I find myself almost as offended by the woman holding the "respect the Presidency" sign as I am of some of the more incendiary signs held by the Tea Party folk.

While I am a card carrying Liberal (it's a nice wallet sized card, by the way, with red, white, and blue lettering and a bunch of flags), generally like Mr Obama, and happily admit I voted for him (and may do so again, assuming he doesn't drag us deeper into war in Afghanistan and/or elsewhere), respect is something which has to be earned every day. America, at least in theory, has no aristocracy to which we all should kowtow and I reserve the right to continually question anyone in authority, up to and including the President.

Upon reflection, "offended" is probably the wrong word. It's overused and virtually meaningless these days.

I'd substitute "annoyed".

So let me get this straight. You are going to combat the "casual and ignorant use of socialism" with the casual and ignorant use of the term "racist"? Do you really believe that Hillary would have received a pass, had she won the primary and ultimately the presidency? Or would you be chanting "sexism"?

It may be true that there is historical precedent for labeling someone a socialist, in order to discredit them out of hand. However, this is only a specific example of a more general tactic that has a much deeper history. That is, the tactic of labeling a group or person with whatever adjective is most offensive to society at the given time. This was true of the term "socialist" in the last century, of the term "witch" a few centuries before that, and I'm sure, true of any number of slanders going all the way back to ancient Rome and beyond.

To dismiss what I believe are legitimate concerns by pointing to the fringe, is to say a book is not worth reading because the edges are frayed. Had you taken the time to understand why people are opposed, and in fact, scared of the health care plan (not to mention the bailouts which have resulted in a government-owed majority of shares in a major car company), you might have been able to see past the fringe. Alas, we are left with superficial criticism that leverages the country's fear of racists, more than any marcher leveraged the country's fear of socialism.

You and Dowd are fools (or worse) to speculate on why someone would want to know the truth about Obama's citizenship. I want to know too.

I'm not a racist. POTUS is required to be a natural-born citizen. The same type of COLB document that Obama posted online is available to non-natural-born citizens (adopted, native etc). How do we know if he meets the criteria? We don't.

We need to see his long-form or "vault" birth certificate. He works for you and for me. You may not care, but I do. Who are you to say I don't have an honorable right to know that our POTUS is constitutionally eligible?

Wonderful article, thank you. Anyone who purports the hatred of our President did not start with racism is lying to themselves. My mother, Aunt and I are heartbroken over how he and his office are being treated. I am heartbroken that my son was NOT GIVEN THE OPTION to see the message from the President in the school with his classmates and the support of his Teacher and the Administration. Today, I am ashamed to be a Georgian. I am hearthbroken when I see my Representatives REFUSE TO REFUTE the lies about the President's citizenship, his religious beliefs, and his death panels. By remaining silent in the face of these lies they concede to them!!!

Good grief...What has happened to my Idaho. I am born and raised in Burley and lately the misinformation and race baiting coming out of Boise leaves me speechless. What sort of nonsense caused you to write this drivel? Perhaps the successes of the tea party folks is getting your kind nervous. Racisim? COW MANURE

Thanks Nathaniel for having the courage to put your name to such a thoughtful article. I especially liked the quotes from Maureen Dowd--the Pulitzer prize winning columnist and New York Times op ed contributor. Her characterization of the "shrieking lunacy of summer" captures the composition of these extremists.

I voted for Obama and will do so again. Our country is fortunate to have such a thoughtful, diplomatic and intelligent leader. I hope the moderate voice of the silent majority can be heard above the craziness of this summer.

And another thing. . .You're an idiot. Because of people like you. I may never vote for another black president. Why? Because I don't want a pres that I cannot criticize without being called racist.

See how you lefties are causing the very problem you whine about? If you really want to see racism go away a la Martin Luther King, SHUT UP ABOUT THE RACISM THING!

Good Grief...I was born and raised in Burley and cannot believe the misinformation and hate speech coming out of Boise..Where do you get the "race card" stuff? Let me guess....Perhaps the Tea Party folks are beginning to make you nervous. Well you should be nervous because we are on fire and are out to make our version of CHANGE. Racisim? COW MANURE..

