  He should be owning this crap.  And, just last week, he referred to fellow representative Steve Driehaus as "a dead man" if he voted for health care reform. And while Boehner's office insisted his remark wasn't meant to be taken literally, as Rep. Driehaus pointed out, "It doesn't really matter the way you meant it, or the way I accept it. It's how the least sane person in my district accepts it."

And there's more--  during the debate on the floor of the House on Sunday, Rep. Randy Neugebauer shouted "baby-killer" at Rep. Bart Stupak. And after the vote, Sarah Palin told supporters "Don't Retreat—Reload," and then highlighted specific members of Congress she thinks are politically vulnerable using gun cross-hairs. Sheesh.

The Tea Party movement has been marked by racially inflammatory and violent outbursts since its inception a year ago. And while most Republicans are probably offended by this behavior, some Republican Party leaders have repeatedly tolerated it at events they support-- the should be telling these extremists to "dial it down."

When I put these events in perspective, one thing has become very clear. Washington Republicans are focused on “those Socialist Democrats” and Democrats are talking about solving the problems of working Americans. One party is playing dangerous obstructionist politics, and one is just governing—doing what they were elected to do. It’s just that simple.

Written by Ove Overmyer