“What has commonly been called rebellion has more often been nothing but a manly and glorious struggle in opposition to the lawless power of rebellious kings and princes.” – Samuel Adams
I had a very heavy schedule last week. While that represents some exciting transition in my work life, I was disappointed that I was unable to attend the St. Paul Tea Party, one of many held throughout the country on April 15th. Pete had received a credential as a citizen journalist for Pajamas TV, and was looking forward to his first protest! Fortunately for me, my good friend Mary Hoffman went with him. Their photos and her observations served as my eyes and ears.
Even though there have been attempts by media members and politicians to disparage the Tea Party movement by suggesting that professional operatives were astroturfing the protests, Mary reports a more grass roots event:
Well here are some observations from the Tea Party…….
There were a lot more people there than I thought there would be!….
The crowd makeup was very diverse….there were men there by themselves, women by themselves, men with other men friends, women with other women friends, families with small children (lots of strollers), families with middle school aged children whose parents were heard explaining the meaning of some of the homemade signs…..
There were well dressed people and those with tattered jeans falling off their asses…there were motorcycle enthusiasts, tatooed young hippies, tatooed old hippies…..there were people like Pete and I in jeans and T-shirts.
“If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” -Samuel Adams, attributed.
The signs (as you can see from the photos) mostly followed the theme of protesting against big government and big spending. It wasn’t an Obama-bash at all.
There was a focus on this being the beginning of a grass-roots movement to tell Congress that we won’t be ignored anymore. Everyone was encouraged to go back to their lives and spread the word…that we are not going away.
“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” -Samuel Adams, August 1, 1776.
I saw a very respectful crowd. People were even avoiding walking on the dirt where tulips might be growing…although that may have been just to not get their feet dirty. 
The people were respectful of the speakers. I saw older people moving through the crowd with canes and those around them moved to the grass so that they could have the sidewalk to be able to manuver better…. I always asked if it was okay to take someone’s picture…..especially the children. I noticed that other photographers were doing the same.
I was PROUD to be associated with these people and felt so very much at home with them. There was nothing extreme about them as the press and government officials have tried to imply. Even as we left, people were helping people cross the street, cars stopped for pedestrians not in the crosswalk, drivers allowed other drivers access to the long lines waiting for the lights to get on the freeway……gosh, I think we saw a glimpse of what America could be without those who think that we owe them something.
From Rasmussen: While half the nation has a favorable opinion of last Wednesday’s events, the nation’s Political Class has a much dimmer view-just 13% of the political elite offered even a somewhat favorable assessment while 81% said the opposite. Among the Political Class, not a single survey respondent said they had a Very Favorable opinion of the events while 60% shared a Very Unfavorable assessment. One-in-four adults (25%) say they personally know someone who attended a tea party protest. That figure includes just one percent (1%) of those in the Political Class.
Now let’s hear from someone who knows something about astroturfing:
And “Thomas Paine” calls for a Million Person March on Washington:
What say you?
Related:
- TEA PARTY CROWD ESTIMATES: Nate Silver estimates “262,025, with a fair number of (probably mostly s… (pajamasmedia.com)
- Going Galt: Tax hikes have consequences (michellemalkin.com)
- Tea Party Interview with Michael Norton (americansolutions.com)
- Tea Party Interview with Kellie Jo Helget (americansolutions.com)
- Tea Party Interview with Linda Williams (americansolutions.com)
- DHS issued report on extremism despite concerns (yahoo.com)
- Garofalo says tea parties all about white power (hotair.com)
- Tea Party Interview with Linda Hassinger (americansolutions.com)
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Betsy,
Thanks for your insight and for the pictures.
Something about these protests troubles me. I understand that people turned out to these events to protest a perceived gross increase in government spending and expanse of the government, but I can’t help but feel that the same people who attended these protests and helped to advertise them are the same people who enabled our last president to nearly bankrupt the country.
George Bush from 2000-2008 had massive increases on discretionary spending. In addition to the huge amounts he spend at home on the prescription drug bill, “no child left behind” etc. there was also the Iraq War which will in and of itself cost $3 trillion according to some estimates. He finished two terms without vetoing a single spending bill all while cutting taxes and left America which a huge amount of debt and an ungodly deficit. He should be considered by all Americans regardless of political affiliation as one of (if not the) least economically competent presidents ever. Where was the conservative outrage when he was in office? It was only during the election cycle when “conservatives” started calling him out on his spending. During Bush’s presidency, John McCain who claimed to be against government waste, voted time after time with Bush.
