Is the term TeaBagger turning into hate speech?

[Ravi]

I asked you before and I'll ask you again. How exactly is the term teabagger demeaning and to whom?

I will repeat what i just said:


What i'm talking about is the mindset and behavior used by those who say teabagger in an attempt to be hurtful and demean those who may consider themselves in line with the tea parties. Its the same mindset and behavior used by racists when the throw racial slurs at people.

You didn't answer my question, you merely claimed calling people teabaggers was the same as calling people *******.

I'd repeat my question but I have no real hope that you'll answer it.

 

[Murf76]

Insulting people because of their race is not in the same league as insulting someone for their political beliefs not even close.

You don't choose your race but you can change what politics you're going to follow, and what party you'll join.

What's the difference, really? People aren't going to change their core beliefs. Why not ask somebody to change their religion while you're at it? Why not ask conservatives to lobotomize themselves so as to relate to liberal viewpoints?

The use of the pejorative "teabagger" is designed to insult, inflame, denigrate, and intimidate. Just as the use of a racial epithet is designed to insult, inflame, denigrate, and intimidate. Sounds the same to me.


All that said, I still don't believe in "hate speech". I believe in free speech. Nobody has an unalienable right NOT to be offended.

 

[oreo]

Tea Bagger isn't near as bad as the Tea Baggers themselves calling the United States of America's President "Socialist," "Communist," "Witch Doctor," Calling for his days to be "Short," among other hateful things..and racist comments.
That is hate speech.

You should tell this guy that it's "hate speech" to use the term "Tea Baggers:"

^ That dude is a Tea Partier.

Socialist, Communist--is not hate speech. We hope that Barack Obama does not make it into a second term--what is wrong with that comment?

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

I asked you before and I'll ask you again. How exactly is the term teabagger demeaning and to whom?

I will repeat what i just said:


What i'm talking about is the mindset and behavior used by those who say teabagger in an attempt to be hurtful and demean those who may consider themselves in line with the tea parties. Its the same mindset and behavior used by racists when the throw racial slurs at people.

You didn't answer my question, you merely claimed calling people teabaggers was the same as calling people *******.

I'd repeat my question but I have no real hope that you'll answer it.

I already answered you 2 times. Its the mindset between the 2 actions that is the same.

Sorry if you dont want to hear the truth ravi, it is what it is.

 

[oreo]

I asked you before and I'll ask you again. How exactly is the term teabagger demeaning and to whom?

I will repeat what i just said:


What i'm talking about is the mindset and behavior used by those who say teabagger in an attempt to be hurtful and demean those who may consider themselves in line with the tea parties. Its the same mindset and behavior used by racists when the throw racial slurs at people.

You didn't answer my question, you merely claimed calling people teabaggers was the same as calling people *******.

I'd repeat my question but I have no real hope that you'll answer it.

Just who called anyone a "******?"- I assume you're talking about the un-proven accusations from the black DEMOCRAT caucas that someone did--during the health care debate.

We now have video proof that the black congressman that stated he was "spit" upon was not true--it was simply a tea partier yelling at him--through the crowd noise.

You do know that Andrew Briebart put up 100K for anyone with a video or monitoring device to prove that claim. As yet NO ONE--including the left wing media who was through-out that rally has been able to prove that someone called someone else a "******." --

I think Americans are getting very weary of the "race--baiting" tactics of the left wing nut cases in this country.

MAinfo: Andrew Breitbart Walks Onstage in Searchlight

BTW--tea bagger as used frequently by left wingers--is an pornographic insult to average--everyday--tax paying Americans who are concerned about our Federal Government having a no limit credit card--that has our children and grandchildren's name on it for repayment. "It's as simple as that."

 

[Father Time]

Ok label dropper.

I'm merely making a point with this thread and it seems to have hit a little to close to home for you. The point being that the utilization of the term teabagger in the media and on forums like this is akin to the utilization of racial slurs by people who wish to demean the race its intended at.

Your about a micrometer away from the mindset of a racist when you use the term in the way we have all seen on the forum. (When i say you I dont mean you specifically i mean the general you)

Insulting people because of their race is not in the same league as insulting someone for their political beliefs not even close.

You don't choose your race but you can change what politics you're going to follow, and what party you'll join.

