Parade float

[Tgo01]

Story. (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/13/doj-investigates-obama-presidential-library-parade/)


The U.S. Department of Justice has sent a member of its Community Relations Service team to investigate a Nebraska parade float that criticized President Obama.

A Fourth of July parade float featured at the annual Independence Day parade in Norfolk sparked criticism when it depicted a zombie-like figure resembling Mr. Obama standing outside an outhouse, which was labeled the “Obama Presidential Library.”
The Nebraska Democratic Party called the float one of the “worst shows of racism and disrespect for the office of the presidency that Nebraska has ever seen.”

The Omaha World-Herald reported Friday that the Department of Justice sent a CRS member who handles discrimination disputes to a Thursday meeting about the issue.

Also at the meeting were the NAACP, Norfolk mayor Sue Fuchtman and the Norfolk Odd Fellows, which coordinated the parade.

The float’s creator, Dale Remmich, has said the mannequin depicted himself, not President Obama. He said he is upset with the president’s handling of the Veterans Affairs Department, the World-Herald reported.

“Looking at the float, that message absolutely did not come through,” said NAACP chapter president Betty C. Andrews.

It must be tough being Eric Holder.

Fast and furious? BBBOOORRRIIINNNGGG.

IRS scandal? Meh.

Libya terrorist attacks? YAWN!

Someone being critical of our first black president?! That's racist! TO THE HOLDER MOBILE!

[waywardgs]

http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2014/07/06/presidential-float-flapjpeg-00d1a_s800x549.jpg?9e444055ae382e844bdea3052fec4a7 9a2db6fb8

I'm pretty sure that guy is driving in reverse. Look at the flags.

NO MOON LANDING MAGIC BULLET!!!!!1

[Tgo01]

http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2014/07/06/presidential-float-flapjpeg-00d1a_s800x549.jpg?9e444055ae382e844bdea3052fec4a7 9a2db6fb8

I can't tell if you posted that picture to agree with me or somehow disagree with me?

I need some words, man! WORDS!

[Anebriated]

If the outhouse doesn't say "Obama" just "Presidential Library" do they still cry racism?

[waywardgs]

I can't tell if you posted that picture to agree with me or somehow disagree with me?

I need some words, man! WORDS!

I edited with words. It's a conspiracy, definitely. Somehow.

NO ONE DRIVES IN A PARADE IN REVERSE. NO ONE.

[Tgo01]

If the outhouse doesn't say "Obama" just "Presidential Library" do they still cry racism?

You said the "O" word, now you're being racist :(


I edited with words. It's a conspiracy, definitely. Somehow.

NO ONE DRIVES IN A PARADE IN REVERSE. NO ONE.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYOfpjlZpAY

[waywardgs]

You said the "O" word, now you're being racist :(




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYOfpjlZpAY

The only thing that matters in that video is that the background to the title and credits is GREENLIKEALIENS. Probably illegal aliens.

[Dwaar]

I think it was tasteless for the guy to do something like that. Disrespectful of the Office of the President and President Obama. I wish things like this wouldn't happen for any President.

That said... no one seemed to say a word when they were doing things like this to Bush:

http://maroonedinmarin.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-age-of-obama-hanging-effigys-of-that.html

Is it okay simply because he was white? Is it okay simply because he was a Republican?

The double standard and hypocrisy that people have is astounding. Just because President Obama is black... has no bearing (for most - yes there are some real ignorant people out there) on how Presidents are depicted by those that don't agree with them. He just happens to be President, so should he get special treatment just because he is black? Or should we treat all Presidents the same when it comes to how we express our disagreement with their policies.

[waywardgs]

I think it was tasteless for the guy to do something like that. Disrespectful of the Office of the President and President Obama. I wish things like this wouldn't happen for any President.

That said... no one seemed to say a word when they were doing things like this to Bush:

http://maroonedinmarin.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-age-of-obama-hanging-effigys-of-that.html

Is it okay simply because he was white? Is it okay simply because he was a Republican?

The double standard and hypocrisy that people have is astounding. Just because President Obama is black... has no bearing (for most - yes there are some real ignorant people out there) on how Presidents are depicted by those that don't agree with them. He just happens to be President, so should he get special treatment just because he is black? Or should we treat all Presidents the same when it comes to how we express our disagreement with their policies.

I completely agree- he shouldn't be getting special treatment because he's black.

[Jarvan]

I completely agree- he shouldn't be getting special treatment because he's black.

Tell that to Holder.

[waywardgs]

Tell that to Holder.

What I meant was... he shouldn't be getting SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. "SPECIAL TREATMENT." Special. Treatment.


(hint: black folk in the south got Special Treatment when they were hung from trees.:(

Special Treatment is Bad.

