Tea Bagging: Tea Party Inspired by Racial Fears (Did you know we're all misguided Birchers?)

The Boise Weekly ^ | September 13, 2009 | Nathaniel Hoffman

[2ndDivisionVet]

When the majority of American voters selected Barack Obama as President of the United States of America last year, we caught a brief glimpse of post-racial America.

It lasted a few weeks, at least.

But the racial tension that has accompanied each major period of American history is again emerging under a new guise: The Tea Party/9-12 Project/Continental Congress '09 marches this weekend represent the new racist vanguard in America, uniting the anti-Muslim sentiments which followed the 9-11 attacks, Joe Wilson's singular obsession with undocumented immigrants receiving health care, and though in some ways subconsciously, a reaction to the nation's first black president.

These Tea Party groups are only months old, and yet they have attracted an intense following, spurred by AM talk radio and the John Birch Society, which has been race baiting for decades and had literature for sale in two merch tents in Boise's Capitol Park on Saturday. A few common themes unite the Tea Partiers, as far as I can tell: some evolving form of Christian patriotism, an aversion to paying taxes, fear of police with an equal and contradictory adoration of the law and the military, and a personal reading of the Constitution and Founding Fathers that borders on idolatry.

There are some fringe elements too: Birthers who continue to question Obama's citizenship, some 9-11 conspiracy theorists, vaccine skeptics, gun nuts and, yes, organic food nazis (at this point I use the term generously).

But the vague demands of the mob—we're mad, don't tax us, give us our country back, follow the Constitution—belie its true motivation.

The casual and ignorant use of socialism and Communism and Marxism at these rally's have strong historical precedents, including the official red baiting of Martin Luther King, Jr., spurred some 50 years ago by the same Birchers.

Maureen Dowd has made a strong argument this morning that the rabid opposition to Obama is in fact race-based and not, as it pretends, policy based. You can easily write off the racist signs—Obama in white face as the Joker, show us the birth certificate, free ticket back to Kenya—as outliers. But their acceptance at these rallies is widespread and welcomed, including by elected officials like Emmet Rep. Steve Thayn, Ada County Commissioner Sharon Ullman and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna who stopped by on his way to a ground breaking for a federal stimulus-funded school project in Wilder.

Here's how Dowd puts it:

"I’ve been loath to admit that the shrieking lunacy of the summer — the frantic efforts to paint our first black president as the Other, a foreigner, socialist, fascist, Marxist, racist, Commie, Nazi; a cad who would snuff old people; a snake who would indoctrinate kids — had much to do with race.

I tended to agree with some Obama advisers that Democratic presidents typically have provoked a frothing response from paranoids — from Father Coughlin against F.D.R. to Joe McCarthy against Truman to the John Birchers against J.F.K. and the vast right-wing conspiracy against Bill Clinton.

But Wilson’s shocking disrespect for the office of the president — no Democrat ever shouted “liar” at W. when he was hawking a fake case for war in Iraq — convinced me: Some people just can’t believe a black man is president and will never accept it."

I am not saying that each marcher on Saturday in Boise is a racist. But whether they realize it or not, the leaders of this national protest movement are using race and immigration and terrorism to fire up a specific base of working class Christians, even when it is against their personal interest to march. Expanding socialized medicine, lowering middle class taxes and opening up vast new channels of communication with their government will benefit the largely working class attendees at the Tea Party rallies, yet they prefer to find unity in their collective fear or who is in charge.

A small counter protest moved about in their midst on Saturday morning. Some 50 people dressed in black and sang the National Anthem, but otherwise listened silently, holding signs supporting the presidency, health care reform and reiterating Obama's arguments in his Wednesday night address to Congress that American values include compassion, which complements, rather that contradicts our rugged individualism.

There is no solution to this fault line in American society. But let's stop pretending that these are just "angry tax payers" or "Constitutionalists" and get to the root of the divide. And perhaps, after four years of moderate reforms that may include lowering their insurance premiums and giving them more charter schools, the mobs will be able to see past skin color.

