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Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Why not just say what the comments were?…

Concerns have been raised over potentially racist comments made by a bystander immediately after Gov. Bruce Rauner’s visit to Decatur on Wednesday afternoon.

As the governor finished his talk and walked away, a loud argument broke out in the crowd between several protesters and other attendees at the event.

The protesters and others later raised concerns about the argument, which revolved around potential cuts to the child care assistance program and perceived racist comments about those who receive public aid, and that Rauner did not acknowledge or react to those comments.

A spokeswoman for Rauner, when asked about the incident later, said the governor did not hear the comments and does not condone racist behavior.

According to other reporters who were there, the man in question is a well-known local tea partier who was wearing a blue Rauner t-shirt and one of those “patriot hats.” He was confronting Annie Yarbary, whom we discussed earlier today.

* Thanks to Hannah Meisel at WILL, we have audio of the full exchange. It gets a tad graphic at the end, so beware if you’re in an office where that sort of thing is frowned upon…

Click to listen

It’s kinda difficult to hear, but it’s your standard tea party stuff about how parents should be taking care of children instead of the government, and something about having 100 kids.

52 Comments

- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:45 am:
==potentially racist comments==

Is that like a ==half==?

- Very Fed Up - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:47 am:
Cutting childcare assistance is awful and shameful of the tea party. Allows single parents to work and contribute to the taxbase rather than rely on welfare.

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:49 am:
This is where I don’t fit anywhere.

I believe in fiscal responsibility
I believe that people should be allowed to have whatever size family they want
I believe that the Government should help in areas that can’t be done by the family
I believe that religious and other charitable organizations have a role to play
I believe that parents should have responsibility over their children but that they should not have to do it alone

This is not 1776. Financial matters are much harder today. Families can’t just find a piece of land out west and die if they get sick.

I also believe in public libraries

- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:52 am:
I get a kick out of the goofs who parade around in the tri-corner hats.

The “Founders” that they constantly invoke would be appalled that such huckleberries had the right to vote.

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:56 am:
The audio doesn’t work

- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:58 am:
The audio works for me on two computers.

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:59 am:
What were the comments?

Did not hear anything.

- Emily Booth - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:59 am:
I got a chuckle out of “wipe your a**”. Tell it like it is.

- Out Here In The Middle - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
Anonymous @ 11:49. +1, sir!

- Macbeth - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
Audio works fine.

- Joe M - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
In real life there are people who need assistance. If they do not get the assistance they need, we are failing as a society. Giving them assistance is the right thing to do.

And if that argument doesn’t impress those like the man in the audio, then there is also the point that not providing people with the assistance they need, will end up costing us more in the long run. For example, If a single parent can not get child care, then they can not go to work. If they can not go to work, they will require even more expensive assistance. Or not giving the poor adequate medical care through Medicaid, will just drive them to the more expensive emergency room. There are many more examples.

- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
Anonymous - it could be your browser or settings if you can’t hear it.

All three of them sound rude, passive aggressive and abrasive in that segment.

That is not what I expected.

- real one - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
Well my daughter who has several master degree’s owns a daycare in a large city. She is there everyday and uses her education a private sector experience daily. Her point on CCAP. The program subsidizes corporations. The women work and the mega companies do not pay close to poverty level. The #1 employer in the USA is one of them. So get mad yes. But not at citizens.

- Not Rich - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:14 pm:
Audio works fine if you have Adobe..FYI

- alas - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
he might or might not have heard the remarks but he is actively provoking the jerks who make such remarks to do so. By me, he can’t get distance that easily.

- Juvenal - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
The governor’s wife heads an organization that is one of the largest providers of childcare assistance in the state.

His response is underwhelming, bordering on cowardly.

Someone should call the Ounce of Prevention Fund for their reaction.

- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:31 pm:
The editor of the Decatur paper is probably shocked to learn that some parents and seniors might benefit from state programs.

- Josie - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
==I believe that people should be allowed to have whatever size family they want
I believe that the Government should help in areas that can’t be done by the family==

I believe the government should help because children are suffering who asked for exactly zero of the hand dealt to them. But for those parents out there expanding families with little or no regard for whether or not they are ill-equipped to care for the children without significant public assistance, it is unconscionable in my opinion. Sometimes I wonder if slashing benefits greatly would - while at the expense of children and families in short term - shape long term behaviors in a way that more prudence is taken around decisions that lead to new life, thereby increasing quality of life generally and less government assistance needed. Probably only in the subgroup of people actually intending to have a child. And even then…sigh.

