C.H.A.N.G.E.

January 21, 2010 6:54 PM

Previously in the news for telling his students that "change" stood for "Come Help A [expletive] Get Elected, Greg W. Howard is now suing Twitter and 20 John Does for one million dollars.

(He also occasionally appears on Conservative Political Network webcasts and has, despite his proposed legal actions, a twitter feed.)

posted by Optimus Chyme (78 comments total)

Why am I not shocked that he's representing himself. "Pro se" lawsuits are like a leper's bell for cranks.
posted by deadmessenger at 7:00 PM on January 21, 2010 [7 favorites]

Why are we giving this idiot airtime?
posted by SPrintF at 7:00 PM on January 21, 2010 [10 favorites]

I'm disappointed that there isn't an accompanying photo of him holding the tip of his pinky finger to his mouth.
posted by jamaro at 7:02 PM on January 21, 2010 [5 favorites]

Why are we giving this idiot airtime?
posted by unSane at 7:03 PM on January 21, 2010

Christ, asshole.
posted by BaxterG4 at 7:03 PM on January 21, 2010

Sims said Howard’s racial commentary was not directed at any students, but were directed at a political party.

Uh, yeah.

despite his proposed legal actions, a twitter feed.

Man, conservatives sure love their hashtags.
posted by delmoi at 7:04 PM on January 21, 2010 [4 favorites]

This guy is probably a real boor at barbecues.
posted by hermitosis at 7:04 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Why are we giving this idiot airtime?
posted by SPrintF at 7:00 PM on January 21

The webcasts are 100% no-foolin' comedy neutronium and his appearance is being replayed right now.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:04 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

How did someone this stupid get put in charge of kids? I mean, saying it is bad enough but to apparently think you wouldn't get some blowback for doing it at school?
posted by DU at 7:05 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hey, it's a tough economy - even racist ex-teachers need to make a living.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:06 PM on January 21, 2010

So, he's mad that people on Twitter were retweeting his tweets? Which tweets?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:07 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Please don't be from Alabama. Please don't be from Alabama. Please don't be from Alabama.

Dammit!
posted by BitterOldPunk at 7:08 PM on January 21, 2010 [24 favorites]

Hey there's always room for a boar at a BBQ.
posted by Babblesort at 7:08 PM on January 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

(assuming you weren't joking) his complaint alleges that twitter user ryking defamed him by calling him a traitor, and the other 19 defendants allegedly retweeted it, thus in Greg Howard's humble opinion additionally defaming him.

Dude should sue himself if he's so worried about people ruining his public image. Or maybe a restraining order.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:09 PM on January 21, 2010

And a slight bit further north, plans for a whites-only basketball league.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 7:14 PM on January 21, 2010

Looks like he's from Alabama. The justice of the peace who refused to marry interracial couples was from Louisiana. And now some dude in Georgia wants to start an all-white basketball league. I'm from the south originally, and am loathe to play into its stereotypes, but the distinct impression I have is that Obama's election has really brought the racists out of the woodwork down there.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 7:15 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

DU you haven't met a lot of bad teachers have you? Oooo the stories I could tell. Though the prize for stupid goes to the one who couldn't spell respect when looking at a page in a book with the word in big bold letters.
posted by strixus at 7:15 PM on January 21, 2010

Defendant TWITTER operates a social networking bulletin board site...

Twitter is a BBS? That makes me fell that it's so much cooler.
posted by Jimbob at 7:16 PM on January 21, 2010 [2 favorites]

And as someone in GA, let me confirm those fears for you HP LasterJet. Oh yes. Oh gods yes.

*so ashamed to be a white southerner at this point it is not funny*
posted by strixus at 7:16 PM on January 21, 2010

How come no one ever sues Metafilter for treason?

I think that could be fun. It would make for a good FPP at least.
posted by HabeasCorpus at 7:17 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

HabeasCorpus, you are treasonous.