[2ndDivisionVet]

This guy admits it's socialized medicine, but we should want that!!

[freedumb2003]

Yet another liberal who is too stupid to make any real arguments so he plays the now well overused race card.

They continue to betray just how vapid and stupid they are.

[Army Air Corps]

Playing the race card like a Vegas croupier.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Another white boy playing the race card. Gotta love it!

[Blogger]

These loons need to be ridiculed rather than listened to. They aren’t even worth dignifying. We know who we are and why we are opposed to B.O. and his machine and it has zilch, zero, nada to do with his being half African.

[freebilly]

Yeah, I admit it. I’m a racist. I don’t like anyone who’s a Red or a Pinko....

[festusbanjo]

I hate socialists of all colors, so this miserable bastard can stick his race card up his ass.

[freebilly]

When your opponent is destroying himself don’t get in the way. All the independents who voted for Obama first time around but don’t like the direction he’s gone in will see through this “racist” BS. Obama will be a one term president....

[goodnesswins]

nathaniel.hoffman@gmail.com.....let‘s educate the idiot.

[Trailerpark Badass]

The Boise Weekly?

Idaho's "most urban news service?"

LOL.

[goodnesswins]

nathaniel.hoffman@gmail.com

send him an email....educate him!

[Vigilanteman]

Another white boy playing the race card.

This time in defense of a fake black man. ObaMao is less black than Ted Danson. He may be married to one, but his ancestors were never slaves. However, they probably owned and/or trafficed in them.

Why do real African Americans let the liberal white media appoint their "leadership"?

[noodler]

This horse’s Hoffman is probably related to ole abby hoffman and grew from the treakle. i agree with others his diatribe trying to make this a race issue should be etched on heavy paper and stuffed where he will always enjoy it.
BTW folks I accidentally clicked on 2ndDivisionVets’ name and got a profile which is a read in itself. There’s some irony a Man must handle waste sometimes to save others from disease.

[Charles Martel]

Evidently, this writer hasn't noticed the black faces at these tea parties and town hall meetings. In fact, one black man at the D.C. rally regretted not bringing the rest of his family, but he feared they'd be abused by leftist counter-protesters.

The majority of the media is whistling past the graveyard on this issue.

[American Constitutionalist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RyOPTtzTvI&feature=related

[Blue Jays]

Nathaniel Hoffman, you complete nitwit!
How do you explain the millions and millions of conservatives who would have preferred to cast their votes for Condoleeza Rice instead of John McCain?
Think about that for a bit and get back to us...

[peeps36]

Another arrogant liberal who can't even consider the idea of people disagreeing with his liberal ideals. It's not racist to get upset over a president who wants to add trillions more to a deficit already in the trillions. Racism has nothing to do with not wanting an inept, corrupt and inefficient government involved with your health care. Since when did flaming liberal become a race?

[American Constitutionalist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvCpTGRXZmk&feature=related

[American Constitutionalist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkUpiOu2dxs&feature=fvw

[freebilly]

Since when did flaming liberal become a race?

Makes you wonder how people on the left manage to feed themselves....

[Seven plus One]

Here it comes. Maybe a month of this kind of crap from all media is on the way, all the time. We’ll see the capacity of the public’s stomach for this. Will we pick up the pace and fight back? Or give up and go along. This is like Soviet history taking place in front of our eyes, but with us as the characters.

[Hillarys nightmare]

"Another white boy playing the race card. Gotta love it!"

NO, I don't have to love it! In fact I'm sick of it, and so are the other main stream Americans who are now actively voicing their opposition to the agenda of this current administration who managed to be elected by "lying" to the American voters.

WE all have known for some time that it's "white" Liberals who have been advocating the "Race" angle for some time now, and it's simply not working anymore.

[maine-iac7]

Obama will be a one term president....

That's far to long - God help us.

[o_zarkman44]

It’s not RACIST to disagree with any administration. It’s Patriotic!
And it is not racist to disagree with anyone, regardless of color. The arguement focuses on what the person says first.

Oh and dragging Christians into the racism frenzy is grasping for a shoe string when falling off a cliff.

