Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Thousands attend hundreds of tea parties; send liberals into a frenzy!
Observations ^ | April 21, 2009 | James Shott

Posted on 04/21/2009 1:08:24 PM PDT by James H. Shott

Political protests in the United States are an integral part of the political process, and one of the most famous in our history was the Boston Tea Party in 1773, where colonists dressed up like Indians and threw cases of tea into Boston Harbor to protest a tea tax they felt was unjust. A hundred years later came the protest with the gravest consequences, when six southern states seceded from the Union over issues of state’s rights, leading to the Civil War.

Since then, there have been many protests, against wars, civil rights injustices, and other issues arousing the genuine concerns of a segment of the American people who want their grievances addressed. All of those protests received at least polite and respectful coverage by the media.

Hundreds of “tea party” demonstrations, at least one in every state in the Union, took place Wednesday, April 15, Tax Day. The purpose of these non-partisan demonstrations was to protest what participants regard as misbehavior by our government, its out-of-control spending, and the obscene debt this spending creates. Like other protests in our history, this one was based on the legitimate concerns of many Americans.

Reaction has been heavily polarized: supporters think they are a wonderful demonstration of concern, and opponents are ridiculing them, and the media joined sides with the opponents.

Just when you think the mainstream media has debased itself as much as possible, along comes some new example of further debasement, like when CNN’s Anderson Cooper used a term for a homosexual act to describe the protesters. Proving it can be just as sleazy and disgusting as CNN, MSNBC picked up the slur and used it. What a horrible lesson for budding young journalists.

This reprehensible episode reflects, perhaps better than any so far, just how biased mainstream journalism is, and how unprincipled and unprofessional its purveyors have become. Is it any wonder major newspapers are on the brink of bankruptcy and viewers are leaving the networks and major cable channels in droves?

On the aforementioned MSNBC, one guest said: “Which, let's be very honest about what this is about. It's not about bashing Democrats, it's not about taxes … This is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up. That is nothing but a bunch of [homosexual act] rednecks. And there is no way around that.”

That analysis was offered by someone named Janeane Garofalo who is reportedly a comedian and former co-host for an unsuccessful radio talk show on the failed Air America network. If you’ve never heard of her, perhaps these comments explain why: she isn’t funny and hasn’t a clue what these tea parties are all about. A typical left-winger, she cannot imagine that intelligent individuals don’t agree with her, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it, except by insulting them. The behavior of liberals like Ms. Garofalo and the inappropriate and dishonest reporting of the media say far more about them than about the protesters and their concerns.

As idiotic and bizarre as the comments of Cooper and Garofalo were, some of the criticism leveled at these festivities is valid. There were some signs on display with crass messages, and children were used in the protests. Children are pawns in such displays; they have no idea what is going on, despite the fact that the debt being run up by our elected leaders will fall on their shoulders.

But for every objectionable message, there was at least one pretty good one. For example, one sign said: “Give me liberty, or give me debt.” Another said: “Liberty! All the stimulus we need.” And there was Ronald Reagan’s great quote: “Government does not solve problems. It subsidizes them.”

By some measures the tea parties were successful. There were hundreds of events, a few of them drew more than 10,000 participants each, and the one in San Antonio drew more than 20, 000. Estimates put the grand total anywhere from 300,000 to more than 750,000, but no total attendance figure has been confirmed.

And, reports say that the gatherings were peaceful and that there was little or no trouble and few if any arrests at the hundreds of sites. That is not always the case when you have a lot of people gathered to protest something.

The best measure of success will be if the demonstrations generate some sort of follow-up activity. Maybe they will produce a response from government, or perhaps they might generate a substantial increase in the number of people who take up the cause.

The tens of thousands of people attending the tea parties believe that it is time to stand up and say “Enough!” to the unprecedented level of encroachment by their government into the lives and business of the people from whom it derives its power. Like their predecessors in 1773 and the other protests throughout history, they’re objecting to the actions of their government, which has become an increasingly out of control, distant, and arrogant federal monstrosity.

And they won’t be shouted down by either a liberal media or intolerant left-wing fanatics.


TOPICS: Issues
KEYWORDS: denottreadonme; donttreadonme; enemedia; government; liberalism; mediabais; obamedia; politics; teaparties; teaparty

1 posted on 04/21/2009 1:08:25 PM PDT by James H. Shott
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott
"Sit perfectly still. Only I may protest!"
2 posted on 04/21/2009 1:19:12 PM PDT by WayneS (with apologies to the writers of the Simpsons)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott

July 4, here we come!

I am hearing 2 ideas — march on DC and more Tea Parties. I am in VA so I am in to take the train to DC and march.

And I still think we were > 1 million strong.


3 posted on 04/21/2009 1:22:49 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott
That analysis was offered by someone named Janeane Garofalo who is reportedly a comedian and former co-host for an unsuccessful radio talk show on the failed Air America network.

The poster girl for Freudian Projectionism. Let me explain this in a nut shell so even stupid little Janeane can understand the condition. Janeane, you are the racist. You see everything in terms of race. You cannot look at a black man and just see a man. You will always see a black man. Deep down, you know this is wrong. Horribly wrong. So how do you compensate. How do you lift this burden of guilt. The typically liberal finds comfort in drugs and self debasement. The more coherent liberals lift their burden of guilt by projecting that guilt onto their enemies or opponents. So when those of us that are sane see you diatribes, we actually feel sorry for you.

4 posted on 04/21/2009 1:25:40 PM PDT by justa-hairyape
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott

The national coordinator for the Tea Parties sent me an email saying 1 to 1.2 million participated on April 15. Our local team is meeting next week and nationals are holding weekly conference calls to play the next move.


5 posted on 04/21/2009 1:55:41 PM PDT by manic4organic (We Are S0 Screwed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: manic4organic

play = plan


6 posted on 04/21/2009 1:56:07 PM PDT by manic4organic (We Are S0 Screwed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott

a Tea Party March on Washington would increase sales of underwear inside the Beltway by 150%


7 posted on 04/21/2009 2:01:10 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Buckeye McFrog
You know what I think would be fun? For all of us to surround the Capitol building--literally surround it. I wonder whether there would be enough of us to do that? I don't know Washington geography well enough.

Just like Glenn Beck says, eh? "We surround them."

8 posted on 04/21/2009 2:30:03 PM PDT by MissNomer (Proud member of FR's "Final 300")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: James H. Shott
Cincinnati Tea Party Tax / Bailout Revolt , March 15th


9 posted on 04/21/2009 10:17:21 PM PDT by timestax (CNNLIES..BIG TIME)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

"The tens of thousands of people attending the tea parties..."

We are now at 892 events, in EVERY state, and can document no less than 786,000 and as many as 910,000 patriots took part protesting Washington D.C.'s tax and spend scheme.

You can check to see if your tea party is listed HERE, if not, post a comment on This Thread, citing the city, state and headcount.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

10 posted on 04/21/2009 10:34:12 PM PDT by Henchster (Free Republic - the BEST site on the web!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Thanks for each of your comments, and for the photos.


11 posted on 04/22/2009 7:37:26 AM PDT by James H. Shott
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freedumb2003

One, two, or three times will not do it. Because then everyone will forget. Get ready for multiple trips to D.C. until we see action on the items listed at http://pushbackuntil.com.

Folks who live near D.C. will be especially critical.

We need marches, TEA parties, and everything else.

Be in D.C. to Push Back Until!


12 posted on 04/27/2009 12:49:28 PM PDT by DennisR (Look around - God gives countless, indisputable clues that He does, indeed, exist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson