Tea Party Congressman Compares African American Civil Rights To Snail Darters
Source: ThinkProgress
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) compared the civil rights of African Americans and other minorities to the rights of animals during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, sparking outrage from lawmakers.
Gohmert made the remarks as the panel considered a bill that could prevent federal regulatory actions from being implemented. Currently, the federal government relies on consent decrees to settle lawsuits from advocacy organizations challenging agencies for failing to take regulatory action or missing statutory deadlines. The GOP-backed bill would allow anyone whose rights are affected by the decree to intervene in the settlement, significantly delaying the action.
Democrats offered an amendment, sponsored by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), that would have prohibited third parties from intervening in any regulatory action that prevents or is intended to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, or other protected characteristic. Consent decrees had been pivotal to enforcing civil rights laws, Cohen and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) argued, and noted that advocates used the consent decree process to protect minority communities from police misconduct and brutality.
But Gohmert objected to the amendment and insisted that the bill had nothing to do with the civil rights and would primary impact rules and regulations that pertain to fish, wildlife, and the environment. He then proceeded to mock Democrats concerns about minorities by joking that they were interested in protecting the liberties of snails and other animals:
GOHMERT: There is nobody in this chamber who is more appreciative than I am for the gentleman from Tennessee and my friend from Michigan standing up for the rights of race, religion, national religion of the Delta Smelt, the snail darter, various lizards, the lesser prairie chicken, the greater sage grouts and so many other insects who would want someone standing for their religion, their race, their national origin and I think thats wonderful.
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/07/24/2352241/tea-party-congressman-compares-african-american-civil-rights-to-snail-darters/
matthews
(497 posts)an escapee from a mental institution somewhere and someday he'll be spewing his filth on the floor and the men with butterfly nets will finally catch up with him.
It's hard to understand why he's allowed to walk around without a keeper.
calimary
(81,527 posts)WHY is this know-nothing allowed to hold public office? He's an insult to everyone else's intelligence. And he doesn't make his constituents (who insist on forcing him on the rest of us every other year for far too long already) look very good, very bright, or very nice.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)And thats how they get reelected..
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Can footage from a session be used in a political ad? If so it would be a great one.
The GOP: hostile on women, hostile on minorities, hostile on the country....
atreides1
(16,094 posts)He is their voice, he represents their beliefs.
And why would you think his constituents are anything different then he is?
Martin Eden
(12,880 posts)It also illustrates why America is NOT the geratest nation on earth
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)My theory is that breathing the combination of red dirt dust and pine tree fumes addles the brain.
broiles
(1,370 posts)matthews
(497 posts)broiles
(1,370 posts)The ignorance and racism is incredible.
calimary
(81,527 posts)I haven't had much exposure other than from friends and fellows who've moved here to SoCal from there. Just observations I've made, because when I hear statements like those this gent utters, I immediately try to figure out what makes him say stuff like that. Otherwise I can claim pretty much full ignorance. But I really do try to figure out what that behavior means and from whence it came. Sometimes that can suggest further behavioral manifestations in the future.
Same direction I'd go with a guy like our ol' pal Zimbo, for example. I've never met the man. Just examining everything I've seen, heard, read, and discussed, from himself on; noticing how he's never expressed remorse or regret. Passes it off to "God's will" and says he'd do the same thing again under similar circumstances; how he would already have had his gun returned, had not the feds stepped in; and how he will acquire firearms again and probably quite soon (if he hasn't armed up already), plus a security system and probably also bullet-proof vests. Reason is, he has several "fan clubs" in various gun-friendly communities who've raised thousands of dollars to buy him new guns. And of course there was that friendly verdict that made him feel validated and vindicated. Therefore I think it's a pretty safe bet that he can be expected to get himself into trouble again. He's had nothing to discourage that potentially menacing behavior, or encourage a change of behavior.
So too with the Congressman at issue here. That he keeps getting reelected, since the 2004 election which was his first. Last year gave him his fifth term representing Texas's First Congressional District. Bewildering. And distressing to hear the testimony here regarding those who keep sending him back to Washington.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Gohmert
But it helps to understand the environment he's coming from, and the role it plays in shaping his views. And it's useful information to have in order to understand, and know how to deal with it or maybe modify it in some way (yeah, I know, probably not with him).
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)and it is not hard to understand it at all.
MrModerate
(9,753 posts)But that's Texas for you.
just another player in the repug game of " who can be the nuttiest guy in this outfit " .
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)Had a boss who was raised in East Texas, undergrad at Texas A&M and then did his doctorate at Baylor, he was a piece of work....
delrem
(9,688 posts)So, how come this jackass is in office?
