Go Skins Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57598222/missouri-fair-bans-rodeo-clown-wearing-obama-mask/ The Missouri State Fair on Monday imposed a lifetime ban on a rodeo clown whose depiction of President Barack Obama getting charged by a bull was widely criticized by Democratic and Republican officials alike. The rodeo clown won't be allowed to participate or perform at the fair again. Fair officials say they're also reviewing whether to take any action against the Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association, the contractor responsible for Saturday's event. The entertainment during the bull riding contest featured a clown wearing a mask of Obama with an upside down broomstick attached to his backside. Spectators were asked if they wanted to see "Obama run down by a bull." Many in the audience responded enthusiastically. Numerous Missouri officials denounced the act after video and photos were posted online. Some Democratic Missouri lawmakers suggested Monday that there should be financial consequences for the fair. The fair said in a written statement announcing the clown's ban that he had engaged in an "unconscionable stunt" that was "inappropriate and not in keeping with the Fair's standards." The fair's press release did not identify the clown. At least one person defended him. David Berry, a Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association member who was at Saturday's event, described the clown as a friend and said there was nothing offensive or unusual about his actions. Berry said the Obama character was meant to look like a dummy and that rodeo clowns have long performed such acts, often imitating sitting presidents. "The joke is not that it was the president," Berry said. "They drag out this person dressed like a dummy and all of the sudden this dummy just takes off running. That's what's funny." But other rodeo professionals said the Missouri fair stunt appeared to go too far. "It's not unheard of for a rodeo clown, depending on how he reads his audience, to play politics a little bit," said Jim Bainbridge, the senior public relations coordinator at the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, based in Colorado Springs, Colo. "But this crossed a line. Clearly, when you're suggesting that the president should be injured, it kind of gets to a level of hostility that is inappropriate." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Can't help but feel like the outrage has more to do with how this portrays the good people of Missouri than some rodeo clown's portrayal of the current President. Sounds like satire/free speech to me, otherwise. Also ignorant, but there's no law AFAIK that says you can't be a dumbass. Dude was just playing to his audience of fellow dipshits, which is (was) his job. We've had all sorts of well-known politicians & media blowhards spewing their seditious bullshit since Obama got elected, so I guess a rodeo clown skit doesn't seem that important to me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vol_Bengal Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 If it has been done in the past in this same setting with sitting presidential faces, etc. then I don't see what the issue should be. If it hasn't then I don't blame them for taking issue with it. I guess every person that has ever worn a president's mask is a dumbass as far as T-Dub is concerned. And, suppose anybody (at least in Missouri) that goes to a rodeo is a dipshit too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I guess every person that has ever worn a president's mask is a dumbass as far as T-Dub is concerned. And, suppose anybody (at least in Missouri) that goes to a rodeo is a dipshit too. Oh my bad! No, there's nothing at all even remotely ignorant about asking a crowd full of yahoos "WHO WANTS TO SEE OBAMER GIT GORED BY A BULL?!" I am certain this was actually meant as deep political commentary meant to spark a reasoned and thoughtful discussion of the Obama presidency and a careful examination of the challenges he faces during the rest of his term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Skins Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I think if I had seen this in person, I would have laughed. I like Vol_Bengals point though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vol_Bengal Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Oh my bad! No, there's nothing at all even remotely ignorant about asking a crowd full of yahoos "WHO WANTS TO SEE OBAMER GIT GORED BY A BULL?!" I am certain this was actually meant as deep political commentary meant to spark a reasoned and thoughtful discussion of the Obama presidency and a careful examination of the challenges he faces during the rest of his term. Just whatever... the guy is dressed up as a damn clown!!! He's doing stupid shit... so that makes the audience dipshits? It would have been just as funny if it was a Dubya mask... or Nixon mask... or Hillary mask... but because it is the black president as the mask woooo... woooo.... woooo.... can't be doing that. Again, whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Sounds like satire/free speech to me, otherwise. Since you seem to be missing that part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 It would have been just as funny if it was a Dubya mask... or Nixon mask... or Hillary mask... but because it is the black president as the mask woooo... woooo.... woooo.... can't be doing that. Again, whatever. On the contrary, it wasn't really that funny to begin with. You go ahead with this whole "persecuted white man" trip, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Lucid| Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Just whatever... the guy is dressed up as a damn clown!!! He's doing stupid shit... so that makes the audience dipshits? It would have been just as funny if it was a Dubya mask... or Nixon mask... or Hillary mask... but because it is the black president as the mask woooo... woooo.... woooo.... can't be doing that. Again, whatever. Personally, I never think it's funny when someone incites a crowd with taunts of harming our president. Whether it is a Bush or Nixon or Obama I don't give a shit. But you know, I actually put my ass on the line for this country and it's system of democracy during a time of war. And it didn't matter to me if it was a Rep or a Dem giving me the orders. Once they are sworn in they represent the People of the United States and deserve your respect to at least a point. Poke fun all you want.. Rail against his policies and philosophy if you wish.. But this crosses a line IMO and it has nothing to do with the color of anyone's skin.. For someone who decry's the use of the "race card" you sure do like to whip it out a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Personally, I never think it's funny when someone incites a crowd with taunts of harming our president. Whether it is a Bush or Nixon or Obama I don't give a shit. But you know, I actually put my ass on the line for this country and it's system of democracy during a time of war. And it didn't matter to me if it was a Rep or a Dem giving me the orders. Once they are sworn in they represent the People of the United States and deserve your respect