On Wednesday, April 15th, thousands of Americans who have never before protested anything in their lives are going to be taking some hours from their busy workdays to go out into streets and show the Statists that they are not simply going to roll over and hand over the fruits of their labor to fund this growing aneurysm known as the Federal Government.
They will be on solid philosophical ground.
Anyone with any fundamental understanding of the United States Constitution, and the process by which it was negotiated, shouted over and eventually ratified, would tell you of the horror and shock that would confront every single one of them if they were to see what we have become: a gigantic, ever-growing welfare state that breeds resentment and dependency, perpetuated by a ruling oligarchy of 535 congressmen, 9 Justices, a president, vice-president and cabinet that contain people with three, or four, or five decades away from the people they represent and who function as an imperial aristocracy — because they are.
If you are feeling dismay and astonishment at what has happened to our Country, can you not find some way to take an hour or two from your busy schedule and attend one of these tea party events? Yes, I know it’s a lot of trouble. I know it’s hard to get out of work, tough to drive to the location, hassle with parking, and all of that. You probably don’t have a sign prepared and you don’t need one. You can make a hundred solid excuses why it’s damn near impossible for you to go, and I am sympathetic to all of it…
But:
These men signed a document knowing that was their death sentence, should their ramshackle collection of farmers and brewers and smiths fail to prevail against the most powerful military force the world had ever seen. A death sentence. They did that, not because they craved money, or social position, or political power – as with all revolutions before or since. Most of them had that in abundance. This was a risk they took not to gain everything, but to lose it.
They did it because they believed that men should be free: free from the petty tyrannies of other people telling you what to do for your own good. They risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for you. If we cannot take two hours out of work to repay that debt, then we deserve everything that is coming to us.
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120 Comments
1. Pajamas Media » Why You Should Attend a Tea Party:[...] the entire story here [...]
Apr 14, 2009 - 6:40 pm 2. Daddyquatro:Thank, Bill.
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:05 pm 3. BluestateRedgirl:I was actually starting to find excuses not to go.
That was just the kick in th pants I needed.
I am so upset that I can’t go tomorrow!! How can we show support without being there in person?
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:06 pm 4. Daddyquatro:“s” in Thank
“e” in th
“Me” in Downtown Houston.
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:07 pm 5. Nancy:This reminded “why”….Thank you so much.
LET’S ROLL!
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:27 pm 6. Sapper Mike:Well, I have been brewing sun tea and sending the dried bags (with holes, just like our tax program) to that-idiot-Diane, her-moronic-friend-Barbara, providing money to the Recall Anthony Adams program (and waiting with baited breath to vote that sorry scumite B*st**d politician out of office!) and encouraging all my co-workers to vote no on Props 1A through 1F. Unfortunately, I cannot get out tomorrow to join anyone because of work/travel requirements, but I’ll be there in spirit. Give a yell for me while you are there folks!
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:51 pm 7. Osamas Pajamas:TAX HATER SAMUEL ADAMS, ARMED TO THE TEETH, AUGUST, 1776… “If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”
Now go kick over the bloody coffee tables, lads and lasses! Then vote Libertarian — or if you can’t bring yourself to do that —- then vote conservative Republican and throw OhBummer over the transom.
Yi Ha ***
Minister of Information
Peoples’ Capitalist Republic of Whizbangistan
*** Pronounced “YEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
Apr 14, 2009 - 7:59 pm 8. Marc:Sounds Anti-American. I’m a proud American, even if the country is flawed, it’s the best one around, and I’m not willing to give it up. All you seditionists should think twice.
Apr 14, 2009 - 8:03 pm 9. Linguist:Indeed.
We will be there.
Apr 14, 2009 - 8:13 pm 10. Jim Durbin:Mr. Whittle, your writings have been a fire lit under many of us. As you say, we are grounded in history.
Despite what you hear from our Attorney General, America is not a nation of cowards. We do not lack courage. We lack leadership. It is not the people who lack courage, it is the civic and business leaders who have decided to go along with the intrusion of federal power. It is the CEO’s of the auto companies, and the oil companies, and the insurance companies, and the telecom companies, and all of the other industries facing nationalization and censure who refuse to stand up to an increasingly belligerent political elite who are the cowards. Having accumulated so much, they agree to lay down with the wolves in power in the hopes they will be the last ones eaten.
Has this always been the case? Where are the best of us who would never bow in fealty to a Congressman wielding the power of the subpoena? Where are the executives who stand up and tell Congress to get out of the way and let America fix its own problems? The appeal of a John Galt is not that he withdrew. It’s that he stood up and told the parasitic elite they were wrong. Where are these courageous men who know their work is the lifeblood of the nation? Who are the men who will stand up and say that class warfare and populist rage are tools to shift power from an economic elite to a political one? Where are the leaders who demand freedom, not chains?
I have met those leaders, and they are not to be found in Washington. They are the men and women of the Tea Parties. They are business owners, and grandmothers, and college students and former Democrats and former Republicans who recognize the growth of governmental power and arrogance is a symptom of societal decay. They recognize that those who claim to work for you will later demand payment for work on your behalf. They recognize the value of a man’s work is in his voluntary contribution to his family and community, not his forced contribution to the treasury.
