Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) kicked off House floor for wearing 'hoodie'

[Ian David]

Source: The Hill

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) on Wednesday morning was asked to leave the House floor after removing his suit jacket to reveal a "hoodie," then putting the hood of his sweatshirt on his head to protest the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida. A photo of Rush can be seen here.

"Racial profiling has to stop," Rush said. "Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum." Rush also put on sunglasses.

Rush quoted the Bible while presiding officer Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) repeatedly interrupted him, then asked the Sergeant at Arms to enforce the House prohibition on hats in the chamber.

The chair must remind members that clause 5 of rule 17 prohibits the wearing of hats in the chamber when the House is in session," Harper said after Rush left. "The chair finds that the donning of a hood is not consistent with this rule. Members need to remove their hoods or leave the floor."



Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/218691-rep-bobby-rush-kicked-off-house-floor-for-wearing-hoodie

[mopinko]

1. great to hear bobby has his fight back.

thank you, sir.

[DrDan]

2. why do I get the feeling that should he had put on a Chicago Bears hat he would have received an

ovation rather than this censure

[RufusTFirefly]

3. But what if it were white and pointy?

I bet that would've been OK.

[Ikonoklast]

4. Poor Gregg Harper got frightened.

"We hunt liberal, tree-hugging Democrats, although it does seem like a waste of good ammunition."

- Congressman Gregg Harper.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Guess Gregg Harper really thinks the south will rise again.

[closeupready]

6. I think that was a terrrific way to nonviolently protest.

K&R

[polichick]

14. Agreed!

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Thank you, Rep. Rush. He's a standup guy.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. "Gregg Harper (R-Miss.)"...

not sure which is less surprising- the "R" or the "Miss". K&R.

[jtuck004]

9. Separate ain't equal, but together seems maybe not so hot for the black man either.

Good job, Mr. Rush, though you needed more support. How big is the visitor's chamber...and the hallways, spilling out on the sidewalk, thousands of people in hoodies... I hope there are other ideas coming to keep this up front.

I need a pic of the white house in a hoodie......gotta find my paint shop pro.

"Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum."


I mean, if we aren't going to directly confront and acknowledge the racism, we might as well address the dog-whistles and symbols.

.

[KamaAina]

10. There seems to be a pattern emerging here

the last time the prohibition against hats on the House floor was enforced was against Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL17).



See what I mean?

[PADemD]

12. Every time I see her hat, I think of Sally Starr.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsw5lritF-L07CDFHvUc2hs4Q6TnqDoCTaU6tYyZn109Lfk1PfFQ

[HotRodTuna]

11. Same thing happened yesterday at Houston City Council

Councilman Davis was wearing one but then dropped it, I didn't catch if they told him it was a violation or not. He did keep wearing the sweatshirt throughout the meeting though.

Hoodies have been around forever, but can we at least aknowledge that criminals of all stripes love hoodies? Remeber the Cheshire murders? One of the perps mothers knew he was up to no good when he left the house wearing his black hooded sweatshirt that he always wore when committing crimes. I mean, let's be honest here.

When reading the transcript of the girlfriend's conversation with Martin he was expressing concern that someone was following him and that he was going put on his hoodie and try and ditch him. I though at the time, man, that's about the worst idea ever. Take the hoodie off, go out and and talk to the person and end the issue. Act like you belong and have nothing to hide.

What he didn't know was that he was about to whoop a boy that had a gun and couldn't deal with getting a good 'ol butt kicking. Which is why getting in fights is so dangerous, you never know what you're going to run into.

[uppityperson]

13. Are you saying Trayvon was about to "whoop a boy", Zimmerman? T shouldn't have started the fight?

Please clarify. Thank you.

[HotRodTuna]

20. However it started, they got in a fight

and Martin won, at least the fistfight part. That was my point.

[uppityperson]

21. What makes you say that Martin won the fist fight?

That may have been your point, but you words "he was about to whoop a boy" indicate that a 17 yr old was about to beat up a "boy" who was in reality no boy at all but a man who'd been stalking him.

