More class from the Tea Party

Yesterday in Washington D.C., there were shocking displays of extremely abusive, derogatory and racist antics directed at Democratic members of the House of Representatives by Tea Party protesters. Prior to President Obama's address to Democratic members of the House of Representatives, thousands of Tea Party followers gathered at the Capitol building to protest health insurance reform. Their protest quickly descended into nasty heckling, as members of the House who passed through the Longworth House office building were exposed to racist and homophobic epithets and even some forms physical abuse.

A staff member from North Carolina Democratic Representative James Clyburn's office told reporters that Montana Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver was spat on by a Teabagger or Tea Party protester. Another Democratic Representative, John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a "n*gger". And Democratic Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who is openly gay, was called a "f*ggot", as Tea Partiers shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, shrugged off the incident when approached afterwards inside the Capitol building. Clyburn however was in total disbelief, commenting that he had not witnessed such treatment since leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s:

It was absolutely shocking to me. Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where fifty years ago as of last Monday...I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins...And quite frankly I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus.

But asked if he was concerned for his own personal safety, he said:

It doesn't make me nervous as all. "In fact, as I said to one heckler, I am the hardest person in the world to intimidate, so they better go somewhere else.

Clyburn was then asked if an apology was warranted from Republican members of Congress who addressed the crowd and if they have been playing on their worst fears of health care legislation, the Democratic Party, and President Obama:

A lot of us have been saying for a long time that much of this, much of this is not about health care at all. And I think a lot of those people today demonstrated that this is not about health care...it is about trying to extend a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful.

Yesterday at approximately 7:00 pm, Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver's office released the following statement:

For many of the members of the CBC, like John Lewis and Emanuel Cleaver who worked in the civil rights movement, and for Mr. Frank who has struggled in the cause of equality, this is not the first time they have been spit on during turbulent times.

This afternoon, the Congressman was walking into the Capitol to vote, when one protester spat on him. The Congressman would like to thank the US Capitol Police officer who quickly escorted the others Members and him into the Capitol, and defused the tense situation with professionalism and care. After all the Members were safe, a full report was taken and the matter was handled by the US Capitol Police. The man who spat on the Congressman was arrested, but the Congressman has chosen not to press charges. He has left the matter with the Capitol Police.

This is not the first time the Congressman has been called the "n" word and certainly not the worst assault he has endured in his years fighting for equal rights for all Americans. That being said, he is disappointed that in the 21st century our national discourse has devolved to the point of name calling and spitting. He looks forward to taking a historic vote on health care reform legislation tomorrow, for the residents of the Fifth District of Missouri and for all Americans. He believes deeply that tomorrow's vote is, in fact, a vote for equality and to secure health care as a right for all. Our nation has a history of struggling each time we expand rights. Today's protests are no different, but the Congressman believes this is worth fighting for.

The Buffalo News reported that Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter's district office in Pine View, New York, was vandalized on Saturday:

Sometime early this morning, someone threw a brick through the front window of her Pine Avenue office.

The damage was discovered about 12:30 a.m., city police said.

The brick put a hole in the outer-most window at the office at 1910 Pine Ave., but did not damage a second interior window, police reported. A piece of broken brick believed to have caused the damage was found at the scene.

Damage was estimated at $350.

Capitol Police arrested the man who spat on Emanuel Cleaver, however the Representative refused to press charges.