I got off my lazy bum to visit a Tea Party here in the Kansas City area. I really didn't know what to expect from the experience. I went based off my intrigued and wanted to witness first hand a rally that has been vilified by the media and our own Government. When people have talked about the Tea Parties, you hear terms like "crazies," and "racists," and you hear a lot of wild allegations against a group who is speaking out about real issues that they strongly believe in. I'm still sitting and digesting the whole experience, but I think despite my agreement or disagreement with their issues, I was certainly humbled. Witnessing this large group coming together with concerns for a cause, who are hardworking Americans from the surrounding Midwest areas, ranging from farmers to local retail stores clerks to small business owners, really inspired me. I'm admittedly an idealist and can easily hide behind my computer or canvas, but these people were the ones putting their backs into their work, hoping to achieve that American dreams by it, and who were active in trying to speak out about what they view is wrong with the Government. Seeing this kind of action by this group was definitely inspiring.
With that being said, when you have the President of the United States, Obama, stating fleeting comments about these rallies like, "I've been a little amused over the last couple of days where people have been having these rallies about taxes. You would think they would be saying thank you," (SOURCE) it makes you question his working-for-you tactics the current administration is trying to adhere to. Who is this administration really working for? Solely and supposedly the poor people? The Unions? Special interest groups that funded his campaign? As Dana Mills from the Washington Post wrote in her article about the Tea Parties she snubbly pointed out that these people who are protesting are "wealthier than average" and "better educated." (SOURCE) Just because you're wealthy and educated does that mean the rest of the world should turn a deaf ear to you when you have a problem with the Government? Isn't that the end goal of this Country, that American Dream, wealth and education? I think it's unfair to merely shrug off what they have to say based on their supposed "elite" status. Despite that, from what I witnessed, the people who I talked with were from a working class, some who were even Veterans from past and present wars, who were tired of big government and who believed in an honest pay for honest work.
Granted, I'm sure, as Ms. Mills pointed out in her article, you can easily latch on to the supposed corrupt elite hand in this situation, just as easily as I can point out Andrew Stern's elite hand in the Obama-Health-Care-Bill, but that won't get us anywhere at this point. I think the main issue at hand is what those people were there for; it was a yearning for change in our Government that has strayed from it's foundation. Honestly, I don't think we should rule them out so quickly. We should take a closer look at the issues and take them seriously. These people are just as American as anyone else is, and they certainly have a right to be doing what they're doing.
Here are some more photos I took that evening (some pretty hilarious)...
I don't know if my dad would like that one! Ha! (He works for the IRS.)
Some boys dressed up patriotically, passing around a Pro-life petition.
Then when he turned around, someone yelled "YEAH RON PAUL!" and I caught him in the perfect moment. YES!
Aye... Palin.
They did a tribute to Veterans there at the Rally. There were a LOT of Veterans there that night.
Gotta love that quote!
Do it man... do it.
-N.S.Soria
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Awesome! I'm so glad you went man, kudos! It's so true that the media and our own government has been slinging nothing but aggression towards this peaceful but passionate movement. The fact of the matter is, the "educated and wealthy" are the 48% of Americans funding our government and all of it's spending. Tell me, who has more of a right to protest where the money is going? Thanks Nate!!
ReplyDeleteRight on man! Thanks for the dose of reality as well. I should've placed that in the blog. Thanks for keeping an eye on our blog. Cheers bro!
ReplyDeleteUp until now "educated and wealthy" has been code for "liberal elite," i.e. the Enemy. Now that a blogger points out that Tea Partiers are generally better educated and wealthier than the public, suddenly it's they're victims. Please. Would you like fudge with your double standard?
ReplyDeleteAll this complaining about taxes I don't get. Our taxes are ridiculously low. Lower than most of the world. *And* we're fighting two wars! If Bush had actually paid for these wars by raising taxes like we're supposed to do, I could see the whining, but he cut taxes. And Obama cut taxes even further. I respect their passion about politics but I want to smack these people upside the head and tell them to think before the speak. They're paying less this year in taxes then last year, and less than during the Bush years when they were all happy and dandy about the government.
