Tea Party federation expels group over racial writing

[Crossroads Inc.]

MSNBC'

WASHINGTON — The Tea Party political movement saw a major split over the weekend, with the National Tea Party Federation expelling a member group after its spokesman wrote an online post satirizing a fictional letter from what he called "Colored People" to President Abraham Lincoln.

On its website, the federation stated it had given the Tea Party Express, through direct contact with one of its leaders, a deadline to rebuke and remove spokesman Mark Williams.

"That leader's response was clear: they have no intention of taking the action we required for their group to continue as a member of the National Tea Party Federation," the federation stated.
Therefore, effective immediately the National Tea Party Federation is expelling Tea Party Express from the ranks of our membership."

Federation spokesman David Webb, interviewed Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," called the blog post "clearly offensive."
Williams, who said his letter was satirical, started it like this: "Dear Mr. Lincoln, We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!"
"Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn't that what we want all Coloreds to strive for?" he added. "What kind of racist would want to end big money welfare? What they need to do is start handing the bail outs directly to us Coloreds!"

A conservative talk radio host, Williams later removed the post as criticism grew.
Williams' post was a reply to a resolution by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) earlier this month that called on Tea Party leaders to "repudiate the racist element and activities" within the political movement.
Immediately after the resolution, Williams said it was unfortunate that the NAACP had chosen to "profiteer off race-baiting and fear mongering" when it could be doing so much to help the black community.
He also questioned the motives of African-American leaders, suggesting they were taking advantage of the publicity the resolution generated.

"I'm not surprised they are jumping into the fray here because the NAACP just tapped a Gulf oil well full of cash contributions that will arrive from this resolution," Williams said. "And I know Al (Sharpton) and Jesse (Jackson, Jr.) want their piece of it. The slave traders of the 16th century should have been as good at exploiting Africans as these people are, because it's just disgusting."

On its website, the Tea Party Express does not say how many supporters it has, but on Facebook it has 600 followers.
The federation says 61 groups are members, and that it has "affiliate relationships" with 21 other groups.

I have to say I am genuinely surprised by this, I guess even the Tea Party has limits I how much racist bigotry it will stand. On another note, Let the splintering begin!!!

[JME2]

Huh. Well, that was both quick and unexpected.

[General Zod]

Yeah, I already posted this in the existing thread.

[Sea Skimmer]

I’m not really surprised, as dumb as they are on average the Tea Party does have some people in it who are rational enough to tell what they have to do to become an actual political party. That means kicking out nut jobs whom can’t control themselves in public settings. The remainder can think anything they want, they just need to keep quite about it until they won some meaningful seats and can try to test the waters on how crazy they can be again. Personally though I don't expect the Tea Party to be able to make that leap in any coherent manner, but as an incoherent force its not likely to go away unless they literally don't win a single thing in the next election.

[SirNitram]

Skimmer has this one perfectly. This is standard Cover Thine Ass with a splattering of 'Look, we don't like bigots either!' for appearances.

[Patrick Degan]

It always has to be kept in mind how their poster-girl, Yukon Barbie, was seen at campaign rallies in 2008 just smiling beatifically as some in her crowd were hurling racist epithets and even the odd death threat at Obama until she could pick up her own little speech again.

[Coyote]

Now, the Teabagger movement can say that "it was the Tea Party Express doing all that bad stuff, not us-- see! We broke 'em up! We're good, responsible nutcakes!" --all the while, the disaffected members of the Express will simply get-re-absorbed back into one of the many other remaining Teabagger movements, welcomed as brothers, and the drama will continue as it has, except they'll be able to play off the break-up of the Express as a fig leaf for their "refutation of racism" [ ] at least through November election.

Unless, of course, another of their prominent members gets caught doing something like getting a Swastika tattoo or something. Which could still happen --who knows, given this lot.

[Molyneux]

Skimmer has this one perfectly. This is standard Cover Thine Ass with a splattering of 'Look, we don't like bigots either!' for appearances.

At least there are some actual consequences being meted out, in this case - it's a nice change from "Oh, that's AWFUL but it's too bad we can't do anything about it" we've been seeing lately.

[Night_stalker]

It's nice watching the Tea Party rip themselves apart, and all the while the leaders tyr and frantically seperate themselves from all the racist signs they've proudly displayed at their rallies. My view on this: Way too late to avoid major PR damage for the TP, and they're definely NOT getting many votes in November, at least once their foes bring up these events in the public eye again.