Rodeo clowns

[cilla4progress]

I am, perhaps, a rare breed. A "progressive" Dem who is a rural, trail ridin' cowgirl, who from time to time enjoys attending rodeos around this rural Western community where I live.

To my horrror, it is not uncommon at these rodeos (unless they are sponsored by American Indian communities....) to lash out at our Democratic President. It is extremely uncomfortable to hear some of the venom directed at Pres Obama. While everyone around me hoorays, I slink into my seat and do what little I can - safely - to retreat or object from the display.

So, I was not at all surprised to read of this recent incident of the rodeo clown wearing an Obama mask and asking if the crowd wants to see Obama run over by a bull. I imagine worse things were included in the show.

I think this is something we on the left should be aware of. Perhaps we want to infiltrate in groups, safety in numbers, and show our support for our President at some of these rodeos!



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/11/obama-rodeo-clown_n_3741218.html

[damyank913]

1. Have hope. I hang out sometimes in this little honky-tonk bar...

...and I see the same thing. The only consolation I have is the probability that most of those "clowns" probably haven"t voted in decades. Maybe ever. The realization does comfort me.

[Igel]

2. Just pass a law making it a felony to criticize the President.

A lot of other countries have laws restricting criticizing or shaming the government and its leaders. After all, if you show disrespect to an elected leader you show disrespect to the entire government and the nation, and that can't be tolerated in a free people.

Two such countries that spring to mind are Venezuela and Russia.


It's one thing to be racist. It's another to mock a sitting president. My own personal values say it's wrong to disrespect people in such a way, for example calling the President a chimp; however, the Constitution says otherwise so I limit enforcing my personal values to my person.

[tabasco]

11. Try to stay on-topic

The OP did not discuss the legality of criticizing a President. The OP proposed groups of people getting together to express their opinions. How did you wander so far off-topic. Do you have an agenda?

Do you recall any government-funded activities, like the fair in question, at which someone wore a chimp suit to insult George W. Bush? If someone questioned the propriety of that, would you compare their expression of their opinion as tantamount to advocating the outlawing of free speech? Because that's what you've done here.

My opinion is that's just plain stupid.

[tularetom]

3. As a kid I used to work for one or two of the stock contractors around here

So I spent a lot of time at rodeos.

I can remember the "fans" booing cowboys who had Mexican sounding names.

And I'm talking 50 years ago.

[cilla4progress]

4. There does seem to be a right-wing racist slant

in the horse world, at least western riding sports. I deal with this regularly in the saddle club I am a member in. I keep my political opinions to myself, but everyone knows where we stand (campaign signs).

I think it's the rural basis. Less diversity, afraid of change.

[MjolnirTime]

5. Rodeo clowns is a pretty good description for the lot of them.

Redneck fools wearing masks pretending to be smiling faces.

[mikekohr]

6. The Real Clowns Are Sittin' In The Stands, and voting against their economic self interest

nt

[kairos12]

7. You got that right!!!!

[Sunlei]

8. not only 'venom directed at the President',rodeos have turned into roman circus w/all types of abuse

It's the people in charge, not the clowns, the workers who should be the target. The admin are the people who direct the local police to hassle people they don't like, who allow an announcer to scream like he's at a kkk clan rally. Rodeo is on a horrible path of animal abuse, cheating by shocking animals, ruining animals for life.

Abuse a real rancher and real horsemen would never do to their own animals. Animal abuse and KKK type hate-witnessed by plenty of kids.

[hamsterjill]

9. I grew up attending rodeos, but things have changed.

I went to the Stock Show & Rodeo in San Antonio for the last time about 5 years ago. I got so sickened that I will never go back. My how things have changed since my earlier times there.

There was no respect for the sport shown whatsoever. Rodeo was, once upon a time, a celebration of the cowboy's contribution to the history of this country and the passing down of the talents for riding, roping, etc.

There USED to be a great respect for the animals that the cowboys tended. Respect because without one, the other would not exist, and because if for no other reason, there was a great investment of time and money in the animals.

But no more. The honor that once was has been lost. As with so many other things, rodeo has turned into a cheap thrill sport where a big corporation simply puts on glitzy entertainment.

It does not surprise me one iota that part of that "entertainment" is the "wink, wink" type of communication that racisim still exists, even IF the man in the white house is a black man. In other words, he may be President but (wink, wink), he's still a black man, so we just make fun of him with this little ole mask and everyone here "gets it".

No... There is no respect left. And my father, who was a REAL cowboy, would be very sad to see this.

[cilla4progress]

10. Here, here

hamsterjill

[Kablooie]

12. I don't get why all these rural cowboys support making Wall Street richer.

The GOP is clearly the party who's main goal is to make the super rich richer.
I've never understood why salt of the earth kind of people want to give more of their money to the rich.

[cilla4progress]

13. It's not the economic piece of what the right is selling -

it's the exclusion, anti-brown/black policies, pro-life, prayer in school, social piece - pure ol' fashion Murca where everyone (gays/women/racial minorities) knew their place!