Rosa Parks Poster Torn Up At McCaskill Town Hall (VIDEO)

Among the many eyebrow-raising clips aired on major news networks yesterday from Senator Claire McCaskill's health care town hall was one of a woman being half-escorted, half-dragged from the building.

What the clip failed to catch was that the woman was provoked. She and a few other women had brought posters to the town hall, but they rolled them up after being booed and berated by the crowd. When the woman unrolled one to show to a journalist, an angry man in the crowd rushed over and tore it up. A poster of what, you ask? Rosa Parks. When the woman moved to take her poster back, the police stepped in and escorted both parties from the building. But only the woman made national news.

Watch, via Pam's House Blend:

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[jsehgal]

I think that the health care reform should be abandoned. Then these racists will die off sooner for want of health care. Overall hate will be reduced ovr time.

[mikekev58]

Some question why bring a Rosa Parks poster to a health care debate? That's beside the point. The woman complied with the request not to hold it up while McCaskill was speaking, and as I saw the video she rather discreetly unfolded it for the news person. The white guy - and I'm a white guy, btw - has no reason let alone right to rip it out of her hands and throw it on the ground. Period.

I have to say that when I saw this video, I wept. I don't know whether we'll get health care reform or not, but I do know that we have not come as far in race relations as I thought we had. With the behavior of white people - yes, white people - in the various town hall meetings and the legitimization of that hateful behavior by the MSM, let alone the right wing media machine, I am pretty sad about the state of affairs in this country. Sad as I am, though, I will do my part to stand up to bullies like this guy and to the "movement" that is nothing more than resentment towards the man who resoundingly defeated the Republican candidate last November.

[jsehgal]

It is people like you who make America great.

[lmthp]

As a Latina I appreciate your heartfelt comments and am saddened as well. What I don't understand is why the woman was asked NOT to hold up a poster of Rosa Parks in the first place? Is this still not a democracy?
A man holding a poster that encourages others to water the tree of liberty (with the blood of so called tyrants) while carrying a loaded weapon at a similar event - except the President is there - is to me is an open invitation to violence against Pres. Obama. But this guy (who is white) is within his rights. The poor woman who held up a poster of a much revered and honored person in this country is not. If that is not a double standard then I don’t know what is.
It is disgraceful and sad.

[LeftOfCenter44]

Why bring an AR-15 to a Health Care event?

[cinemabon]

From what I could see, a white man took a sign from a black woman, crumpled it up, and when she tried to get the sign back, she was forcably escorted out and the police protected the white man. If that was the case, I am so ashamed of America. I can't even say what I am feeling when I watch that.

[cinemabon]

legally, the white man assaulted the black woman and should be brought up on charges. The proof is on the tape. He also incited a riot by his actions. Where is the ACLU? Where is legal defense? Where is the righteous indignation?

[MrsFonebone]

Why don't you find out the facts before you leap to these conclusions? You might as well read tea leaves and reach a conclusion.

[HGMercury]

Can somebody tell me, even taking the role of devil's advocate, what possible justification did that guy have to destroy the lady's poster? Trolls welcome to kibbitz.

[EminemsRevenge]

The whole reason behind the anti-Obamacare movement IS racism.

Although THIS http://eminemsrevenge.xanga.com/708857320/profiling-me/ takes place in 1968, the racism that existed then is STILL around now, a Black president is just amplifying the Up South mentality!

[socialtalker]

i wouldnt say its the WHOLE reason, but the fact is that obama represents the two things that kreep-kraz­y-kristria­ns fear, disrepect and hold in the contempt the most: the federal govt and black people.

[hope4ul]

How come no apologies have been made to these women & why hasn't MSM had them on their shows? I've seen disruptive protesters on many cable news shows, even the guy who had the nerve to have a gun outside a Presidential town hall meeting was interviewed, but no one is saying anything about this story.

The camera's should've shown the man who caused the incident being taken out by several police, not the other way around.

Why is it ok to portray these black women as the cause of this "ruckus" when in fact it was an older white man who was in the wrong? How come the reporter who asked to see the poster is still silent?

It makes you wonder if this is 1959 instead of 2009. I guess the fact that Barack Obama, a black man who is also half white, is President has a lot to do with it. The fact that Sonia Sotomayor the first Hispanic now sits on the Supreme Court is just too much for those who have kept their racism hidden for these past 40+ years & now they're just letting it all hang out.

This isn't about Health Care Insurance Reform nor big gov't, if that were the case then why did these pple not protest at town halls when Republicans increased gov't in our lives legally & illegally?

It's about these pple feeling they're "losing their country" because it should only belong to them & not to anyone else

[mooregardening]

Goodness gracious.