to at least a point. Poke fun all you want.. Rail against his policies and philosophy if you wish.. But this crosses a line IMO and it has nothing to do with the color of anyone's skin.. For someone who decry's the use of the "race card" you sure do like to whip it out a lot. Do you think the rodeo clown should have been fired for what is deemed inappropriate or do you think he should be placed before a court for threats of harming the president ? It doesn't matter who the president is and that is true. We served to protect the freedoms of Americans everywhere to include a Missouri Rodeo. This freedom of speech discussion could go further to discuss the burning of the American Flag. While personally I find it more disgusting than most forms of protesting, it should have been protected under the law as a right of free speech. It is not so black and white anymore on whether it is free speech any further. While I may be able to understand the possibility of inciting to violence when burning the flag, I can not understand how some states also place this alongside the desecration of religious objects as well. ...or even make it a crime to burn the Confederate Flag (Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina) with the same protection afforded the American Flag. In some states a person can not even cast contempt by word or act. Wow, has this gone too far in suppression of free speech ? When does the common person find a problem with this ? ...only when it affects him or her ? http://atheism.about.com/od/flagburningstatelaws/a/StateLawSummary.htm For further information on flag burning state laws go to the above link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vol_Bengal Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Personally, I never think it's funny when someone incites a crowd with taunts of harming our president. Whether it is a Bush or Nixon or Obama I don't give a shit. But you know, I actually put my ass on the line for this country and it's system of democracy during a time of war. And it didn't matter to me if it was a Rep or a Dem giving me the orders. Once they are sworn in they represent the People of the United States and deserve your respect to at least a point. Poke fun all you want.. Rail against his policies and philosophy if you wish.. But this crosses a line IMO and it has nothing to do with the color of anyone's skin.. For someone who decry's the use of the "race card" you sure do like to whip it out a lot. I can appreciate your stance that our citizenry should honor the office, regardless of who is in it. And, I appreciate your service to our country - truly I do. I assume your use of the "you" is intended for whomever and not at me directly as I don't poke fun at president's... if you felt like I used the "race card" to justify something I apologize for that - I wasn't intending to. It is my perception that it has already been enacted when all the governmental outcry came about calling for the guy's job and the possibility of monetary damages. I was simply speaking to that fact - I felt like the story had already intimated race and I was speaking to it. Not making use of it. In your opinion, where is the line of humor that is ok vs. not with regard to president's? At the harming point? Or - is name calling too far, etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 In your opinion, where is the line of humor that is ok vs. not with regard to president's? At the harming point? Or - is name calling too far, etc.? When a person shows intent upon carrying out that harm. Merely saying something can be deemed inappropriate or a host of other things but not harming the president unless there is intent. This goes deeper than just showing intent because when someone says something against the government outside a " free speech zone " that person can be in violation of the law. Even Lincoln had numerous people arrested for speaking out against the government (see Lincoln suspended habeas corpus). The zones should include everything within the borders of America but do not. Granted anytime someone incites violence against others (such as yelling fire in a crowded theater) there is a need to curtail that when it endangers others as a result of someone else's speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 ...or even make it a crime to burn the Confederate Flag (Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina) with the same protection afforded the American Flag. Wow, that's fucked up. Not to mention a little late, like ohh 150 years or so.. Maybe they should make it illegal for Sherman to burn Atlanta while they're at it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khatmandude Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 If it has been done in the past in this same setting with sitting presidential faces, etc. then I don't see what the issue should be. If it hasn't then I don't blame them for taking issue with it. I guess every person that has ever worn a president's mask is a dumbass as far as T-Dub is concerned. And, suppose anybody (at least in Missouri) that goes to a rodeo is a dipshit too. Not just in Missouri.....if you go to a rodeo....more than likely, you're a dipshit. Any state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Not just in Missouri.....if you go to a rodeo....more than likely, you're a dipshit. Any state. Not just any state. Don't forget the various organizations which also run the rodeo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva4ben-gal Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 This is dumb but this is just one rodeo that has banned this clown, he'll have plenty of options for employment at the hundreds of other rodeos held each year. We have a big rodeo every year here that takes over the town for a week. The Indians (and yes that's what they go by) are a big portion of the rodeo and have been since it started over 100 years ago. We had a clown making some racial jokes about Indians, something about blankets as prizes if I remember right. Anyway, he's not allowed back at this rodeo, but he still gets hired all around the country. Whoever this latest clown is will be getting work no problem in the future. I believe in his right to include whatever material he wants in his act and I believe in the fair's right to hire whoever they want to perform for their crowd. Just like the comedian that started telling bestiality jokes at our company Christmas party won't be getting hired by us again. Not just in Missouri.....if you go to a rodeo....more than likely, you're a dipshit. Any state. Ignorant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khatmandude Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Ignorant I take it you like rodeos hahahhhaa. It was just a joke dude, simmer down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva4ben-gal Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 I take it you like rodeos hahahhhaa. It was just a joke dude, simmer down. I doubt it was a joke, but just like anything you're going to have all types at a rodeo. And it's not just the bulls that are black, there are some pretty good black cowboys too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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