The Obama-as-Joker image was the product of a LIBERAL, ARAB, MUSLIM artist (Firas Alkhateeb)--please don't repeat the fiction that this was 'racist'.

Since Islam is patrilineal--and Obama Sr, was a Muslim--that makes Obama a Muslim...or, if he professes Christianity, an apostate--punishable by DEATH, under Shari'a law. Not something that will win him favors with, say, King Abdulla (to whom he bowed, in serious breach of Presidential protocol).

Illegal aliens have no business in the U.S., nor should they recieve AMERICAN TAXPAYERS'-FUNDED healthcare. Mostly, the 'hug an illegal immigrant' movement is the product of the construction and real estate sectors, who demand constant population growth in order to justify housing construction, along with associated infrastructure like roads and schools. The fact that mass immigration (illegal, or otherwise) is THE preventable cause of urban sprawl is lost on 'green' liberals.

Obamacare will NOT give Americans 'socialized' medicine. Rather, it's a multibillion dollar porkbarrel for Obama's corporate donors, like Microsoft (medical records), HMOs and pharmaceutical companies. Obamacare also has the frightening social worker snoop provision, allowing unanounced 'visits' by social workers, without warrants, or complaints. Obama obviously has as little regard for the 4th Amendment as he does the 1st, 2nd and 10th.

As far as 'Islamophobia', none of us are stupid: we can all remember that it was MUSLIM terrorists who murdered 3000 people on 9/11. Not athiests, Christians, Jews, neo-pagans, or even Satanists--but MUSLIMS. No amount of politically-correct equivocation about religions can erase the fact that Islam, especially the Salafi/Wahhabi variant, is the only religion promising mass murderers an orgy with 72 virginal prostitutes of indeterminate gender in the afterlife. Americans have a right to be queasy at the prospect of a Muslim in the Oval Office.

Hey Captain Steve, Hawaii doesn't have a long form birth certificate and the entire supposed controversy has been proven false. You probably know that. But his citizenship isn't actually the issue, is it? You are simply trying to continue to smear Obama for whatever reason.

Those Socialists -- or is it Muslims? -- must have been pretty smart to get a birth announcement for Obama in a Hawaiian newspaper 48 years ago. Pretty good planning, huh?

I have now been to 3 tea parties. Before this year I never protested before in my life. If the three tea party protests that I attended in California and the people that I spoke to are any indication (and I suspect they are) race has nothing to do with it. It is all about loving our country and the prenciples that it was founded on: limited federal government, free enterprise and individual rights and freedoms. Read artcile 10 of the constitution. I never consider the color of a politician's skin when deciding how I feel about their actions. If 1% of tea party protesters are racisit, I would be surprised, but you can't let a few nuts take away from the message and feelings of millions. I was at a tea party protest in LA yesterday and a guy was standing on the corner with a KKK sign. I am more inclined to think that he showed up with that sign to discredit the tea party, not to support it. And let me tell you, we did make him feel welcome.
Those of you who disparage the protesters, I have a question for you: How many have you attended? How many participants have you talked to? Or are you basing this on the few in tens of thousands who show up with inappropriate signs?
My sign said "Attn Washington: You have run out of our money" I think we can all agree on that.

I thought this article was very good and an accurate analysis of the racism that exists at the heart of the tea bagger movement. I was shocked by the hateful comments in response to this article. You people are un-American and hate mongers. I love Boise but when I read this type of hate speech I am so glad that I don't live in Idaho anymore. My town did not hold a tea bagger (KKK) rally thank God.

PomerGyle, I think you confuse "respect" with "agree." Of course you can disagree with the President all you want to, and say so as much as you want to, but it can/should be done with the respect the office deserves. Anybody in that office. I held my nose and insisted on that same kind of respect for Bush because I believe so deeply in the principle that we MUST remain civil in our disagreements, or we'll lose what we've founded and nutured.

Racial fears indeed. We 'old white crackers' are not deserving of health care, even after most of us worked all our lives since the age of 15 and probably paid enough taxes to support two other families.

