Does a decoration with an image of Mao Tse Tung have any place on the White House Christmas tree?

As long as you have a sense of humor. Yes

Obama is our President, not a comedian.

Sure, Obama’s allowed to demonstrate humor, but like this?

How much would you bitch if he checked each ornament? I doubt he has looked at the tree for more then ten seconds.

Absolutely…if you love communism.

@Fluthermucker Is communism and genocide unAmerican enough as to have no place in the American leaders home office?

@johnpowell read the question’s description.

@proXXi I am surprised by nothing I see in Washington, D.C. anymore. A person could be a crack addicted, heroin snorting child molester who just escaped from prison while serving life without parole for killing a bus load on nuns with a machete, imitating “Buffalo Bill” Gumb with the skins of a group of kidnapped 10–12 year old Girl Scouts, and he would still be given a pass as long as he ran on the liberal platform.

LOL @Fluthermucker

Im putting the finishing touches on my Pol Pot Christmas decoration. Do you think Obama will like it?

If you were going to paint from a John Wayne Gacy photo, what one would you use?

Didn’t Jesus also believe in communism, to some degree?

His whole deal was telling us to be excellent to each other. Early Christians often gave away all of their possessions (or sold them and gave their money to the poor) and took vows of poverty as part of their adoption of the new religion.

So in a way, it is unAmerican, but sort of pro-Jesus, as long as you overlook that genocide bit. That came later in Christianity.

@laureth Genocide is a creation of the evil nature of man and is not under the sole proprietorship of Christianity. There are many fingers on the hand that points.

@Fluthermucker – Yeah, but we were talking about a CHRISTmas tree ornament, so I thought it was germane.

@laureth There is no CHRISTmas tree in the White House. It is now called the Holiday Tree, so I do not believe it is germane. French, maybe…or Chinese certainly, but not germane.

@Fluthermucker – Good point. You got me on that one. OP seems to think it’s a Christmas tree, though.

Stop believing stupid shit you get in e-mail.

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/holiday-tree-hooey/

Why are they decorating these balls in the first place? Jon Stewart to the rescue.

So, maybe the question should be “Is all the unmanaged hatred towards Obama justified in any way, or is it just racist bullshit by right wing crybabies who still can’t believe they got their asses handed to them in the first fair and uncontested election in a long long time?”

@filmfann Yep, I’m sure that’s it. When you don’t have a rational argument, whip out the race card. Works every time…just like crying “WOLF!”

Wouldn’t it be a pleasant surprise for people to engage each other about real issues in a meaningful, thoughtful, compromising way? The fact is, the Republican party has long discredited itself with these types of tactics. Flag burning, gay marriage, Willie Horton, blowjobgate Monica Lewinski, Swiftboating, Obama’s birth certificate, and many, many more. Why O’ why can’t our elected leadership spend their time on useful endeavors, rather than frivolous issues that have no correlation with the important aspect of our lives?

You know what this whole episode tells me? That the Republican leadership and talking heads (one and the same these days with Rush and Bill) assume their followers are mindless lemmings, to be driven this way and that way with idle bullshit. Meanwhile, they actively cripple any attempts at legislation but cannot produce any initiatives of their own. Indeed, many thoughtful conservative commentators have lamented this fact: that conservatism is devoid of ideas. But, woah, a Christmas tree ornament! This is it! Can people actually look themselves in the mirror after crying foul over a Christmas ornament?! Let me channel Allen Iverson “We’re talking about an ornament? An ornament….”

I’m pretty sure that’s a reproduction of one of Andy Warhol’s Mao images, anyway. My parents like to do this stuff with their aluminum Christmas tree sometimes. It’s fun. I don’t see what the big deal is.

Of course it probably isn’t true. But even if it were, it’s his house now. Not yours. He can decorate his Christmas tree however he wants. (He can also call it a holiday tree if he wants.)

@Fluthermucker Here is a link to the White House site, which refers to the National Christmas Tree, not Holiday tree. Again, this is the White House Site!

With the crap the right spews constantly being shown to be lies (Kenyan birth certificates, Obamas book ghost written by terrorist, Obama being Muslim), you have to wonder why they have gone after him so hard with no facts to back them up. Racism, sad to say, is probably a key reason.
Yes, I have Republican friends who I have heard refer the president as a nigger.
So don’t give me your race card argument. If you have something valid you don’t like about Obama, that’s fine. But don’t make up stuff to slander him.

@filmfann I haven’t said an Goddamn thing about Obama in this thread. You need to get YOUR facts straight. All my answers have been about the original question or responding to others who I may or may not agree with, plus the occasional ass-clown who doesn’t know what he’s talking about…you know the type.

You must be some kind of an artist or something…you seem to like to paint with a broad brush. That’s fine, just don’t put words in my mouth. You might get your feelings hurt like that. I’ve been nice up to this point, so let’s leave it while we can still laugh about it.

Interesting, since you were the first to say Race Card.
I never marvel at the amount of people who refuse to defend a losing argument, so I understand your withdrawl.

@filmfann Here is your answer, the one just above mine, which makes it prior to…

So, maybe the question should be “Is all the unmanaged hatred towards Obama justified in any way, or is it just racist bullshit by right wing crybabies who still can’t believe they got their asses handed to them in the first fair and uncontested election in a long long time?”