[o_zarkman44]

It is not racist to disagree with a commie!

[Gene Eric]

>> “we caught a brief glimpse of post-racial America”

Racism preoccupies Hoffman’s thoughts but for the opportunity and gratification it provides him. Very sad.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The ONLY reason that a “black” man is in the White House right now is because he gives the Communists a powerful weapon to use against those trying to stop their destruction of our country. THE RACE CARD. Obama is no more the President of the United States than I am. He’s a puppet.

[Hillarys nightmare]

"Obama will be a one term president...."

That may be true, but I'll not hold my breath waiting for it.

If and when his administration is on the rocks, they'll do all that they can to injure this nation "racially", in their vain attempt to hold power. IT could get quite ugly before it's all said and done.

[o_zarkman44]

“Will we pick up the pace and fight”

Absolutely fight. They picked the fight with us and we are taking it back to their turf.
Obama is complaining that the opposition is becoming coarse.
I am going to become like sandpaper on his ass.

[Hillarys nightmare]

"Why do real African Americans let the liberal white media appoint their "leadership"?"

Because too many of them have been so easily led by the Liberals within the Democrat party, and the media. Besides that they have better than 50 years of the Democrat party pushing programs designed to make them dependent on BIG GOVERNMENT, and they are now all true believers.

It's taken some time, but the ends justify the means.

[TBP]

The author of this article is the real racist. As well as Herr President.

I’m surprised DumBO hasn’t changed the name of the White House yet.

[Seven plus One]

See ya out there!

[Hillarys nightmare]

"Obama is no more the President of the United States than I am. He’s a puppet."

Thank you! It's good to know that someone else besides me, understand this.

The real power at work here is David Axlerod, Rahm Emanuel, and others who are busy pulling the levers behind the curtain.

Obama is providing little more than the voice and the smoke effects during the performance.

[AmericanArchConservative]

The 10,000 people who attended the Boise 9/12 Tea Partyare juuuust going to love this guy’s article which labels them as either willfully unenlightened racists, or slack-jawed tools in the hands of clever and exploitative manipulators.

At the Teaparty gathering in my area, I was one of three featured speakers. One of the others was a gentleman (and I use the word with all its best and highest meanings and connotations), Paul Venable, who spoke. Mr. Venable, the President of the Idaho Constitution Party, was a very impassioned Patriot with whom I believe I share a great deal of common ground (although I happen to be part of the GOP) and he gave a solid and valuable presentation.

He also happens to be a man of mixed black/white ancestry who does not consider himself a “hyphenated” {Fill in the Blank - American} American, but rather an American through and through. I’ll bet he would strenuously object to the tenor of this whole column.

A.A.C.

[FreeStateYank]

Gotta say, the JBS and McCarthy look like they were right.

[hosepipe]

John Birch was accurate in almost all he proposed..

[skepsel]

Hoffman betrays his Marxist pedigree with his “false consciousness” argument when he writes that the marchers don’t really know where their true interests lie.
It’s the old “revolutionary vanguard” BS: we know better than you do what’s good for you.

Among the music articles at the website is a story about a state approved wolf hunt followed by screechy, hate-filled comments questioning the sexual orientation and penis size of the hunters.

In short the site looks like the on line edition for one of those free papers that are filled with ads for escorts, ‘personal services’, ‘alternative therapies’ etc.

Think of a reader base composed of people wearing nose-rings, sporting weed whacker inspired hair cuts and working as coffee sellers at the local Starbucks or Border’s bookstore.

[csense]

These people are insufferable racists, and their pathological defense of Barack Obama borders on an attitude akin to protection of property. Maureen Dowd's use of the term "boy" doesn't demonstrate anything anyone else may be harboring, but what she harbors. It's not a rednecks's "hey boy," but a liberal elite's "my boy," and it's simply disgusting. They can't comprehend, or accept, that Americans of African descent, among others, can defend themselves in the marketplace of ideas without help from Liberals. It's not that other Americans have an advantage because of their skin color, but that they have an advantage because of their intellect. The white genetic advantage. That's the 800 pound elephant in their secret room.