Yes there is 'racial fear' because this WH is anti-white.

But we knew that before didn't we?

It is pretty much a poor indication that you have no argument for all the bad stuff this guy is doing when the whole theme of your article is that there were 1.5 M 'racists' on the WH lawn yesterday.

What a crock.

Nathanial, you are such a biased douche.

Tea-baggers, racists, nuts, nazis, mob, ignorant, rabid, lunatic, frantic... wow... hate-speech much?

Stop crying racist, open up your mind and actually take the time to listen instead of making wrong assumptions. It's people like you who refuse to let the walls of segregation crumble. You all claim to say you're not racist, yet you can't allow the thought that a person can disagree with someone purely on the idea -- not color! You make me sick! Pure and simple, this is yellow journalism at it's best.

Racist, ignorant, un-American...absolutely. But also an epic FAILURE...thank God.

The official Washington DC Fire Department estimate says only 60,000 showed up at that anti-American Insurance Industry rally yesterday.

That's less than 1/50th of ONE-PERCENT of Americans.

Looks like the so-called "sleeping giant" turns out to be a "comatose midget".

Racism has nothing to do with the tea party protest movemant. If a white president and a white congres (oh wait a minute, congress is mainly white) were about to implement the same socialist policies, I would still object. Stop plying the race card you biggotted, self deluded, peabrained moonbat. Go live in France or Canada or better yet somewhere in Africa or possibly the Palestinian territories and stay the f*** out of my pockets and my doctor's office.

Elmo. . .You're wrong on every level. Hawaii very much does have two types of forms. A "certification" of live birth and a "certificate" of live birth. You should do research somewhere other than dailyKos. You even fail the common sense test.

If there is nothing there, why has he spent well in excess of a million to avoid providing "discovery" in court? Why hide his documents?

And he said in his book "Dreams" that he found his birth certificate. Let's see it?

There were two court cases last week. One will have a hearing again on Monday (tomorrow). Honest inquirers can see more here.

http://www.orlytaitzesq.com/blog1/

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/11/why…

.

The 9-12 Washington Tea party turnout was incredible. Read the truth here.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&…

The LA turnout was great too. . .I know. . .I was there.

And now, new evidence that Nancy Pelosi knew oBama wasn't eligible. She signed a DNC registration document for oBama without the usual constitutional eligibility statement.

Check this out. It’s the DNC’s nomination documents (yes plural) for Obama to run for president. Only one is normally filed. In Obama’s case, two were filed. The difference between the two (both signed by Pelosi) is that one omits the standard verbiage swearing to the constitutional eligibility of the candidate.

Check this out.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&…

.

So if I'm white, and I dislike and distrust and disagree with Pelosi and Reid more than I dislike, distrust and disagree with Obama, what does that make me? Am I a racist against my own race? Your logic has a huge hole in it. Your bias is evident, and your editors and publishers should think twice before printing any more of your sophomoric drivel.

The incident that occurred in Congress by Rep. Joe Wilson R-NC, illustrates the consequences of a blurring line between illegal immigration and health care. Our politicians have been alerted to the angry voices of the American people. For once they have disregarded the business campaign contributors and all the cloaked gifts given for services rendered by special interest lobbyists. Millions of US citizens are enraged with the status quo buying favors from our representatives that has led to our wilting economy. Today speaking on behalf of Washington committees on health care, the lawmaking emphasized that illegal aliens cannot access the new health reform package, that any person applying will be checked through government databases.

E-Verify might be implemented for this very issue, that it has shown in the majority of cases remarkable successes in remove illegal alien workers from the working environment. E-Verify can solve this problem and bring sanity back to immigration enforcement. E-VERIFICATION OF EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN WORKER MUST BE MADE PERMANENT? NOT JUST VOLUNTARY POLICY, BUT AS A FULL FORCE OF OPERATION CARRYING STRICT PENALTIES. This operation will work under federal policies? But what about state laws? California as an example is a Sanctuary state for millions of illegal immigrants and their families? Other border states are also occupied by large proportions of unlawful populations of foreign nationals?

