I completely disagree with your notion that organizers are not leaders. What are we? Anarchists? If you think that we can grow as a movement without leadership, then I challenge you to show me even one time in human history when a movement survived without those willing to put thier own names on the line. The American Revolution ... sorry, anyone here on FR can name you at least 20 patriot leaders from those days, and most could name more.
What about candidates that run on the Tea Party platform. Are they leaders? Do you consider Nikki Hayley or Michelle Bachman or Paul Ryan to be leaders of the movement. Surely, our elected officials who are pushing our policies would be considered our leaders. How about those willing to go out and initiate discussions in the press, pushing our values and principles like Sarah Palin.
This brings us to people like Meckler. Without his efforts, there would be NO organization of the Tea Party in much of the country. He is supported by State organizers, who in turn are supported by group organizers. With no organization, we would not be able to learn about things even as simple as places and times we should rally, let alone get educated on the issues that we need to learn about. A leaderless group will never go on the offensive.
Organization allows us to coalese around our core principles (which in the case of the Tea Party Patriots is Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Market Economics. What, do you think those spring from our heads like Athena from Zeus? No, LEADERSHIP developed those as our core tenants.
I have never once heard anyone state that the goal of Tea Party is to be leaderless to keep the left from being able to figure out how to attack us. The meetings I participate in, we are organized, we have leadership, and we are trying to figure out how to take the fight to them. If we truely were leaderless, they would not need to attack us, we would simply fade from view. To view the Tea Party as a leaderless movement is naive.
I think you have latched on to me out of frustration. I have no quarrel with Mr Meckler. I was just pointing out how the media, AP in this case, will use anything they can find to damage the Tea Party.
That is true no matter what you say. The rest I won’t argue about.