On the issue of smaller government, Bush gave us the Patriot Act, warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeas corpus, Gitmo, waterboarding and many more. Where was the conservative outrage at the shredding of our constitution to suit the whims of the executive branch? It was few and far between.
Now I’m not the biggest Obama fan. He has made some decisions in his short time in office regarding civil liberties, foreign policy and his staff appointments that I have disagreed with strongly and that he should be called out on. He is not acting in many respects as the man who earned my vote in November. But I’m hard pressed to believe that Obama will somehow ruin America by increasing spending on public works projects, the VA and food stamps while raising the taxes of only the wealthiest Americans to an amount less than what they paid under Reagan.
I’m all in favor of protesting injustice. I feel like Americans don’t do it often enough. I’m including myself in that statement. I just can’t shake the feeling that these protests are politically driven because the new president is of a different party and not by the true need to clean up and shrink government.
I really don’t mean to rant at you. I really appreciated your article and your thoughts. I’m ranting more against the larger political culture which I feel is being dishonest.
Thanks,
Jim
While Jim provides a well thought out comment, it is all based on the belief that this is a conservative or Republican movement, which it is not. It is a grassroots movement in the truest sense of the words made up of people from all walks of political life.
Reading elsewhere on the internet, one will find a great many instances where Republican officeholders at the federal and state level where told they were not welcome at the events.
Where were all these folks when Bush was doing his thing?
Policies and power have changed considerably since then, but I suspect that part of it is that at some point people have had enough and realize they have to act. The new government has pushed people over the edge they were standing on.
For the majority of people at the Tea Parties, this was their first demonstration of any kind. That was certainly the case for me and Mary.
It is no longer enough to be a faithful voter regardless of your political persuasion. Those who “rule” us have gotten fat off the tax payer and they believe they are entitled . . . entitled to a life time salary, entitled to exceptional and free medical care, entitled to apply laws to us but not to themselves, entitled to say one thing to get elected but do another when they reach office, entitled to vote on one of the largest spending bills ever but not even read it.
If one had to classify the Tea Parties, I would say they were anti-incumbent. Those who currently hold office have looked down their nose at these demonstrations by ordinary people who have had enough.
They still don’t get it. But what they will soon learn is that the next election started on April 15th.
I, for one, would love to join Thomas Paine on a march on Washington.
Pete´s last blog post..BALD EAGLE FOR ALABAMA TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
Hi Jim – Welcome to PassingThru! I appreciate the depth and thoughtful tone throughout your comment. I see that Pete has responded already. In our relationship, I’m the mouth and he’s the brain. Which means, I talk more. Getting that much wind from him is truly remarkable and I salute you, sir!
Jim, while I understand your skepticism, I think it’s important to note that the movement really is bipartisan. This post contains very similar arguments to the valid points you make about spending prior to Obama’s election: http://reteaparty.com/2009/04/21/getting-our-own-house-in-order/ Maybe you’ve seen the response:
It’s time to open our minds to new possibilities, new ideas, and new candidates. If an Independent or Third Party candidate presents a more constitutionally sound alternative or a more fiscally conservative budget proposal, don’t waste your vote on the same old Democrat or Republican.
It’s time to hold a lot of these so-called conservative media darlings to a higher standard as well. Have a lot of these individuals jumped on the band wagon simply because the Democrats are in power now? Did they spend eight years coming up with creative justifications for many of the egregious Republican spending extravaganzas? Do they simply mock and degrade those who share even the slightest difference of opinion?
If we begin to rectify our own inconsistencies, then we may witness an unbelievable explosion of the tea party movement. Instead of just preaching to the choir, we will begin to attract more and more Democrats, Independents, Third Party members, and a wider spectrum of Republicans. Until we begin to convince some of the skeptics, this movement will never reach its true potential.
ReTeaParty is dedicated to becoming the most highly respected and independent-minded tea party organization in the nation. To the best of its ability, ReTeaParty will not tolerate the the poisons of partisan politics, nor will it become a tool of opportunistic media. Though mistakes will be made along the way, ReTeaParty will do its best to uphold the integrity of the Constitution and to encourage thoughtful discussion from all political persuasions.