Courage is recognizing that the Tea Party protests on April 15th are the waking of American greatness.
Courage is the rallying cry of the free.
http://www.24thstate.com/2009/04/courage.html
Apr 14, 2009 - 8:23 pm 11. Donkephant:I really do want to go tomorrow, but won’t be able to. The GOP attempts to hijack the idea have put a bit of a stigma on it for me anyways. Just hope there are enough of them to make a difference!
http://www.donkephant.net/2009/04/14/tea-party-not-gop-event/
Apr 14, 2009 - 8:54 pm 12. Mary in LA:Well, I’m planning to go to two: the one in Los Angeles – South Bay and the one in Santa Monica. I’m taking off half a day of work.
Apr 14, 2009 - 9:52 pm 13. Ron Snyder:I fully expect to lose friends over this, if I should happen to be caught on television. It’s a sad prospect. But I can’t *not* do it, not when there are others actually putting their names on the line and not hiding behind a nic the way I do. :-/
Marc, read some history of this country, the Constitution, Bill of Rights then come back and say that this country is heading down a path that the Founders never intended.
All evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing.
Or, if you decide that you like Socialism, then just say so; or move to Europe.
Apr 14, 2009 - 11:25 pm 14. zippy7:This article should be in the major media, FoxNews, et al, at least, to remind America.
Apr 15, 2009 - 12:45 am 15. elvis:“I fully expect to lose friends over this,”
and then again… you’ll probably gain some real friends!
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:45 am 16. Old Soldier:See you there.
Apr 15, 2009 - 3:29 am 17. Spike72AFA:I’m going to the Tea Party in Morganton. Thanks again Bill.
Apr 15, 2009 - 3:43 am 18. Reaganite Republican Resistance:It’s not out-of-the-question that the 2009 Tea Party participants could someday be regarded by history as patriots who made a difference- same as 1773. This sort of public outrage might be just what’s needed to break through the media’s manufactured reality.
And you can believe that Obama and the left are plenty scared of the TEA party movement- how else to explain the dubious timing of the DHS report warning of “right-wing” radicals and their propensity to violence?
Barack Obama is rapidly liquidating everything that made this country great… and needs to be put back-on-his-heels with a major embarrassment that puts an end to the myth that everybody just loves Barack and his wacked-out agenda… because millions of us DON’T.
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/
Apr 15, 2009 - 3:57 am 19. vivo:A country without taxes? Never heard of it. Excessive taxes? That’s another story.
A Tea party? Just a tea party.
Want change? Talk to your congressman.
Stop paying taxes? Pave your own potholes, get your own water, fight your own wars, die bleeding, retire and die, teach at home, let criminals wander freely, eat rotten food, crumble, crumble, crumble . . . Happy now?
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:01 am 20. mudboss:Some of us diehards are going to the Chicago rally. But I know more Americans unwilling to take a couple hours out of their busy lives to support what they believe in. What a shame!
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:03 am 21. geoffgo:Cheers from Denver. Taking my camera.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:22 am 22. Brooksie:Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:30 am 23. marketmom:I’m going to the one in Washington D.C. I’m doing it for my children. I want them to know that I didn’t sit back while my generation passed on massive debt to theirs.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:34 am 24. Gary Ogletree:Marc, you’re a troll, first and last.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:35 am 25. Annie:I will be in Tampa, waving my signs with my husband. We are mad as hell and not going to take this lying down! We are numerous, more than we know even ourselves! Yes, let’s ROLL!!
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:37 am 26. Parabellum:See me in Asheville this afternoon. I’ll be the guy with the sign.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:43 am 27. Fragmentarian:Marc speaks on behalf of King George. May yer chains sit lightly and the arse ye kiss taste fine.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:44 am 28. Wearyman:I wish I COULD go. I’m stuck at home with two sick kids. My wife has to work today and couldn’t get the day off. My in-laws are Socialists and won’t babysit my sick kids for me to go to a Tea Party and I don’t have anyone else willing to watch my kids if they are sick. ARGH!
I am SO PISSED OFF right now! I even had a sign made up! Stupid commie in-laws. Oh well, at least I managed to turn their daughter into an unabashed conservative capitalist. That’s the best revenge ever.
So I guess I will be with you in spirit my brothers and sisters, if not in body. Good luck to all the tea parties out there today!
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:45 am 29. HardHeadedWoman:If I don’t get snowed in I’ll be at one in Lander, Wyoming which is about 75 miles from where I live.
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:55 am 30. farm girl:Thank you for reminding all of us what they sacrificed.
We’re going to the Dayton tea party!!!!
Apr 15, 2009 - 4:56 am 31. Fun Dude:The tinyurl.com link goes to a Google Maps thing. It’s pointless.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:02 am 32. physics geek:I’ll be in downtown Richmond, VA tonight, sporting my Simon Jester/TANSTAAFL t-shirt.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:11 am 33. Stoutcat:You nailed it, Bill, this is my first protest ever!