Notice the word racist in there? You fail epically.

But I am right.
And in your next card, you were the first to say Race Card.

@Fluthermucker said, and my response follows the ***:
Yes, you are right, you are always right. ***No. Just ask my wife.
You have never, ever been wrong, not once in your life. ***No. Just ask my wife and coworkers.
All Republicans are racist scum. ***I didn’t say all. I said many conservative. Don’t put words in my mouth.
All white people are racist scum. ***That would include me, so no.
I am racist scum. ***I don’t know you.
Now will you fuck off? ***No.

Holy Shit!!

@filmfann might, might add some political and attitudinal balance to this site after long last…

Gentle tip @filmfann:

Off topic posts are supposed to be in whisper.

@proXXi, this discussion is based on a blurry picture in a tabloid source. You might as well ask why Obama gets to be president when he’s born in Kenya and his father is a space alien.

[mod says] Personal attacks are not permitted, and have been removed. Flame off, folks.

(Checks Fluther guidelines for policy regarding blurry pictures in a tabloid source).

@Qingu

Okay, let’s say it is a tabloid put on.

The point is with Obama (based on his policies and associates) I wouldn’t be suprised that he might do such a thing.

I’d cautiously assume the news item was legitimate until I heard otherwise.

I wouldn’t assume it was true if the story was about President Eisenhower or Reagan.

Can you imagine them with their anti- communist reputations pulling such a stunt, making such a statement?

Besides, I’d imagine that they understand the concept of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.

With Obama, I’m not so sure.

The bottom line? Obama does not inspire my confidence.

Um, what the fuck ever.

It’s an ornament, and one that looks to be quite a bit on the pop art side of things. Disclaimer: Popular images may be used.

Oh noez! Run for the hills! We’re all gonna be communists with piss poor jokes because of an ornament!

This shit is what I really hate about the people in this country.

And tell me why a drag queen is as big and bad as Mao? Fucking ridiculous.
People who are offended by someone else’s ornaments need to chill the fuck out, even if it is a symbol to you – it’s one of how many trees? And how many more ornaments are there that could potentially offend you?

Dear god, being like that must be exhausting.

Must defend The Messiah at all costs, must not waver, must not think for myself.

@proXXi, you said Okay, let’s say it is a tabloid put on.

You don’t have to say anything. Your source is a blurry picture in a tabloid. You have no proof whatsoever that Obama is actually putting that picture on his Christmas tree.

Just because you find something on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true. I don’t know how to make this any clearer. Find a legitimate source and then we can have this discussion.

@proXXi Try Huff-Po, or MSNBC. They are two of the most trustworthy sources of information relating to the current administration.

Must be a lemming, must be a lemming. Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaaaaaaaaaaaa (oops).

Also, how come none of the right wingers have addressed my point above? Is it because, deep-down, you realize just how ridiculous the whole thing is, or rather that that amount of insight is impossible owing to early onset RDS (Republican Dementia Syndrome)?

LOL

ProXXi’s Law: If you agree with ones ideology that ideology the result of careful individual consideration. If you disagree with ones ideology it’s the result of blindly following the herd.

Nice try all. I didn’t say word one about Limbaugh.

One doesn’t have to believe the story to merely pose the question. Did you even pay attention to how my question was worded?

Oh @asmonet, sorry to disappoint you but I’m not perpetually handwringing over this issue. I know you want to believe I am because that would make my concern somehow less legitimate, at least in your mind.

Also, I never said I was offended by the alleged placement of the ornament. I’m merely concerned because Mao’s ideology and that of the American President should be more or less opposite.

Allow me to ask you this: Of all the offices one can occupy, public and private, in what one is the image of a communist murderer less appropriate than that of the President?

I know many of you are incredibly open minded, so very enlightened and that concern about potential issues such as this are beneath you.

What can I say?

@proXXi

It’s pop art, guy, not a shrine to communism. Relax. Hanging an ornament of Mao’s face on a Christmas tree doesn’t make Obama a communist. There is no correlation whatsoever. To conclude so or to take it as positive evidence of communistic sentiment in the White House is absolutely silly. It’s a logical leap. It makes no sense. And it indicates an eagerness or willingness to either be offended or to align the President with ideals that are easy to hate.

It’s clear you’re not an Obama supporter (correct me if I’m wrong), and that’s fine, but you’re griping about decorations. It’s frivolous.

@proXXi, if I see a tabloid alleging that George Bush had sex with aliens, it would be stupid to ask the question “did George Bush have sex with aliens?”

It would be stupid to ask such a question regardless of whether my rabid liberal political beliefs allow that George Bush might have sex with aliens. The reason it would be stupid is because I got this information in a tabloid and tabloids are not a valid source.

If you want to talk about whether of not Obama is a socialist, then you should start a new question. That would also be a stupid question, since he’s not a socialist, but it would be stupid for another reason.

If it is a shrine to Socialism, it’s a crappy shrine. I would expect better from a true devotee of Socialism (if he were, which he’s not) than a tiny picture on part of an ornament.

I suspect that if someone were actively wishing Obama were more Socialistic, they’d criticize him for not doing a particularly good job at promoting it than sticking a Mao ornament on a tree.