See my post to ravi above.

Yeah you said it was a micrometer away, I say it's much further than that.

 

[oreo]

I asked you before and I'll ask you again. How exactly is the term teabagger demeaning and to whom?

I will repeat what i just said:


What i'm talking about is the mindset and behavior used by those who say teabagger in an attempt to be hurtful and demean those who may consider themselves in line with the tea parties. Its the same mindset and behavior used by racists when the throw racial slurs at people.

You didn't answer my question, you merely claimed calling people teabaggers was the same as calling people *******.

I'd repeat my question but I have no real hope that you'll answer it.

What is it--that you do not get--when you call a patriot to this country--one that is only trying to save your dumb ass from a 60--70% tax federal tax bracket-- a teabagger--something that INSULTS them--much like racist names that insult people--and exactly what is different from that? NOTHING.

The thing is---I don't want idiots like you to STOP--because you only make our numbers GROW. Right now the tea party movement in this country is growing faster than the federal government is--and that's a great thing---

"The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under
the name of 'liberalism' they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist
program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without
knowing how it happened."

by: Norman Thomas
(1884-1968) six-time U.S. Presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America
Source: 1948 - from an interview during the presidential campaign,

[Ed. note: Norman Thomas and Gus Hall, the U.S. Communist Party
Candidate, both quit American politics, agreeing that the Republican
and Democratic parties had adopted every plank on the
Communist/Socialist and they no longer had an alternate party platform
on which to run.]

 

[Father Time]

Insulting people because of their race is not in the same league as insulting someone for their political beliefs not even close.

You don't choose your race but you can change what politics you're going to follow, and what party you'll join.

What's the difference, really? People aren't going to change their core beliefs. Why not ask somebody to change their religion while you're at it? Why not ask conservatives to lobotomize themselves so as to relate to liberal viewpoints?

The use of the pejorative "teabagger" is designed to insult, inflame, denigrate, and intimidate. Just as the use of a racial epithet is designed to insult, inflame, denigrate, and intimidate. Sounds the same to me.


All that said, I still don't believe in "hate speech". I believe in free speech. Nobody has an unalienable right NOT to be offended.

It's not meant to intimidate it's just meant to insult, and yes some people do change their viewpoints.

 

[Murf76]

It's not meant to intimidate it's just meant to insult, and yes some people do change their viewpoints.

Aw c'mon. That's a rather large bucket of rabid lefty foam we've been seeing lately for people who aren't trying to intimidate their political opponents through ridicule.
We didn't just all fall off the turnip truck, you know.

 

[Stephanie]

I don't care what they call us.

I just hope all those Independent and Democrat Tea Party members, TAKE NOTE.

Keep it up calling the Tea Party members, Teabaggers, racist, rednecks, uneducated yokels, etc etc etc, you all go go go

 

[Ravi]

I will repeat what i just said:


What i'm talking about is the mindset and behavior used by those who say teabagger in an attempt to be hurtful and demean those who may consider themselves in line with the tea parties. Its the same mindset and behavior used by racists when the throw racial slurs at people.

You didn't answer my question, you merely claimed calling people teabaggers was the same as calling people *******.

I'd repeat my question but I have no real hope that you'll answer it.

I already answered you 2 times. Its the mindset between the 2 actions that is the same.

Sorry if you dont want to hear the truth ravi, it is what it is.

Actually, you deflected twice but that's okay.

 

[JakeStarkey]

The term is not hate speech in the context that we are using here. It certainly does not reach the level of opprobium if compared with the n-word. However, it is hurtful speech. The irony is that members of the Tea Party used the term first to identify themselves.

 

[Ravi]

The term is not hate speech in the context that we are using here. It certainly does not reach the level of opprobium if compared with the n-word. However, it is hurtful speech. The irony is that members of the Tea Party used the term first to identify themselves.

I think the real difference is that teabaggers actually exist. ******* don't...that's just a term of insultment. (hey, I invented a new word!)

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

I like you saying I was deflecting after I explained it to you a few different ways.

Once again its all about the mindset and intent. The mindset by those using the word with the negative intent is the same as the mindset of people who throw around other labels in an attempt to demean, belittle, degrade, and even silence others.

