Bush*s King Visit Scorned

[kskiska]

President's self-invitation a problem, organizers say

President Bush's visit on Thursday to observe what would have been the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 75th birthday isn't sitting well with area tribute organizers.

They say Bush invited himself to their party and will potentially force the cancellation of some events due to security concerns. What's more, they say, Bush will profit from a fund-raiser he will piggyback with his visit to Atlanta.

About 3:45 p.m., the president will lay a wreath at the late civil rights leader's crypt at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. The president announced his visit on Friday.

But the MLK March Committee, a group of area civil rights activists who worked with King, say they have worked for months on a program to honor the civil rights leader at Ebenezer Baptist Church, across the street.

"They told us that the Secret Service wanted us out of there by 2 p.m.," said the Rev. James Orange. "We are not leaving the church." The Ebenezer program from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. focuses on human rights.

more…
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0104/14kingbush.html

[RBHam]

1. Bush joked about hanging King once

http://members.shaw.ca/rb.ham/articles/02-01-22-hangingmlk.htm

[stevedeshazer]

6. Thanks for the reminder

I had forgotten this one, but as soon as I read it again, I remembered.

No wonder they can't keep it all straight, I can't either. So many lies.... :silly:

[tinanator]

13. Thank God somebody else is putting this forth

Almost any time I get in a crowd of intelligent people talking about our asshole and thief, I have to bring this story up. The truly sad part is, no matter how progressive or anti-satan, people typically refuse to believe the truth of it. It used to be I could refer them to whitehouse.gov video of the event, where the smirk on his face during the delivery of the joke, and the HUGE outburst of laughter from "reporters" PUT ALL DOUBTS TO REST. If ANYONE has access to this video, please please please let me know. Thanks! At this point only transcripts are available, and curiously the "(laughter)" part of the transcript has been excised from versions available from embassy websites. At least the WHITEhouse version hasnt the shame to do that.

[Cooley Hurd]

22. Shrub's a pretty tasteless guy!

Another instance of putting his "paw" in his mouth...

<snip>
Letterman asked Bush how he withstands the stress of campaigning: "How do you look so youthful and rested?"

With a shrug of the shoulders, Bush responded glibly: "Fake it." Letterman came back with: "And that's pretty much how you're going to run the country?"

Bush then felt that it was his turn to give Letterman a hard time. Dave began "Let me remind you of one thing, governor: the road to Washington runs through me."

Bush shot back with "It's about time you had the heart to invite me," an apparent reference to Letterman's recent bypass heart surgery.

Amid boos from the audience, Letterman shook his head: "You're winning delegates left and right, governor."

Leaving that joke, Letterman brought up one of Bush's many slogans: "You often say: I'm a uniter, not a divider. What does that mean?"

Without hesitation, Bush continued to goad Letterman: "It means when it comes time to sew up your chest cavity, we use stitches as opposed to opening it up." The remark produced more boos from the audience.
</snip>

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/03/01/politics/main166937.shtml
The video at the top left of the page is must-see Shrub TV...

[RBHam]

14. Audio

The genius who runs toostupidtobepresident.com was on the ball.
He saved the audio, and added an animation.

http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/shockwave/MLKDay.htm

[Retrograde]

18. Too much credit

It takes some wit and smarts to make a joke, even one in bad taste.

linda

[tinanator]

20. thats not bad taste

it is pure evil without fear of reprisal. be very scared. And do not deny what he did. It should be reason enough to have him forcibly ejected, and could be extremely important in enlightening potentially confused minority voters.

[Gato Moteado]

38. the problem is....

...that bush's jokes aren't funny.

[tom_paine]

33. Who can forget that?

Oh that's right. The Imperial Subjects of Ameika can. Of course, Corproate TV Pravda kept most of them (us?) from hearing about it in the first place.

[rooboy]

2. It's probably a bit much to expect...

but I would love to see cops dragging King supporters off to jail so Bush can 'pay his respects'. Would signify so perfectly what an insincere ass he is.

[TeeYiYi]

15. Wouldn't that be something. Just another day in the life of shrub. ..n/t

TYY

[madrchsod]

3. isn`t that nice

getting chased out of your own church-what the hell is this-iraq?

[salinen]

4. This would be a splendid time

for William Jefferson Clinton to show.

[banana republican]

5. And this guy was call by GOD.....

hell I didn't say anything to him.

[patricia92243]

7. Aphoto-op for Bush is more important than anybody else's plans. Gag!!

[KeepItReal]

8. He hides from the Congressional Black Caucus but appears for MLK?

Nobody will be asking him questions about Civil Rights at MLK's tomb...