So, while nothing is perfect, and it’s understandable to be skeptical, I’m glad you’re keeping an open mind. This post wasn’t intended to limit criticism to President Obama, although we could certainly respond to anti-Bush rhetoric in tit-for-tat fashion all day long – there’s plenty of material to go around! Instead, it appears that, to paraphrase Stephen Stills, there’s really “somethin’ happenin’ here.” And it’s due to the fact that a lot of change looks like more of the same on steroids.
Like you, I believe society has an obligation to care for its most vulnerable members, and that government spending on infrastructure and veterans is imperative. But I also believe that it is incumbent upon our representatives to know what they’re voting for – no one read that stimulus bill, yet it absolutely had to be voted upon in the middle of the night. It was so urgent that it sits on the President’s desk while he takes a three-day weekend in Chicago?
I believe mentioning civil liberties, Gitmo, the suspension of habeas corpus, and waterboarding would first of all be remiss without including current Administration policy, which appears pretty status quo. It’s one thing to campaign, and evidently it’s quite another when the buck is now stopping at your desk. But these issues are non sequiturs to this particular discussion.
We elect folks to work with the people in mind, not themselves. I’ve recently written our Senator and our Representative, and I posted the response I got from one here on the blog. All I can say is, they should fire the individuals on their staff who crafted the smarmy canned platitudes I received. It seems as though they don’t think we can fire them – and they’d be justified, because we rarely do. We just keep electing the incumbents. It’s news when we don’t.
I will say I believe tax cuts encourage economic growth via job creation. Just because Bush didn’t veto spending, does not make the spree we’ve seen in the last 70 days (exceeding all government spending since there ever was any) appropriate. Adding incomprehensible levels of spending isn’t thoughtful or measured. It’s reactionary, whatever the reason. Cutting $100 million this week is somehow responsible after last week when $8 billion was inconsequential? Please. Even Gibbs had trouble with that one.
The people have had enough placation and insults to our intelligence. We’re the customer of government, and it’s high time for good service – which includes the truth, not just higher prices.
Jim, I want to thank you again. We’ve all got to find a way to put aside our differences. Honest dialogue is the way to clean up the mess. I know many voters thought they were doing just that in November’s election. The good news is that there’s nothing stronger than a bunch of ordinary Americans who feel called to purpose.
Hi Betsy,
Thanks for the response.
I appreciate both you and Pete taking the time to respond so thoughtfully.
I think if there’s one thing that we can agree on its that we as a country regardless of political party need to hold our politicians’ feet to the fire. Politicians are supposed to be working for us and I think our country has come to forget that. Without continually be reminded of that fact, politicians of either party will continue to take advantage of the system and of the people.
I won’t agree with everything you protest about but I want you to keep protesting. When Obama does something you disagree with, protest. And believe me, I will be voicing my disapproval of Obama when he deserves it just as I did with Bush before him and the next president who follows him.
I do think lot of people on the left got lazy after the election and are not holding Obama to account on a lot of issues. You mentioned the current administration being status quo on a lot of the same issues as Bush in regards to the constitution and civil liberties. This is inexcusable regardless of who got elected and being that Obama was a professor of constitutional law, it is even more shocking.
The points I was making with my Bush comments weren’t meant to drum up controversy or incite a left vs. right war and I’m glad you understood where I was coming from. All I really ask of the tea party protesters is not to forget that what they seem to be protesting right now is not an Obama specific issue and was there before him and will be there after him.
Again, I really appreciate the chance to talk with you and Pete. Its been great hearing your viewpoints.
Thanks,
Jim
Hi Betsy – I love what you said about being the mouth and Pete being the brain
I actually asked Jim to visit your site and comment on your article. Jim pays more attention to politics and the news than I do and is better able to calmly express him point of view. My views are very similar to his but are more feelings and reactions and I am not always able to back them up and I’m not always completely informed.
I’ve said before that it amazes me how alike we are and how completely different we are but maybe we aren’t so far apart either.
I completely agree that our elected officials seem to forget that they work for us and are more beholden to corporate interests than those of the citizens.
Kim Woodbridge´s last blog post..(Anti) Social Personal Developments
Hi Betsy. I steer pretty much clear of politics so I’m not prepared to add an intelligent comment here. But, I want to say that I admire the conviction with which you write and the varied topics you explore on your blog. And, I just wanted to say hi!