- A guy - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
Not terribly enlightened on either side of this argument. Sad part is that there are legitimate arguments on both sides; just not being well articulated in this case. The exact noise we need to rise above in order to solve anything.

- A Jack - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
The tea party seems to have lost its way. i thought they were about lowering middle class taxes, but now they seem to be about lowering middle class wages.

- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
The recent brouhaha involving the Brookfield Zoo and one its employees should shed some light. An employee put up some offensive comments and pictures on her Facebook page. Zoo patrons and supporters demanded action, and Brookfield Zoo responded. But people also understood that Zoo management can only control the staff so much. The same goes for supporters of an elected official or candidate. It is NOT helpful for a Rauner supporter to use that kind of hyperbole, but it also hurts the daycare provider who not only throws it back in his face but then decides to take it at least one step further and bring everything else into the mix. No one “won” that little detente.

- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
You can control who you support, but you can’t control those who support you.

- K3 - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
Derka derrrrrrr!

- Fred - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
@k3. I see the children have shown up.

- A guy - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
=== Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:56 pm:

You can control who you support,===

Well, 67 out of 71 I guess. Or thereabouts. lol

- Anonin' - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:21 pm:
TeamBungle spox confirm the Governor did not hear…..(marking the 150th straight day BVR heard nothin’ around him)

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 12:55 pm:

What were the comments?

- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
1:25 - she launches into a tirade about several other state expenditures. FKA also noted above that both daycare providers were equally as terse and argumentative as the “TEA Party” person.

- HangingOn - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
==those parents out there expanding families with little or no regard for whether or not they are ill-equipped to care for the children==

Some of those people *were* equipped at one time to care for those children. And believe me, it only takes 1 child to make you need assistance. I was on it after I left my ex, until I got the job with the state 2 years ago. And if the contract doesn’t get straightened out, guess who’s going to be right back on it. Along with many other state workers I know. That will sure help the economy.

Not all people in the system sit around having kids and watching soap operas. Many actually work.

And just because you think you have the means doesn’t mean you do. Stuff happens. I think it’s a law, penned by some guy named Murphy….

- Worth It - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 1:54 pm:
I could not hear any racist statements, is this the full audio? Perhaps I missed something (seriously) with all of the yelling and poor audio. If not, why is the headline still pushing the lead of “potentially racist” comments by some dude no one knows being accused of racist comments he apparently did not actually say?

- A guy - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
MIght’ve lost me at the “get me one of those leaflets” part. Takes some of the spontaneity out of it, dontyathink?

- horse w/ no name - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:17 pm:
I believe people need to fix their own audio without commenter assistance. This country was built on self-sufficiency dammit!

- Soccermom - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
Oh, Josie.

Should we make it against the law for men to make promises before a child is conceived that they will not keep after the child is born?

Should we make it illegal for a company to lay off an employee who has a family?

Should we force all expectant mothers to undergo testing and, if necessary, termination to ensure that children with expensive disabilities do not come into this world?

And if accident or illness befall a family member, should we have them humanely put down? Or, if the tragedy befalls the breadwinner, should the whole family be exterminated to avoid unreasonable financial demands on the greater society?

I want to live in your world — one in which nothing tragic and unexpected ever happens. Because my world is nothing like that.

- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:32 pm:
Is there video of the “interaction” between Ms. Yarbary and Mr. Tricorne?

- Lt. Guv. - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:43 pm:
“A guy” nails it. There’s validity and culpability on all sides. Should unfettered behavior that results in the birth of innocents be acceptable? Well, not to damn the children, but clearly we need more education about birth control, responsibility, consequences, etc.

On the other hand, should we ever damn that innocent child for the misbehavior of any parent? No, they had nothing to do with it and if we’re ever to advance as a society, we must bring everyone who’s willing along with us.

Therefore, the conundrum and the vexing issue that will not go away. Ask Daniel Patrick Moynhan.

- Ghost - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 2:57 pm:
to me it is very simple…. How we treat those in need defines our society…. Are we Rome and pre-revolution France? There is a reason for the saying that those who do not study the past are condemend to repeat it…

- Waldi1 - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
Yes, some people have learned to game the welfare system - but then some people and corporations have learned to game the tax system. Personally, I would rather flush a few tax bucks on the undeserving that see some kid starve.