Fitting, huh?

[revcarol]

9. Wish they would tell Bush to butt out.

a photo-op is all he wants. Maybe they could "fake turkey" it.

[Laughing Mirror]

10. We are not leaving the church

and we refuse to bow or bend to a criminal who is not our president.

[Judi Lynn]

11. I think he enjoys finding ways he can throw his weight around.

It probably can NOT matter less to him that he is seriously inconveniencing some people who made plans for this day a long time ago.

[alphafemale]

12. I hope King's family refuses to cooperate with this photo-op.

He probably has no clue how insulting this is.

Of course he wouldn't care even if he did.

[LiberalFighter]

19. I hope so too

The King family have control of the site and they can do anything they want.

[cliss]

16. This reminds me of Bush's visit to London

recently. He and his entourage ended up destroying the lawn at the Queen's palace, and I understand there were some ancient trees that were also damaged beyond repair.

The moral of the story is: if you are a friend of Bush and his goons, you end up paying and paying and paying....

On the other hand, they didn't even invite him. How perfectly asinine.

[chelaque liberal]

17. Georgia activists aren't taking this lightly

The following email is circulating. Hope this reaches some DUer's in the SE who don't know about the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition.

Hi there--At last night's GPJC meeting, initial plans were laid out for our response to President Bush's visit to the King crypt on Thursday, 1/15.
Please attend both events if you can, and please spread the word far and wide to all who can be available during the day. We hope to have updates to these details on the website, www.georgiapeace.org. Peace, Sarah

Wednesday, 1/14, 10:00
The Reverend Tim McDonald of First Iconium and Concerned Black Clergy will hold a press conference at Dr. King's crypt to call attention to the supreme hypocrisy of President Bush's action. Directions follow.

Thursday, 1/15, 3:00
Rev. McDonald and others will lead a prayer vigil and rally; plans for this nonviolent action will be finalized over the next days. Here's what we have now. Gather in front of new Ebenezer by 3:00. We anticipate that the wreath laying will happen between 3:45 and 4:15. It is likely that streets to the south of the King Center will be blocked off, so coming from the train (King Memorial station) may be complicated. We should be able to park in the parking lot for the historic site, walking past the Gandhi statue to Ebenzer. The parking lot is two blocks north of Auburn, just off Boulevard. If you need to Mapquest it, look for 449 Auburn Ave., 30303. We'll have some of the King posters from last year's march and vigil in the Highlands that focus on Dr. King's opposition to war and militarism.

If you'd like ideas for making signs that speak to additional aspects of Dr. King's legacy, please see the GPJC press release below.

Atlanta, Georgia—
Georgians are expressing outrage at the transparent opportunism and hypocrisy in President Bush’s decision to lay a wreath at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s crypt on what would have been Dr. King’s 75th birthday, Thursday, January 15. In an administration characterized by hidden agendas and the exploitation of fear for partisan gain, most Americans recognize this King birthday photo-op as nothing more than another election-year ploy to improve the president’s polling numbers with African Americans.

President Bush’s domestic and foreign policies contradict every value for which Dr. King lived and died. King dedicated himself to racial and economic justice, from the early southern campaigns to end racial discrimination in public facilities and employment to the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike where King was supporting workers’ rights when he was assassinated. As an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War, Dr. King asserted that “the chain reaction of evil—hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars—must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”

Pres. Bush boasts that his trillion dollar tax cuts for the wealthy are working, but for whom? Three million jobs have disappeared since 2001, nine million are out of work, 43 million have no health insurance, and 12 million children live in poverty. Under Pres. Bush’s leadership, with his unilateral, pre-emptive war policy and advocacy of new nuclear weapons, our country is now considered by others, including our allies, to be the world’s greatest
danger to security and stability.

The Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition is mobilizing its
network across the metro area and the state to work with a broad range of faith, labor, civil rights, student, and environmental constituencies committed to making visible on Thursday their opposition to Pres. Bush’s policies and his crass political calculation.

If there is no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa

[RebelOne]

27. I'm in Atlanta. I would love to be there, but can't get out of work.

Plus, the traffic trying to get there would be murder. The GA for Kucinich group is planning a demonstration.

[blondeatlast]

42. Are you aware of any place we can send our support?

You can PM me if you want and I will spread the word that way.

I want to let the protestors know that many, many of us are completely behind them.

[cthrumatrix]

21. this should be the headline -- president not wanted becuase he is a fraud

[dustypen]

23. the reality

not to rain on the parade, but living in atlanta the local news reported last night that the local events that some folks thought would be canceleed etc WILL NOT be cancelled b/c of the presidents visit.