Where do you get your assertion that Martin "won" the fistfight?

[HotRodTuna]

23. boy was not meant to be taken literally, just slang I guess

I'd say the fact that the witness statements that there were two men fighting, with Zimmerman apparently on the ground with injuries to the back of his head and a broken nose tells me Martin was winning the fight, which abruptly ended when he got shot.

Unless you're suggesting that Zimmerman beat him down in a fistfight, then just capped him for good measure? I'd say it's more likely the looser would feel the need to reach for a gun than the winner. Depends on your worldview I guess.

Just going off news coverage, I wasn't there.

[uppityperson]

24. You mean the guy that was told not to follow the kid? Him? Why ever would he have felt he

needed to shoot him? Him?

Witnesses give reorts both ways.

Thank you for clarifying your usage of "boy".

[TBF]

26. You weren't there yet you have all these details to share.

If you were walking along with ice tea and skittles, and an adult approached you with a gun would you fight? Is it wrong for the child to defend himself in such a situation?

[TBF]

15. The only hoodies I can definitely associate with a bad element are these:

Is that what you're referring to?

[HotRodTuna]

22. You're right, a hooded sweatshirt has never been used to disguise ones identity

during the commision of a crime. My bad.

I guess this was just a conicidence the other day down here in Houston. FYI this has only happened about a dozen times over the last few months. And, after a quick search, the baseball hat/scarf combo seems just as popular as the hoodie.

"The two hammer-swinging men wore dark clothing, hooded sweatshirts and gloves. No description of the other suspect was available."

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Video-of-pawn-shop-smash-and-grab-robbery-3388357.php

[TBF]

25. You didn't answer my question did you? Why is that?

I most certainly did give you an example of a hoodie worn while committing a crime.

Care to pass along any other right-wing mythology while you're visiting?

[Ian David]

18. Bogus Trend of the Day: NYC Criminals Wear Yankee Caps!

Bogus Trend of the Day: NYC Criminals Wear Yankee Caps!
The New York Times discovers a spurious connection between New York Yankees garb and crime.

My diligent pack of bogus-trend-spotters started filling my inbox with their latest find last night as the New York Times published on the Web its report that many of the city's suspected criminals wear New York Yankee caps or garb ("Crime Blotter Has a Regular: Yankees Caps," Sept. 16).

Here's the nut graf from the piece, which the Times put on Page One of its print edition:

A curious phenomenon has emerged at the intersection of fashion, sports and crime: dozens of men and women who have robbed, beaten, stabbed and shot at their fellow New Yorkers have done so while wearing Yankees caps or clothing.

Breathtaking stuff, eh? But just two grafs later, the Times expresses why nobody should be surprised that some criminal suspects drape themselves in Yankee merchandise. While it's not unusual for a bogus trend story to recant its own premise, I can't recall one climbing down this quickly. The Times reports:

In some ways, it is not surprising that Yankees attire is worn by both those who abide by the law and those who break it. The Yankees are one of the most famous franchises in sports, and their merchandise is widely available and hugely popular.


More:
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/press_box/2010/09/bogus_trend_of_the_day_nyc_criminals_wear_yankee_caps.html

[Loudmxr]

16. I weep for my country with these people in control.

Money is freedom of speech but a hoodie is not.

They are amoral theocratic authoritarians.

I didn't realize he was black. Which reminds me:

The conservatives just don't like black people.

Updated for Mel Brooks a Jew who they don't like either.

[LynneSin]

17. He should have brought in Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea to share with everyone

great job!

[hamsterjill]

19. You have my respect, Mr. Rush

Sometimes it takes a brave act to truly wake people up.

Mr. Harper, in my opinion, you made a complete fool of yourself.

[Harry Monroe]

27. Technically, the hood on the sweatshirt of a "hoodie" is not a hat

Since it is attached to the garment.