Who is offended by being called a teabagger in this way? It would likely be the vast majority of those who either have attended a a tea party or those who consider themselves a member of a tea party somewhere (i'm an acception i personally like the term but thats not really relative to this semantics discussion).

Are you still confused and unable to comprehend my response or is it still to close to home for you to allow yourself to do so?

 

[Jarhead]

The term is not hate speech in the context that we are using here. It certainly does not reach the level of opprobium if compared with the n-word. However, it is hurtful speech. The irony is that members of the Tea Party used the term first to identify themselves.

I think the real difference is that teabaggers actually exist. ******* don't...that's just a term of insultment. (hey, I invented a new word!)

Terms of Insultment.

Wasnt that a movie?

Hey, like it or not, calling those that attend tea parties and those that are part of the movement, "teabaggers" is a term of insultment.

It was meant to be insulting and it is insulting as it shows a lack of respect for those that think differently.

 

[Ravi]

A teabagger, in real life (and I'm just giving you my opinion because there are different meanings) is someone that cares only about their own pleasure and has no problem gagging someone in pursuit of that pleasure. IMO, that is exactly what the tea partiers are doing. As evidence I'll remind you that this group did not exist while Bush was spending us underwater. And they are gagging everyone that participated in free elections (well, they are trying).

Now if they didn't engage in overheated rhetoric, lies and down right nastiness I'd feel differently about them.

But I think teabagger is a aptly descriptive term.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I like you saying I was deflecting after I explained it to you a few different ways.

Once again its all about the mindset and intent. The mindset by those using the word with the negative intent is the same as the mindset of people who throw around other labels in an attempt to demean, belittle, degrade, and even silence others.

Who is offended by being called a teabagger in this way? It would likely be the vast majority of those who either have attended a a tea party or those who consider themselves a member of a tea party somewhere (i'm an acception i personally like the term but thats not really relative to this semantics discussion).

Are you still confused and unable to comprehend my response or is it still to close to home for you to allow yourself to do so?

To "attempt to demean, belittle, degrade" is not hate speech by definition. That sounds what the wingnuts from the reactionary right and leftist moonbats from other side attempt to do here. Now I don't think that anyone in his or her right mind is attempting to "silence others" by using the term "teabaggers".

 

[JakeStarkey]

The term is not hate speech in the context that we are using here. It certainly does not reach the level of opprobium if compared with the n-word. However, it is hurtful speech. The irony is that members of the Tea Party used the term first to identify themselves.

I think the real difference is that teabaggers actually exist. ******* don't...that's just a term of insultment. (hey, I invented a new word!)

Terms of Insultment.

Wasnt that a movie?

Hey, like it or not, calling those that attend tea parties and those that are part of the movement, "teabaggers" is a term of insultment.

It was meant to be insulting and it is insulting as it shows a lack of respect for those that think differently.

But it is not hate speech.

 

[Darkwind]

Bear with me here on this one.

Most of the people who use "Teabagger" in a negative way to describe tea party protesters typically also claim its a white conservative movement in the country.

So based on the fact that it is hurtful speech directed at a people who are looked at as white, conservative, and angry at the govt is calling them "Teabaggers" hatespeach akin to other derogatory words used for various groups of people.

The tea party is also considered a specific social group so it could come under that classification also.

hate speech - Legal Definition
Speech not protected by the First Amendment, because it is intended to foster hatred against individuals or groups based on race, religion, gender, sexual preference, place of national origin, or other improper classification.

hate speech: Definition from Answers.com
Bigoted speech attacking or disparaging a social or ethnic group or a member of such a group.

Hate speech - Definition
is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. The term covers written as well as oral communication.


It sure sounds like it qualifies as hate speech so I may have to watch myself with that term in the future.

I would classify it as juvenile speech, to be sure.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

I think the real difference is that teabaggers actually exist. ******* don't...that's just a term of insultment. (hey, I invented a new word!)

Terms of Insultment.

Wasnt that a movie?

Hey, like it or not, calling those that attend tea parties and those that are part of the movement, "teabaggers" is a term of insultment.

It was meant to be insulting and it is insulting as it shows a lack of respect for those that think differently.

But it is not hate speech.

It damn sure isn't a term of endearment. Fact is, the intent is to marginalize the tea partiers and it is insulting. But not to fear, tea partiers will have the last laugh.