# RNC attendee: 'This is how we feed animals.' **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 29, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071 "2012-08-29T20:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/81 "2012-08-31T17:14:52Z")
Me too. That’s why I’m totally willing to give them the benefit of the doubt as soon as I hear a remotely plausible explanation. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/82 "2012-08-31T17:46:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Me too. That’s why I’m totally willing to give them the benefit of the doubt as soon as I hear a remotely plausible explanation. I don’t think that’s how “benefit of the doubt” works. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/83 "2012-08-31T17:58:37Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > What’s next, JAQ about the history of watermelon and fried chicken references? And if they’d thrown watermelon and fried chicken instead of peanuts, I’m sure there’d be a reasonable explanation that had nothing to do with race. After all, don’t white people eat watermelon and fried chicken too? I’d even bet that in the United States, more watermelon and fried chicken are consumed by white people than black every year. How can it be racist if we do it more than they do? You people are seeing a Klansman lurking behind every corner. It’s all innocent fun. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/84 "2012-08-31T18:24:53Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And if they’d thrown watermelon and fried chicken instead of peanuts, I’m sure there’d be a reasonable explanation that had nothing to do with race. Not from me. I expect an apology if that’s what you were implying. Do not speak for me. > [@](#): > > After all, don’t white people eat watermelon and fried chicken too? I’d even bet that in the United States, more watermelon and fried chicken are consumed by white people than black every year. How can it be racist if we do it more than they do? You people are seeing a Klansman lurking behind every corner. It’s all innocent fun. Don’t put words in my mouth and don’t play strawman games. Read through the thread for my actual words instead. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/85 "2012-08-31T18:38:30Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > So now calling someone an animal is an obvious, undeniable racial slur indistinguishable from calling them an ape. Great. > > Like I said, I don’t make accusations of racism lightly. You can if you want, but that hurts your credibility. > > Without access to the minds of the people who threw the peanuts, all we can do is work with the evidence we have. Sorry, but calling someone an animal is not undeniable, obvious evidence of racism. Far from it. And to say so is good for the cause of fighting racism, because if you make false accusations of racism, they hurt your credibility. The right-wingers already use that - they call it “playing the race card” and belittle accusations of racism, even when they really are obvious. I’d give you a peanut for that logic, but I’m afraid I’d only consider it racist of me, so how about just a golf clap instead? You have earned the watermelons I’m going to give for that insightful bit of mind-bending logic. Truly, yours is a special kind of mind, able to bend reality to its will and shape facts as you imagine them. If you were a superhero, you’d be Bullshit Man and your powers would be to be able to convince bad guys to give up through scintillating debate. Though I shudder to think what would happen if you use your powers for evil, I know that you could simply convince us that you’re doing good through the power of dry wit and puppetry ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/86 "2012-08-31T18:51:31Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Unseemly? > > No, according to you, it is always racist. > > You have made a great argument that it COULD be racist (which is already obvious). Not that it definitely was. > > Is it possible to call someone an animal without it being racist? yes or no? You do realize that Ham’s descendents were cursed in the bible because he was a sexual deviant. The 18th and 19th century pervasive thought was Blacks were sexual deviants because of the curse of their ancestor, or that being black identified them as Ham’s descent, therefore sub-human as evidenced by Ham’s sexual deviance. So you’re splitting hairs because in this context, calling a black woman an animal is more likely racist, than the conotation of being a sexual deviant. I am sure others have been called animals for being perverts or on suspicion of being pervs, but specifically identifying a person of color as an animal has direct roots in biblical racism. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/87 "2012-08-31T19:07:33Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I’d give you a peanut for that logic, but I’m afraid I’d only consider it racist of me, so how about just a golf clap instead? You have earned the watermelons I’m going to give for that insightful bit of mind-bending logic. Truly, yours is a special kind of mind, able to bend reality to its will and shape facts as you imagine them. If you were a superhero, you’d be Bullshit Man and your powers would be to be able to convince bad guys to give up through scintillating debate. Though I shudder to think what would happen if you use your powers for evil, I know that you could simply convince us that you’re doing good through the power of dry wit and puppetry It’s too bad you don’t take this seriously. I do. So if you don’t have anything serious to say, don’t bother. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/88 "2012-08-31T19:09:24Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > You do realize that Ham’s descendents were cursed in the bible because he was a sexual deviant. The 18th and 19th century pervasive thought was Blacks were sexual deviants because of the curse of their ancestor, or that being black identified them as Ham’s descent, therefore sub-human as evidenced by Ham’s sexual deviance. > > So you’re splitting hairs because in this context, calling a black woman an animal is more likely racist, than the conotation of being a sexual deviant. > > I am sure others have been called animals for being perverts or on suspicion of being pervs, but specifically identifying a person of color as an animal has direct roots in biblical racism. Any slur that requires a long diatribe on its biblical roots isn’t automatically a slur. I’m glad you said “more likely” instead of “definitely.” That’s all I’m asking. If you are not sure it was racist, then we agree. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/89 "2012-08-31T19:22:06Z")