I’ll be at the Boston Tea Party today, camera in hand, hoping to see hundreds or even thousands of my fellow Bay Staters gathering on the Common. I’m hoping it’ll be a day to remember.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:13 am 34. Joey:Well said Osama’s Pajamas. I will be attending in Cleveland (if my meetings are finished by then). There are far too many of those who are happy to lick the hand that oppresses.
Also, Wearyman, you are awesome. I will be twice as crazy today for you.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:16 am 35. ethanthom:So true it is time for WE THE PEOPLE to speak up,OUR Government has gotten out of hand.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:18 am 36. Cathy Wilson:Thank you. I needed that.
It’s cold and rainy here in Toledo.
My friend has bailed.
But you’ve stiffened my spine and my resolve.
Here I go!
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:19 am 37. Broadsword:“Moss Isley spaceport…uh…congress. You’ll not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy”.
“It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged.” -G.K. Chesterton
MOLON LABE
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:25 am 38. Charlie:When I was a young man back in the 60s, 1 person in 19 worked in (non-military) government at any level. Now it is one in 6. Government jobs are non-productive, that is, the wages are paid out of taxes. So now 5 people have to chip in the salary of the 6th. Only they also have to support the quarter of the population too young to work and, because Social Security is a ponzi scheme rather than real investment, the quarter of the population that has ceased to work. That’s before a single bridge or city hall or submarine is built and paid for.
There is nowhere for this aneurysm, as you call it, to grow. I think we’re about to have a stroke.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:28 am 39. sbwegs:Will be at the St Louis Tea Party. Thanks Bill for your great comments
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:29 am 40. Burgie:Bill,
Whatever you do, don’t let your thoughts of days gone bye stay unavailable for new readers. There are thousands who need the wisdom of the archived essays – including this unworthy commenter. I tried using Goggle Search to find completed essays, only to be swamped by hundreds of hits, all sending me to EjectEjectEject, where they no longer reside. Don’t let all those links end up lost n the ether…
Bring back the essays!
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:38 am 41. Reynolds Butler:To BlueStateRedGirl and others who aren’t able to attend a Tea Party today:
There will be other protests. The Freedom Movement is not going to end on April 15 . . . this is just beginning.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:44 am 42. Hangtown Bob:My wife and I will be at the Tea Party in Sacto. Will be taking lots of pics and hope to get them on the intertubes.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:45 am 43. catlady:I am going down by noon so that I can sit for six hour before my tea party starts. Why? Because it is important to exercise my right to free speech. Why so early? A lot of traffic, and unfamiliarity with the area the tea party will be in make me believe that I would be better off to get there very early than stress and run late.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:46 am 44. Sissy Willis:Truly an inspiring post, short and sweet . . .
My hubby and I were going to attend the one on Boston Common all along, but a couple of our gung-ho blog pals who had planned to aren’t going because they have to finish filling out their tax forms!
Oh, the irony.
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:47 am 45. spudmom:Made my sign last night, will be at the Boise party. Wish I know how far away I will have to park…
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:05 am 46. BackwardsBoy:I’ll be at the local Party with my camera. It’s my sincere wish that this day marks the beginning of the return to common sense in government.
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:07 am 47. Mrs. du Toit:Will be there with bells on.
“When wrongs are pressed because it is believed they will be borne, resistance becomes morality.”
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:09 am 48. rocketeer:–Thomas Jefferson, 1807.
Please stop posting the “wish I could go” comments. They are counterproductive, even if you think you’re being supportive. I’ve got kids and a job and we’re all going. Our forefather’s could have said, “Hey, I’ve got crops to plant, I don’t have time to start a revolution”, and we would still be living under the British Crown. This is important, excuses are just not going to cut it today.
Don’t stress about the GOP’s attempts to co-opt these events. The VAST majority that are going are completely disgusted with them as a party anyway, and maybe some of their members will wake up and get the idea. The tea party in my area has already informed the GOP and the DNC not to show up as a group to espouse any of their party agenda. They will be asked to leave if they do.
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:19 am 49. WayneB:I’ll be trying to get pictures of the counter-protesters we have been hearing are supposed to crash the party.
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:23 am 50. Lightduty:That’s what inspires me. Virginia was home to people who sacrificed for future generations. Not just Washington and Jefferson. The guys from Bedford who went ashore at D-Day, they were fighting for me.
Why should this generation borrow our children’s money? Do we deserve cable and tattoos enough for the government to pay for our housing?
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:24 am 51. Steven:If you’re in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, join me at my (very small, admittedly) tea party.
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:28 am 52. Merry:I’ll be in Kansas City, taking pictures, have a recorder to make sure I get answers from people correct, will send all to PJTV as soon as possible. In the meantime, I have forwarded a link to this essay to friends who were wavering – this should get them going – thank you again Mr. Whittle!
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:32 am 53. Igor:I’ll be at the one in Spokane, with the camera fully loaded (batteries charged) and ready to SHOOT!
While Spokane’s a (mostly) conservative town, I’ll just betcha the LLL and Moonbat brigades will be there as well.
“Expect me to be as hard to see as Simon Jester.”
