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Ingraham on Van Jones: "an avowed communist ... calls himself a communist"

September 02, 2009 10:27 pm ET

From the September 2 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

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    • Author by mk3872 (September 02, 2009 10:41 pm ET)
      9 2
      Did calling people "communist" fade out along with bell-bottoms and disco? Seems awfully dated and ineffective.
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    • Author by DAWUSS (September 02, 2009 10:48 pm ET)
      6 1
      Something off with that outfit she's wearing...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by eweston8542983 (September 02, 2009 11:23 pm ET)
        5 1
        The colors are near complimentary. Is she in danger of having a wardrobe malfunction?
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        • Author by snoopy (September 02, 2009 11:53 pm ET)
          8 2
          I'm surprised the cross didn't make the outfit burst into flames...
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          • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 3:31 am ET)
            5  
            Where did she make the jump from "avowed communist" (which she didn't provide any proof of) to "people who don't like this country"?

            I was asking one of the wingnuts here recently to back up his claim that Jones is a "self-described communist", and predictably, I got nothing.

            I've seen much more hatred of American values from self-described Republicans than communists in my lifetime,why doesn't Ingraham care about them?
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            • Author by usmcphrog46 (September 03, 2009 6:11 am ET)
              1 6
              I am not a "wingnut", but this might be what they were refering to. It was an article posted in the Easy Bay Express Nov. 2, 2005. This excerpt comes after Jones was arrested in San Francisco after the Rodney King verdict.
              --
              Jones had planned to move to Washington, DC, and had already landed a job and an apartment there. But in jail, he said, "I met all these young radical people of color -- I mean really radical, communists and anarchists. And it was, like, 'This is what I need to be a part of.'" Although he already had a plane ticket, he decided to stay in San Francisco. "I spent the next ten years of my life working with a lot of those people I met in jail, trying to be a revolutionary." In the months that followed, he let go of any lingering thoughts that he might fit in with the status quo. "I was a rowdy nationalist on April 28th, and then the verdicts came down on April 29th," he said. "By August, I was a communist."
              --
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              • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (September 03, 2009 8:26 am ET)
                5  
                And, as was pointed out to you when you posted this non-supporting article on the other thread, the operative word is "was," meaning past tense. The claim that has not yet been supported by any of you is that Jones is currently a communist, not that he was one.
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              • Author by IRONY 101 (September 03, 2009 8:29 am ET)
                5  
                What I read was that Jones was observing the Rodney King protests in connection with his employment when he was arrested. He was quickly released without charges being brought against him.
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                • Author by usmcphrog46 (September 03, 2009 10:15 am ET)
                  1 3
                  Easy, I never posted this article anywhere else. I was just showing what people are using for that argument. Is and was, gotcha. I'm taking Van Jones on his word. Can you provide a source where Van Jones seperates himself from these comments? I would appreciate it and thanks.

                  You are correct Irony, Jones was never convicted of any crime.
                  Report Abuse
              • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 1:31 pm ET)
                3 1
                Thanks, USMCPhrog. I was really wondering what the most recent examples were, but nobody came up with anything that wasn't long before Jones wrote his very capitalist book about green collar private sector jobs (last year).

                Not that I would care if he did currently call himself a communist, I was just curious as to what the media rightys were freaking out over.
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            • Author by IRONY 101 (September 03, 2009 7:58 am ET)
              8 1
              I'll take a sane, rational Communist over a typical right wing nut case lunatic any day of the week. At least you can have an intelligent discussion with a Communist.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 1:37 pm ET)
                3 1
                Same here, Irony. I've spoken with communists and neocons in my life, and I heard a lot more common sense and reality-based opinions from the commies than from the extreme wingnuts.

                Of course, it's not a matter of somebody being a member of, or associated with, members of any communist party, it's about a century or so of taking the most horrible examples of groups around the world calling themselves communists, and hammering that view into the psyches of Americans.

                And I know trying to discuss this with today's far right Republican is about as productive as talking about drug legislation with somebody whose education on the subject begins and ends with Reefer madness.
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        • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 3:34 am ET)
          6 1
          I'm no fashion expert, but her outfit does look like a cross between a fast food uniform and an Easter basket.