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)even dumber than he is. A thought which truly staggers the imagination.
MADem
(135,425 posts)He'd either disown 'em or his heart would be changed.
He sounds like a loon. He deliberately does not WANT to "get it."
olddots
(10,237 posts)Gohmert =putrid fecal matter posing as human .
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Left Coast2020
(2,397 posts)...and we'll have your House seats faster than you can blink. Oh, and go ahead and shut down the government. That will make our job of replacing your slimy racist ass a little less stressfull.
Sixteen seats. Thats all we need. Twenty for good measure.
Volaris
(10,275 posts)I'm not trying to be an asshole, I honestly don't know, and want to know the demographics of which ones will be easiest to take back=)
But yeah, Gohmert is an idiot. I almost wish someone WOULD just follow him around, and translate for the cameras into English, what he is saying in Conservative.
The CCC
(463 posts)This goober gives humanity a bad name.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)XemaSab
(60,212 posts)The snail darter is a fish, and it's sage grouse and not sage grouts.
That being said, what an offensive fucker.
Turbineguy
(37,375 posts)to make that new low.
boilerbabe
(2,214 posts)Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)"day raight, luey. . .u give dem liburls wat fore. hyck-hyck-hyck-hyck. dam liburls. tuk mah job."
"dey tuk yer job."
"tuk ur jobs."
"dam liburls. ah vote fer yew becuz ah luv merika."
Louie will be re-elected. Safe as can be. . .crazy as a ringneck loon, dumb a second coat of paint. . .but he is safe.
Oh, Louie. . .fuck off, cocksucker!
caseymoz
(5,763 posts)That's what describes Gohmert: the perfect teabilly.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Ash_F
(5,861 posts)Would have been a more accurate headline, based on that quote. Why the kid gloves?
Amimnoch
(4,558 posts)He doesn't just compare civil rights to animal rights, he compares religious rights to animal rights. Is he saying that the first amendment isn't important?
I smell a counter-campaign issue that could be used against him come election time.
How about commercials like:
"Louie Gohmert believes your right to worship freely is as much of a right as the religion of the Delta Smelt"
Or, a commercial with a sage grout and a pretty little white girl side by side Praying, when some evil looking representation of Louis comes up and makes them stop.
His insult to minorities is not a campaign issue we'd win against him in his bigoted district... but I've a strong suspicion as painting him as anti religious freedom off of his own statements would be damaging.
sakabatou
(42,186 posts)Botany
(70,614 posts)Sage Grouse
Grout is the white stuff between tiles
*******
This goes to show everybody that Louie and the tea party republicans think that
allowing African Americans to have the same rights as whites is some kind of
joke and that they know that allowing blacks and hispanics to vote freely will be
the end of their bigoted world.
Faryn Balyncd
(5,125 posts)mwb970
(11,367 posts)Gohmert continues to defend his title against strong up-and-comer Steve King.
yellowcanine
(35,702 posts)See Steve King's latest contribution. IMO he has at least equaled Gohmert.
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/07/24/congressman-steve-king-keep-dreamers-out-theyre-drug-mules/
Conium
(119 posts)He belittles wildlife and shows what a racist jerk he is, all in just one sentence. Now that is conservative!
marmar
(77,097 posts)No wonder Michele Bachmann isn't running again. Someone has seized the crazy mantle from her.
TNNurse
(6,929 posts)to me that the FIRST time a member of Congress or anyone in ANY elected position refers to any human being as another species, they should be removed from office. It is NEVER meant as a compliment. It is always derogatory no matter how they may rant about their devotion to said animal.
iandhr
(6,852 posts)Lancero
(3,015 posts)Yeah, that explains it.
Double dose of crazy - Republican AND Texas.
Javaman
(62,534 posts)that spouts on and on about black helicopters and microchips in our heads.
he's leading the tea ball licking parties wing of the insane.
markparham
(123 posts)democrats need to use him in as many political ads as possible
[link:http://www.markparhampolitics.com
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)they're tumors in the body that is the US.
JimboBillyBubbaBob
(1,389 posts).....miscreant!
Boomerproud
(7,970 posts)I honestly weep for my country and the America my great-niece and nephews are forced to deal with as children, and if we don't change-as adults.
RoccoR5955
(12,471 posts)I really wish that the people in his district would vote this poor excuse for a human being out already.
How the hell does he get in? Does he pay people to vote for him? I think this is the ONLY way that he can get in.
The Wizard
(12,552 posts)vote getter in the slave states. Gohmert belongs in restraints and heavily medicated. Otherwise he sees aspersions on his asparagus
smallcat88
(426 posts)because snail darters are smarter than he is.