(Non-Racist) Tea Party Federation Expels (Non-Racist) Tea Party Express Over (Racist) Parody Letter

Keith Olbermann now officially runs the Tea Party movement.

On 7/15, KO urged Tea Party leaders to repudiate Tea Party Express spokesman Mark Williams for publishing a grotesquely unfunny “parody” letter to Abraham Lincoln, which he posted online in a mocking response to the NAACP and its President Benjamin Jealous for calling on Tea Party factions to reject overtly racist actions and messages on the part of “extremists” in their ranks.

Yesterday, the National Tea Party Federation officially dumped Tea Party Express from its membership roster, after its demands that Tea Party Express terminate Williams were rejected.

Not that any of this matters, since biting each other in the ass seems to be the primary function of the various self-styled, unelected Tea Party “leadership” groups, whose own “members” reject the notion that the Tea Party is an organized movement with central leadership.

It’s just really fun to watch them try, ineptly, to deny the obvious racial animus that drives a fair share of incoherently “Constitutionalist” opposition to the Obama administration—in Miller’s case, by attempting the sort of high-concept chastisement of lazy, shiftless Black dependency that not even Bill Cosby could pull off.

The real satisfaction, of course, is watching them dance, dance, dance to Olbermann’s tune.

Posted by StrangeAppar8us on 07/18/10 at 10:47 AM • Permalink

Categories: Politics • Nutters • Teabaggery •

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Hey dude! Good morning.

Just a gentle correction ~ it’s Mark Williams, not Miller. :)

Comment by Elisabeth on 07/18/10 at 11:03 AM

Thanks! It’s early.

Comment by StrangeAppar8us on 07/18/10 at 11:05 AM

Plus, “Mark Miller” is a guy who owes me money.

Comment by StrangeAppar8us on 07/18/10 at 11:08 AM

You what’s fun and helpful? The National Tea Party Federation press releases are in English AND Spanish!

Comment by gimmeabreak on 07/18/10 at 11:29 AM

And of course, Sarah Palin just finished a cross-country bus tour* with the TPE and shared the stage with Mark Williams.

I look forward to her refudiation of Mr. Williams and her shock, SHOCK, that this man had a racist bone in his body.

I intend to add Mark Williams to that Velcro suit Sarah wears. If she’s going to attach her children as human shields, then all her unsavory allies belong there as well.

I think he makes a nice counterbalance to the Rev. Muthee.

*Which for Palin meant being picked up by the bus at the nearest airport to the next appearance.

Comment by Allan on 07/18/10 at 11:54 AM

Poor Mr. Williams is a victim of racists who have infiltrated the Teabagger Movement!

Comment by Hunger Tallest Palin on 07/18/10 at 12:53 PM

As someone at Balloon Juice pointed out, it’s NAACP - 1, TPE - 0.

Comment by Elisabeth on 07/18/10 at 03:37 PM

And I’ve had pitched verbal battles with morons I know who want to deny that racism is behind the welfare reform act, the tax cutting diatribe, the budget deficit crap, now I have absolute proof of what anyone with half a brain has known all along…

“If I warn’t payin’ all them taxes [all five hundred dollars worth] ever year to support them N****RS jus’ like Ronnie, Newt and Palin say ah is, I coulda bought new mudders fer mah Fawd dis year!”

Racism drives this country, I swear it does, right down to hell.

Comment by kate on 07/18/10 at 05:59 PM

Every single person in the United States is a “taxpayer,” so if the Krazy Krackers for Krist kontingent of Teabaggerstan could stop waving their “but I’m a taxpayer!” status around with the same pride as their kindergarten diploma, that would be awesome.

And that includes “gummint employees,” by the way. Just because you get a check from the government doesn’t mean you don’t pay taxes to that same government.

Comment by Oblomova on 07/19/10 at 10:38 AM

The tea party is not racist, anyone involved with the tea party can tell you that. By generalizing a whole movement by one individual you are being highly unfair. I could make several generalizations about the democratic party based upon certain individuals, but that is unfair. I would rethink your title, and maybe actually find out what the tea party actually is and stands for. Check out my blog for tea party news.
Cheers!

Comment by John T. Harrington on 07/19/10 at 02:46 PM

I would rethink your title

Which part, John? It’s 100% accurate as-is.

generalizing a whole movement by one individual

If you look carefully, you’ll notice I didn’t do that.

find out what the tea party actually is and stands for

I’m already clear on that, John. Not my cup, I’m afraid, for reasons that have almost nothing to do with the occasional racist sign or dimbulb Patriot “leaders” like Williams.

Comment by StrangeAppar8us on 07/19/10 at 03:11 PM

Mr. Harrington, aside from the racist signs that have been popping up at tea parties ever since the “movement” began, there’s other empirical evidence that suggests the “tea partiers” have views on race that are way out of step with most Americans:

Tea Party supporters are less likely than Americans overall to believe whites have more opportunities to get ahead than blacks.

Just 16 percent of Tea Party supporters say whites have more opportunities to get ahead, compared to 31 percent of all Americans. Seventy-three percent say both have equal opportunity, compared to 60 percent of Americans overall.

Fifty-two percent believe too much has been made of the problems facing black people. Far fewer Americans overall—28 percent—believe as much. Among non-Tea Party whites, the percentage who say too much attention has been paid to the problems of black people is 23 percent.

A majority of Tea Party suppers believe the Obama administration treats both blacks and whites the same way. But one in four believe the administration favors blacks over whites, an opinion shared by just 11 percent of Americans overall and seven percent of non-Tea Party whites.

That’s not to say every single person who calls himself a “tea partier” is motivated by racial resentment, but it is awfully strange that they all went into a rage about “big government” right after a black dude was elected president. We didn’t hear a peep out of them about deficits, etc., while Bush was writing the checks. Why is that, do you suppose?

And why were bigots like Mark Williams, Tom Tancredo and others cheered at tea party events? It’s not like Williams’ recent overtly racist blog post about the NAACP was the first sign that he was a loud-mouthed bigot.

What the tea partiers are, of course, are the Republican base rebranded. Not all Republicans are racists, but nearly all racists are Republicans, so it’s really not surprising they’ve found a new home. If you tea partiers are serious about being a credible “movement,” take the NAACP’s advice and denounce the racists in your ranks in no uncertain terms.

Comment by Betty Cracker on 07/19/10 at 03:20 PM

Thanks for your input, John.

We have been studying the tea parties for quite some time around here. Unfortunately, nothing we’ve seen much changes our mind about it.

I’m sure you’re a fine soul and may not have met any overt racists in your corner of the tea party world, and heck, for all I know you might have a black friend or two. However, pretty much all evidence, including Mr. Williams, point to an organization rife with people who have issues with non-whites up to and including the Commander in Chief.

The NAACP did not call tea partiers racist. The asked for leaders to denounce racists elements, which are highly documented. The National Tea Party Federation did the right thing in jettisoning Mark Williams. The NAACP is now on record with their appreciation of that effort.