I don't know if I feel sorry for these people or not; they're wealthy, educated middle class Americans who got a tax cut and have nothing better to do but complain about it. They're living the American dream and they're pissed off about it. Thank god they live in America, where that kind of insanity is perfectly acceptable.
Osarusan, the tea party movement is not about "higher taxes" of any year,except that the Federal Government has no right to take half of our earnings,and define "income" and to then give it out in the form of corporate welfare,and welfare to citizens. Sorry Osarusan,but you fail to understand the reasons the original 13 colonies seceded from the british empire,and why in the 21st century u.s. citizens have decided to protest and request the dumping of the IRS federal income tax...plain and simple, WE ARE TIRED of tyrants up in Washington D.C. directing injustified wars,spending us into debt,telling us we have no choice but to pay the damned taxes to them and their corrupt schemes!Well written observations AOP,its too bad that the tea party goers didnt recognize Ron Paul as the true conservative back in 2008 elections.
ReplyDeleteMy take on tea partiers is that the movement has coalesced around a number of issues--to try and frame them all as ingrates who don't want to pay taxes is a mistake. Some feel overtaxed, many feel the size and scope of government are out of control, many think the current crop of politicians exist to line their own pockets and help out their cronies at the expense of the American people. This administration's continuing spending spree is helping to fuel that. The whopping $13 a week tax cut Obama so generously handed out is a poor substitute for fiscal responsibility. November is going to be a bloodbath, and nobody's seat is safe.
ReplyDeleteI don't think these people see themselves as victims, they don't want you to feel sorry for them. I think it's interesting the efforts people are making to shame these people into silence or suggesting they shouldn't be allowed to express their opinions (see Bill Clinton's latest comments). What are you people so afraid of?
Osarusan,
ReplyDeleteThe tea parties are a protest to the massive government spending which our taxes are funding and the overreaching means being implemented to further the collection of and spending of these taxes. The government health care plan(which will add 5-10% to our taxes once fully integrated) has an "anticipated" budget the size of the entire war in Iraq, and is a plan 60% of Americans were openly opposed to and one decided by a fully partisan vote. Never before has the government mandated that a good or service "health care" be purchased by it's citizens as in health care. This goes against the tenth amendment and the free commerce clause of our constitution. It is not just some harmless and simple legislation that gets rid of evil pre-existing condition clauses as most young and trendy liberals believe. So obviously this is a big issue to the tea party movement.
Also high on the list is Cap and Trade. Passed under Americans noses last year, this will be a perpetual thorn in the side of America and will make it nearly impossible for American industry to compete on a global scale, a task which has grown increasingly difficult over the past 50 years irregardless.
As far as a double standard, the majority of the media, who espouse your own beliefs protested, lambasted and utterly crucified Bush for the war in Iraq for 4 FULL YEARS. It was front page news...everyday. Now that Obama has followed Bush's timetable for withdrawal and has an ongoing war in Afghanistan, the media is eerily quiet. Obama is not portrayed as the war-mongerer his predecessor was because the war on Iraq protests of the left were not protests of war. The war was simply a method for opportunists to make a political statement against Bush and sound righteous in the process. But now that a new administration has taken the reigns, those once strong convictions are no more.
If you read any foreign journalism or talked to any politically minded individuals overseas, you'd see how confused outsiders are by our media. It no longer serves it's purpose to protect citizens as the Fourth Estate but instead represent an isolated, esoteric, and skewed view of America. So much so that our current President would be classless and corrupt enough to denounce an entire news network (and the number 1 rated news network in America) because they don't fall in line with his sociopolitical worldview. Did you see Bush crying foul at MSNBC?
Feel sorry for and curse the tea party movement and those who fight the liberal statists all you want. Just know their mentalities and ideals are what purchased and built this nation; The only reason you're able to speak your opinion (misinformed or not) openly in the first place.