Do your worst.
posted by Jimbob at 7:20 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ok, well, for supporting libel about Treason. But still- good times.
posted by HabeasCorpus at 7:20 PM on January 21, 2010

Metafilter: Giving idiots airtime.
posted by jonp72 at 7:20 PM on January 21, 2010

Thanks Jimbob. In order to keep in line with the whole "suing a website while also making use of their services" sentiment, my next step is to find me a pro-bono attorney on Askme.
posted by HabeasCorpus at 7:22 PM on January 21, 2010 [5 favorites]

Brian Eno likes Bono! Not sure he's a lawyer, but he'd multitalented.
posted by Artw at 7:25 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

even racist ex-teachers need to make a living

I believe the first link says he was only suspended, not fired. Is this correct, and is he still teaching?
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 7:26 PM on January 21, 2010

Come Help A NotGeorgeBush Get Elected
posted by bwg at 7:28 PM on January 21, 2010 [8 favorites]

Thanks Jimbob.

Oooo, I hope he really does it. Habeas, if you do this I will be your press agent.
posted by hermitosis at 7:39 PM on January 21, 2010

I just don't feel....thoroughly slandered yet.
posted by HabeasCorpus at 7:42 PM on January 21, 2010

According to a news release from the school board, Howard was suspended with pay on Monday, Sept. 29.

So he gets a vacation.

We’ve handled this swiftly and we’ve handled it with a concern that we’re not going to tolerate it and this is a pretty stiff (action).”

I wish I could get some of that stiff action! Har har!
posted by clarknova at 7:53 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Conservatives Have A Nasty Genital Enhancement
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:14 PM on January 21, 2010

suspended with pay is typically the first level response. there'll be some preliminary investigating and then he'll be suspended without pay, and notified that they intend to terminate. two weeks later (these notices are usually delivered twice a month at the school board meetings), he'll be terminated, and the state department of education will review to see how long he needs to lose his certificate for and what he'll have to do to get it back.

I'm thinking (not based on my own sentiment but based on what I've seen in FL) that he'll lose the cert for 5 years or so and then have to take some ethics/racism inservice classes and be probationary for a while.

don't hardly seem enough, do it?

horsewhipping. that's more like it.
posted by toodleydoodley at 8:17 PM on January 21, 2010

Classy
posted by nola at 8:18 PM on January 21, 2010

Florida. Why am I not surprised?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:19 PM on January 21, 2010

I just don't feel....thoroughly slandered yet.

Hm. Let's see what I can do here.

"Habeas Corpus is not only a traitor to his nation, his state, his race, and the Boy Scout Movement, but I am reliably informed that during the commission of his many acts of treason, he had the habit of placing an autographed photo of Newt Gingrich inside his undergarments, with the intention of 'gratifying himself' with that photo at a later time. Oh, and he hates pancakes and bacon. "

How 'bout now?
posted by deadmessenger at 8:21 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Habeas Corpus is not only a traitor to his nation, his state, his race, and the Boy Scout Movement, but I am reliably informed that during the commission of his many acts of treason, he had the habit of placing an autographed photo of Newt Gingrich inside his undergarments, with the intention of 'gratifying himself' with that photo at a later time. Oh, and he hates pancakes and bacon.

I heard he also declawed his vegan cat.
posted by amyms at 8:32 PM on January 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

Cretinous
Hateful
Asswipe
Needs
Gasoline
Enema
posted by Ratio at 8:37 PM on January 21, 2010 [8 favorites]

So, if money is speech now, what does this all mean?
posted by fuq at 8:55 PM on January 21, 2010

"Come Help A [expletive] Get Elected"

newcomer?
'ntellectual?

or for 2012:

'ncumbent?
posted by mazola at 8:58 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Outrageous asshole is outrageous.
posted by orville sash at 9:14 PM on January 21, 2010

I've been watching this guy get trolled hard on Twitter for a little while now. Pure art.
posted by threetoed at 9:34 PM on January 21, 2010

Sims said Howard’s racial commentary was not directed at any students, but were directed at a political party.

Can I shoot him if I declare that I am aiming for an outmoded system of attitudes and values?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:41 PM on January 21, 2010 [14 favorites]

How did someone this stupid get put in charge of kids? I mean, saying it is bad enough but to apparently think you wouldn't get some blowback for doing it at school?

He was the football coach.
posted by orthogonality at 9:43 PM on January 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

One meeeeelion dollars?!

Also, if I had one, I'd like to rub the tip of my fuckin’ cock around the mouth of his glass.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 9:55 PM on January 21, 2010 [4 favorites]

looks like jocks still hate... NERDS
posted by Hammond Rye at 10:48 PM on January 21, 2010

I'm from the south originally, and am loathe to play into its stereotypes, but the distinct impression I have is that Obama's election has really brought the racists out of the woodwork down there.

