Santorum Again Relates Food Stamps to Minorities

[Judi Lynn]

Santorum Again Relates Food Stamps to Minorities
By Lindsey Boerma | National Journal – 6 hrs ago

TROY, Mich. -- Rick Santorum on Saturday resuscitated one of his more controversial remarks from the past few months of campaigning for president, connecting food stamps with “minority communities.”

Speaking to a large crowd at the conservative Americans for Prosperity Presidential forum here, Santorum said he planned to “talk to minority communities, not about giving them food stamps and government dependency, but about creating jobs so that they can participate in the rise of this country.”

In January, Santorum made a similar remark, but instead of “minorities,” he used the phrase “black people.” He later said he was misheard.

Santorum also reiterated his belief that one of President Obama’s driving motives for encouraging Americans to attend college is to “remake you into his image.”

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/santorum-again-relates-food-stamps-minorities-145411488.html

[RKP5637]

1. The ravings of a delusional politician. n/t

[Devil_Fish]

2. Not LBN

Frothy said this months ago. The only way this might be LBN would be if the story was: "Repub Candidate does not flip flop on posision" which is the only thing truly shocking.

[sarcasmo]

3. Keep on speaking jackass.

[jwleute]

4. It just shows how ignorant the man really is

[secondwind]

5. What a crazy election year!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. enemy of the people

Rick Abramoff Santorum

[nanabugg]

7. Hope this comes up in a Presidential debate. The President will set them straight...and

all America will be watching. And then, everyone will know who really gets the most food stamps.

[FailureToCommunicate]

8. What a (racist) maroon

According to the Associated Press: 49 percent of food stamp recipients are white, 26 percent are African American, and 20 percent are Hispanic.

regional map:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/28/us/20091128-foodstamps.html

[nobodyspecial]

23. Yes, but when you look at Census data

usage is higher in minority communities based on population. However, it is because of racial barriers and economic isolation, not because of racial characteristics as Santorum infers.

[psychopomp]

30. Odd that you would use a racial epithet to deride a racist

Perhaps you don't know that the origin of the use of "maroon" as an indication of mental inferiority comes from the Maroon people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maroon_(people)

I hope that you will commit this to memory and refrain from using this term in the future.

edit: The script used by DU has trouble with the hyperlink string, the &quot people)" element is not interpreted as part of the link. Be sure to see the Wiki on the Maroon people, they were a proud, strong, independent people who confounded attempts to enslave them.

[FailureToCommunicate]

31. I was referencing that great philosopher Bugs Bunny, in common

usage here at DU, not some obscure racial (group) epithet.

"what a maroon" (uncapitalized):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_Bunny


I certainly hope you knew that,
but thanks for your link, I guess.

[psychopomp]

33. For someone who prioritizes communication enough

to make it part of their username, you seem to make little of the importance of words.

You must know that 1940's Looney Tunes was held to a different standard, one where racist stereotypes were tossed around with no regard. The better part of a century on, we must hold ourselves to a higher, more informed standard.

[FailureToCommunicate]

35. Quoting Bugs again: Oh da irony

Firstly, you suggest that my user name implies that I should have a higher regard for "words" It's actually- as you probably recognize- a quote from the prison warden in Paul Newman's "Cool Hand Luke" The warden uses it several times to indicate - with unintentional irony- that the prisoner, Luke, is refusing to conform... to HIS rules.

Secondly, while I grant you that Looney Tunes may have used racist stereotypes, because 'standards were different back then', Bugs is mispronouncing the word "moron" which is from the Ancient Greek word ???ό? (moros), meaning "dull" because he mispronounces the NEXT word, "ignoramus" Latin for "I am ignorant of". Clearly the writers where adding a bit of self deprecation there, a hallmark of Bugs Bunny's persona. Bugs was calling Elmer Fudd a dull, ignorant person. Undeserved, perhaps, but hardly "racist".

And, thirdly, the term "Maroon" - that you accuse me of using without knowing it's "racist" origins - was descriptive term from the Spanish word "Cimarron" literally "living on mountaintops"; from Spanish cima: "top, summit" which is where the runaway slaves commonly went to escape the slave plantation system. Interesting, but not racist. And most importantly here, because that is not what Bugs - or I - meant.

But do stay vigilant. DU is fertile ground for critics wanting to correct intentional, unintentional, or ironic 'errors' But also please remember... "Some men you just can't reach"


(edited to remove supporting links)

[CTyankee]

39. Since I am "of a certain age" I remember the Bugs Bunny definition of "maroon" and interpret its

usage that way. I grew up in segregated Texas and I never heard the term used to disparage anyone racially or ethnically (and I heard a LOT). But I also grew up with Bugs Bunny cartoons. That is my knowledge base of the term, except for the reference to the deep vibrant maroon color, as in "I bought this dress in a lovely maroon shade." But I never heard it applied to people...in fact, I think it would be a bit odd.

Here is a link:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

38. the link you gave only says that maroon is a deep red color

infact its what the british/indians refer to when they are talking about burgundy

[alp227]

9. Food stamps 2012 = states' rights 1980

[christx30]

10. Glad he's saying this stuff

The election will not be won by the repubs being themselves. It will be won by them being as moderate as possible. Their extreme wing simply does not have the numbers to overcome 0bama's base. They need to be moderate to get the independents. So tell us more, Rick, about minorities. Please. I want to hear all about it. Don't hold back.

