Sen.Burns(R):terrorists "drive taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night."

[dajoki]

MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14608987/

Sen. Burns says terrorists drive taxis by day
Recent comments from Montana Republican have stirred controversy

Updated: 2:07 a.m. ET Sept 1, 2006

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

During a fund-raiser 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.

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, Va., 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 taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night."

[marmar]

1. I guess the Repugs are trying to secure the Aryan Nation vote...

Because they're just footloose and fancy free with the racism these days.

[PresidentWar]

2. Lack of oxygen to the brain.

Thats the only way I acn figure it out.

[Renew Deal]

13. The older these republicans get

the crazier they get. Toobs!!!! :hide:

[dajoki]

17. Then explain Santorum...

He's as nuts as they come.

[Renew Deal]

23. He's a prodigy

Just imagine how crazy he'll be in 30 years. Internet 3.0 is a series of tubas.

[dajoki]

24. Hopefully by then, he won't be our problem n/t

[pepperbear]

3. Great way to win votes, there, Sparky!

Insult Americans...oh wait they aren't white so it's OK. Your Macaca-hating friends will just eat it up.

Why has "off the record" racism suddenly come into vogue?

[dajoki]

9. The people that vote for him...

can have him.

[ComerPerro]

19. the people who support him crave this kind of racist shit

so, it actually IS a good way to win elections, lol

[dajoki]

21. That's because...

his voters are uneducated morons who have the same fear of foreigners he has.

[loyalsister]

10. hmmmmm

I don't want to hijack the thread, only to point out what I see as contributing factors.

I have to wonder if these comments are a inside view of off the record congressional dialogue regarding immigration, and racial profiling for the "war on terra."

[dajoki]

11. Does it really matter?

racism is racism.

[loyalsister]

14. I guess it depends on your point of view

I would argue that fear and hate of "brown people" has maintained support for the war on terror and has prevented people from questioning the politics of fear.
What they are doing is intentionally exploiting racism. Particularly latent racism that people don't like to admit.

[dajoki]

15. That, I totally agree with...

racism is so deeply embedded in their minds, and whether they admit it or not, it's still there.

[loyalsister]

20. It is detectable, however.....

Case in point:

"He says he wants to send a message to illegal immigrants that they should forget about coming to Missouri because they won't be able to get government benefits."

This guy is exploiting the "don't take food off of my plate" mentality, and perpetuating a stereotype that the only reason people immigrate is to get government services in the U.S.
It taps into the ugliest parts of voters- sometimes without their knowledge. Stereotypes work very subtly and the us vs. the other response that comes with some of these is so strong it clouds any notion of questioning. It is tremendously sick and cynical, because the politician has to be against "the other" to come out on the side of the voter. This is the strategy formerly known as Nixon's Southern Strategy. Only this net covers brown people.

http://www.missourinet.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=63D3C60C-99D5-4830-B831C904300DE0CE&dbtranslator=local.cfm

[dajoki]

22. That is because...

many people are so ignorant that they don't think. They just react to the fear of someone who they perceive as taking money out of their pockets, even though it has no basis in reality. And these politicians play this game to perfection.

[Democrats_win]

4. Is Burns saying the people of Iraq hate us? No wonder we're losing.

We've lost the heart and souls of the working class in Iraq.

[napi21]

5. What's the deal with telling the firemen they did a bad job?

I heard about the otherstupid comments he made, but I hadn't heard about the firemen.

[tocqueville]

6. that explains why it's so hard to have a night taxi..... nt

[dajoki]

7. LOL!!

:rofl:

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Burns should take a cab ride with a suicide driver at the wheel.

So he could see first-hand.

What a jerk.

[Renew Deal]

12. That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

He's nuts. :crazy:

[leesa]

16. Is he sure they're not posing as malingering firefighters?

I'll bet this guy's wife hates to be seen in public with him.

[ComerPerro]

18. The terrorist who drove the cab I took in Chicago was very nice

we had a pretty good conversation, and I was kinda sad when the trip ended.