Oh, don't worry, if my family's any indication, they're coming out of the woodwork all over the West as well.
posted by scody at 12:17 AM on January 22, 2010 [2 favorites]

OK, out of interest, does anybody know why he's describing the @ryking account as John Doe? The account's been suspended for a while (for pestering Scott Baio, amusingly), but it's not exactly hard to track down the person behind it...

(Obvious answer: because he's a moron who can't even Googlestalk someone properly. Was just wondering if there was a legal reason or something.)
posted by flashboy at 1:49 AM on January 22, 2010

Tonight I'm just going to sit home and snuggle up to section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. We'll drink a few beers, have a laugh or two, read the comments section on Gawker, and fall asleep in each others' arms.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:48 AM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

You know you're bad when you can't find even one lawyer to represent you.
posted by bigwoopdeedoo at 5:21 AM on January 22, 2010

Maybe it's just my browser (Mosaic 1.3), but the psalm at the top of his website appeared, at first, to read: The earth is the Lord, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.
I was like, whuh? Since that would be the rare bit of Biblical dogma that this godless infidel could get behind!
Buuuut no, what it actually says is that it's the "Lord�s"
posted by Flashman at 5:22 AM on January 22, 2010

Looking at the first link, are we sure that is the same Greg Howard? They are both assholes, but the blog is pretty funny. Is there anyone who registered and can tell us about the password protected posts. I also see on the blog that he won 15000 on "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire", for what that's worth.
posted by TedW at 5:37 AM on January 22, 2010

Shouldn't we all be trying to follow this dude on Twitter, and then commenting incessantly on harmless but confusing things?
posted by clvrmnky at 5:51 AM on January 22, 2010

USA! USA! USA!

And by that I mean of course: U Suck Asswipe!
posted by Pollomacho at 6:01 AM on January 22, 2010

You may borrow mine, MaryDellamorte. Just consider it a standing offer.
posted by Naberius at 6:18 AM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

This man has made it insufficiently clear to me whether or not he likes the United States of America.
posted by chorltonmeateater at 6:20 AM on January 22, 2010

Looking at the first link, are we sure that is the same Greg Howard?

The story in the Floridian has a photo of Howard, and Howard's blog has a photo of Howard. It's the same guy.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 6:32 AM on January 22, 2010

Just consider it a standing offer.

Phwoar!
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:24 AM on January 22, 2010

Umm, "Christ what an asshole!" aside, his complaint will be dismissed because his it doesn't meet the requirements for diversity jurisdiction in federal court. None of his claims are federal question claims - they are all state law matters better handled in state court. It'll get thrown out on those grounds faster than a naked Tea Partier can wrap himself in the flag at an anti-abortion rally.

But I suspect that is the least of this guy's problems.
posted by piedrasyluz at 7:45 AM on January 22, 2010

twitter feed dude is claiming he's not that guy. is he lying? the picture he posts as proof actually kinda looks like the racist teacher with a sunburn and less hair, but I could be wrong.
posted by shmegegge at 8:45 AM on January 22, 2010

I'm... not positive this is the same guy. I've been going back and forth between the pic in the floridian and the blog, and I'm really not sure these are the same dude.
posted by shmegegge at 8:48 AM on January 22, 2010

So, he teaches (taught?) in Florida. Why is this lawsuit filed in Alabama? As above, are we sure this is the same guy?
posted by ericb at 10:28 AM on January 22, 2010

As of Thursday, he was suspended without pay for 10 days, was relieved of his football coaching duties, and will be transferred to the Jackson County Adult Education program, according to JCSB.

Wait, WHAT? He's a football coach, too? AND a jerkwad? The hell you say.

(Ok, ok, I'm still harboring a lot of crankiness towards football coaches because they got new uniforms every year and the tennis team at my high school's navy skirts were so old they were grey, not to mention so short we all had to double up on the special tennis-ball-holding panties).

(also...in looking up 'tennis panties' right now to see if they still even make those crazy things, turns out they do, but now they do cute little boy panty cuts instead of the floppy old grandma horrors we had to wear...back in the olden days of 1988ish).
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:29 AM on January 22, 2010

The Greg W. Howard (in the FPP) is a financial advisor and insurance salesman in Alabama. His background. I think these are separate people.
posted by ericb at 10:32 AM on January 22, 2010

'N-Word' Teacher Gets to Keep His Job.