Davina´s last blog post..Morning Muse — Flock of Thoughts
Hi again Jim – Yes, we can definitely agree that holding politicians accountable is paramount. But how, really, can we do this? What might the specter of effective consequences be? Impeachment? A distracting circus, really. The one hand will be tied up in the process while the other hand freely wheels and deals.
About the only thing that appears to make sense to me at this point is term limits. When politicking is no longer a life-long career, but rather temporary service to the nation, I think we’d be closer to what the Founding Fathers envisioned and lived.
Also, I thought of your remarks when I read this today: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124027091370936935.html
I want to thank you again for visiting. We don’t always talk politics here at PassingThru, but when we do, we’ve been gratified in the comment section. There has been passion, civility, respect and humor as we’ve discussed our country’s past, present and future. And we’re also grateful for friends with interesting and diverse views. We hope you’ll stick around.
Hi Kim – Well, it’s true! I go on and on – I’ve become my mother that way, and Pete’s the strong, silent type.
I want to thank you, too, for inviting Jim over. You know, we all make decisions based upon emotion, first. Then some of us move on to back up those feelings and reactions with facts that suit the decision.
And you’re right – there is more alike with you and me than perhaps one might think – even though I’m perfectly elderly when compared with you! I hope you always feel welcome to comment, and I appreciate your introduction, too. Thanks again.
Hi Davina – Wow, thank you! I’m so glad you did stop by. I’m finding that one good thing about getting older is you can be more and more opinionated, and people tend to indulge you!
Thanks.
What?!?! You mean it wasn’t all a bunch of gun toting, angry, white, hillbilly men at these rallies? I never would have known.
The news coverage of these parties was atrocious. I’ve never like the mainstream media, but this coverage was beyond biased, it was strait up mean spirited and anti-free speech.
Kris´s last blog post..Budget Cut My Eye!
Hi Kris – Welcome to PassingThru! I agree. The mainstream coverage was appalling. There was that one reporter, a Ms. Rosegen (sp?), from CNN who was harassing and arguing with attendees in Chicago. That was caught on other tape than CNN’s, which had been conveniently edited out by them, and publicized on YouTube. She has now been placed on some type of leave.
Then there was all the tittering from Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, and others about “tea-bagging.” Evidently, it’s some kind of sexual double entendre mentioned in the Kama Sutra. I’m not sufficiently intellectual to grasp the nuance, except to wonder, “Is this journalism?”
The problem with the media taking any sort of supportive political position prior to an election survives that election. Then they necessarily become declared stakeholders and defenders, or else risk overt hypocrisy. It’s a pickle for a shill to be in, to be sure. I’ll bet it’s a somewhat different thrill running up Chris Matthew’s leg now, yes? Thanks for your comment.
The good news is that the TEA parties continue, each weekend you can find at least one across the nation, Jackson Tennessee this coming weekend.
July 4th should be a huge gathering of TEA parties.
Debbie´s last blog post..Moral Muslims don’t want a memorial to the terrorists on the Flight 93 crash site – Blogburst
Hi Betsy – We had a tea party in our area and my husband and one of his buddies went. I told him I would stay home just in case he got arrested, *haha*, but he came home safe and sound. He said it was bipartisan, no rowdiness, no fights. Some held up signs, some spoke, but all in all the people who were there were from every generation, every political origin and every race, just showing their concern for our future and hoping all of the politicians would listen to their concerns.
Oddly enough, not much was on the major networks about the tea parties, so I was happy to find Fox News on site sharing first hand what issues people were discussing. The tea parties were definitely not Obama bashes, but just everyday folk, having their say.
Barbara Swafford´s last blog post..Does An Ugly Blog(ger) Stand A Chance?
Hi Debbie – Yes, they do continue! There are others scheduled right on through the summer, with the biggest one so far on tap in Boston. We’re going to go to that one – YAY! Thanks.
Hi Barbara – It’s always good to leave someone at home in case there’s bail to be raised, eh?
You’re right, the so-called major news networks didn’t quite know what to do with the phenomenon. Our local paper had a counterpoint in the editorial section citing similar impressions to those my friend Mary had, and your husband’s. At least they gave the author the space, but they couldn’t resist captioning the one photo by saying “several hundred” people took part. Estimates were in the neighborhood of 7,500. Is 75 the new “several”?
Compare and contrast the coverage on 100 – 200 protestors at the GOP convention. Well, to be fair, those protestors did break windows and damage property. I guess that’s more newsworthy. Thanks.