First of all, I’m concerned about the tea party looking bad, as you are. My friend who posted on her big fb page got huge blowback from people who are long time followers, who purport to be tea party. They made lots of deprecating comments about the cruise being for the rich, suggested I was getting something for free, were mad they couldn’t afford it, insisted we do something else, like a campground event, and suggested that cruisers were in danger. Some of the comments made the writers look like nuts.
I wondered, do some of the people out there claiming to be tea party actually have more in common with OWS? When I read all the class warfare rhetoric in these fb posts, it infuriated me, because I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.
In all my time with tea party networks and groups in my home state as well as my work with national groups, I’ve had mostly good experiences. I’ve worked closely with AFP, Leadership Institute in D.C., American Majority, and Franklin Center, as well as a state-wide CPAC. I’ve also managed a state senate campaign. I got kicked around a little during the union riot in Lansing Michigan, when union thugs knocked down the AFP tent. I participated in the first big tea parties of 2009, and continue to support the tea parties today. I’ve done a lot of documenting for tea party rallies throughout my state over the years.
Just because someone says they’re tea party doesn’t mean they’re not divisive. I am trying to bring attention to the fact that this crabbing about my event is an example of a negativity that is not good for us. The left is laughing at us. The divisiveness will destroy the movement if we’re not more circumspect.
I would think that nice tea party folks wouldn’t automatically try to shoot down ideas from fellow conservatives. Hence my confusion and anger when they apparently did.
We’re really on the same side, Syncro. I didn’t know you did events too until your last post. I’ll make you a deal: you organize a conservative event, and I’ll help you promote it. I don’t care what kind of an event it is, and I don’t care if you make money on it. i don’t care if we disagree on details of whatever platform you stand on. I will promote it.
Please don’t reply back with demands for more details of proof of my affiliation with the tea party is. I believe you when you say that of the hundreds of thousands of TPM you’ve rubbed elbows with, no one acted like OWS. That’s been my experience too. Once again, I referred in my article to internet blowback, and one conservative lady that snarled at me. I didn’t accuse tea partiers of bad behavior, just bad opinions that are similar to the class warfare rhetoric of the OWS. Once again, this is not good for us.
The cruise isn’t for everyone, just as a camping event or trip to D.C. isn’t for everyone. I never said it was.
*sigh*
I see my words seem to be falling on deaf ears.
It WAS not tea partiers. They just do not act like that. Oh some that call themselves that do, such as the Tea Party Patriots (who tried in the beginning to shoot down other large tea party orgs,) but their main purpose is to be seen as the leaders of the TPM and making money.
I still have no idea what tea party groups you worked with, except AFT which is a good organization but I don't think they call themselves a tea party group.
Which tea parties did you go to in 2009, we may have seen each other as I was at many tea parties in that year.