Different Greg Howards.
posted by ericb at 10:36 AM on January 22, 2010

'N-Word' Teacher Gets to Keep His Job.

To be clear he was removed from the middle school and reassigned to teach at the Jackson County Adult Education Program.
posted by ericb at 10:40 AM on January 22, 2010

The Greg W. Howard (in the FPP) is a financial advisor and insurance salesman in Alabama. His background.

As per his backgroun,d he has been working as such for 21 years.
posted by ericb at 10:42 AM on January 22, 2010

Ahahaha. (NSFW)
posted by threetoed at 11:22 AM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

Different Greg Howards.

Wow, there are two different doughy Greg Howards who like to use the n-word. I call on the larger Greg Howard community to deny that racial slurs and soft cottage cheese faces are not an integral part of Greg Howarddom. Why haven't we heard anything from Greg Howards? Why aren't they writing letters to the editor saying "not in our name"? Are Greg Howards the real fifth column in America? Developing...
posted by Optimus Chyme at 11:23 AM on January 22, 2010 [3 favorites]

Obama's election has really brought the racists out of the woodwork down there.
posted by coolguymichael at 11:38 AM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

In two different sentences, the newspaper article describes what Howard did/said using the following euphemism: "racial commentary".

I would call it "racist commentary".

I think it's hilarious that it's so taboo to actually call someone a racist that even when someone's behaviour provides a textbok definition of old-school racism, the writer is reluctant to call it what it is and instead resorts to "racial commentary". Imagine the same situation, except substitute Hilary Clinton and the C-word. Would the paper talk about "sexual commentary" or "gender commentary"? Pretty likely they'd call it sexism or mysogyny. So why the delicate euphemisms for a racist?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 11:53 AM on January 22, 2010

Man I try not to speak up at the meetings, but I'm going to at least submit an announcement to the White People newsletter. It's going to say "Attention White People: Stop acting surprised when you say 'Nigger' and get in trouble for it!"

Shit I probably got in trouble just now, case in point.

For fuck sake it's the ONE thing white people aren't allowed to do. This isn't rocket science people.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 11:57 AM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

This isn't rocket science people.

Of course not, because that is stuff that only white people (and Asian math geeks) get to do!
posted by Pollomacho at 12:23 PM on January 22, 2010

Whoever he is, I imagine Florida like other states has this court rule called Rule 11, which authorizes courts to assess heavy sanctions for lawsuits that are frivolous, legally or factually. Stay tuned . . . if I were a defendant in this suit, I'd be asking for such sanctions.
posted by bearwife at 12:57 PM on January 22, 2010

Shouldn't the link to the innocent Greg Howard be removed?
You know, in case somebody else ends up getting sued for slander? Or maybe it's too late.
posted by Flashman at 1:07 PM on January 22, 2010

i was posting on twitter about how the all the twitter lieberals will be first against the wall when the revolution comes when the ultimate hustler popped out of my browser and said "busta watching you try to understand why you gettin' trolled on twitter is like watching a hilton sister read an o'reilly book on tcp/ip". then I started to panic and i reached for my phone to call my lawyer and then he said "@gregwhoward and yo face looks like a goomba from the super mario bros movie had sex with a package of johnsonville brats #tcot #teaparty #glennbeck" and I was like damn
posted by threetoed at 1:10 PM on January 22, 2010 [3 favorites]

Whoever he is, I imagine Florida like other states has this court rule called Rule 11...

The lawsuit was filed in Alabama, not Florida.
posted by ericb at 2:56 PM on January 22, 2010

Wow, there are two different doughy Greg Howards who like to use the n-word.

Did both Greg Howards use the "n" word. I thought that only pertains to the one from Florida. Or, am I missing something?
posted by ericb at 2:58 PM on January 22, 2010

Did both Greg Howards use the "n" word. I thought that only pertains to the one from Florida. Or, am I missing something?
posted by ericb at 2:58 PM on January 22

Apparently the Greg W. Howard on Twitter sent a private message to Dr_Pumpy_Beanis that contained a threat and the "n" word. (If you have to see it.)
posted by Optimus Chyme at 4:26 PM on January 22, 2010