# When did open hatred become fun family entertainment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 12, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077 "2013-08-12T21:34:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/61 "2013-08-13T11:53:16Z")
Seems pretty lame tbh. You’re supposed to burn him in effigy, like with Bush. A bull? Come on, step it up guys. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/62 "2013-08-13T11:55:00Z")
For those defending the racist scumbags, imagine that ten years ago Bush was mocked this way. The very same assholes and dolts applauding the goring of Obama would have reacted to that with vomitous vitriol and, quite likely, bloodshed. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/63 "2013-08-13T12:07:17Z")
I just happened to find [this BBC News story](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23677773) on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/64 "2013-08-13T13:53:59Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Seems pretty lame tbh. You’re supposed to burn him in effigy . . . Wouldn’t be practical. Effigy is 12 miles away from Sedalia. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/65 "2013-08-13T14:05:32Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Just out of curiosity, I looked at Lafayette county, MO to see how they voted in 2012. It was 62% republican. Not really overwhelming but maybe it is for the ‘state fair demographic.’ > > [Source](http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/president) Your numbers are wrong…the fair is actually held in Pettis County, which is SE of Lafayette County. Pettis County went 63%, not 62% 😉 > [@septimus](#): > > For those defending the racist scumbags, imagine that ten years ago Bush was mocked this way. The very same assholes and dolts applauding the goring of Obama would have reacted to that with vomitous vitriol and, quite likely, bloodshed. Well honestly, you have to understand that we were at WAR then, and something like that would have been akin to treason :eek: Can I just say that I officially moved across the border to Kansas a couple months ago? ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/66 "2013-08-13T14:13:48Z")
For those of you tossing racism around frivolously, can we remember that not liking this president is not necessarily an issue of racism. I can dislike this president for any number of reasons besides racism. For example, I can choose to despise his policies and for not closing Gitmo as promised and continuing with spying on us. Perhaps before racism so loosely gets tossed around, it should be confirmed as actually occurring. By the way, when Bush was in office, there were folks on the other side of the aisle suggesting his death so the over the top vitriol is not limited to this president. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/67 "2013-08-13T14:14:15Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Can I just say that I officially moved across the border to Kansas a couple months ago? Then perhaps you can answer [The Question.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_the_Matter_with_Kansas%3F) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/68 "2013-08-13T14:16:49Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > The difference being that the Chicks never repeatedly asked their crowds if they wanted to see Bush gored by a bull at a state-sponsored event. Other than that, exactly the same. Well there was a book published called “[The Assassination of George W. Bush](http://www.amazon.com/The-Assassination-George-W-Bush/dp/1430321350/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=wwwviolentkicom)”. Granted, the book wasn’t promoted during a rodeo, but one of the reviews on the Amazon page notes that “This book opens with the question “Does the normal average American want to kill _this_ President of the United States?” It then goes to great length to explain that the answer is yes.” Hatred? Perhaps. Incivility, certainly. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/69 "2013-08-13T14:20:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Then perhaps you can answer [The Question.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_the_Matter_with_Kansas%3F) Right now, the biggest thing the matter with Kansas is that I can’t buy anything stronger than 3.2 beer at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/70 "2013-08-13T14:21:56Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Well there was a book published called “[The Assassination of George W. Bush](http://www.amazon.com/The-Assassination-George-W-Bush/dp/1430321350/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=wwwviolentkicom)”. Granted, the book wasn’t promoted during a rodeo, but one of the reviews on the Amazon page notes that “This book opens with the question “Does the normal average American want to kill _this_ President of the United States?” It then goes to great length to explain that the answer is yes.” > > Hatred? Perhaps. Incivility, certainly. Also not an event geared toward family entertainment. I understand that pockets of hatred will arise no matter _who_ is in power, but such pockets can usually be avoided if your eyes are open. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/71 "2013-08-13T14:44:11Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Latest word heard is that the alleged “clown” is banned from any further involvement with MO state fairs, rodeos, etc. Oh well. There’s always campaign management. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/72 "2013-08-13T15:37:28Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Pettis County went 63%, not 62% 😉 > > Well honestly, you have to understand that we were at WAR then, and something like that would have been akin to treason :eek: I remember you. Is it raining today? ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/73 "2013-08-13T15:41:18Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > For those of you tossing racism around frivolously, can we remember that not liking this president is not necessarily an issue of racism. I can dislike this president for any number of reasons besides racism. For example, I can choose to despise his policies and for not closing Gitmo as promised and continuing with spying on us. > > Perhaps before racism so loosely gets tossed around, it should be confirmed as actually occurring. Yeah but racism has legs. This thing has been equivocated and “No true Scotsman”-ed to death. The fact remains that hating the President and the vitriolic wishes of death and harm are not something new. It is also not particularly shocking or noteworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/74 "2013-08-13T15:44:42Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > For those defending the racist scumbags, imagine that ten years ago Bush was mocked this way. The very same assholes and dolts applauding the goring of Obama would have reacted to that with vomitous vitriol and, quite likely, bloodshed. The problem is that they \*are \*imagining that Bush was mocked this way. It’s how they’re justifying this event. No matter how bad a Republican acts, as long as someone can find something even somewhat \*similar \*done by any Democrat, _ever_, it’s all okay. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/75 "2013-08-13T15:50:45Z")
The beauty of having a black president for people who actually are racist is that they can hide their racism under the guise of political free speech and get away with it. Legitimately too since there are certainly people who have no problem with a black president but object only to his policies. The racists then get to turn around claim that they are being unfairly persecuted simply for exercising their rights, all the time snickering behind the backs of the president’s legitimate opponents. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/76 "2013-08-13T15:51:18Z")
People have said mean things about every president. Get over it. It gets a little weary hearing anything said about THIS president bad as confirmed racism. Nope, not necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/77 "2013-08-13T15:52:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > …and the crowd roars their approval. It seems perhaps worth noting that the actual [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuSiz4IDveU) does not appear to corroborate this point. There are occasional cheers when a bull is released, and there is cheering for the other rodeo clowns, but the audience seems largely indifferent to the patter about Obama. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/78 "2013-08-13T15:53:04Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > The beauty of having a black president for people who actually are racist is that they can hide their racism under the guise of political free speech and get away with it. Legitimately too since there are certainly people who have no problem with a black president but object only to his policies. The racists then get to turn around claim that they are being unfairly persecuted simply for exercising their rights, all the time snickering behind the backs of the president’s legitimate opponents. By that same token, the supporters can simply hand wave ANY oppostion to the President as racist to poison any possible debate of his policies. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/79 "2013-08-13T15:56:43Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > By that same token, the supporters can simply hand wave ANY oppostion to the President as racist to poison any possible debate of his policies. True. And therefore any issue based opposition should be responded to on the issues which is precisely how I believe the president and his staff does respond. But to ignore the fact that there are also a shitload of people who hate him simply because he’s black is to be naive beyond all possible comprehension. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/80 "2013-08-13T16:06:04Z")
Yet to see racism in every criticism and every act done in poor taste renders the term racism meaningless. Wait for real and obvious racism and deal with it appropriately. Not in every thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077.md?page=5)