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US Health Care Vote Prompts Slurs, Spitting from Protesters

   VOA News 21 March 2010

Photo: AP

   Rep.  John  Lewis, D-Ga., is questioned by reporters about an incident
   involving  tea  party demonstrators as he leaves a speech by President
   Obama  to  House Democrats on Saturday, March 20, 2010 on Capitol Hill
   in Washington

   Hundreds  of  protesters  gathered  outside  the  U.S.  Capitol and in
   congressional  office  buildings  Saturday,  shouting against proposed
   health care legislation.
   Two  African  American  congressmen,  Andre Carson of Indiana and John
   Lewis  from Georgia, were subjected to racial epithets from protesters
   as  they left the Capitol after hearing President Barack Obama deliver
   a last-minute address promoting the health care bill.
   Congressman   James   Clyburn   of   South   Carolina,   who   is  the
   highest-ranking  African  American  official  in  Congress,  told  The
   Washington  Post  that  he  heard things from Saturday's demonstrators
   that  he  had not heard "since March 15, 1960" when he was - as he put
   it - "marching to get off the back of the bus."
   Another  black  congressman,  Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, said he was
   spat on by protesters.
   Barney   Frank,   a  congressman  from  Massachusetts  who  is  openly
   homosexual, was badgered with anti-gay remarks from the demonstrators.
   A  spokesman for Cleaver said the congressman is "disappointed that in
   the 21st century (the) national discourse has devolved to the point of
   name-calling and spitting."

   Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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