# 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:** 7
**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, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/121 "2013-08-13T17:43:39Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > Well, ok - Obama is black. How do you make fun of him, mock him, parody him, lampoon him without being accused of racism? > **We** know the answer to that one already, but just thought I’d throw it out there. (bolding mine)I’m not one for “Wink, wink, _you_ know what I’m talking about” answers. Why don’t _you_ go ahead and spit it out, and _we_ will either agree or disagree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/122 "2013-08-13T17:44:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And that percentage was…? > **[Opinion polls about 9/11 conspiracy theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polls_about_9/11_conspiracy_theories)** > > Since the September 11 attacks, doubts have been raised about the mainstream account of events. There have been a number of 9/11 conspiracy theories with some suggesting that Israel was involved in the attacks and that members of the U.S. government may have deliberately covered-up and falsified events, in order to hide negligence, complicity, or even having been the perpetrator of the attacks. > A number of 9/11 opinion polls have been carried out to assess the prevalence of various opinions an... A poll from July 2006, sponsored by Scripps Howard and conducted by Ohio University, surveyed 1,010 randomly selected citizens of the United States, with a margin of error of 4 percent. The survey found that 36 percent thought it somewhat or very likely that U.S. officials either participated in the attacks or took no action to stop them because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East. There are references to numerous other polls on that page. The results of the 2007 August poll indicate that 51 percent of Americans want the United States Congress to probe President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney regarding the 9/11 attacks and over 30 percent of those polled seek immediate impeachment … 32 percent seek immediate impeachment of Bush and/or Cheney based on their personal knowledge ---
**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, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/123 "2013-08-13T17:45:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > (bolding mine)I’m not one for “Wink, wink, _you_ know what I’m talking about” answers. Why don’t _you_ go ahead and spit it out, and _we_ will either agree or disagree with you. Pssst… I’m guessing the answer is “You can’t.” ---
**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, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/124 "2013-08-13T17:46:31Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > 50% according to this [site.](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0411/More_than_half_of_Democrats_believed_Bush_knew.html) Try to read your own link for comprehension: Bush wasn’t even mentioned in that survey question. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/125 "2013-08-13T17:47:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > “Become”? There was a time in American history when fun family entertainment was a public lynching, announced beforehand in the newspapers. Yeah, after reading the title, and without even opening the thread, I thought “Minstrel shows, obviously”. ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/126 "2013-08-13T17:50:22Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The fact is, whether it’s meant to or not, putting on a caricature mask of Obama just looks pretty freakin’ racist. The mask itself was okay, and has been done before with other Presidents. What took it over the top for me was the other clown playing with the Obama clown’s lips. Obama isn’t Angelina Jolie, his lips are not his distinguishing feature for a caricature. I can’t think of another way to read that but stereotypical racist in nature. The bottom line is: The routine went too far for a state sponsored event. Crackpot comments on personal websites are not comparable to this venue. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/127 "2013-08-13T17:59:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Try to read your own link for comprehension: Bush wasn’t even mentioned in that survey question. Try the [2007 Rasmussen poll](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/08/03/each_party_has_its_fanatics_97748.html) on the subject. _“That poll found that only 39 percent of Democrats believed W. Bush did not have advance knowledge of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while 26 percent said they were unsure and slightly more than one third of Democrats believed W. Bush knew his country was going to be attacked.”_ And while Republicans have more fruitcakes on the subject, it’s disturbing that 6% of _Democrats_ think Obama is the Antichrist. Hell, everyone knows it’s actually Eric Holder. 🆒 ---
**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, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/128 "2013-08-13T18:00:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Try to read your own link for comprehension: Bush wasn’t even mentioned in that survey question. Also, how does “22.6% very likely believe the government was involved in some way” plus “28.2% somewhat likely believe the government was involved in some way” equal “More than half of Democrats believe George knew”? ---
**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, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/129 "2013-08-13T18:03:44Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > I’d be ashamed if I was a Republican. I’d be ashamed if I was a Democrat. Am neither. Then be duly ashamed of RWs in general. ---
**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, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/130 "2013-08-13T18:07:05Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Yeah, after reading the title, and without even opening the thread, I thought “Minstrel shows, obviously”. Not exactly. The minstrel show embodies racism, but not racial hatred. For a long time white America viewed black America with a strange mixture of fear, contempt, and affection. In the minstrel show we see only contempt and affection; the stage-negro characters are ridiculous and stupid, but they’re funny and joyful and musical and in no sense dangerous or threatening. Minstrelsy is the **nice** side of racism. The other side did the lynchings. ---
**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, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/131 "2013-08-13T18:09:08Z")
Are we actually trying to compare accusing someone of having foreknowledge of an attack with accusing someone of being The Anti-Christ-an inhuman demon out to destroy the world? Did some of you accidently misplace your sense of perspective at the state fair? ---