Igor
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:39 am 54. acj:I am holding a tea party at my local park. I have brought information about who they can contact-their representive, and I have a graph of actual debt increases since 1942. Republicans are the ones that have increased the debt, and Bill clinton actually lowered the debt.
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:43 am 55. BobKrumm.com » Teabagging the establishment:The Iraq war started our escalation-and Bush borrowed money from China…just as our commerse with China became great-what deals were made here?
King George sold our country!!!!
[...] you should attend a Tea Party Revolution rekindled Time to make some [...]
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:45 am 56. TalkinKamel:Tsk, tsk, Marc!
I thought dissent was the highest form of patriotism!
Or does that apply only when a Democrat isn’t president?
Apr 15, 2009 - 6:59 am 57. Chris:Thanks. I was wavering. Now I’m off to the party in Philadelphia–once the cradle of liberty, now a festering progressive stronghold.
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:04 am 58. Chris:To Marc:
This isn’t sedition, you ignoramus. It’s political speech and association. See U.S. Const. amend. I.
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:07 am 59. Pat J:I take issue with the whole idea of this being some sort of “grassroots” protest. When I hear about such people as Dick Armey, Steve Forbes, Newt Gingrich and others throwing their financial support behind these demostrations, I worry. Look closely at such entities as FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity and you see people who are not behind the average working class individual.
Seems to me like it’s the protesters who are getting “teabagged” by GOP Corporate interests.
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:27 am 60. Tax Day Tea Party Thoughts | Autumn People:[...] A gut punch of a reminder from Bill Whittle over at Eject!Eject!Eject!: These men
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:28 am 61. Jilly:Well, now you’ve done it….. something about the pictures of the great and brave men who gave us this wonderful country …so I’m gonna head down to Portland Pioneer Courthouse Square and join up rather than watch it on TV.
I hope those grifters in Congress and the WH are paying attention. The audacity of voting for and signing bills they haven’t read, bills that obligate our grandchildren to pay the price … not to mention the outright lies and broken promises! They were mistaken if they thought we don’t care.
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:33 am 62. Lafula:I convinced my In-laws to attend their local protest and am working on my co-workers and fellow grad students. I’m ready to roll…having trouble concentrating on my work until the protest starts in Yorba Linda, CA! I found a great sign idea yesterday, “Spread My Work Ethic, NOT My Wealth!
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:40 am 63. The word of the week is “crazy” | The Anchoress:[...] Reynolds’ great piece in the Wall St. Journal Bill Whittle says Go Forth and Tea Party Tax Day and Tea Parties; writing on the wall ABC News Tracking Tea Party Crashers, the new [...]
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:11 am 64. Brian english:I’ll be in Lake Charles LA @ 5:00 pm standing tall. Good company is hard to find.
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:14 am 65. Doug Banned from LGF:Kinda puts that Homeland Security “Rightwing Extremist” memo in a whole new light, don’t it?
I guess the weather is still a bit too chilly for lizards to stir into this sort of action. They’re cold blooded, aren’t they?
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:18 am 66. Steve P (but not Steve P):I’ll be at the one in Yucaipa, CA (WHERE?); my daughter will be at the one in SacTown.
While I am not concerned about the TP I will attend, I am concerned at conservatives’ lack of foresight. Most of us (with apologies to Apple–and grammar teachers) “Think Different” than liberals. As such, most of us are going to be surprised when, at events covered by the MSM (and there will be some cherry-picked ones), things turn ugly. I’ve little doubt that there will be many non-violent tea parties infiltrated by those who want to show that conservatives are just as violent in their protests as liberals are. The way to assure that message gets out is to join the protest and then incite vandalism and violence.
We conservatives need to expect that sort of thing–and plan for it. When, God forbid, it happens, we need to calmly apprehend those responsible and turn them over to the authorities. Let’s hope there will be little, if any of this sort of action, but OUR response to improper behavior is what will help separate us from those trying to muddy the waters. If we get caught up in the hysteria, the vast majority of Americans will come away from these demonstrations thinking we’re just as loony as the fringes. They will, rightly or wrongly, dismiss us at that point.
As has been pointed out by others, there is little evidence to suggest that the DHS publication on “militia” members was accidental; but we must NOT help make the hype real by playing into it.
By all means, attend your local tea party, but do so in a way that brings honor to our fellow protesters and our country–and do so in a way that clearly shows just how different we are from those who would choose anarchy or totalitarianism over liberty.
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:30 am 67. Peggy:Sent my Hubby off on deployment this morning—going to the Tea Party in Salem, OR this afternoon to let him and all our brave soldiers down range know that we’ve got their backs here at home.
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:32 am 68. Why You Should Attend a Tea Party « Count Us Out:[...] http://pajamasmedia.com/ejectejecteject/2009/04/14/they-did-it-for-you-now-do-it-for-them/ [...]
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:50 am 69. BibleBeatings:After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?”
“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
“Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
God and Jesus see your hearts.
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:05 am 70. FLMom:19. vivo:
“Stop paying taxes? Pave your own potholes, get your own water, fight your own wars, die bleeding, retire and die, teach at home, let criminals wander freely, eat rotten food, crumble, crumble, crumble . . . Happy now?”
