# 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:** 6
**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, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/101 "2012-08-31T20:07:47Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Well, no. If they give you good evidence, like a well-known racial slur, that’s enough. No,no. You cannot rule out Tourette’s, until there’s been expert witness testimony and a finding of fact. ---
**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, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/102 "2012-08-31T20:11:03Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > 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. (bolding mine) Baloney. Maybe you feel like _you_ don’t have enough evidence to do that, but leave me out of your fantasy world. After watching the GOP play on racist fears and imagery over the last four years, I’d honestly be shocked if the motive were anything else. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/103 "2012-08-31T20:25:35Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > 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. Do you deny that they threw the peanuts too? It’s pretty reasonable to think that the type of cro-magnon that throws food at someone while shouting that the recipient is less than human, is in fact, a racist. Much more reasonable than you defending the decency of such persons. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/104 "2012-08-31T21:09:49Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > No,no. You cannot rule out Tourette’s, until there’s been expert witness testimony and a finding of fact. It’s funny because it’s true! I have a long-time friend who has tourettes. He’s said some pretty atrocious things. After about a year, his greeting for me was downgraded to a publicly acceptable “Nudist! How can you live with yourself!?!?!”. God help you if you are stuck for a word in front of him. The suggestions that pour forth will make almost anyone’s ears turn red. Actually, he’s pretty controlled these days, but when we were younger, it would surprise you. But even that disorder wouldn’t explain this behavior. I’ve done some pretty idiotic things that probably alienated everyone in the room (hey, I was young, and in a rock band). But, if I were being publicly accused of being a racist for any of the stupid things I’ve done, I would at least be calling folks in the media to explain how I wasn’t. As has been noted before, we haven’t heard a peep out of these folks. On the other hand, if they just want the whole thing to blow over, this would be the best way to do that. I’m still in the “probably racist” camp, but getting kicked out of the convention is probably the worst that could (and should) happen to them for this particular incident, unless the camera woman wants to sue. She appears to want the whole thing to blow over, too. So I don’t think that this is really going anywhere. ---
**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, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/105 "2012-08-31T21:18:11Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > Do you deny that they threw the peanuts too? It’s pretty reasonable to think that the type of cro-magnon that throws food at someone while shouting that the recipient is less than human, is in fact, a racist. Much more reasonable than you defending the decency of such persons. The most _charitable_ interpretation is that they were only guilty of being complete douchebags to a woman they didn’t know who was just there doing her job. I’m willing to afford them all the respect I usually offer to douchebags. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/106 "2012-08-31T21:23:11Z")
Well, I lean much more towards the ‘probable racism’ side of things in this instance, but I have to defend \*\*Lance \*\*a bit, here. He makes, I think, a pefectly valid point that we should be aware to not confuse our interpretations with fact in the face of insufficient evidence. We may all vary in our conclusions of where the ‘sufficient evidence’ line falls… ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/107 "2012-08-31T21:40:39Z")
Barring compelling evidence otherwise, I’d assume they were racists. Similarly, if they were throwing bagels at a Jewish reporter I’d assume they were motivated by anti-Semitism. ---
**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, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/108 "2012-08-31T23:59:04Z")
> [@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. If you don’t want to acknowledge the specific historical references of why calling a black person an animal is racist, I can’t help you. So care all you want, I don’t care if you agree. And BTW Tampa is merely the gathering place of said racism, I was not referencing it as the core of it. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/109 "2012-09-01T03:43:18Z")
Dude, I love Nine Inch Nails! ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/110 "2012-09-01T07:28:41Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > You run a red light, and I can assume you’re a child molestor? Unfortunately for this argument, what they said and did was not a non sequitur, like your example. A more apt parallel would be if you slapped a child on the ass and said, “hey, hot stuff”. You could argue that you were giving a friendly greeting and remarking on the weather, but most people would rightly jump to the child molester conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/111 "2012-09-01T08:26:44Z")
