That’s Rep. Stockman on the right, naturally…
I told you the rodeo clown mess was an Ethics Train Wreck!
Heck, it seems like everything is an Ethics Train Wreck or getting close to one these days…the NSA, Egypt, San Diego, the New York Yankees, life…
I need a vacation.
Now Texas Republican rep Steve Stockman has come aboard by making the obnoxious, simple-minded and inherently offensive gesture of inviting the unfairly banned clown to perform his classy act at a Texas rodeo. Undignified, unprofessional, cheap, nasty, and stupid…I’m sure I left out some equally accurate descriptors. This is like George Zimmerman in miniature. Is it really so hard to understand that protesting unfair treatment of someone need not, and in some cases should not, be accompanied by affirmative endorsement…and that’s what the invitation by Stockman is. Is he really so dense that he doesn’t realize that? Or is he really such a hyper-partisan, unstatesmanlike boor that he thinks it’s responsible and appropriate for a member of Congress to express his approval of an entertainer who called the President of the U.S. a clown and invited a crowd to cheer at his metaphorical abuse by a bull, some of whom were undoubtedly motivated by bigotry?
I really don’t care. Stockman’s stunt is ethically objectionable on a grand scale, and either he, the House, Republicans, or preferably all three owe President Obama an apology. One would think a Congressman would understand that there are different standards for the high elected officials responsible for our laws and rodeo clowns. But toward the bottom of the ethical and intellectual barrel we call the Republican Party (God, I certainly hope it’s toward the bottom!), this is apparently untrue.
Rep. Stockman is more clown than statesman.
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Facts: Washington Post
Graphic: Google+
Ethics Alarms 
As a clown and a Republican, I am offended. The art of clowning should make people laugh and think. To entertain is the object, but a clown must follow a strict code of ethics, and that this performer missed.
This is one of several Clown Codes of Ethics, one that I particularly approve of…
I read the following:
1. I will keep my acts, performance and behavior in good taste while I am in costume and makeup. I will remember at all times, that I have been accepted as a member of the clown club to provide others, principally children, with clean clown comedy entertainment. I will remember that a good clown entertains others by making fun of himself or herself and not at the expense or embarrassment of others.
2. I will learn to apply makeup in a professional manner. I will provide my own costume. I will carry out my appearance and assignment for the entertainment of others and not for personal gain or national publicity when performing for either the National club or Alley events. I will always try to remain anonymous while in makeup and costume as a clown, though there may be circumstances when it is not reasonably possible to do so.
3. I will not drink any alcoholic beverage prior to any clown appearances. I will abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages while in clown makeup and clown costume. I will conduct myself as a gentleman/lady, neither molesting nor interfering with other acts, events, spectators, or individuals.
4. I will remove my makeup and change into my street clothes as soon as possible following my appearance, so that I cannot be associated with any incident, which may be detrimental to the good name of clowning. I will conduct myself as a gentleman/lady at all times.
5. While on appearance, in makeup and costume, I will carry out the directives of the Producer or his designated deputies. I will abide by all performance rules without complaint in public.
6. I will do my very best to maintain the best clown standards of makeup, costuming, properties, and comedy.
7. I will appear in as many clown shows as I can.
8. I will be committed to providing an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment for clowns of all ages to share ideas and learn about the art of clowning.
This code is available in books and on most clowning websites
I absolutely disagree. When a perfectly legal (and I would suggest necessary) act gets someone piled on the way that guy has been, flagrant action is the only ethical response.
Yes perhaps…but there is some flagrant action that can’t be taken by House members. Since putting on an Obama mask would be uncivil and undignified for a Rep., (Like, say, putting on a hoodie), so is too loudly applauding a routine like that.
Active mocking of power is damned near a duty, and for powerful groups and people to call for a reaming and ruin of a man for having done that displayed a disgusting level of subservience to authority.
And if the President won’t tell people to lay off, and that he thought it was kinda funny (he won’t, the man has a special hate for people who dare mock or belittle him), then tweeking both his nose and the nose of all those who actively felate (not literally [call back- COUNT IT!]) The Chosen One is the only other option.
And when asked why, the Rep’s only response should be “because fuck you, that’s why.”
I’m really looking forward to following your political career!
My debates will be AWESOME!
I will be a ratings POWERHOUSE, the networks will debase themselves for the privilege to broadcast them…
The first debates to receive the equivalent of some sort of NC-17 rating…which would, of course, make it even more intriguing.
I will be the reason the guy who’s hand is on the “beep” button gets carpal tunnel syndrome.
I’ll be hoping the beep button breaks before CTS sets in.
Wouldn’t it be easier to default to bleep while you’re speaking, and just unbleep when something is not a curse word? Or we could just put you after 10pm on cable. That’s probably the best option.
That would be easier, I’ll admit…
Man, my sound-bites are gonna be awesome…
And unairable…
I don’t think that’s a mark in your favor.
And consider this—the one and only public figure who should embrace the rodeo clown in the President. Inviting the clown to the White House for a photo op with him wearing the mask is so screamingly obvious—the classy move, the generous move, the Presidential move, the unifying move, the smart move, the politically effective move, the nice move…I could go on and on—that Obama’s not doing it shows how petty and un-Presidential he really is.
It is the obvious strategy, isn’t it?
But Jack you know a republican did something unethical like this in the past,
It’s not just democr….
Oh…
Well this just proves how evil and dumbheaded republicans are.