There are many VALID concerns of racism in the GOP, and in the Tea Party in general. To be clear, I'm not saying that ALL of them are racists, nor that ALL of them are violent.
But to deny that "I've not seen" or "it is just the 1st amendment" is flat out absurd and ignorant.
The RNC issued it's own statement condemning it. A simple three min. Google search would find you many examples of very disturbing images and people behaving like animals.
Within the party itself, you have people looking for political points like FLA Gov Charlie Chirst, who proudly announced his endorsement of Bud Day who says things like...
"You know, we just got through (electing) a politician who can run his mouth at Mach 1, a black one, and now we have a Hispanic who can run his mouth at Mach 1. You look at their track records and they're both pretty gritty.
You've got the black one with the reading thing. He can go as fast as the speed of light and has no idea what he's saying."
Or candidates like Aleq Boyle in Georgia who tweet things like... "If we got Change in 2008, I hope we don't Re-Nig in 2012".
Then you have the the "humour" item's... the "Barack the Magic Negro" cd's, or the beautiful picture sent "to the wrong list" from the Tenn GOP office...
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/44presidents1.jpg
Or much simpler things you could do yourself, like making a headcount of people of color in ALL of the tea party videos you watch... you'll need one of your hands.
So, if you find it shocking that people can make the mental jump from those comments, images, etc. to the standard
rhetoric of the modern day KKK (and just to be clear not the extreme actions that they take nor to the level that they are willing to show their hatred), or that you think that it is not disturbing, or more common and prevalent than you think, then I suggest that you really need to take a deep and serious look at yourselves and your motives... because the majority of the rest of the world certainly will.
Finally, I'm not accusing anyone on this board of anything beyond spreading nonsensical, talking point bullshit to try and make a case for their party of choice, nor am I saying that there is any justification for this type of hatred or fear mongering -- regardless of party. The Dems have had their moments with the Robert Byrd types.
If you decide to blame the media on glorifying these things ONLY to right leaning people then so be it, that in and of itself does not make it true, nor a valid excuse to defend anyone's actions, especially in 2010.