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Tea Party Group To Get 'Fired Up For Freedom,' Burn Rep. Perriello In Effigy
Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)
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The local Tea Party organization in Danville, Virginia, is taking their opposition to freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello to a whole new level -- announcing that they will burn him in effigy, along with a similar image of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at a rally called "Fired Up For Freedom."
"At this point we feel we have no representation in Congress," Danville Tea Party chairman Nigel Coleman told the Chatham Star Tribune, with the chief complaint being Perriello's vote for the House health care bill this past weekend.
Perriello's office declined to comment to TPM about this.
Late Update: DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen has responded in a statement. "These shocking and despicable acts are becoming all too common at extreme right-wing Republican rallies. Hanging Members in effigy or displaying images of Nazi concentration camps on the steps of the Capitol have no place in any debate and Republican Members of Congress must condemn these actions," said Van Hollen. "While there should be a robust debate about reforming America's broken health insurance system, violent expressions are beyond the boundaries of a respectful debate. The American people are counting on Republicans to join Democrats in a constructive debate to help President Obama bring about urgently-needed health insurance reform."
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TBender
November 13, 2009 3:17 PM
"At this point we feel we have no representation in Congress," Danville Tea Party chairman Nigel Coleman...
Um, you do. The people in your district all got together last November and voted for someone to represent them. Your choice, Mr. Coleman, got fewer votes than Perriello. Next year, you all get to do it again. It's called American democracy.
Just because you disagree with Perriello's views doesn't mean you don't have representation.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
November 13, 2009 6:52 PM in reply to TBender
Given that my Representative is Virginia Foxx, I have some small sympathy for that POV. I'd never burn her in effigy, however. I'd be afraid she'd unleash the flying monkeys on me or something.
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mJJ
November 13, 2009 9:15 PM in reply to TBender
Frankly my Republican party is sounding more and more insane as the days go by. It sounds like these guys have turned into the KKK. You know, the Kluckers burn an effigy of someone to intimidate them. The KKK has even lost their head to the point where they burned the real live person. The Republicans are scaring the daylights out of this lifelong now 77) Republican and they better straighten up or they will be the third largest party in our country. Sane and sensible people do not like this KKK behavior at all!
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mikedrevguy
November 15, 2009 12:05 AM in reply to mJJ
KKK is maybe accurate -
but the only other place we've seen the whole 'burning in effigy' think is from the folks who are supposedly sponsoring terrorism. Hum - maybe there's some growing truth to this whole 'American Taliban' phenomena.
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Kuyleh
November 13, 2009 3:28 PM
The fact that you don't is a good thing, dear tea baggers. The Rethugs there cause enough damage already.
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Matt Jones
November 13, 2009 3:32 PM
It's only going to be a matter of time before this "we don't have representation" teabagger meme escalates to the point where they actually attack and/or kill an elected official. After all, this is the same crew that was proud to display their "we came armed - this time" signs, and show up with assault rifles at the ready to town-hall meetings.
The best part will be the aftermath, where the high-profile leaders of the movement will deny any responsibility, claiming the assailant was "a lone wolf" and that they obviously don't advocate violence. They'll do this while simultaneously pushing to remove all the Muslims from the military based on the Hasan incident, without the slightest hint of irony.
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An Outhouse
November 13, 2009 3:32 PM
Is this on the Rogue ones' tour?
I have a feeling a shark has been jumped.
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benny 4 facts
November 13, 2009 3:38 PM
When are these tea baggie ever they already have freedom and they are abusing it.
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West CoastNat
November 13, 2009 3:41 PM
LOL, I have family in Danville. I'll have to call them and find out how this goes down. It'll probably do little but gum up traffic, which isn't hard to do in Danville.
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EH
November 13, 2009 3:48 PM
Periello should show up without bodyguards or entourage at all. One of those TP crazies would certainly lose it, ruining the future for Republicans completely.
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pmar
November 13, 2009 3:49 PM
"announcing that they will burn him in effigy" - wow what can I say - this brings many things (pictures) to my mind and not one of them is patriaotic - what are these people thinking!?!?!?
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DownriverDem
November 13, 2009 3:54 PM in reply to pmar
They are totally insane. Please keep it up.
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ShawninMo
November 13, 2009 8:41 PM in reply to DownriverDem
Oh crap, what unpatriotic thing will they do next, burn a flag? Oh wait, IS patriotic, so I hear.