**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, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/132 "2013-08-13T18:16:23Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > Not exactly, but kind of like the percentage of people who believed that Bush was in on 9/11 or knew it was going to happen. That always made me ashamed of **my** side. But, if you know anything at all about Dick Cheney, Trutherism at least somewhat understandable. Would **you** put it past him?! (I’d never believe it of W himself, he lacks the imagination.) ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/133 "2013-08-13T18:17:29Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Try to read your own link for comprehension: Bush wasn’t even mentioned in that survey question. It said Bush was mentioned in the earlier poll whatever that means, but yeah, I’ll check my links better next time. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/134 "2013-08-13T18:18:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are we actually trying to compare accusing someone of having foreknowledge of an attack with accusing someone of being The Anti-Christ-an inhuman demon out to destroy the world? Did some of you accidently misplace your sense of perspective at the state fair? > **[Is extremism becoming mainstream?](http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/09/is-extremism-becoming-mainstream.html)** > > Is extremism becoming mainstream in 21st century American politics? Our latest national poll would seem to say yes- 35% voters in the countr... We also took a look at the Anti-Christ question nationally and found that a pretty similar number of voters are willing to go so far as to hang that label on either Obama or Bush. 10% of voters say they think Obama is the Anti-Christ with 11% unsure and 8% say the same of Bush with an equal 11% unsure. 10% vs 8%. Biiiiiig difference. Must be due to racism. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/135 "2013-08-13T18:23:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are we actually trying to compare accusing someone of having foreknowledge of an attack with accusing someone of being The Anti-Christ-an inhuman demon out to destroy the world? Did some of you accidently misplace your sense of perspective at the state fair? That the president allowed 9/11 to happen? Yes, that’s different than believing The president is the Anti-Christ, but its more comparable than “how many Democrats believe Obama is the anti Christ?” The sad thing is that the majority of Americans do believe there will be an inhuman demon that will set out to destroy the world. If not that, they believe in virgin births, resurrections after death, and an all powerful deity. ---
**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, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/136 "2013-08-13T18:29:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > That always made me ashamed of **my** side. > > But, if you know anything at all about Dick Cheney, Trutherism at least somewhat understandable. Would **you** put it past him?! (I’d never believe it of W himself, he lacks the imagination.) And it’s Cheney and his allies that throw off statistics about what people believe the government knew and trying to equate that with what people believe _Bush[_ knew, because there were those that believed that Bush was just a puppet run by Cheney, kept in the dark a lot of the time and told what he already believed at briefings. ---
**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, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/137 "2013-08-13T18:33:29Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And it’s Cheney and his allies that throw off statistics about what people believe the government knew and trying to equate that with what people believe _Bush[_ knew, because there were those that believed that Bush was just a puppet run by Cheney, kept in the dark a lot of the time and told what he already believed at briefings. I recall the CIA’s codename for Cheney was “Edgar,” at least according to Ron Suskind. As in [Edgar Bergen.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen) ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/138 "2013-08-13T18:35:54Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Public Policy Polling: Is extremism becoming mainstream?](http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/09/is-extremism-becoming-mainstream.html) > > We also took a look at the Anti-Christ question nationally and found that a pretty similar number of voters are willing to go so far as to hang that label on either Obama or Bush. 10% of voters say they think Obama is the Anti-Christ with 11% unsure and 8% say the same of Bush with an equal 11% unsure. > > 10% vs 8%. Biiiiiig difference. Must be due to racism. What that proves is that there is a percentage of people who think any given US President is the Anti-Christ. Probably the same group of people for both polls (now there’s more of them - they breed). I remember radio call in shows spouting the same thing about Jimmy Carter back in the 70’s (before the internet, we had to get all our crackpot news from talk radio). You want to compare something, find some cites of people who didn’t think George Bush was really American or questioned his birth certificate. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/139 "2013-08-13T18:41:13Z")
No, that comparison would be made to George W. Bush’s alleged AWOL status. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077/140 "2013-08-13T18:41:28Z")
> [@camille](#): > > What that proves is that there is a percentage of people who think any given US President is the Anti-Christ. Probably the same group of people for both polls (now there’s more of them - they breed). See **BrainGlutton** ’s assertion that the number of people who think that Obama is Antichrist is something exceptional. As in: [QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Do you seriously think W ever measured that high on the Antichrist-meter? [/QUOTE] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-open-hatred-become-fun-family-entertainment/666077.md?page=8)