So you are suggesting that every cent collected and spent by every level of government is absolutely necessary? No corruption, no waste, no personal gain. Our government is comprised entirely of selfless saints who tirelessly work to make sure that not one single penny is misused.
Could I interest you in some beautiful waterfront property in Florida?
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:22 am 71. Burgie:To Pat J: Having held high position, or having attained wealth, or running a political blog does not mean a person is any less a patriot. A number, a pretty fair number, of our founders were wealthy men. They pledged that wealth toward bringing a new concept to fruition; that and their honor and their very lives. Men of lesser means, as well as genuinely poor men also made the same pledge – this gathering of men and women who love liberty continues today. To dismiss the efforts of Army, Gingrich and Forbes simply because they have held positions in the opposition party and are able to put money into the pot, makes me wonder about your actual position. Either the effort is worthy of your support, or not.
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:29 am 72. karlstro1:Bless the ones who are in attendance! For Homeland Security to call conservative right wing followers harmful to the American government and Pelosi calling me Un-American for not agreeing to the illegal immigration movement that Obama is going to push through I am thankful for real Americans standing up for what is right. Let this be the start to something good!
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:49 am 73. TalkinKamel:G-d and Jesus see our hearts, but you don’t, BibleBeater.
I doubt it’s G-d’s will that ordinary Americans go broke and end up paying bailouts to save incompetent business comglomerates (not to mention funding overseas abortions, and hand outs to Islamic countries).
I very much doubt, say, that Jesus would have told a Christian under the Nazis that they should submit to the government by turning over all those Jews they were hiding in the basement, or a Christian Arab in an Islamic country to stop handing out Bibles, and convert to Islam.
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:50 am 74. Mary in LA:BibleBeatings:
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:54 am 75. TalkinKamel:“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” — Matthew 23:27 (New International Version)
Also, Bibe-B, I suggest Jesus was talking about lawful authority. I hardly think He would advise poor Mexicans to submit to the drug cartels, because they had power, so it must be G-d’s will to obey them, or that Chinese Christians must close down their churches because the Communist party disapproves of them.
And it’s perfectly lawful for American citizens to gather together and peacefully protest. Just because you don’t like their politics doesn’t make them sinners in G-d’s eyes. Anyway, isn’t dissent the highest form of patriotism?
(By the way, are you, yourself a Christian? If not, isn’t it kind’ve silly for you to be preaching something you don’t believe in?)
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:58 am 76. TalkinKamel:Mary in L.A., my hat’s off to you! Perfect reply!
Apr 15, 2009 - 9:59 am 77. Mary in LA:BibleBeatings (what? Did someone hit you with a Bible?), here’s another one for you:
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” — 1 Corinthians 4:2 (New International Version)
If you believe that authorities are and should be God’s servants, then it should be equally obvious to you that our authorities are falling down on the job! What you don’t seem to get is that the real issue most of us Tea Partiers have is not the dollar amount of tax we pay per se, but the out-of-control way the government is spending itself into debt.
I read somewhere (do your own Googling, I have to leave for tea party #1 soon) that even if the income tax were raised to 100% on everyone in the U.S., it wouldn’t be nearly enough to repay the debt that the stimulus package has already created. Admit it — doesn’t that make you even the least bit uneasy?
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:12 am 78. Mary in LA:TalkinKamel, thanks!
BTW, BB’s nic reminded me: I thought I remembered that a folk cure for warts was to hit them with a Bible. (So is our friend BB a wart on the blog?) Turns out that’s not for warts, but for ganglion cysts. See frugalvillage.com. (A place where we will all be living shortly, if we can’t get this thing turned around!) For secularists, a phone book would probably work, too.
Bill, sorry for the OT! Off to the South Bay Tea Party now…
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:23 am 79. Debbie:Can you imagine how many folks would show up for these TEA parties if they were held on a weekend? So many folks are actually working at jobs today and won’t be able to get off for the TEA parties. The closest TEA parties to me are either a three hour drive to Memphis or a two hour drive to Nashville.
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:38 am 80. Whitehall:I bought a great big yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag and affixed it to an 8 foot pole. An ancestor fought under such a flag.
You’ll see me waving it today in downtown San Jose today at 5 pm.
Come up and say hi!
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:42 am 81. mainegal2texas:Excellent piece!!! I just got back (to work) from the “Don’t Mess with Texas” party – Rick Perry rocks!!! Will head out to the next Party after work. It’s the least I can do.
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:53 am 82. ChipD:I would be happy to join a protest against intrusive government-
Does the Tea Party movement object to warrentless wiretapping, imprisonment on the whim of the President, the global American Empire that seeks to rule and build nations around the Earth?
If not, then how can anyone claim to be against taxes? How else to run the massive Leviathon machinery of global empire without an equal massive tax-and-spend budget?
If you want limited government, then demand that the government limit its actions. Otherwise this is all just a silly self indulgent show, a “lets play Che Guevara for the day”.