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DownriverDem
November 13, 2009 3:52 PM
I sure hope the nut jobs who are coming out of the woodwork, just destroy the GOP.
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cvllelaw
November 13, 2009 4:21 PM
Here in the Fifth District, we have a history with burning things -- and people -- to intimidate.
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Why oh why
November 13, 2009 4:30 PM
Then they will denounce the Great Satan in Washington.
Why can't these people get along with the Iranian leaders again?
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tinmanic
November 13, 2009 4:36 PM
Jesus Christ. What the hell is going on with this country? And what the hell is going on with the Republican Party?
I know I should be used to it right now, and it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day news stories so that it all just washes over you. but think about it: one of the two major political parties in this country has turned into a cult.
It's astounding.
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lousgirl84
November 13, 2009 4:48 PM in reply to tinmanic
It really is astounding and how can one get used to this.
I want them all dead!!!!
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ShawninMo
November 13, 2009 11:57 PM in reply to lousgirl84
And Bush was a devider, not a uniter.
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mistersnrub
November 13, 2009 4:48 PM
Burn the witch!
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Alan Smith
November 13, 2009 4:49 PM
I just gave Tom (pretty much my favorite congressperson) some cash for his re-election. I'll continue to do that every time anyone burns Tom in effigy... But it feels a little insignificant when compared to the complete nut jobs who are willing to make these sort of statements.
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mJJ
November 13, 2009 9:22 PM in reply to Alan Smith
What a great idea. I have relatives in his district and even as a Republican I can send them some money to give to his next campaign. These nut jobs egged on by Hannity and Limpbaugh will ruin our party that is for sure!
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virginiacynic
November 13, 2009 5:39 PM
-well Tom Perriello now can understand the admiration and respect he gets when he backs the right wingers on abortion. the people that he thought that he could hold with his abortion vote will never be his friends and the the people that had high hopes for him see that he is little more than an overly ambitious young congressman instead of someone with courage and really dont care if the right wingers hate him.
that he he thought that he was different is truly amazing.
buck up tom and go out and take back your anti-choice vote and give them a real reason to hate you, then maybe the liberals in va will have a little pity for you.
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AJM
November 13, 2009 10:32 PM in reply to virginiacynic
Perriello is a right winger on abortion:
Perriello hosted 21 town hall meetings over the summer to gather constituent feedback on the bill. At the time, he said he was leaning toward a “no” vote. He became a “yes,” he said, after the bill was amended to address his concerns over the federal deficit and federal funding for abortion.
The final House version, he said, would cut the deficit by $109 billion in the first decade and is expected to continue reducing the deficit in the following decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Perriello voted for the so-called Stupak-Pitts amendment of the bill, which stipulates that no federal funds will be used for abortion. Perriello promised at the town hall meetings that he would not support the bill if it funded abortion.
from DailyProgress.com
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CVille Dem
November 14, 2009 7:52 AM in reply to AJM
The Daily Progress wrote an editorial in which they declared that Tom's vote for health care was a vote to "take away our liberty." I cancelled my subscription and gave the paper a piece of my mind. I suggested that they rename themselves, "The Daily Fox News Report."
I then called Periello's office and gave him my support, but let them know I was not happy about the Supak amendment.
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elle a
November 13, 2009 5:49 PM
do you know who else burns people in effigy cos they dont like them?
religious fanatics in the middle east.
why cant we have someone like Ed of the Ed Show, do a piece with the image of the tea party people burning some member of congress in effigy right next to an image of bush being burnt in effigy in iran.
that would be poetic.
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newpantaloons
November 13, 2009 6:13 PM
You know, I live in Colorado, and I didn't feel like I had any representation in Congress for a good long time. But, you know what? I didn't BURN ANYBODY IN EFFIGY! Not once. Didn't even cross my mind, or the mind of ANYONE I knew.
"We don't feel like we have any representation in Congress." Waaaaaaah! What kind of an excuse is that? What in the world is wrong with this country? I wish I had the money to move. Mark my words, this is going to get crazier and crazier, until people start getting killed.
Here's an idea. Why doesn't Eric Holder issue a statement: "If ANYONE tries or does burn anyone else in effigy, they will be going to jail for a 'hate crime'." How about that?
