How is this man a senator?

[Battle_Pope]

Sen. Burns: Terrorists drive taxis by day, kill at night

BELGRADE, Montana (AP) -- Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, whose recent comments have stirred controversy, says the United States is up against a faceless enemy of terrorists who "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."

During a fundraiser Wednesday with first lady Laura Bush, the three-term Montana senator talked about terrorism, tax cuts and the money he has brought to his state.

Burns is one of the more vulnerable Senate incumbents, facing a tough challenge from Democrat Jon Tester. (Watch Burn's describe the enemies America faces -- 0:45)

He has drawn criticism in recent weeks for calling his house painter a "nice little Guatemalan man" during a June speech. Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, also suggested that the man might be an illegal immigrant. The campaign later said the worker is legal.

Burns, 71, also had to apologize after confronting members of a firefighting team at the Billings airport and telling them they had done a "piss-poor job," according to a state report. In July, the Hotshot crew had traveled 2,000 miles from Staunton, Virginia, to help dig fire lines for about a week around a 143-square-mile wildfire east of Billings.

At the campaign event with Bush, Burns talked about the war on terrorism, saying a "faceless enemy" of terrorists "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."

The campaign said Thursday that the senator was simply pointing out terrorists can be anywhere.

"The point is there are terrorists that live amongst us. Not only here, but in Britain and the entire world," said spokesman Jason Klindt. "Whether they are taxi drivers or investment bankers, the fact remains that this is a new type of enemy."

Responding to Democratic complaints about Burns' verbal gaffes, Republicans argued that a Tester comment earlier this week was derogatory toward American Indians.

In an interview with The Seattle Times, Tester talked about the faith he has in his staff, and said, "Nobody has done anything to make me think they're trying to tomahawk me."

Brock Lowrance, spokesman for the Montana Republican Party, said American Indians have long found "tomahawk" a derogatory term. American Indians are the state's largest minority group.

At the fundraiser, Bush described Burns as a strong advocate for Montana farmers and families.

"In Washington, Senator Burns is a respected voice on the issues facing rural communities in Montana and across the nation," Bush said.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/31/bur...m.ap/index.html

This is the same man who publicly referred to a photographer named Sidarth as "Makaka", a very racist term.

[kaura117]

Technically, "Tomahawk" can also be in reference to a missile...

But regardless, one Demcratic gaff to how many Republican fuckups? The GOP's long overdue for a perspective checkup...

[Nega-Brent]

I assume most politicians have racist tendencies. Most of them are elderly white men who grew up during an era of racism afterall.

[Samurai Drifter]

I assume most politicians have racist tendencies. Most of them are elderly white men who grew up during an era of racism afterall.

"Everyone's a little bit racist

sometimes.

Doesn't mean we go

around committing hate crimes.

Look around and you will find

no one's really color blind.

Maybe it's a fact

we all should face

Everyone makes judgments

based on race."

Anyway, who wouldn't be suspicious of taxi cab drivers? They have that little slash through the "o" in their name, that's enough for me! D:

[Nega-Brent]

I can't honestly say I've judged anyone based on their race. There is no real point in my opinion, and it's a waste of time when there so many poor characters and horrible personalities to judge instead.

[Samurai Drifter]

Not nessecarily conciously, mind you, but it's pretty much impossible not to consider race when deciding how to react to a person's actions. For example, I maintain that if a plane is bombed, it's much more likely to have been a middle eastern person vs. a caucasian.

That's making a judgement based on race, and yet it's true, as those in the middle east are predominantly muslim, and fanatical muslims are psychotic murderers with a tendency towards attacks on aircraft. I'm also quite certain that if one were to go over a list of plane bombings in recent years, about 98% of the people on the list would be named "Muhammed."

Anyway, getting off topic. In my opinion, commenting that terrorists drive cabs during the day is a stupid reason to start a thread. What's there to say? "Oh, man, what an idiot! I can't believe he *actually* said that terrorists were taxi cab drivers!"

(Not that I'm condoning racial slurs in the least; but there's a difference between being racist and having racist tendencies. Pretty much everybody uses race as judging criteria at some point or another.)

[Dramatic Conclusion]

I can't honestly say I've judged anyone based on their race. There is no real point in my opinion, and it's a waste of time when there so many poor characters and horrible personalities to judge instead.

I seriously doubt it. Like SD said, a lot of it is subconcious and you have to be honest with yourself and catch it.

[Nega-Brent]

I seriously doubt it. Like SD said, a lot of it is subconcious and you have to be honest with yourself and catch it.

I don't doubt it. A thought about a race (subconcious or not) doesn't necessarily make you racist.

[Samurai Drifter]

I don't doubt it. A thought about a race (subconcious or not) doesn't necessarily make you racist.

Precisely. That's why I said everyone has racist tendencies, but there's a difference between that and being a racist.

[Nega-Brent]

Precisely. That's why I said everyone has racist tendencies, but there's a difference between that and being a racist.

I think it is just ignorant to proclaim that everyone has racist tendencies. Race does come to mind in certain matters, but thinking about races does not a racist make. Negative thoughts, emotions, acts, and speech directed towards a race is what constitutes a racist.

[Samurai Drifter]

I think it is just ignorant to proclaim that everyone has racist tendencies. Race does come to mind in certain matters, but thinking about races does not a racist make. Negative thoughts, emotions, acts, and speech directed towards a race is what constitutes a racist.

*smacks forehead*

That's what I just said. I define "race coming into mind in certain matters" as having slight racist tendencies.

[Nega-Brent]

*smacks forehead*

That's what I just said. I define "race coming into mind in certain matters" as having slight racist tendencies.

Those aren't racist tendencies.

[Samurai Drifter]

(The "everything" should be bolded, italicized, and in all caps.)

[Nega-Brent]

There is nothing really debatable about this. Also, this is the second time you've resorted to nonsense in an argument with me. :ohmy:

[Battle_Pope]

Yeah, SD, that was totally unnecessary.

When race comes to mind I too do not consider it a "racist tendency" as racism is defined as "The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others." And also that you hate and have a strong prejudice toward that race. Besides, when I think in terms of race, I like to think of us all as the Human Race.

[Nega-Brent]

Exactly, as long as the thought isn't derogatory it is not racist.

[Samurai Drifter]

There is nothing really debatable about this. Also, this is the second time you've resorted to nonsense in an argument with me.

My point is that everything turns into an argument of fucking semantics.

Me: that's racist tendencies.

Arsie: No it's not.

Me: Yes it is!

Arsie: No it's not.

Me: Uh-huh!

Arsie: Nuh-uh!

And so on.

[Nega-Brent]

But you were clearly wrong.

[Ceraziefish]

But you were clearly wrong.

But you were both arguing the same thing.

Anyway, I won't lie. If I'm walking around a dark alley at night I'll be a lot more uncomfortable if I see a black face than a white face. It's terrible and I hate myself for it, but it still happens. Is this a racist tendency? Well, it's certainly informed by racism.

[kaura117]

I don't think I've ever judged anybody on the basis of their ethnical background. How fervently they worship, yes- but fundamentalism springs up in all religions, with the possible exception of Discordia, so it isn't a blind hatred against a certain belief, as a very grounded and rational hatred against one of the more insidious evils in the world.

It's not a matter of where they come from or what they look like. It is what beliefs they hold in regards to their fellow human species that matters.

[Nega-Brent]

But you were both arguing the same thing.

No, we were not.

[Battle_Pope]

indeed arsie indeed

arsie and I are saying just because race comes to mind in a thought does not make it or the individual racist (also, like arsie said, as long as it's not deragatory, it's not racist), while SD is saying that it makes you racist.