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:56 am 83. Mary in LA:Well, here I am at Dockweiler Beach. There are already about two dozen people here, and it’s not supposed to start for another hour. It’s cold and windy, too!
Apr 15, 2009 - 11:08 am 84. Ms. Attitude:Picking up my 5 year old and we are heading to the Tea Party in our town…after all, she’ll be paying for the spending that’s been going on!!
Apr 15, 2009 - 11:16 am 85. BibleBeatings:I certainly do think our elected representatives will be held to accounting as well…
I don’t think God would expect Christians to give Jews up to a Nazi regime. Yet, surely you are not equating the legally elected President of the United States with a power grabbing madman are you? Nor would you be equating the torture, mass murder … genocide of Jewish people, with taxes, would you?
Apr 15, 2009 - 12:09 pm 86. Mark:Since I suspect TK and Mary are off to other things, I’ll explain, BibleBeatings, that their points were not to equate anything, but to illustrate that apart from context, selected passages are not determinative. They would reject your unqualified equation of quotations from Jesus and Paul with the issues at hand in the U.S.A. circa 2009.
Apr 15, 2009 - 12:55 pm 87. BibleBeatings:Mark, they are free to interpret the Bible as they will, though it seems pretty straightforward to me with regard respecting the appointed authorities and paying the taxes requested by those authorities.
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:03 pm 88. TalkinKamel:I’m right here, BibleBeatings, and, if you are, indeed, a Bible expert, you should know very well that selective Bible quotes are not determinative. Or do you think we should all go out and kill witches?
No, I don’t think our government is equivalent to that of Nazi Germany. However, in your Post #69, you sound like you’re using the quote from Jesus to justify subjection to all authority. You make no distinctions. As far as that goes, the Nazis were perfectly legal. Hitler had been elected to office, the Nazis were the legitimate government of the German people. So, were men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrong when they defied this legitimate government?
If you’re going to start equating G-d with earthly authorities, you are opening a huge can of worms. (Which, again, cherry picking out Biblical quotes to prove political points is not a good idea. Jesus also told His followers to go buy swords. Have you gotten yours yet?)
Furthermore, our government, NOT being like Nazi Germany’s, allows freedom of speech, and lets citizens protest when they think government is being unfair, such as the civil rights marches, and anti-war marches. The tax protesters aren’t breaking the law. They’re probably paying their taxes. What they don’t like, and what they have a perfect right to tell the government, is that they don’t like the current, runaway spending plan of endless bailouts, endlessly raised taxes and being forced to prop up failed companies.
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:41 pm 89. TalkinKamel:Honestly, BibleB, I think Mary in L.A. nailed you in Post #74!
(By the way, I don’t think high taxes are comparable to torture, and murder. On the other hand, I don’t think they’re comparable to commandments coming straight from G-d. Therefore, if we believe them to be unreasonable we have a perfect right to complain about them. Caesar ain’t G-d; we don’t treat him as such).
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:45 pm 90. Lily:“Want change? Talk to your congressman”
Tried that. Doesn’t work. I was in Denver at the rally. Big turnout.
Next – we need to get involved – join a group, work for a campaign. Lets Roll people.
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:47 pm 91. TalkinKamel:By the way, BibleB, looking at my Bible, Matthew, 21:19-22, Jesus simply says, “Render thereofre to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to G-d, the things that aer G-d’s”
It concludes, “When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.”
Nothing about the need to submit to government, or that stuff you quote in your post. Are you quoting some Biblical commentator there? If so, who? And it would have been nice if you’d said so, instead of saying it’s straight from the Bible, which it’s not.
Apr 15, 2009 - 1:56 pm 92. Dougman:BB
“Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Next time I see the the past Presidents on our tender I will give them what they ask.
Apr 15, 2009 - 2:00 pm 93. myth buster:As for the inscription, I will put all my Trust in God, not politicians.
Little Caeser can deliver me a pizza.
Submission is required under Romans 13, provided those in power are obeying the law. If you are ordered to commit a sin or the rulers demand power they do not lawfully possess, not only do you have the right to disobey them, you have the duty to disobey that order. Regardless, there is nothing illegal about protesting; neither are the protesters doing anything seditious.
As for those of us, like me, who’s obligations or lack of transportation kept us away from the TEA parties today, I say we get started planning the next national TEA party day: July 4, 2009. This will give our government three months to hear our cries and obey before the next synchronized protest, meanwhile sporadic TEA parties will continue to pop up periodically.
Apr 15, 2009 - 2:52 pm 94. TalkinKamel:#91 Dougman
Yes, I think that was Jesus’ point; trust G-d, not politicians.
Apr 15, 2009 - 3:34 pm 95. MuscleDaddy:Made the Denver Tea Party – pics up @ the Gazette tomorrow!
– MuscleDaddy
Apr 15, 2009 - 5:45 pm 96. elvis:TEA PARTY!!!!!
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:29 pm 97. Otto Gass:It has started!