I’m not sure what **lance** is trying to prove here. By acting like boorish asses, the peanut throwers abdicated the ability to “define” what their motives were. That’s why, you know, you shouldn’t act like a boorish ass. People will make determinations about your motives that might not be true, and you can’t do a damn thing about it. Anyway, why are you so invested in defending peanut throwing assholes? I think between having peanuts thrown at you and being called an animal and being called a racist, one is worse than the other. Especially given that one is entirely the result of behaving in a disgusting manner. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/90 "2012-08-31T19:24:27Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > I’m not sure what **lance** is trying to prove here. By acting like boorish asses, the peanut throwers abdicated the ability to “define” what their motives were. That’s why, you know, you shouldn’t act like a boorish ass. People will make determinations about your motives that might not be true, and you can’t do a damn thing about it. So it’s okay to make up any motive for any boorish behavior? You run a red light, and I can assume you’re a child molestor? > [@](#): > > Anyway, why are you so invested in defending peanut throwing assholes? I’m not. I’m defending the principle of innocent until proven guilty. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/91 "2012-08-31T19:35:24Z")
It’s a good policy to never interpret anyone else’s behavior until they’ve been tried in a court of law, or until they tell you directly that they meant to offend. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/92 "2012-08-31T19:35:41Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m defending the principle of innocent until proven guilty. That’s courageous considering the fact they aren’t facing charges, there isn’t going to be a trial, and to the best to my knowledge their names aren’t even known. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/93 "2012-08-31T19:36:48Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m defending the principle of innocent until proven guilty. If they were on trial you’d have a point, but this isn’t a criminal court. Unless I’ve missed them, the two ejected attendees haven’t offered any alternative explanations. If the people who actually engaged in the boorish behavior won’t stand up and tell us exactly what they meant to communicate, we’re left to speculate on their motives. It’s extremely naive to leave racism out of that speculation. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/94 "2012-08-31T19:37:32Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Any slur that requires a long diatribe on its biblical roots isn’t automatically a slur. > > I’m glad you said “more likely” instead of “definitely.” That’s all I’m asking. If you are not sure it was racist, then we agree. It’s either sexist or racist, and in this context it’s racist. That I’m sure of, and I don’t care that we agree, just that you know that 19th century racism is alive and well in Tampa. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/95 "2012-08-31T19:49:40Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I don’t think that’s how “benefit of the doubt” works. You have to have actual doubt _before_ you can give someone the benefit of it. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/96 "2012-08-31T19:50:10Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > It’s either sexist or racist, and in this context it’s racist. That I’m sure of, Why are you sure? > [@](#): > > and I don’t care that we agree, Well I care. > [@](#): > > just that you know that 19th century racism is alive and well in Tampa. And this talk about Tampa is silly too. The people on the floor of the convention were from all 50 states. We don’t know where these peanut-throwing two yahoos came from. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/97 "2012-08-31T19:53:08Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > If they were on trial you’d have a point, but this isn’t a criminal court. No, this is a free-for-all, that’s true. My standards are higher. > [@](#): > > Unless I’ve missed them, the two ejected attendees haven’t offered any alternative explanations. Doesn’t mean we can assume what they would say. > [@](#): > > If the people who actually engaged in the boorish behavior won’t stand up and tell us exactly what they meant to communicate, we’re left to speculate on their motives. It’s extremely naive to leave racism out of that speculation. Of course it’s possible, but we don’t have enough to speculate that racism was definitely the motive. So we must simply be content not to know for sure. That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/98 "2012-08-31T19:53:17Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Why are you sure? > > Well I care. > > And this talk about Tampa is silly too. The people on the floor of the convention were from all 50 states. We don’t know where these peanut-throwing two yahoos came from. Georgia? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/99 "2012-08-31T19:54:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > That’s courageous considering the fact they aren’t facing charges, there isn’t going to be a trial, and to the best to my knowledge their names aren’t even known. Still, I think the principle of treating people with respect by not declaring them guilty of something without good evidence applies. I expect the same treatment from others, so I give it, even to Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/100 "2012-08-31T19:55:28Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > It’s a good policy to never interpret anyone else’s behavior until they’ve been tried in a court of law, or until they tell you directly that they meant to offend. Well, no. If they give you good evidence, like a well-known racial slur, that’s enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071.md?page=6)