This last year has culminated in huge financial losses in California caused by millions of low income illegal aliens, which has created a third world community within the United States. There must be federal measures to bring under control, massive spending benefits for people who have no right from benefiting from those who come here legally or were born here. How can any public health care option work at a state level, when states like California ignore federal law, regarding financial refuge to indigent people? Our own people remain homeless and in many cases without hope, when legislators have prioritized, health care, education an overloaded jail system and easy welfare money for illegal immigrants?

The once golden state has been using taxpayer money, to support illegal aliens, when the same expenditures should have been adopted for a collapsing infrastructure. Highways, schools, tunnels, bridges and dams in a dangerous state of disrepair? Our legislators in many cases have been seduced by lobbyists and should be banned from any contact with our politicians. This will never happen, but something must be done? Millions have been spent on derailing the health care reform currently and in the past, as has immigration enforcement. Rescinding 287(g) federal training for local police enforcement of immigration laws, the NO MATCH LETTER and the cutting back on ICE raids on obnoxious businesses using foreign workers.

The order to crush E-verify was given to Sen.Harry Reid, Speaker Pelosi, Janet Napolitano, but narrowly survived in the Senate chambers. Both political parties are equally to blame for not enforcing the 1986 Immigration Control & Reform Act that was inundated with fraud and a desire to weaken the laws. Now they want to rescind that law, offering yet another reform package that will never function? Let’s not kid ourselves! Huge veiled forces are at work to import as much cheap labor as possible with no restraints, lowering wages and an unconscionable burden on taxpayers.

DON'T LET THE POWERS IN WASHINGTON WHITEWASH THE FACTS! DEMAND THE ORIGINAL DESIGNED FENCE AND THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF E-VERIFY, 287 (g), THE SAVE ACT AND AS WRITTEN, THE 1986 SIMPSON/MAZZOLI BILL AND AMEND THEM IF NEED BE? NO MORE IMMIGRATION REFORM? DO THE JOB THEY WERE VOTED FOR? CALL YOUR POLITICIANS AT 202-224-3121 AND DEMAND THESE LAWS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE? MORE ANSWERS FOUND AT NUMBERSUSA & JUDICIAL WATCH.

When you have no answer for the American people who rallied in Washington DC and throughout the country Saturday - you turn to this? RACE! It's about policy, spending, redistribution of hard-earned wealth, commonfolk who don't want to be taxed even more to support people who believe the American Dream is a handout! People pumping put baby after baby, won't work, collect welfare, spend their $1000 a month food stamps on chips, soda, candy and snack cakes, then turn around and use their cash assistance to buy a wide screen TV. My paycheck is not the governments piggy bank! My paycheck is meant to go to my family - supporting us, paying our bills, AND OMG PAYING FOR HEALTH INSURANCE TO COVER THEM!

Getting sick and tired of race cardism. I've been to 2 tea parties and 2 THM in Tennesee. Not a single bit of racism towards Obama. Was he elected so they could play this stupid race card over and over. It's getting tired. 900 people packed a THM here. Never seen so many educated people with sections of the actual bill HR 3200 in their hand. Blacks were also protesting. Even those pictures shown here to look like racism weren't. They were about the LONGFORM Birth certificate Obama has spent $1 million trying to keep hidden.
Face it, the actual number of 2 million protesters where opposing this terrible bill that I also have read, and the continuous lies Obama tells regarding it. None gives a D#$% what race Obama is.

Racism will not go away until people are called on it.

Substantive disagreements are one thing, birth certificate BS and ignorance of basic history and terminology (socialism & nazism for starters) are NOT true substantive criticisms of policy. Until there is substantive, intelligent, well-reasoned disagreement with the policies, based on truth not talk-radio rumor, racism is actually the LEAST insulting explanation for the behavior.

I just think it's funny that these people are called "teabaggers!" Does nobody know what that means...really??? wait, maybe it makes sense after all.
Again....i remember the quote:"The less you know....the more you believe!" Get to know more about what you're talking about, teabaggers, instead of believing the rhetoric of the Glenn Becks in the world who ultimately profit from their sheep following blindly along. Beck and Rush profit from your hysteria.