St. Paul looked like 8000 people to me, maybe ten… the local Fox outlet reported that law enforcement estimated 2000. I know O’Shaughnessy Auditorium seats about 1700, and while the crowd density was not as tight as a seated hall, the area occupied on the commons in front of the Capitol was easily 5 or 6 times that area. At one point we all turned and waved at the KSTP chopper, that seemed to back away afterward; noisy darn thing.
Apr 15, 2009 - 7:49 pm 98. elvis:Bible Beatings?
how many years have you been in the wilderness… stop for a minute and actually read your bible.
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:17 pm 99. Ed Smith, Palm Springs, CA:America: Sold out since 1913.
Apr 15, 2009 - 8:18 pm 100. Mary in LA:Restore The Republic.
Big e-kisses to Elvis, TalkinKamel and Mythbuster for keeping up the good fight! I can only add that there is some evidence that Jesus would probably not give us a hard time about making an orderly protest (one that is, in the end, not about whether to pay taxes at all, but on what, and how much), considering how He reacted to “pay to pray”:
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:12 pm 101. Mary in LA:Back on topic (heh!): I’d say that the South Bay Tea Party numbered about 1000 people at its peak, about halfway through. Extremely well-behaved crowd, even when they didn’t agree 100% with one or another of the speakers. A lot of people listened to Tammy Bruce’s speech (a good one, I thought) and left afterwards, since the wind had picked up and it was getting freakin’ COLD! I listened to the next speaker and then left to head up to Santa Monica. Didn’t get there till almost 6:00, though. (I stopped off at home to feed the cats, get the mail, take in the trash cans, etc. You know, the life of a responsible citizen…)
The Santa Monica crowd I saw was much smaller — probably not more than 100 by the time I got there — and there were a few weirdos and mobys, but I was delighted by the reactions we were getting from the passing traffic! Lots of horn honking and some cheers. Even in “Soviet Monica” we got way more smiles, waves, and thumbs-ups from the passersby than middle fingers. The crowd there was very lively and mostly well-behaved (though I was saddened to hear someone using foul language over a bullhorn — I think it was a moby, though).
All in all, an exhilarating experience!
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:31 pm 102. Mary in LA:I forgot to thank Mark, who is quite right. We don’t live under a priest-kingship as the ancient Israelites did, nor in a conquered satellite state of a large empire. Our “rulers” are not set over us by God or even by an earthly emperor, but by our own assent.
Apr 15, 2009 - 10:45 pm 103. vivo:70. FLMom:
“So you are suggesting that every cent collected and spent by every level of government is absolutely necessary? No corruption, no waste, no personal gain.”
You are right, there is some waste by bored, inefficient crooks in gov’t. But at least many things get done. How are you going to fix the waste?
Apr 16, 2009 - 2:00 am 104. Paul -Indiana:I couldn’t attend any of them, but the real question is this. WILL YOU VOTE?
Apr 16, 2009 - 4:21 am 105. The Historian:In November, 42% of the elegible votors failed to vote. As a result we got this congress and president. Obama was elected by 30.5% of the electorate. Those who wouldn’t make a choice are the real problem. I preferred Guiliani to McCain, but I made a choice based on what was available to me.
THE LEFT IS LYING ABOUT THE ECONOMY
Tea Parties are a pushback against manipulation
http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/04/economic-reality-minus-manipulation.html
Apr 16, 2009 - 5:43 am 106. Doug Loss:The tea parties are a good idea and I applaud everyone who attends them. But they’re not enough. Take a look at this website for thoughts on what more can be done to actually change things in this country:
http://www.pushbackuntil.com
Apr 16, 2009 - 6:10 am 107. TalkinKamel:Thanks, Mary!
Apr 16, 2009 - 6:19 am 108. Chuck Pelto:TO: All
RE: The TEA Party Movement
It is popularly held that the TEA stands for….
Taxed
Enough
Already
I suggest that it could well mean something more long-lasting….more effective…..
The
Eseential
AAmerican
Party
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Apr 16, 2009 - 7:40 am 109. Dave:P.S. The problem lies with coming up with an appropriately assertive ‘logo’…..
What so many leftists on this thread fail to understand is the current level of taxation is not really the issue. The problem is spending on a wasteful agenda that is really little more than payoff of the special interests. The only way to pay for this will be to massively raise taxes on those that innovate and create jobs or massively borrow. Either one is a recipe for disaster and will destroy this country.
Most (not all) in the GOP have at least an instinct to confront the spending problem. They may occasionally fall short but they at least understand the problem. The extremist leftists that control the Democratic party could care less about the damage done as long it expands their power and feeds their emotional hatred for the rest of us.
Apr 16, 2009 - 8:04 am 110. Steve P (but not Steve P):Color me relieved and proud. While I may have missed a violent episode or two, I’m certain the MSM would be all over any that had occurred. I still believe that we need to be prepared for the zealots on either side should the movement “grow legs”; but at present I marvel at the ability for calm debate and non-violent protests that my fellow conservatives display.
That alone should suggest there is still the chance for sanity to win the day.
Apr 16, 2009 - 9:05 am 111. EdSki:Bill,
I have an idea, one that I can’t pull off, but with you and your connections in the blog-sphere, can.
The Tea Parties are a great start, but the momentum needs to keep going, and that requires funding. I couldn’t make it to any of the parties yesterday, but I understand the one in Binghamton, NY (my area) had a pretty impressive turnout of around 500 people. Which is about 485 more people than usually turn out for leftist protests. But I would be willing to donate money to “the” movement, I’m very big with charity, but I insist it be a worthy, respectable organizations that will effectivly and efficiently put it to good work.
But there is no organization that I know of, since this was such a grass roots movement. Those, like me, who are willing to put their money where the mouth is, need to have an organization that will put it to uses we approve of.
Can you get together with the other trusted bloggers of this movement and compile a list or organizations that can help funnel funding to the right groups? With all your reputations, fairly well established (at least in my opinion), I would feel quite safe relying on your opinion, as to who to donate.
Can you and your cyber patriots help direct we, the great unwashed masses, to help out the best way we can?
Apr 16, 2009 - 12:18 pm 112. daddyquatro:A great time was had in Houston.
Apr 16, 2009 - 12:59 pm 113. Steynian 346 « Free Canuckistan!:[...] new American Tea Party movement is a new idea, that may well mean the renewal of American politics, in the face of the stalemate of the old parties. Time will [...]
Apr 16, 2009 - 4:21 pm 114. elvis:Pictures of NH TeaParties.
Apr 17, 2009 - 7:03 am 115. Rachel:Oh to be American and realize that protest is possible! In the UK it seems that people complain to one another about the Government’s action but no one believes they can do anything about it, and so the Government continues to happily rob those who contribute to society.
Apr 23, 2009 - 12:05 am 116. Shelley:I went to a tea party in Rancho Cucamonga on that day. My husband said it was more crowded than the Burbank/Glendale? one.
I am protesting for the first time in my life also. It’s not only about California’s taxes. For me it’s about this socialist administration, the tyranny and injustice of this same administration, the witch hunt for people who saved Los Angeles et. al. from major destruction, Obama actually apologizing to Europe and Latin America for what the horrible US has done to them, this horrible stimulus bill that has so many things wrong with it I can’t even begin to list them, being called a Right-wing unpatriotic, radicalized, subversive terrorist for simply protesting (funny how Code Pink destroying recruiting offices is patriotic and I’m the terrorist), the constant attempts to trample the Second Amendment, the arrogance, evil stupidity/insanity and treason of Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano, Rahm Emanuel and a huge list of others who are trying there best to overthrow the United States in the biggest power grab we have ever seen.
Oh yeah. I am a veteran. Homeland Security thinks I am a danger. I am just sickened by all this and more horror comes every day.
Apr 23, 2009 - 11:25 am 117. Shelley:I estimated Rancho Cucamonga to be at about 1500 and that is a conservative estimate taken by grouping people by 10s. People were polite, said excuse me and were not rude. I went to a restaurant and went to the intersection 30 minutes after the protest was scheduled to end and there was not one piece of litter.
There is something to be said about the caliber of people who attend the Tea Parties. They are courteous, polite and civilized.
Apr 23, 2009 - 11:33 am 118. ZZMike:One thing I’m probably not the only one to notice: when the Left demonstrates (as it does, all over the world, regularly), the media may report it, but without much comment. It ’s like rain, or a heat wave. “These things happen.”
But when Conservatives, who are almost unanimous in not demonstrating, finally do, the Media is all over it as if it were an outbreak of the plague.
These demonstrations may help show that not everyone is walking blissfully into that bright light, but nothing’s going to happen until the people in power are replaced.
Some say fine, we’ll do that in the 2012 elections.
That will be too late. Look what’s happened in only 4 months.
Start recall petitions, start them now, everywhere.
Otherwise, the Tea Parties will be little more than a ripple on the pond.
Apr 23, 2009 - 4:12 pm 119. Hayseed:My wife and I are in our 80’s, so it wasn’t a big sacrifice to attend the local rally in Renton, WA. One thing that was invigorating was all the cars going by who honked in support. A particularly surprising supporter was a bus driver for the city transit. Think about it. He lives in a socialist world. Paycheck from the city, paid health care, 60% of full pay retirement benefits, etc. The second surprise was the driver of a COORS beer truck. Obviously a Teamster, but also obviously aware that his union cannot solve all of the economic issues and gummint controls facing him today. I estimate that a third of the traffic honked in support. I wish it had been 60%.
Apr 26, 2009 - 7:38 pm 120. Brian:Bill,
Just wanted to let you know that your short essay was the final nudge I needed to attend my local tea party in NYC. I’ve never, ever done anything like this in my life, and from the looks of the crowd in attendance, most of them never had either. I don’t remember seeing such an awkward-yet-polite group milling about since my first junior high school dance!
The NYC T.P. was fortunate in that it was somewhat more organized than the average T.P. Newt G. gave the final address. Nevertheless, this is a “movement” that’s all over the map, and will almost certainly die stillborn. Even Newt was hard-pressed (I thought) to come up with constructive ideas on how to move forward.
In any case, “from small acorns do mighty oaks grow” and all that. It’s a start, I suppose.
Apr 29, 2009 - 12:19 pm