[Beamreach]

i dont get this, we elect a black guy as prez. A black guy who for 20 years went to a church that hates white folks, and we are the racist’s............

[AmericanInTokyo]

Take heart folks. There is historical context. Lech Walsea and Solidarity in Soviet-Occupied Poland had to endure being ignored, then ridiculed and finally threatened by STATE RUN POLISH COMMUNIST MEDIA..escalating into martial law called by General Woichiech Jaruzelski. Anybody remember all that? Freepers, the parallels are all here, when you closely listen to the MSM report and how they are sticking up for that man in the White House, our own modern day General Woicheich Jaruzelski.

And yet, the Polish Masses seeking to overturn Bolshevism STILL prevailed.

I am considering to write to Lech Walesa in Warsaw this week personally and ask if he has any ideas or tips, and also if he does not mind us passing them on in public on this forum or elsewhere, to embolden us. Something tells me, he, too, sees right through this Obama and his Marxist core of inner entrenched and unnaccountable supporters.

Here are STATE RUN MEDIA newspapers in Poland at the time, when the growing street demonstrations and general strikes by Solidarnosc took off with ferocity. Pay close attention that the Communist newspapers blacked out all news, and so for sections of the paper they were blank. Patriots filled them tongue-in-cheek in with handwriting.

We aint seen nothing yet. This CNN, ABC, NBC, MSLSD, CBS ☭ Government-Media Complex is all joke. It may get a lot more worse, as our number and intensity and lies against us grows. But we will come through it, just like the valiant, focused, organized Poles did in smashing COMMUNISM. Yes We Can. We can and we WILL prevail as we speak Truth to Power and at the end of the day, they will be forced to back down. History of people yearning for freedom shows they cannot keep us down. This Obama is an amateur, this imposter, this phony, this arrogant placemaker, he will soon find out when he comes face to face with the ferocity, the committment, the anger, the energy and the determination of the American People--and has his wings clipped.

[Exton1]

Hoffman is nothing more than an unabashed Democrat/Statist propagandist. He is using nothing but ad Hominem attacks.

The people do not like the Presidents socialist health care.
The President is Black
Therefore the people are racists.

Like many Democrats he embraces the race card and attempt to delegitimize opponent’s arguments against the liberal policies of the president by smearing them as racists.
In fact ONLY two people bring up the Presidents skin color, Hoffman and Dowd, by there OWN definition that makes them Racists for they do not care about the Presidents policies or political leanings, only his skin color.

This is a sign of desperation. Can’t see it any other way. The idea that Obama’s political opponents are motivated by racism will apparently now be “mainstreamed” into the Democratic party’s talking points against conservatives, as proof by this article.

See Dems on playing the race card: ‘You ain’t seen nothin’ yet’
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/09/dems_on_playing_the_race_card.html

[Lady Jag]

Tea Party Inspired by Racial Fears

Yeah, right.

[kcvl]

Nathaniel Hoffman is an independent journalist reporting on the American west and on the world from his home in Boise, Idaho.

[Nate Hoffman]

Hey — Thanks for posting my mug shot and email for everyone and respecting my Constitutional and moral right to privacy. I’m sure you are all fine privacy advocates or trained counter insurgency experts, or something...

Sorry you have all taken my article so personally. I was analyzing the system under which this Web site, the marches and your movement are operating. I am not calling anyone names here.

I don’t think most of you are honoring your own code of conduct, which prohibits personal attacks, violence and, er, racism. So control yourselves please.

Thanks for the opportunity to respond. That’s all I really have to say here. The rest is at Boise Weekly ... and yes, we are a free alt weekly proudly supported by local advertising, adult themed and otherwise.

Peace,

Nathaniel Hoffman
Boise Weekly

[kcvl]

I am not calling anyone names here.

"demands of the mob"

"using race and immigration and terrorism to fire up a specific base of working class Christians"

"the mobs will be able to see past skin color"

You are also a liar.

If you don't want people to see your picture then don't post it on the Internet and cry 'privacy'