- Waldi1 - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
Sorry - I meant to say would rather flush a few tax bucks on the undeserving THAN (or is it THEN) see some kid starve.

- real one - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:19 pm:
800 pound gorilla no one wants to face. Jobs put peopole on aid. Jobs pay poverty wages. Oil co. make 60+billion per qtr. The worker gets paid min. wage while greed prevails. Then these companies get tax dollars to subsidize the wages they fail to pay.

- Josie - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
@ soccermom

I won’t even dignify your strawmen with 5 “no”s, but I will reiterate my point that my focus was on those who know beforehand that they are unable to care sufficiently for a child without significant public assistance.

- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
Real One - care to add any more hyperbole to that statement?!

- Josie - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:40 pm:
Any by reiterate, I meant my point to HangingOn that appears to have been deleted swiftly. These topics aren’t comfortable, but they are important. Kneejerk reaction is furor that someone could have an opinion on another’s choice to have a(nother) child. Well, when you need others to pay for it, you don’t get the luxury of “butt out”.

- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:41 pm:
– Ask Damiel Patrick Moynhan–

Lt. Guv, I asked Moynihan, but he didn’t say anything. I think it’s because he’s been dead 12 years.

But Moynihan was without a doubt one of the first national proponents of child-care assistance as part of welfare reform. But that’s not what you’re talking about, I know.

Why are you making it a black issue, anyway? There aren’t white single mothers who go to work or school who get child care assistance?

Some of you guys are loony. Child care assistance was a bipartisan welfare reform intended to get single mothers off the dole and into the workforce to build self-reliance. Now that it works, you want to move the goalposts again with no alternatives.

See you in church.

- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 3:53 pm:
==- Formerly Known As… - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:45 am:==

It’s a tell that the first response is not to condemn racist remarks, but instead scream about one from the ‘other side’ as if it is ever okay.

- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 4:14 pm:
PC - what?! I listed to that audio clip three times and heard nothing even remotely racist. Hyperbole? Yes. But racist remarks? Nope. And one of the ladies who responded to the “TEA Party” person was yelling/screaming fairly loudly and pretty much shouted him down. I could barely hear anything he said after she started her angry retort and stated her refusal to wipe his rear end.

- Juvenal - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 4:21 pm:
Josie -

I’m not sure if you are advocating a Chinese-style limit on the number of children that people are allowed to have, or if you are suggesting that reproductive rights should be a function of income.

I think both have been roundly rejected by the American people.

There are lots of methods for reducing birth rates that don’t involve beating women with a stick, proverbial or otherwise. Chief among them is raising income levels, which is why your suggestion that we should undermine women’s ability to work by curtailing child care coverage is so, so misguided.

That said, I encourage more folks like you to share your views on women and poverty, because some folks think you are a figment of my imagination.

- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 4:40 pm:
The individual that was a Rauner supporter who made those comments certainly wasn’t the only Rauner supporter in the crowd that feels that way. Rauner may not necessarily agree with what the man said. That said people who think the same way as the Rauner supporter are a significant part of his base support and he can’t survive politically without them so they have to be tolerated.

- Griff - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 4:45 pm:
I agree with soccermom. Unexpected, bad things happen to families. I expect and desire that my government has assistance to support them. By not providing that assistance it may help those whose only desire is to pay less taxes, but it makes a society worse. It increases crime. It depresses quality of life. It makes us less able to compete in the future.

- Federalist - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 5:11 pm:
“There are lots of methods for reducing birth rates that don’t involve beating women with a stick, proverbial or otherwise.”

There are a lot of ways to reduce birth rates and among them are a wide variety of contraceptive devices/methods and abortion if you so choose.

- real one - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 7:36 pm:
Again it’s about jobs. Not how many kids. We don’t pay people a living wage. We subsidize the companies that refuse to pay. They make big bucks while we pay. Look at the real truth!!!!

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 8:25 pm:
I agree that sometimes unexpected tragedies occur and people may need help from the state. however becoming pregnant is not unexpected. perhaps we can offer assistance for the first born and then explain birth control like norplant because there wont be assistance for the second born.

- Josie - Thursday, Jun 11, 15 @ 11:40 pm:
==however becoming pregnant is not unexpected.==

Right. And so normally I’d want it to be “hey you’re choosing to have a kid. great. Awesome. Love kids. Oh also, just make sure that barring some serious unforeseen event, you can pay for it.”

But apparently that is akin to a Chinese child limit policy. or something.

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