As far as an invitation, if memory serves our last 3 or 4 presidents didn't receive inviations either. It is assumed that the president will come to pay his respects on King's B-day.

The real question is is how upset would people get if he DIDN't make an appearance??

damned if ya do...

[R Hickey]

24. Well, since you know so much about it, perhaps you could tell me...

If I went, perhaps you could tell me where my "first amendment zone" would be? So that I can be a good citizen and just lock myself up for the day to begin with.

[dustypen]

25. huh??

you want to lock yourself up?? I guess you have the right to do that, just bring some food and a few books i guess.

i'm not sure I follow your question.

are you saying that your freedom of speech/assembly is being infringed b/c the president wants to visit MLK??

[R Hickey]

26. Exactly

Bush is a fraud. He's going to the MLK thing as an excuse to collect millions at a GOP fund-raiser there. And I'm not saying it's illegal for Bush to do that. I'm saying its repulsive.

If Bush had been president when MLK was alive, M L King would have been required to give his biggest speech from behind the barbed-wire-cage of one of Bush's "First Amendment Zones."

Most of the people who admire King, know Bush is their worst enemy, the worst president ever, so for security reasons, maybe the SS should cancel the entire MLK event, and round up this MLK riff-raff so that the great Bush entourage can roam about freely, and in complete safety for the fund-raiser/photo-op.

[FlaGranny]

28. Only Bush* supporters get within sight of him.

Didn't you know that? They fence off parking lots a half mile away for the non-supporters - first amendment zones. The president* only allows freedom of speech where he can't hear it.

[tinanator]

29. Not always true

When he came here, we beat his game. I think this notion of a successful shell game or pens for protestors may discourage potential
attendees. Dont let it. Show up and shout out, its good for your soul.

[banana republican]

30. Thou shall not Trespass

sue the sob for trespassing.

[monobrau]

31. Stop him

What are they going to do, drag away the activists that won't leave?
I see a good opportunity here; I hope somebody in Atlanta is ready for action. They should form a line to protect the crypt, and not let him pass.

[chelaque liberal]

32. "What are they going to do, drag away the activists that won't leave?"

Yes, that's exactly what they will do. They have done it many times now.

What do you think, that we have the freedom of speech or something?

(They hate us for our freedom)

[tom_paine]

34. Perhaps they'll turn the fire hoses on them

I'm sure the Emperor would love to watch.

[LiberalFighter]

35. If it was me...

I would buy a tombstone with bushmeister's name.
Date of Birth
Date of Death inscribed with one of the following:
"To be determined by the Supreme Court"
"Not soon enough"

Epitah: His grandparents were Nazi's, His parents were Nazi's, He was a Nazi

Then make sure that the tombstone was where he couldn't miss it during a MLK presentation.

[banana republican]

43. Please use the correct language FASCIST

[Sparkle]

36. Let me ask you guys this:

I know the big dog wouldn't go about it this way but if Clinton had done this, would my fellow brothers and sisters in Atlanta be complaining this much?

[tom_paine]

37. No, but number one, Clinton never would have done it that way

Number Two: As Clinton honored the memory of Dr. King (not always, but usually) in action and presided over the greatest expansion of African-American propserity we've ever seen, rather than preside over the direct opposite, which I think time will tell that the Emperor has done, he wwould have been invited.

The Emperor on the other hand, has among other things, made tastelss jokes regarding lynching, among other things, and works against African-Americans at almost every turn.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020121-1.html

The transcript says:

THE (EMPEROR): Well, thank you all very much for coming. Mrs. King, thanks for this beautiful portrait. I can't wait to hang it.
(Laughter)

Why would they be laughing about it? If you remember it was because Bush put "humorous" inflection the word. It was a lynching joke, and all the Busheviks got it.

Anyway, the whole point of Number Two is that Clinton would have been invited because he genuinely cared about the plight of African-Americans.

Bush cares about nothing but himself, his Empire, and the Imperial Family.

[Bridget Burke]

39. They didn't complain when Clinton did it.

He did not use the trip to pay for an obscene fundraiser ($2000 a plate). His security did not demand "Free Speech Zones". He was welcomed & surrounded by people who watched him lay a wreath on the tomb. No buses blocked the way.

Your "fellow" brothers & sisters could tell the difference between the two presidents.

[barbaraann]

40. I thought the Secret Service had orders to shoot people who crossed

the barricades.

Perhaps I am mistaken.

[gill]

41. new site www.infamousidiot.com sticks it to Bush, conservatives