          Probably focus group-tested on wingnuts as "familiar and trustworthy".
          Report Abuse
          • Author by puppienrainbows (September 03, 2009 10:07 am ET)
            1 2
            Her colors match your avatar colors, Col. You,her?
            Report Abuse
            • Author by bintx (September 03, 2009 12:15 pm ET)
              2 1
              Cogent response . . . not.
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            • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 1:39 pm ET)
              2 1
              Obviously, P&R, you can't tell the difference between my vibrant bloody crimson and her weak-kneed, right wing magenta, nor between my powerful goldenrod and her flaccid pastel-jaundice wingnut yellow.

              Report Abuse
    • Author by lagoamour (September 03, 2009 12:57 am ET)
      3 17
      are you offended because she has an obvious point. is that why most of the comments are on her clothes. WAKE UP!!!! You cant deny truth forever
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      • Author by jjamele2880 (September 03, 2009 6:44 am ET)
        6 1
        Her point is so "obvious" that you don't feel compelled to "repeat" it here, I notice.

        The usual drive-by critique of the right wing- "You're just mad because she's right I'm out of here" bit is getting really old.
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      • Author by IRONY 101 (September 03, 2009 7:56 am ET)
        8 1
        No, I am offended that this radical right wing, anti-American idiot, Laura Ingraham, is afforded a public forum to spew her incindiary garbage...AND she has no sense of style, either. in her selection of clothes.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (September 03, 2009 12:16 pm ET)
        3 1
        She has NO obvious point . . . that's why people are focusing on her clothes.

        No one here is denying the truth, we're just denying the nonsense on Fox. WAKE UP!!!!!! They are LYING to you, you are BELIEVING them, and they are LAUGHING at you!
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    • Author by Luis81 (September 03, 2009 4:51 am ET)
      8 1
      Weren't there avowed communists who helped plan and organize the march on D.C. with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?

      I wonder if Ingraham would oppose that as well.

      Please,the "RED SCARE" is over,and from the looks of it so is the Republican party.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by wolf kotenberg (September 03, 2009 6:16 am ET)
      8 1
      This terminology ( Communist, Nazi, socialist,I am a right wing terrrorrrist ) is being spoken with such facility that it is becoming part of daily language, completely ignoring the seriousness of the consequences for calling felow americans such vile and untrue accusatrions. Seems like God has a special place for those and it is called FOX News. There are consequences and this is serious.
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      • Author by fairliberal (September 03, 2009 9:55 am ET)
        2 12
        How did you feel about all of the lefties using the same terminology for the last 8 years and those who continue today. I guess it is OK for them, after all they are on your side. Free pass.

        Not to mention the stupid racism claims.
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        • Author by wolf kotenberg (September 03, 2009 10:20 am ET)
          7 2
          I never heard anyone call Bush 43 a communist, a socialist, or a Nazi or a right wing terrorrist. I hear monkey, buffoon, idiot, alcoholic and other names, but nothing like i am hearing today. Your knee jerk reaction to my posting was expected and not new for those mesmerised by the GOP allinces and put in a trance by those personalities at FOX.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by bintx (September 03, 2009 12:19 pm ET)
          3 2
          Never called Bush any of those things . . . incompetent and intellectually incurious pretty much covered it.

          As for the racist claims . . . Bush's actions during and following the aftermath of Katrina pretty much gave rise to those claims.

