Tea Partiers Get Ugly With Ebert

Roger Ebert has become the target of acid-tongued Tea Partiers since the movie critic criticized a group of California high schoolers who wore American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo. Ebert tweeted that the kids "should have to share a lunchroom table with those who wear a hammer and sickle on July 4th," Gawker reports. Ebert's criticism set off a firestorm among right-wing tweeters who questioned "why you even stay here"—but things quickly got out of hand.

After a defense by Ebert, more ugly voices joined the fray, including Caleb Howe, a blogger for redstate.com. "How many pieces need to fall off @ebertchicago before he gets the hint to shut the f--- up?" asked Howe. And later: "I'm not as expert on flag etiquette as you. Tell me, which do I fly when you die of cancer?" Ebert's response? "Dear TeePee Tweeters, you want ugly? For that, you have to look at a mind, not a face." (More Roger Ebert stories.)