I was at the rally in Washington DC yesterday and of all the Anti-Obama sinage and whatnot that I saw, not a SINGLE one was about his race! They were all about his POLICIES! If you think it's unamerican to protest, GO READ THE FIRST AMENDMENT! I'm pretty offended by the misrepresentation that the liberals in the media want to put on this story, simply because they disagree with the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES!

Well you won't hear substantive disagreements in the media, but I've heard hours of it by real people, at real meetings, holding and reading the real bill, and I have read it and it's scary. Not only is it a ridiculous bill concerning health care, but I call it the Patriot Act II for the liberties it destroys. These THM down here were largely libertarian, slamming Bush and the Patriot Act also, and their liberties were their concern. They weren't here because of radio or anyone. I've never been so proud to get away fro the tube, and have real meetings with real people holding and discussing the real bill, with democrats, republicans, blacks, whites, and various ethnic groups. We can disagree with points in the bill, but don't let them fool you that the disagreements aren't real or based in fact. Get the bill online and read it yourself. Starting with the grandfather clause the ENDS existing coverage, unlike Obama's lies. If this bill doesn't go into effect for 4 years, why the fake rush? Because soon everyone will read it.

There are some fringe elements too: Birthers who continue to question Obama's citizenship, some 9-11 conspiracy theorists, vaccine skeptics, gun nuts and, yes, organic food nazis (at this point I use the term generously)...

Just so I get this correctly... the vaccine skeptics joined...

Dick Armey...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/12…

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/…


...and Rick Perry

http://www.rickperry.org/tea-party

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte…


for a march on Washington... HUH?? I'm so confused... Nigger please.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancest…

There is alot of love at these T parties, let's come together, away from the media, and discuss it. If you've never read a bill in your life, find HR 3200 online and read it. Obama's misrepresentation is astounding. It is actually easy reading, much of it in plain language, and few lines per page. Read it and you'll find yourself at the next tea party. If you hated the destruction of your liberties under Bush, read this bill. It is not the answer. There are great ideas however. The protests are legitimate. The country is not this divided over race I promise you. This is not an election, what good would it do for 2 million people to march to Washington if they just didn't like Obama's race? They are trying to divide us. Nothing this divisive should be rammed through. Let's take our time. Everyone wants improved healthcare. Peace!

http://media.www.themichiganjournal.com/me…

Since Gardasil, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine came on the market, its maker Merck & Co. has been pushing for a mandatory vaccination for all women in the United States. Their efforts were fruitful, at least among immigrant women. Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Service passed the HPV vaccination requirement for girls and women ages 11 to 26 who want to apply for American citizenship. But keep in mind, this vaccination isn't required for American women.

Since 2006, there have been 21 reported deaths and nearly 10,000 adverse reactions to it, including miscarriages, severe outbreaks of genital warts and cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that often results in paralysis. Worst-case scenario, it seems as though Merck & Co. are using these people as guinea pigs for Gardasil. We hate to cry conspiracy…but we can't think of a positive way to end that sentence.

No Racism Here...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor…

http://austinist.com/2007/01/19/perrys_vis…

Yes, Nothing this divisive should be rammed through.

38 second Youtube video showing the actual teaparty count. Peeps can see for themselves. It was HUUUUGGGGE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPud1TeubM…

I am the person carrying the "I respect the presidency" sign. Growing up in the 1950's I learned--and still believe--the person duly elected to be our president deserves respect, not because they have earned it by their accomplishments, but because of the duty bestowed on him/her. In no way does that mean I agree with everything he does or says. My job as a citizen, campaign volunteer and voter is never to be a blind follower, but an attentive constituent ready to speak up. It also means I respect him enough to listen when he speaks to the country and to our school children. It is a response to the blast of "You Lie!" during a speech before Congress and the nation. The leader of our country should be given every opportunity to fulfill their mission of serving out their term with our support and respectful feedback.

