# Was Stewart's/Colbert's rally racist because there were no nonwhites? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090 "2010-11-01T14:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/41 "2010-11-01T17:31:29Z")
When are you guys going to figure out that shouting “Racist!!!” all the time isn’t working for you any more? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/42 "2010-11-01T17:32:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I read all the way to the third post. “Racist” is codespeak for “person who is winning an argument with a liberal”. Or, in this case, codespeak for “people who are about to win an election against liberals”. > > Regards, > Shodan So what do you make of the fact that the OP was asking if Stewart’s rally was racist? Or do you just ignore anything except negative attacks on your own people? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/43 "2010-11-01T17:44:58Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > “REPUBLICANS WANT YOU TO DIE IF YOU GET SICK” Yes, that is obviously absurd. A more accurately descriptive sentence would be “Republicans are ideologically committed to a position which results in [45,000 unneccesary american deaths per year](http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/study-45000-deaths-annually-linked-lack-health-coverage), and have actively opposed all realistic efforts to address the problem.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/44 "2010-11-01T17:49:02Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > So what do you make of the fact that the OP was asking if Stewart’s rally was racist? What I make of it is exactly what I said - the third post to the thread was a tu quoque, and almost every other post to the thread contains some kind of variation on calling Tea Partiers or Republicans or whoever racist. That, you don’t notice. I smell desperation. And I like it. The GOP is going to make significant gains, and y’all are going to have come up with some new excuses. And I suspect that, on some level, you are going to realize how hollow they sound. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/45 "2010-11-01T17:51:31Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > You’re right, but that comparison was never made by anyone. The fear video showed Both Ed Schultz and Glen Beck in the process of making both the points I mentioned. So yes, the comparison was made, at least obliquely. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/46 "2010-11-01T17:56:57Z")
From the OP’s link of 33 slides I can identify 5 which contain non-whites. [Black man who’s on stage (background)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=11) [Orthodox/turbaned Sikh (foreground), Black man (background)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=19) [Black lady doing yoga (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=20) [Muslim lady and Black man (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=21) [Black lady taking a photo (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=24) /This has been another lovely game of ‘spot the minority’ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/47 "2010-11-01T18:00:52Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Do you have some information not reported on the [Wiki article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens#Salman_Rushdie_controversy), which at best have this lame excuse: If not it appears that he is either a joke for thinking Rushdie should be killed, or else he is a joke for wanting the book suppressed and for believing in a religion that if implemented would have Rushdie killed. Sanity indeed. Steward and his whole “rally” has just become one big joke. He did not support the fatwa or call for murder. The stuff he did say was stupid, but not a call for anything illegal, and not an endorsemnt of the fatwa. If this is the best you righties can do to try to delegitimize the rally, that’s pretty pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/48 "2010-11-01T18:03:07Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > When are you guys going to figure out that shouting “Racist!!!” all the time isn’t working for you any more? Oddly enough, this is part of what Stewart was saying. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/49 "2010-11-01T18:03:08Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > From the OP’s link of 33 slides I can identify 5 which contain non-whites. > > [Black man who’s on stage (background)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=11) > [Orthodox/turbaned Sikh (foreground), Black man (background)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=19) > [Black lady doing yoga (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=20) > [Muslim lady and Black man (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=21) > [Black lady taking a photo (foreground)](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/30/rally_sanity_slide_show/slideshow.html?slide=24) > > /This has been another lovely game of ‘spot the minority’ But now can you find the Canadians? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/50 "2010-11-01T18:04:38Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > When are you guys going to figure out that shouting “Racist!!!” all the time isn’t working for you any more? Work in what way? No, pointing out that teabaggers are racist will not stop them from being racist. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/51 "2010-11-01T18:06:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What I make of it is exactly what I said - the third post to the thread was a tu quoque, and almost every other post to the thread contains some kind of variation on calling Tea Partiers or Republicans or whoever racist. That, you don’t notice. > > I smell desperation. And I like it. The GOP is going to make significant gains, and y’all are going to have come up with some new excuses. And I suspect that, on some level, you are going to realize how hollow they sound. The GOP will make te normal gains that every out of pwoer party always makes during midterms. It doesn’t mean anything. Winning an elsection doesn’t determine who is correct, just who is more numerous. We already know that we are outnumbered by morons. We don’t have to excuse that, just live with it. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/52 "2010-11-01T18:07:06Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > But now can you find the Canadians? We can spot our own kind …eeeeeeasy. How do you think we always know which celebrity is Canadian? I’d tell you more but… I think I’ve said too much already. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/53 "2010-11-01T18:09:04Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > But now can you find the Canadians? Canadians at a rally promoting politeness and sanity? Tricky - they blend in. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/54 "2010-11-01T18:10:12Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > What I make of it is exactly what I said - the third post to the thread was a tu quoque, and almost every other post to the thread contains some kind of variation on calling Tea Partiers or Republicans or whoever racist. That, you don’t notice. Of course not. It’s Dio. And it’s also a hijack. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/55 "2010-11-01T18:10:32Z")
let me get this straight: the rally opened with a 40-minute set by The Roots, and one of the skits prominently featured Yusef Islam and Ozzy Osbourne getting hustled off the stage in favor of the O’Jays, and the whole thing was supposed to be anti-African American racist? Right, pull the other one. Yeah, I know the OP was trying to pull out the Hypocrite card, but still, this thread is just silly. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/56 "2010-11-01T18:10:39Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > But that wasn’t what he was arguing. He’s made fun of the birthers and death panelists before. He HAD a death panelist on his show and utterly demolished her. > > What he was arguing against is the hyped-up hyperpartisan sensationalism. “OBAMA IS A NAZI SOCIALIST MUSLIM” “TEA PARTIERS ARE GOING TO COMMIT ARMED INSURRECTION” “GAYS WANT TO DESTROY FAMILIES” “REPUBLICANS WANT YOU TO DIE IF YOU GET SICK” > > That kind of thing. There may be kernels of truth in the stories, but the constant crazed screaming about everything polarizes audiences and makes it unable to get any real news and information across. I get what he was trying to do, but the reality is that some outrage is warranted. The sentiment seems to be that anyone reacting angrily to something is equally wrong. Sorry, but I don’t buy that. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/57 "2010-11-01T18:12:05Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Canadians at a rally promoting politeness and sanity? Tricky - they blend in. They interviewed a few on The National last night. A couple were wearing Canadiens Sweaters. Another guy was in a plaid lumberjack shirt. My favorite quote “We’re like the upstairs neighbours, and when we hear a loud argument going on downstairs, we’ve just come down to say - hey keep it down a bit, eh?” ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/58 "2010-11-01T18:12:38Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Huh? Republicans are the ones who have a reputation for being stupid and for obsessively twaddling about non-existent voter fraud. > > It’s voter _suppression_ that Republicans have been excelling at in stealing elections: > [http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the\_republican\_war\_on\_voting](http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_republican_war_on_voting) Nuh-uh. There was this black guy outside a polling place in Philadelphia. That’s \*proof \*the the New Black Panthers were scaring white people away from the polls. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/59 "2010-11-01T18:19:43Z")
[Quote=Bosstone] What he was arguing against is the hyped-up hyperpartisan sensationalism. “OBAMA IS A NAZI SOCIALIST MUSLIM” “TEA PARTIERS ARE GOING TO COMMIT ARMED INSURRECTION” “GAYS WANT TO DESTROY FAMILIES” “REPUBLICANS WANT YOU TO DIE IF YOU GET SICK” [/Quote] Exactly. Those are all scurrilous lies. In particular, just last week, Colbert established beyond all question that what gays want is to turn us all gay and then gay marry us. You could look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090/60 "2010-11-01T18:20:11Z")
> [@brickbacon](#): > > I get what he was trying to do, but the reality is that some outrage is warranted. The sentiment seems to be that anyone reacting angrily to something is equally wrong. Sorry, but I don’t buy that. That’s nice, but that’s still not what he was selling. “If you amplify everything, you hear nothing.” Amplify what needs to be amplified, but don’t overuse the tool. Some things do need it. Not everything does. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-stewarts-colberts-rally-racist-because-there-were-no-nonwhites/559090.md?page=4)