North Carolina Tea Party racist hangs Obama in effigy

It seems that VR Phipps, a Command member of the Tea Party from Faison, NC has a hanging truck that he is driving around the country.  The racism part comes with a combination that the person in question is Obama who is black, and the noose is a symbol of lynchings so prevalent in the 1960’s South.  Not sure why this has become news all over again since it dates all the way back to over 2 years ago and was revived for the Charlotte Sept. Democratic convention.

Phipps hanging gallows truck in New York

This incident over two years ago found Patriot Phipps driving around New York City, without the President, but with other Faison politicians Phipps claims did nothing in the murder of William Henry Phipps.  Obama was added when Phipps was unhappy with the way a federal case ended.  This is when he decided to take his show to the Charlotte convention.  WBYV in Charlotte covered the story last October with vivid pictures you can see on the link.

Faison, NC has a population of just 961 with a median income of $31,656 compared to the United States as a whole, $56,775.  The town is 47.7% white, 38.5% Hispanic and 12.8% black.  It ranks 40.2 in the cost of living index compared to the U.S. at 100.  Faison’s closest large city neighbor is Raleigh.  If ever there was a case of everyone knowing each other, it should be here.  With the majority of the population of color, you wonder about Tea Party numbers. 

Phipps claims there is nothing racist in his display, and in all fairness he did have the noose thing before adding Obama.  But anyone coming from the South must, or at least should, understand the connections between a noose and Southern racism.  I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s South and witnessed first-hand the appalling treatment of blacks.  I knew a Ku Klux Klan member and I remember his dedication to this sick cause.  To say we have fixed this is simply absurd.

You can see my posts on racism here.

As I write this post I am corresponding by email with VR Phipps about his Tea Party membership which I confirmed on his site you can see here.  Not only is he a member of the Tea Party but a part of their Command Center as well,   whatever that means.  The Phipps I am talking to claims that he is not a member of the Tea Party, although the VR Phipps I originally emailed was an address taken right from the man’s own site, which he actually asked me to explain.

More gallows from Patriot Phipps:

Maybe CNN brought this up again as a news item to remind Americans what a gang of radicals the Tea Party is, and also that there is still considerable work to be done yet on the equality of the races.  Blacks have almost taken a back seat on race issue in the last few years as the state of Arizona persecutes the Hispanics.  Between Gov. Jan Brewer, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, plus disgraced State Sen. Russell Pearce, this state is considered the most bigoted.

But there is no excuse for what VR Phipps did, even though he claims that he intended no racism.  It is disrespectful of the office of the President to hang the man in effigy.  I remember being told by my superior in the Navy, you may not respect the officer, but you aren’t saluting him, you are saluting the rank.  As much as I disagreed with George W. Bush, I would never condone that kind of action against him.  Mr. Phipps should tear down his gallows for good.

Obama in noose

By the way, I have not had an answer from my latest email to VR Phipps asking:

“Are you the VR Phipps that drove a trailer with gallows of mannequins hanging in effigy around New York City and Charlotte, NC during the Democratic Convention?  If not, there are two VR Phipps living in Faison, NC.”

Earlier emails from me with answers in chronological order from the first:

“Are you a member of the Tea Party?”

Answer: “No are you.”

“If you aren't, how do you explain this [your Tea Party] site?”

Answer: “What do you mean explain the site.

         

“Mr. Phipps, this is your page, clearly stating you are "now a member of Tea Party Command Center."  If I have to explain your own site to you we have more than a communications problem.”

Answer: “Are you a member of the Tea Party.”

“Apparently you are refusing to answer my question.  I thought Tea Party Patriots were proud of their status.  Obviously you are not.”

Answer: “No sir I do not claim to be a tea party member a Republican only.”

With that last answer, the GOP must be cringing right now.  More if I hear from Mr. Phipps.