[Katashi_itto]

26. Hell, I'm donating to his campaign. Anything that let's the rest of America hear what the Repukes

are really about is good. Just let him keep talking. It's chews away at any credibility Fox, RNC ever had in Republican moderate eyes.

[OnlinePoker]

11. Both he and Gingrich need to look at the facts

This is from a 6 Feb article in U.S.A. Today:

The most recent Department of Agriculture report on the general characteristics of the SNAP program's beneficiaries says that in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2010:

••47% of beneficiaries were children under age 18.

••8% were age 60 or older.

••41% lived in a household with earnings from a job — the so-called "working poor."

••The average household received a monthly benefit of $287.

••36% were white (non-Hispanic), 22% were African American (non-Hispanic) and 10% were Hispanic.

Update, Feb. 5: USDA data understate these figures, however, because participants are not required to state their race or ethnic background. As a result, 18.9% are listed as "race unknown." A more accurate estimate of the racial and ethnic composition of food-stamp recipients can be drawn from U.S. Census data, based on a sample of households surveyed each year in the American Community Survey. For 2010, Census data show the following for households that reported getting food stamp assistance during the year:

•49% were white (non-Hispanic); 26% were black or African American; and 20% were Hispanic (of any race).

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-01-18/fact-check-gingrich-obama-food-stamps/52645882/1

I seriously hope Santorum is the GOP nominee because Obama would wipe the floor with him.

[IamK]

19. your facts are correct but its all on how you want to look at them...

Taking those numbers vs the population, about 7% of whites, 20% of Hispanics and 25% of African Americans are on SNAP/Food Stamps...

[Fortran]

20. Somebody will castigate you for using arithmetic and facts.

...

[Gormy Cuss]

28. But either way, relating SNAP only to minority communities is looking at the stats the wrong way

and he's done so publicly twice in the past few months. I'd love to see or hear evidence that he's made similar remarks in low income white areas.

[Skittles]

12. ONLY BROWN PEOPLE USE FOOD STAMPS!

SERIESLY!

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Here, boy

[font size="1"]
Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:TheRetroGuy TheRetroGuy in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File og_whistle.jpg Wikipedia (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Seriously, we should keep Mr. Santorum away from such instruments as the one depicted above. He may have amorous intentions toward anything that responds.

[Ken Burch]

14. No...it's more like a dog TRUMPET!

n/t.

[saras]

22. I think it was more like one of these...

[Ken Burch]

27. What the hell is that...a "Steampunk" synthesizer?

n/t.

[saras]

32. Close. Colloquially known as "Japanese War Tubas", they are acoustic locators...

...i.e. listening devices they used to detect incoming aircraft before they had radar.

More acoustic locators at Douglas Self's Museum of Retro Technology

[xxqqqzme]

37. Hard to

believe air craft existed (in the same time frame) to be detected w/ those devices. Sort of like Adam & Eve frolicking w/ dinosaurs.

[Trajan]

15. Please please PLEASE win the nomination ...

The GOP is so far off kilter; like a drunken whirling dervish on a stomach churning ride to hell .... The Wingnut electorate has already dismissed Rmoney and embraced Ricky Boy .... They have a death-hold on the GOP .... They are the albatross around Republican party necks ....

What a pity .... What a delightful pity ....

[DRoseDARs]

16. Biased reporting is biased. He didn't say, and I quote, "talk to minority communities..."

...he said, and I paraphrase, "talk to blah communities..."

Stupid lefty media, always trying to take unfair shots at conservatives by directly quoting them.

[Thinkingabout]

29. On January 2 in Iowa he did say he

Did want to make black people better with other peoples money. He said it and he needs to take ownership. If he does not like biased reporting he surely should not like the statements he is saying.

[stockholmer]

17. Shit-stirrer for the banksters, so they can crack down police-state style when tools like Santorum

start fanning proto-race war thematics.

divide et impera

Fuck this shite.

[UCmeNdc]

18. Rick "Burn The Witches" Santorum

Rick "Burn The Witches" Santorum for President

[yardwork]

21. The 1% is a minority. Bankers are a minority. Government dependency?

Oh, I get it. Rick didn't mean minorities like the 1% and bankers and Wall Street. They can keep getting government handouts.

Rick means those other people. You know. The children who can starve to death while we keep giving all our money to bankers.

[noiretextatique]

24. talk to republicons in congress about job creation, idiot

all your tough talk in front of an audience of wingnut white folks, coward. i challenge you to bring your lily white ass to any minority community, you pos.

[TatonkaJames]

25. Everything I've searched for shows "Whites" as the largest recipients

If white Americans (72%) have been and still are the largest segment of the population, it only figures.

http://www.google.com/webhp?sa=N&tab=lw#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=25&gs_id=2n&xhr=t&q=percentage+of+whites+on+food+stamps&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&pbx=1&oq=percentqge+of+whites+on+f&aq=0l&aqi=g-l2&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=60ccd89290b0fb3&biw=1709&bih=983

[truthisfreedom]

36. I didn't realize that the Church Lady was racist!

Could it be... satan???