[Jarvan]

What I meant was... he shouldn't be getting SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. "SPECIAL TREATMENT." Special. Treatment.


(hint: black folk in the south got Special Treatment when they were hung from trees.:(

Special Treatment is Bad.

I reiterate, tell that to Holder.

Just saw your edit...

Remember when Sarah Palin was hung in Effigy?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/10/27/us-usa-politics-palin-effigy-idUSTRE49Q79N20081027

[Tgo01]

What I meant was... he shouldn't be getting SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. "SPECIAL TREATMENT." Special. Treatment.


(hint: black folk in the south got Special Treatment when they were hung from trees.:(

Special Treatment is Bad.

http://www.pagesz.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/shark.jpg

[Parkbandit]

I don't get the outhouse part. What are they trying to say?

Maybe that's why I don't think it's racist... just stupid. It's like "We got this here outhouse and we need to make a float.. hey I got an idea!"

[Parkbandit]

What I meant was... he shouldn't be getting SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. "SPECIAL TREATMENT." Special. Treatment.


(hint: black folk in the south got Special Treatment when they were hung from trees.:(

Special Treatment is Bad.

So, because President Obama is black, we shouldn't ever criticism him.. because if we did, that is "special treatment" in your mind?

[Ker_Thwap]

I don't get the outhouse part. What are they trying to say?

Maybe that's why I don't think it's racist... just stupid. It's like "We got this here outhouse and we need to make a float.. hey I got an idea!"

Maybe your collected writings/beliefs are toilet paper worthy?

So, I've been driving an old lady to dialysis. She tells me all these old timey stories. How they all once had outhouses, and her family was the first to have a plumbed toilet in the area. How she and her friend would take a Sears catalog, cut out all the soft pages, hide them for their own use, and leave the glossy pages for everyone else.

[Parkbandit]

Maybe your collected writings/beliefs are toilet paper worthy?

So, I've been driving an old lady to dialysis. She tells me all these old timey stories. How they all once had outhouses, and her family was the first to have a plumbed toilet in the area. How she and her friend would take a Sears catalog, cut out all the soft pages, hide them for their own use, and leave the glossy pages for everyone else.

I just don't get how this is considered "racist". Had it been a cotton field, or eating watermelon or chicken or had a noose.. then I could understand. I don't get the connection with an outhouse and a black stereotype.

Maybe I'm just missing something.

If it's a commentary on how he's really done a shitty job as President, then that's not racist.

[Ker_Thwap]

Oh, I didn't comment on the racist part. I was only commenting on the crap humor attempt.

I have no clue how anyone would associate an outhouse with racism. Everybody poops.

[zzentar]

I don't think their was anything racist here,
instead I see someone saying the Obama Library, extrapolating here, Obama Legacy belongs in the outhouse. I truly believe that this guy was just making a statement of his views of the Obama presidency. I can not find anything even trying really hard and squinting eyes that is racists here.
That being said, OP has a great point, DOJ has time to send an investigator over this? Would be different if the guy made a threat to the pres but he didnt. Whats next they sick the DOJ on political cartoonists?
The govt needs to start doing the people's business and not their own. Get that marine out of a mexican prison first and foremost.
~Zz

[Parkbandit]

The govt needs to start doing the people's business and not their own. Get that marine out of a mexican prison first and foremost.
~Zz

I haven't heard much about this story so excuse my ignorance... But is the story that this guy simply took a wrong turn at the border, had a gun on him and the Mexicans put him in prison?

Because if that is the story.. I'm guessing there is much more to it than that.

[zzentar]

had 3 handguns, all legal. two locked away with all the ammo. one handgun in the cab. He got into a oneway lane to Mexico, tried to flag down an official but was waved on to gate. Unfortuneatly gate was past the border

[zzentar]

thinking about it, I met 3 main types of 18yr olds in the military, this was years ago so I am sure it could have changed but most never had cash and free room and board so they blew the cash the first few years, hell in AIT everyone wanted to get a tattoo on first weekend pass.
1. used muscle cars
2. fast motorcycles
3. guns

[Dwaar]

thinking about it, I met 3 main types of 18yr olds in the military, this was years ago so I am sure it could have changed but most never had cash and free room and board so they blew the cash the first few years, hell in AIT everyone wanted to get a tattoo on first weekend pass.
1. used muscle cars
2. fast motorcycles
3. guns

You were totally right with that back then. These days in the military (my perception)... if I had to list a top 3...

1. Electronics (big TV's/gaming systems/Phones/etc.)
2. Tattoos
3. Guns or Autos - This is a tough one, as after a deployment I'd say cars take over... guns are sort of steady.