> [@lance strongarm](#): > > Still, I think the principle of treating people with respect by not declaring them guilty of something without good evidence applies. [Right](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15438300): > [@lance strongarm](#): > > You also want to abolish all groups formed by individuals, including political ones. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/112 "2012-09-01T14:50:04Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > (bolding mine) > > Baloney. Maybe you feel like _you_ don’t have enough evidence to do that, but leave me out of your fantasy world. After watching the GOP play on racist fears and imagery over the last four years, I’d honestly be shocked if the motive were anything else. Two guys in a convention hall are not the entire GOP. We don’t even know if they were delegates. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/113 "2012-09-01T14:52:26Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > Do you deny that they threw the peanuts too? It’s pretty reasonable to think that the type of cro-magnon that throws food at someone while shouting that the recipient is less than human, is in fact, a racist. Much more reasonable than you defending the decency of such persons. I don’t deny any facts. I deny that the facts are conclusive enough to make a judgement. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if these two losers were racially motivated. But there isn’t enough evidence. I have not defended their decency. Throwing food at someone and saying they are an animal is hardly exclusively the province of racism. That’s loony. You and everyone else here is heavily biased against Republicans and trigger-happy to make accusations of racism at every opportunity. It takes alot of experience and wisdom to resist that urge and be fair, even when it doesn’t feel good. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/114 "2012-09-01T14:55:27Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > Unfortunately for this argument, what they said and did was not a non sequitur, like your example. A more apt parallel would be if you slapped a child on the ass and said, “hey, hot stuff”. You could argue that you were giving a friendly greeting and remarking on the weather, but most people would rightly jump to the child molester conclusion. And I’d say that’s not quite an apt parallel. I refer you to my test above - if you heard that someone threw peanuts at someone and called them an animal, and you didn’t know the victim was black or the place was the Republican convention, would you say for sure that it had to be a racist attack? That it couldn’t possibly happen in any other context but 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:** [September 1, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/115 "2012-09-01T14:57:47Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > If you don’t want to acknowledge the specific historical references of why calling a black person an animal is racist, I can’t help you. I haven’t denied any of that. I deny that racism is the ONLY POSSIBLE reason for calling someone an animal. “Animal” is not just a racial slur. It can be used in other ways. > [@](#): > > And BTW Tampa is merely the gathering place of said racism, I was not referencing it as the core of it Others have though, including the victim, that’s why I mentioned it. It sure seemed like you were too. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/116 "2012-09-01T14:59:24Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Barring compelling evidence otherwise, I’d assume they were racists. > > Similarly, if they were throwing bagels at a Jewish reporter I’d assume they were motivated by anti-Semitism. Bad analogy. “Animal” is simply not a definitive racial slur or symbol, like a bagel would be. It is possible for a white person to call another white person an animal, without any racial connection. It’s just not enough. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/117 "2012-09-01T15:01:03Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Well, I lean much more towards the ‘probable racism’ side of things in this instance, but I have to defend \*\*Lance \*\*a bit, here. He makes, I think, a pefectly valid point that we should be aware to not confuse our interpretations with fact in the face of insufficient evidence. > We may all vary in our conclusions of where the ‘sufficient evidence’ line falls… Thanks, Truman. You’re about to be pelted with proverbial peanuts for daring not to make hasty judgments. I wish more people would realize that crying racism at every turn only hurts the cause against racism. It makes people take even clear, undeniable charges of racism less seriously. It’s crying wolf. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/118 "2012-09-01T15:04:21Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > As has been noted before, we haven’t heard a peep out of these folks. I don’t think it’s fair to assume things out of lack of evidence. I don’t think we can assume they are racist simply because they haven’t denied it. > [@](#): > > On the other hand, if they just want the whole thing to blow over, this would be the best way to do that. I’m still in the “probably racist” camp, I’m in the “probably racist” camp too. Just not the “absolutely, positively, no way it couldn’t be, racist” camp. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/119 "2012-09-01T15:05:22Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > No,no. You cannot rule out Tourette’s, until there’s been expert witness testimony and a finding of fact. You said that, not me. Don’t put words in my mouth like you put thoughts in those people’s heads. I don’t accept it. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071/120 "2012-09-01T15:16:15Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > You said that, not me. Don’t put words in my mouth like you put thoughts in those people’s heads. I don’t accept it. Where did I ever say those were your words? Hey, I’m just following your line of “reasoning” to it’s conclusion. We shouldn’t believe a person has racist motivations until we rule out any other possibilities in a court of law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-attendee-this-is-how-we-feed-animals/633071.md?page=7)