[TruthmongerII]

Naturally the white police dragged off the African-American woman while the white man who assaulted her was told to take his seat. Gee, after that little incident involving an African-American Harvard professor you would think police would be acting a little smarter.

Well, I guess they do the best they can with the little they've got.

[BEHM777]

I wouldn't expect them to act any smarter. I'll be glad when I am proved wrong on a CONSISTENT basis.

[moknowsx2]

There's no racism here, a black woman is the victim and she's escorted out and the white man goes back to his seat. Yup post racism!

[jfrisco11]

Please debate things with cold head and warm heart.........take a deep breath in America. There is time when we should listen, there is time when we should talk. And there is time when we should step up and not let FEAR and IGNORANT control the situation. Have you read the bill ? Oh I forget, there is no Bill just yet :)

[vote2009]

THE GLENN BECK SHOW ADVERTISERS FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 14:
The Jewelry Exchange, www.jewelryexchange.com, 800 441-0715
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (2 commercials), cancercenter.com, 800227-4634
Water Jet, buywaterjet.com, 800 360-9168
GNC, gnc.com, 1-877-GNC-4700
The Scooter Store (2 commercials), PO Box 310709, New Braunfels TX 78131-0709
thescooter­store.com, 800 311-6360 and 800 391-7237
Dr. Blaine's, drblaines.com, 800 307-8818
Hoveround, hoveround.com, 800 377-2834
National Collector's Mint
getmorgans.com, 800 581-9778
Robin Hood, robinhoodr­esponds.or­g
Egg Genie, buyegggenie.com, 800 219-2400
Wonder Hanger, wonderhanger.com, 800 979-6320
QVC, qvc.com, 484-701-1000 (Business Office)
City Year, cityyear.org
Rosetta Stone, rosettastone.com, 800 704-3979
Final Smoke, finalsmoke.com, 800 496-2040

[troberts1943]

Thanks for the list. I do avoid the sponsers of his show.

[tweedy54]

Thanks.. will call each and everyone of these companies.. THANKS AGAIN!

[HGMercury]

Thank you. Glenn Beck is probably the most dangerous right wing demagogue out there.

[azcamp]

Rosa Parks is a symbol of individual empowerment. When one person takes the first step to right a wrong, others will be empowered to stand.

It is appropriate to bring individual empowerment into any democratic debate without raising the issue of race.

[plaidsportcoat]

are you kookoo? Rosa Parks is first and foremost a symbol of the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, period. And, then, a far behind number two, she is also, yes,a symbol of whatever you said. It is also "appropriate to bring individual empowerment into any democratic debate" while at the same time pointing out how racial inequality affects the ability of the individual to BE empowered.

[IWillCallYouOut]

This is a really dumb comment.

I feel that people who avoid the issues of race harbor some sort of secret hatred for black people. Why try to erase our obvious differences and historical treatment in America that shaped us into who we are? It's downwright eerie for someone to remove the racial significance of Rosa Parks' life work.

I am scared for your mind. Come down from the tree.

[Laura Hernandez]

To all claiming not racial, just her fault for having sign, clip doesn't show footage of white people inside with signs, held up over their heads, and police overheard saying it doesn't look good to only remove black person while leaving whites alone, but they do anyway. Extended clip at
http://hatingnotdebating.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-story-from-mccaskills-town-hall.html
The white people clapping when she was shoved out didn't see what happened, they just whooped and hollered. Video proves race was an issue, both by unequal enforcement, and automatic assumption on the part of white crowd and Senator McCaskill that black women had done something wrong, not the old white guy. When Maxine Johnson was interviewed, she denied causing trouble McCaskill mentioned, told her version of events, and when clip showing old guy starting it was played, interviewer Rick Sanchez said, hmm, shows she was telling the truth. She also said many signs were brought in, and when entering, she was only told not to hold up while Sen talking, out of respect, which is why she rolled it up and kept it down. Considering her word on the rest of the story has been confirmed by video to be true, her version of other events also hold more credibility than rabble cheering from ignorance and prejudice. Ms. Johnson deserves an apology from Sen. McCaskill. I hope to go to my Congressman's town hall this week, but I'm worried--not alone and not without a videocamera.

[BEHM777]

Great comment!

[HGMercury]

Thank you for your thoughtful comment.

[hope4ul]

I agree, an apology is well deserved and the complete video needs to go mainstream.

[mongoose63124]

She was trying to make it a race issue as always. Rosa P arks has nothing to do with health care reform. When you have no point to argue throw those bad wh.ite people into the mix. The sympathy facter is down to ze ro except for condescending wh.ite libs who like to take advantage of anything to get a vote for their failing progressive movement.....(from barksalot)

[austin4]

spoken like a true GOP Parrot......keep talking STUPID

[blumuze]

Rosa Parks is a celebrated hero of the struggle for equality. Healthcare for all is an important battlefield in that continuing struggle. Using her image to represent that struggle was entirely appropriate.

[OLEGAR]

Ask any OLD WHITE GUY or GAL rethug - - you will get this "Rosa Park was a lawbreaking TERRORIST" ! "Those laws she was thwarting were RIGHT doncha know"? "Send them to the back of the bus! ! God forbid one of "them" would ever gets to be a Mayor, a Police Chief, a Governor, a Congressperson or OMG President of the United States" ! !

You think they aren't racist? Does a bear s*^%T in the woods?

[DonCosenza]

I don't have anything against that woman, and that guy clearly instigated the incident.

But what you said about Rosa Parks and healthcare doesn't make any sense.

[citizensrus]

I disagree. It was the courage of Rosa Parks that set in motion the changes that gave us President Obama. She is a catalyst and her image is appropriate whenever the issue is a fundamentaly human rights issue.
For some reason, people oppose human rights. Rosa Parks is a symbol of being active, not passive. She is a symbol of Democracy. I love her. I'm taking a Rosa Parks poster to every civil rights meeting I attend, thanks to the idea of this woman.
I have a bumper sticker on my car that reads:
"Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Obama could run. Obama ran so our children could fly."
I don't see Rosa Parks as a race issue. I see her as game changer.

[deschl]

But the extreme right sees her as a race issue they view it as if she hadn't sat martin wouldn't have walked and obama wouldn't have run to allow our children to fly, there biggest fear has come to pass a black man in the white house, somewhere in the deep south i can hear an old elderly klansman saying i told ya not ta teach em ta read.

[LoyalOpposition]

Rosa Parks has everything to do with what's going on in this country. The hate mongers are the same folks who thought it was just dandy to have African Americans go to the back of the bus, and who had her arrested because she claimed her equal status among the human race. The guy who grabbed the poster out of her hands, and the arresting officer, AND the press that decided to focus on the woman being escorted out, but did not explain the circumstance are all the same people with the same disease of racism.

[annevilla99]

LoyalOpposition, I totally agree!!

[JackieRSM]

I hope there is someone out there in the film industry putting together a collection with dates to document the progression of the hate filled, riot and violence inciting, propaganda. From the behind the scenes groups like Freedom Works and 60Plus, Fox News, right wing talk shows, to Sarah Palin, and Republican leaders. Document the advertisements shown on TV throughout the country encouraging hate and promoting lies and who was behind them.

I am terrified there will be a tragic event to someone in power fueled by this hate mongering. God forbid this happens but let there be no doubt who encouraged such violence if it happens. It is so frightening what is happening in this country.

No one says the insurance companies should not have the right to do their own fightback, or people to speak out but someone needs to stop the line crossing on festering hate. People have been had by the groups with unterior motives who are selling lies and are taking away my right to speak at a townhall meeting. Where are my first amendment rights?? These violent outbursts and effigy hangings are pure hate. It is putting people in danger.

Let someone out there put together a collage of this hate mongering.

[DRicha8374]

Jackie you got it! Get a movie done in time for the 2010 election.

[mikekev58]

Sadly, no one can be had unless there is a receptiveness to it. I believe that what underlies the fury and rage is very simply the results of the 2009 presidential election. There is no reasoning with people who believe that the kind of health care reform being debated in Congress will lead to Russian style socialism. These people claim to want "their country" back,yet they display utter ignorance as to how the country is governed and about how impossible it is for Obama or any president to ram through legislation. There are tactics that have to pressure Congress to vote for legislation, e.g. George W Bush's appeal to the last refuge of scoundrels on his war and national security issues, but in this day and age not even the President's own party is united in a vision of what true health care reform, or an energy policy, should be. I'm not happy about that, but it puts the lie to any appeal to the fear of a socialist takeover of the country. Being a bit more to the left than some, I'd welcome the public option and let the free market play out. The insurance companies seem to be doing okay supplementing Medicare and I suspect they'd find ways to offer additional coverage that the public option might not offer or make up for any negotiated fees.

[texasteph12570]

did they show the previous minutes where she was showing her sign against the rules? of course not. there is no racial overtone here.

[austin4]

Texas, go figure......."NO BRAINS"

[DRicha8374]

Does that give her the right to take it and tear it up. She should have told someone in charge about it. She was bold as hell and she better be glad they took black lady out of there before she got hold of her axx.