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JNagarya
November 13, 2009 9:28 PM in reply to newpantaloons
It is protected political speech. And it is drawn directly from the actions of the "revolutionary" Founders.
It's stupid, but it's protected.
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Anti-Teabagger
November 14, 2009 1:42 AM in reply to JNagarya
From the point of view of protected political speech, would it be considered "protected political speech" to form a website which included a LOT of personal information and photos about any individual who chooses to exercise their speech freedoms in this manner.
Of course, it would be inappropriate to use this information to actually harass them, but perhaps making it public would be appropriate counter speech? Perhaps making a symbolic public death threat should be sufficient to have someone considered a public figure?
The notion of burning effigies of the citizens who burn effigies of public figures would also be interesting counter speech, though I admit it would not a positive development for civil discourse.
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mJJ
November 13, 2009 9:26 PM
What a great idea. If it is not part of the hate crime bill, let's hassle them in Congress till they add it.
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rbe1
November 14, 2009 4:26 AM
What is interesting to me is that the politics of the republican right is no longer distinguishable from that in many third world countries.
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thepeoplechoose
November 14, 2009 4:34 AM
It's hard enough for the mainstream to make sure they are represented in congress. Why should it be any easier for persons expressing an extremist viewpoint? Logically, the extremist viewpoint should not be listened to at all. Just look around at what has and is going on around us that is a product of extremism. This informs us it just doesn't work out so well.
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rbe1
November 14, 2009 5:03 AM in reply to thepeoplechoose
My view is migrating to the idea that the right in the US has come to the decision, not yet fully articulated, that it is time to overthrow the present political system, because it no longer represents what the adherents of the right want in the US. I believe this is the reason that so much of their rhetoric is couched in such revolutionary terms. The fringe right (aka Palin) has endorsed this view for some time, with its paranoia about UN helicopters and its fanaticism over guns and gun ownership, but now the idea is beginning to find a voice among political figures in the republican party itself.
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thepeoplechoose
November 14, 2009 6:37 AM in reply to rbe1
There is not a great difference of opinion between the left and right that things are messed up. Where the difference arises is in how we fix it. And you can hardly blame the right wing gun toting folks for being upset. For the most part public polling accurately expresses what it is the populace would prefer. Congress knows what we want but is unquestionably corrupt. We're all victims of this corruption and have plead for congress to fix it but nothing happens. Maybe some on the right have arrived at the only real solution sooner than the left might ultimately also arrive at. From a historical perspective this is usually the final and only solution that gets the job done.
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thepeoplechoose
November 14, 2009 6:52 AM in reply to rbe1
To put it a different way. There isn't a discernible difference between what Bernie Madoff did and what occurred in the general financial marketplace. But government is so caught up in their rules they can't see the difference between right and wrong. The rules were created by the adoption of a fraudulent notion of how things should be. The conceptual direction of things is fundamentally flawed.
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sal
November 14, 2009 7:54 AM
I understand the frustration, believe me. Pelosi is a crook, but this kind of expression just further empowers her. Stick to the tried and true methods. Be polite and persistent. Burning in effigy is an ugly and unnecessary way to make a point.
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MarinCat
November 14, 2009 10:21 AM
Frank Luntz says the baggers have a "right to be heard". So the Baggies scream& burn& shout and believe the loudest shall prevail! When the Thugs learned to"speak like Newt" and invited Pigbaugh to speak to the Thug frosh Thugs in '94 this was almost inevitable.
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Silence
November 14, 2009 12:29 PM
Perhaps, a better understanding of American history would be helpful.
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Almanack/life/politics/polhis.cfm
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Odel Roo
November 14, 2009 9:41 PM
Gotta love the good ole USA... however distasteful.
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jfields
November 15, 2009 4:07 AM
I'm not moved by appeals to 18th-century political tactics.
The 18th century is OVER. We're supposed to be slightly more advanced by now, folks. Do we really need to burn folks in effigy to make a point? I think not.
BTW, Nigel, there's a reason you don't have any representation in Congress. It's because you are insane, and there are apparently not enough insane folks in your district to vote in a candidate from the Insane Burn-People-We-Don't-Like-In-Effigy Party. This is a commentary on your political viability, not a flaw in the system.
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Silence
November 15, 2009 8:30 AM in reply to jfields
http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=2379
Apparently not.
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