Mar 21 2010

Racial slurs, or bad reporting? Who knows

Category: media,politics,raceharmonicminer @ 8:53 am

Tea party protesters call Georgia’s John Lewis ‘nigger’

Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol , angry over the proposed health care bill, shouted “nigger” Saturday at U.S. Rep. John Lewis , a Georgia congressman and civil rights icon who was nearly beaten to death during an Alabama march in the 1960s.

The protesters also shouted obscenities at other members of the Congressional Black Caucus , lawmakers said.

“They were shouting, sort of harassing,” Lewis said. “But, it’s okay, I’ve faced this before. It reminded me of the 60s. It was a lot of downright hate and anger and people being downright mean.”

Lewis said he was leaving the Cannon office building across from the Capitol when protesters shouted “Kill the bill, kill the bill,” Lewis said.

“I said ‘I’m for the bill, I support the bill, I’m voting for the bill’,” Lewis said.

A colleague who was accompanying Lewis said people in the crowd responded by saying “Kill the bill, then the n-word.”

I suppose it’s possible this happened. If it did, it’s despicable.

But I recall all the breathless reporting that a Republican campaign event with Sarah Palin speaking was marred by someone shouting “Kill him!” when she mentioned Obama.

It turned out to be a total fabrication. It didn’t happen. That has been proved beyond shadow of doubt.

So. If non-biased people nearby, not Democrat congressional staffers or known left-wing journalists, are willing to confirm this, I’ll give it a big “maybe.”

Until then, even if it happened, it is one event, one person, saying something disgusting.

And as far as I’m concerned, it’s in serious doubt until someone objective confirms it.

The best way to convince me would be if some of the tea party people themselves said it happened, because that would be an “admission against interest.” And if reporters really want to get to the bottom of it, I’m sure they can find some of those people, and that some of those people would tell the truth about it.

I note the complete absence of any non-partisan confirmation in the reporting so far.

UPDATE:  I see that Powerline has a similar take.

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