          BTW, are you sad? Your hunka hunka is on vacation.
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      • Author by historygeek001 (September 03, 2009 12:31 pm ET)
        3 1
        Wolf: You're exactly right, and I think that is part of the goal of the wingnuts; they want people to associate "Democrat" with their lies without regard to accuracy or reality. They are labeling their opponents with names that they know are bad without regard for what the names actually mean or whether they are accurate ("Islamofascist" is a contradiction in terms, you can't be both a devout Muslim and fascist; they call Obama both fascist and communist, which is also contradictory; this shows that they either don't understand what they are saying or are openly lying or both.) Their response to anybody pointing out the fact that these claims are false is typically something like "Yeah, well, you guys do it, too!" which not only does not address the point but is untrue. This is propaganda, pure and simple.
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    • Author by IRONY 101 (September 03, 2009 7:41 am ET)
      6 1
      Uhhh...I might have missed it but when did Van Jones call for the dissolution of the United States of America? All I've heard from Mr. Jones, in the clips played by FOX, are examples of sound realism. If we are forced to tolerate right wing Republicans in office I don't see why we can't tolerate a Communist serving in government, too. After all, this America...
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      • Author by vljores (September 03, 2009 10:16 am ET)
        5 1
        the reason why Fox news and Glen Beck are going after VAN Jones is because he is the founder of the group, that is responsible for Beck losing 57 sponsors.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by foghornleghorn (September 03, 2009 11:39 am ET)
          3  
          We have a winner!!!
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        • Author by bintx (September 03, 2009 12:20 pm ET)
          3 1
          Ah, but Van Jones hasn't been associated with that group since 2007.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by historygeek001 (September 03, 2009 12:33 pm ET)
          3  
          I would say that Beck himself is responsible for losing those sponsors, but you're right; they only want to attack him because of the loss of sponsors.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by danlevin10 (September 03, 2009 10:28 am ET)
      1 5
      He is a communist. What's the problem with this video?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (September 03, 2009 12:21 pm ET)
        4 1
        Well, Bush surrounded himself with neo-conservatives [not conservatives] in his administration. Neo-cons adhere to the teachings of Leo Trotsky, a Marxist.

        Guess it takes all kinds, huh?
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      • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (September 03, 2009 1:58 pm ET)
        3 1
        What's the problem with this video?

        Glad you asked, danlevin. Most of us here assume it's obvious, but never feel embarrassed to ask if you don't understand something. That's how you learn.

        Check out the beginning of the video, where Ingraham is babbling about people who don't like this country, don't like the way we do business, don't like our traditions, blah blah blah...

        Who do you think she's talking about? does she offer any facts to back this up?

        The answer is, no. She's just making stuff up to confuse the dim-witted Fox / BilldO Reilly audience. She simply moves on to Van Jones, and describes him as an avowed communist.

        The Pavlovian response to this, from her target audience, is to see images of Marx and Lenin and Mao (not to mention confused images of non-communists like Stalin, Hitler and Obama), and to revert to the Red Scare newsreels they saw back when they were in their 20s (in the 1950s).

        Now the Fox audience believes they've been "informed" that Van Jones doesn't like America, and is pretty much the same as Pol Pot.

        And just in case you've retained some critical thinking, or are skeptical, in spite of years of watching Fox, Ingraham pronounces "avowed" with three syllables to make sure you know she's extra-fancy smart.

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    • Author by scubcap647 (September 03, 2009 10:43 am ET)
      2 2
      This woman is a horrible individual. She represents everything that's wrong with her kind of American. She's getting into the swing of calling everyone who isn't a Reaganite a communist (And I thought the Red Scare ended in the 80s). She rails against immigrants even though the US as a nation has always been a country of immigrants. She adopts a little girl from Central America. Then she's proud of the fact that she has stripped the little girl of her native culture by boasting how "Maria doesn't even speak spanish anymore". She then goes on to call any idea of internationalism (different cultures coexisting peacefully) "a bunch of crap". She calls the president's "stay in school" speech next week "indoctrination" and "crap". She gets mad that Obama had a dinner for Ramadan (something Bush did as well) and wonders if he'll offer Catholics (not Christians as a whole) the same thing for lent (even though Christmas seems to be the Christian holiday that is celebrated with a dinner at the White House). Then she'll cap all of that off with a "What would Jesus do" moment.
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    • Author by williaminny (September 03, 2009 11:24 am ET)
      2  
      Van Jones said it himself. That is what, "avowed
      communist," means. He said it himself. He is on video,
      saying it.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by commiesmurf (September 03, 2009 12:02 pm ET)
      2 2
      The problem is not whether or not Jones is/was a communist. The problem is presenting it as a smear. Why not invite Jones on to explain his own background? Fox clowns complain about attempts to silence them, but that is exactly what this red-baiting is designed to do.
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