Posted on 01/12/2011 11:27:50 AM PST by kristinn
TUCSON, AZ -- Trent Humphries, the leader of the largest tea party group in this mourning southern Arizona city, has nothing but praise for the way President Obama has led the nation through the aftermath of Saturday's mass shooting at a constituent event for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). But Humphries won't be there tonight when Obama speaks at a memorial rally intended to unify Tucson after six people were killed in the tragedy.
Humphries says he's been getting threats at his home from people who seem to hold him and his organization partially responsible for the shootings Saturday.
Humphries told TPM he thinks Obama's visit will help put an an end to the political debates and let Tucson refocus on healing after the deaths of six of its citizens. Humphries told TPM he's called the Sheriff's department more than once in the past few days to make them aware of threatening phone calls.
"We got a not-so-veiled threat," Humprhies told me. "The Sheriff's deputies told me to stay away from public places."
The Pima County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Humphries said the threats have coincided with Saturday's shooting and began nearly right away.
"We had people say, 'too bad it wasn't your family that was killed,'" Humphries told me. Other angry calls have come in as well. "'The blood of that little girl on your hands,'" Humphries recalled one message saying.
But it was a new call that came in this week that Humphries said had him staying out of public view for a while.
"It was something like 'we hate you and we're going to stand against you and we're going to use our First and Second Amendment rights to stop you,'" Humphries told me.
(Excerpt) Read more at tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com ...
What else can you do? We aren’t going to get leadership, might as well get bread and circuses.
Someone should post the Al GOre speech where he is screaming about “PLAYING ON OUR FEARS” or any of a half dozen shots of Howard Dean yelling maniacally. Or little Chrissy Mathew or Olberman going on a scream-jag.
THEN STOP CALLING YOURSELF THE LEADER ... as soon as the Tea Party movement has "leadership" or "leaders" then they become targets the "left" can visualize and attack. We don't need "leaders" in the Tea Party as "leadership" weakens us .. we have organizers and people with shared responsibilities ... but leadership??? STOP IT!!!! That gives the left the target they need to point at an demonize ... and this is a perfect example. "Poor Baby is afraid?" Then be a "regular tea party person" like the rest of us ... buck up and be part of the movement and step away from self-aggrandizement. (You'll live longer and so with The Tea Party!)
The media is telling us this is Obama’s chance to regain his popularity. If you listen to them, they are saying that if he can make himself out to be a Conservative, he can improve his popularity enough to be reelected. But if he speaks from his heart, he is toast.
It all depends on the teleprompter and if he can keep a straight face.
You're right. The Tea Party is most effective when we have no "leaders" to target. As soon as somebody gets the "leader" label, then that Tea Party organization is in trouble.
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