We Must Stop All This Clowning Around

By now there's been plenty written and said about Clowngate. I'm a little late coming to the party.

I don't have much to add in the way of profound insights or penetrating analysis that hasn't been put out there by others. I do, however, feel compelled to say something about the unbelievable ignorance and hypocrisy of the left, if only for my own peace of mind. What follows is more a stream-of-consciousness download than a reasoned and structured essay. It's also more for my benefit than yours, although I hope you get something out of it.

First of all, let's get the terminology straight. The proper term is not "rodeo clown," but rather "bullfighter."

Today's bullfighters, descendants of what used to be called rodeo clowns, need to persevere. While the job has enjoyed an image upgrade in recent years ... it's kept its almost primeval purpose: Serve as a bodyguard for bull riders who've been thrown or hopped from bulls after their eight-second rides.

One of the reasons I respect and appreciate bullfighters is because I have a 42-year-old son who, in his younger days, like most 20-something males thought he was immortal. He chose to celebrate his immortality by riding bulls in jackpot rodeos. (A jackpot rodeo is a small, informal affair where the participants throw a few bucks into a kitty. The top performers split the pot.)

One night he got thrown, trampled, and hooked by a bull. Fortunately there was an amateur bullfighter on hand who distracted the beast while sonny-boy staggered from the arena. His injuries: a dislocated shoulder, fractured ribs, and facial lacerations. He still has scars on his face today from his up close and personal encounter with 1500 pounds of pissed-off t-bone steaks. But it would have been much, much worse if not for the bullfighter.

Now for the hypocrisy. I'm sure the same folks who are indigent over the obama dummy incident would be equally outraged if any other president had been treated likewise.

Oh, wait...

The big white gate flew open. The bull came out bucking. The rider flopped from side to side and the bullfighters held back, letting the bull make his moves until the rider dropped off ... A dummy with a George Bush mask stood beside the clown, propped up by a broomstick. (emphasis added)

(The bull) dispatched his rider before the mandatory eight seconds. Now he stood tall, his head up, looking for something to charge.

Then the bull saw the George Bush dummy.

He tore into it, sending the rubber mask flying halfway across the sand...

That happened during a rodeo in 1994. I know I'm getting old and forgetful, but I don't seem to recall an eruption of outrage over that incident.

Neither do I recall any complaints from the left over the following images (H/T The Frugal Cafe.)

Can you imagine the furor if Bush was replaced by obama in this picture?

Or if Michelle Obama was portrayed in the same way as Condoleezza Rice was in this image?

Many on the left will argue that the obama incident is different, because he is black.

The Missouri chapter of the NAACP demanded an FBI investigation of the perpetrator. Mary Ratliff, the head of the NAACP's chapter in Missouri, called the incident “a hate crime, pure and simple. We need the FBI to investigate before this type of denigration of the President becomes common.”

This isn't the first time a presidential mask has shown up at a rodeo. Back in 1994 a dummy wearing a George Bush mask was gored by a bull while the crowd cheered.

“It's not the same,” Ratliff argued. “Bush is white and by 1994 he was already an ex-president. So it couldn't have been a hate crime and it certainly didn't threaten a sitting president. The FBI has got to protect President Obama from all threats. They may seem trivial to some, but he's the most important person in the world. We can't risk even the slightest danger to his well-being. Such a blatant show of disrespect says it's okay to oppose the President and try to block what he's doing for the country. That's what we need to discourage.”

Now that your blood pressure is spiking, I should tell you that the above story is satire. But if you're like me, when you first read it you took it at face value. That's because we've reached the point where any criticism of obama is immediately labelled as racism by the media and professional racists.

As for the role of the mainstream media in all this, well, I've long since given up any hope of 'fair and balanced' reporting or analysis.

And of course there are the usual idiots who feel compelled to show their support for barry, no matter what.

At times like this there's not much to say. All I can do is repeat the old cowboy saying:

"Let's go, let's show, let's rodeo!"

(H/T to the Earl of Taint for the image.)