My thoughts on the Tea Parties

[JamesA1102]

First, I want to say that I have no problem with any person protesting the government. That is the right of every American and is rightly protected by the constitution.

What bothers me about these protests is:

1) As much as they try to claim it is a grassroots movement, the facts show that they were organized by several right-wing lobbyist groups and FOX News.

And big part of this is that FOX News completely blurred the line between covering an event and advocating for it.

2) Less than 100,000 people attended these events across the country. In D.C. the press dubbed it the 'Fizzle in the drizzle' because so few people showed up. Geraldo Rivera on FOX acknowledged that less people attended all the tea party events than one immigration rally in Chicago. Yet look at all the attention they got in the MSM (outside of FOX) versus anti-war protests several years ago that were attended by millions.

Jon Stewart did a good job last night exposing FOX's hypocrisy but I wish he had spent some time comparing the rest of the MSM. They helped elevat an event that was mainly attended by the lunatic fringe.

3) The vitriol of most of the people attending these events. There was no clear focus on what they were angry about other than they all hated Obama. Most of those who attended are getting a tax cut under President Obama and for the very few who's taxes are being increased it is only by 3%. So the outrage about taxes seems a bit misplaced. If they are mad about government spending, why didn't they seem to care when Bush and the GOP were spending like drunken sailors turning a surplus into a deficit. Most of the outrage seemed to be calling President Obama a socialist or a facist or a terrorist.

To me these events looked like just a bunch of disgruntled racist white people who are angry about the results of the last election acting out like children.

4) Finally, what bothers me the most is the stirring up of these extreme elements in our society advocating violence, secession and revolution. Is this all the right has left now that most of the country has turned away from them. People like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh called liberals who protested against the war and Bush treasonous. Now they seem to be advocating far worse than any liberal during the Bush years.

I really fear for the safety of our President and his family as well as others in government. Remember the four cops killed in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago by a right-wing extremist. Remember those who died in the Knoxville church shooting by a right-wing extremist inspired by Bernie Goldberg. Remember all those killed in Oklahoma City by right-wing extremist Timothy McVeigh.

It seems as if the right can't win at the ballot box, they steal it. And if they can't steal it, they are willing to resort to violence. But if one of these crazies ever takes a shot at the President or his family, there will be hell to pay with the American people. Rush, Beck and Hannity better watch out if that ever happens.

[bluescribbler]

1. Amen

Those people scare me.:scared: There's no telling what they might do next.

[stevedeshazer]

2. As one of the millions of anti-war protesters you mentioned,

I find all the media attention given these stupid-ass teabaggers nauseating.

Good post.

[liberalmuse]

4. Same here.

I tried not to go there, but it was very disheartening seeing all the attention given these ugly people (and I mean 'ugly' by their actions and facial expressions more than the physical appearance they were born with). Our cause was just, yet we were sneered at and worse, dismissed by most media outlets. It's sad, because apparently having a tantrum because you lost is much more newsworthy than protesting against an unjust war and bombing people who did us no harm.

[liberalmuse]

3. Excellent post!

You've laid out the reasons why we should all be bothered by these protests.

[Nostalgic]

5. The tea baggers worry me too.

I'm worried that for some unforeseen reason, their numbers will increase instead of decrease, before Obama's plans have been given the chance to work.

[Peacetrain]

6. I am not so much worried about that right now.. because

they (the ultra right) have spent the last 8 years cleaning their ranks of moderates (a good lesson for us to think about), and what they have is a dedicated partisan group, that is too off the deep edge for the middle, middle right, middle left, and true centrists. That is where the power is..

[butterfly77]

7. Say it again!

:thumbsup: :hi: :kick: :kick: :kick: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: Kicked and recommended!!!

[gauguin57]

8. What bothers me is that nearly all of them got a tax cut and they protest Obama's "higher taxes"

They. Are. Clueless.

But, as you say, they have the right to parade their utter stupidity in public if they so choose.

[jimlup]

9. A small warning of what the future might hold if ...

The economy doesn't start to recover before the 2010 congressionals. I worry about these guys starting to gain power as people become frustrated. It wouldn't be pretty.

Chomsky compared it too what he remembers hearing from Germany in the late 1930's. And he expressed concern. Though it is at the end of the interview, I found the recent Amy Goodman interview helpful for putting the current economic/political situation into perspective.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/13/noam_chomsky_on_the_global_economic

[emulatorloo]

10. Excellent analysis -- and I am very troubled by point #4

It bothered me when McCain Palin were doing it, I had hoped it would stop when the election was over. Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh, etc are playing with fire.