They all still blow their money though.. don't think that will change ever :)

[waywardgs]

You were totally right with that back then. These days in the military (my perception)... if I had to list a top 3...

1. Electronics (big TV's/gaming systems/Phones/etc.)
2. Tattoos
3. Guns or Autos - This is a tough one, as after a deployment I'd say cars take over... guns are sort of steady.

They all still blow their money though.. don't think that will change ever :)

I know guys who spend a lot on travel. Which is pretty cool IMO.

[Back]

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is part of the United States Department of Justice. The office is intended as a peacemaker "for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin" and was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Originally under the Department of Commerce it was moved to the Department of Justice by order of President Johnson. - Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

They sent one person down there, most likely a suit with a desk job, so lets not exaggerate the DOJ's involvement as anything more than normal. Same thing happened with Bush effigies. I recall one story of an elementary school student being investigated over a painting of Bush.

It's amazing how you guys twist everything so you can get worked up about OMG LIBERALS! Some guy makes a float for a parade in poor taste? OMG LIBERALS!

[Parkbandit]

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is part of the United States Department of Justice. The office is intended as a peacemaker "for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin" and was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Originally under the Department of Commerce it was moved to the Department of Justice by order of President Johnson. - Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

They sent one person down there, most likely a suit with a desk job, so lets not exaggerate the DOJ's involvement as anything more than normal. Same thing happened with Bush effigies. I recall one story of an elementary school student being investigated over a painting of Bush.

It's amazing how you guys twist everything so you can get worked up about OMG LIBERALS! Some guy makes a float for a parade in poor taste? OMG LIBERALS!

Wait, what?

The DOJ sent someone to the Anti-Bush effigies? Do you have a source on that?

Just so we both understand each other: there is a difference between a Secret Service investigation and a DOJ investigation.

[Back]

Wait, what?

The DOJ sent someone to the Anti-Bush effigies? Do you have a source on that?

Just so we both understand each other: there is a difference between a Secret Service investigation and a DOJ investigation.

Indeed there is. Here is the source you asked for from 2004. And this wasn't the DOJ's public relations officer, this was the Secret Service.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Secret-Service-confiscates-anti-Bush-drawings-by-1143383.php

Secret Service confiscates anti-Bush drawings by 15-year-old at Prosser High


A few political sketches took a 15-year-old Prosser boy from his art class to questioning by the Secret Service (http://www.seattlepi.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Secret+Service%22) -- and thrust him into a debate over free speech.

On Friday, the boy was questioned by the Secret Service after his art teacher turned in sketches by the boy featuring President Bush. In one, Bush's head was on a stake. In another, he was dressed as the devil, firing off rockets. The caption on one sketch read, "End the War -- on errorism."

There were more sketches, including one of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution in flames. A family friend says the sketchbook has not been returned to the boy. His mother, who refused to comment yesterday, was given photocopies.

[Parkbandit]

So just to go over this one more time...

Pack: DOJ investigates all these incidents, doesn't matter who is President

PB: Are you sure about the DOJ investigating? There is a difference between DOJ and Secret Service.

Pack: yes there is a difference. Here is a link on how Secret Service investigates these incidents.

PB: What?

[Latrinsorm]

I guess it depends if you consider the distinction between the DOJ and the Secret Service in this case semantic or not.

[Tgo01]

I guess it depends if you consider the distinction between the DOJ and the Secret Service in this case semantic or not.

Secret service investigating possible threats against the president and the DOJ investigating an out house is not a matter of semantics. You been smoking that weed again? Your psychosis is showing.

[Latrinsorm]

If a fifteen year old's doodles constitute a threat to the President, a fifty year old's doodles constitute tension arising from differences of race. BOOM.

[Back]

So just to go over this one more time...

Pack: DOJ investigates all these incidents, doesn't matter who is President

PB: Are you sure about the DOJ investigating? There is a difference between DOJ and Secret Service.

Pack: yes there is a difference. Here is a link on how Secret Service investigates these incidents.

PB: What?

You are trying to hard to play gotcha on a message board that you are missing the point.

These things get investigated no matter who does it or who the president is. Some other posters here think this is an example of Obama oppressing free speech.

[Candor]

Make no mistake - hardcore liberals don't like free speech.

They are also somewhat against choice. It's fine as long as you make choices they agree with...otherwise choice is a problem.

[Warriorbird]

Make no mistake - hardcore liberals don't like free speech.

They are also somewhat against choice. It's fine as long as you make choices they agree with...otherwise choice is a problem.

Parties aren't merely one spectrum. There's authority and liberty sides to both parties.

[Parkbandit]

You are trying to hard to play gotcha on a message board that you are missing the point.

These things get investigated no matter who does it or who the president is. Some other posters here think this is an example of Obama oppressing free speech.

This isn't a gotcha moment... and it wasn't intended to be one. I was very specific about stating that there is a difference between DOJ investigating these incidents and the Secret Service investigating these incidents. You specifically stated that the DOJ investigated these for Bush, to which I asked for a source. You agreed that there was a difference between the two types of investigation and then proceeded to quote where Secret Service investigated a Bush incident.

Please show me where I went wrong in explaining this to you..

[Parkbandit]

Make no mistake - hardcore liberals don't like free speech.

They are also somewhat against choice. It's fine as long as you make choices they agree with...otherwise choice is a problem.

I think that goes for anyone or any party. Hardcore liberals just tend to throw the bigger hissy fits over it.

[Back]

This isn't a gotcha moment... and it wasn't intended to be one. I was very specific about stating that there is a difference between DOJ investigating these incidents and the Secret Service investigating these incidents. You specifically stated that the DOJ investigated these for Bush, to which I asked for a source. You agreed that there was a difference between the two types of investigation and then proceeded to quote where Secret Service investigated a Bush incident.

Please show me where I went wrong in explaining this to you..

You're nitpicking the wording of a post. I'd even go so far as to say one guy from a branch of the DOJ investigating a parade float is much more mild than the Secret Service investigating a teenager's paintings at a high school.

[Tgo01]

I'd even go so far as to say one guy from a branch of the DOJ investigating a parade float is much more mild than the Secret Service investigating a teenager's paintings at a high school.

Sure, if you think a drawing of the president's head on a stake and a drawing of the constitution in flames is comparable to a freaking outhouse.

This has entered unreal territory now. People are actually reading this story and saying "Meh, what's the problem?"

What's the problem? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!

[Parkbandit]

You're nitpicking the wording of a post. I'd even go so far as to say one guy from a branch of the DOJ investigating a parade float is much more mild than the Secret Service investigating a teenager's paintings at a high school.

Wait, what?

When I posted this:


Just so we both understand each other: there is a difference between a Secret Service investigation and a DOJ investigation.

And you responded with this:


Indeed there is.

And then proceeded to state that Secret Service was investigating them... what were you talking about?

So, do you want to go back to your first post and retract the part where you said that the DOJ investigated these when someone did them to Bush?

[Parkbandit]

Sure, if you think a drawing of the president's head on a stake and a drawing of the constitution in flames is comparable to a freaking outhouse.

This has entered unreal territory now. People are actually reading this story and saying "Meh, what's the problem?"

What's the problem? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!

We haven't even gotten there yet... we still have Packlash playing catch up to his own posts....

Holy fuck, it's like I'm speaking Latin and he's trying to translate it in his head and posting something he thinks is right.....

[Jarvan]

Indeed there is. Here is the source you asked for from 2004. And this wasn't the DOJ's public relations officer, this was the Secret Service.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Secret-Service-confiscates-anti-Bush-drawings-by-1143383.php

Secret Service confiscates anti-Bush drawings by 15-year-old at Prosser High

I would like to point out that Back thinks 15 year olds attend elementary school.

That is all.

[Parkbandit]

I would like to point out that Back thinks 15 year olds attend elementary school.

That is all.

He simply used his own personal educational experience and projected it into this event.

Leave him alone!

[Jarvan]

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is part of the United States Department of Justice. The office is intended as a peacemaker "for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin" and was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Originally under the Department of Commerce it was moved to the Department of Justice by order of President Johnson. - Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/)

They sent one person down there, most likely a suit with a desk job, so lets not exaggerate the DOJ's involvement as anything more than normal. Same thing happened with Bush effigies. I recall one story of an elementary school student being investigated over a painting of Bush.

It's amazing how you guys twist everything so you can get worked up about OMG LIBERALS! Some guy makes a float for a parade in poor taste? OMG LIBERALS!


You're nitpicking the wording of a post. I'd even go so far as to say one guy from a branch of the DOJ investigating a parade float is much more mild than the Secret Service investigating a teenager's paintings at a high school.

I think the problem here is they sent what amounts to a Civil Rights investigator out for no reason at all. They didn't send Secret Service because there was a possible threat to Obama's life. They didn't send a REAL DOJ person because there was no criminal action.

No.. they sent an obscure civil rights person because Obama is black and ANYTHING negative about him is because of race.

Like someone else said.. if this was next to a cotton gin, or with a noose.. or hell had a burning cross. Yes, send an investigator. It's a fucking outhouse, and unless outhouses are a black thing (Which 2 members of my family still own and sometimes use an outhouse.. farmers.. go figure) I just don't see the reason for the investigator.

If you do, then you are racist. (See what I did there?)