Nathaniel - you just don't get it. The protests are NOT about race. You can project racism on it, but wouldn't it be better to maybe do your job and actually go find out what these people think? For example, *I* am a tea-party protester (not a "tea-bagger" as you like to snicker), and I am not a Christian -- in fact, I'm not religious at all. And I'm as far from being a racist as is possible -- I regard it as the lowest, crudest, most irrational form of primitive, tribal collectivism possible. And I am far from alone, so how do these cold, hard facts fit into your unprofessional fantasy?

Nataniel. . .good post. . .Here's how I see it. . . Lefties don't think. . .they feel. . .in this case, they "feel" like we are racially motivated. Of course they are quite wrong (as usual). As you and I know, our motives have nothing to do with race and everything to do with values and beliefs.

I am an "angry tax payer" and I don't give a rat's ass as to the color of our President's skin. You leftist race baiters need to stop this nonsense.

Obama is a socialist because he endorses socialist programs and policies. I assume he must be proud to be a socialist. So why all the fuss?

Good article. Scary comments (most of 'em, anyway). Thanks for speaking truth to wackos.

One thing not reported: the Teabaggers physically threatened us peaceful, quiet counter-protesters. One patted his gun and said to one of ours "give me a reason." So no, they don't care about dialogue. They care about their own paranoid fantasies, protecting their tiny world views, and their own selfish needs. That's about it.

The hypocrisy of tea party...

Is it socialism when Bush invested nearly $700 Billions in nationalizing the major banks? For all of you screaming about nationalized healthcare, where were your Tea Party protests last October when it was George W. pushing his socialistic policies?

Bush left us this financial mess. It was the Bush administration that bailed out AIG; it bailed out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; it bailed out Citigroup; it bailed out Bear Stearns. And it was the Bush administration that pressed Congress to bail out Detroit automakers. The lack of conservative protests against Mr. Bush's own bailouts-and-spending-run-amok policies over the last eight years lends the Tea Party rallies an unfortunate partisan overtone.

A Grassroots Movement... FreedomWorks, the sponsor of today's event is a well-funded organization headed by a former politician named Dick Armey.
Its ironic watching Dick Armey march in Washington, D. C. against excessive government spending. Most of the money that funded Armey’s activism in the past was provided by tobacco, pharmaceutical and banking interests— It's also a little difficult to think of this effort as one initiated by the little guy when the group's leaders are paid corporate executive-level salaries, because it's really a corporate group. Forbes chairman and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes is a director of the group’s fundraising arm. In addition to Armey, FreedomWorks’s board includes James Burnley, transportation secretary during the Reagan administration; Richard Stephenson, founder of Cancer Treatment Centers of America; and Bob Perry, founder of Perry Homes and a major donor to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

The organization collected and spent more than $2 million in 2007, the most recent year for which tax returns are publicly available. Dick Armey, former U.S. House Majority Leader (R-TX), received $320,000 a year for working as the Chairman of FreedomWorks' board, according to FreedomWorks' most recent IRS filing. He received an additional $80,000 per year from its lobbying arm.

http://www.muckety.com/E8EAB2D45CC9D0E7CB2…

The fact that the Tea Parties were organized by conservatives (i.e. Dick Armey and Rick Perry) who are the ones responsible for the mess in the first place and who haven't to this day, taken responsibility for their own mistakes and the economic mess they created by letting George W Bush get away with his disastrous policies.

As for healthcare...whose interests does Dick protect?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/…

http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2002/12…

The Tea Party protester are showing why the word "hypocrite" should be part of the dictionary definition.

You tea baggers stand and protest the very elements that would benefit your middle class perpetual status and you claim this has nothing to do with race? There is fear all over your faces (not to mention your ridiculous signs). Why on earth are you screaming socialism when you would be the very beneficiaries of the outcome of Obama's policies; policies, which, btw, are a throwback to your beloved Reagan's tax policies, but you don't know that because it is all TOO obvious that you do not read the very bills that you are protesting. What do you think that one day you will be in the wealthy 1% who received the biggest tax break in history during the Bush 'reign'? PUH-LEASE! Not by marching like sheep to the tune of the conservative shouters (herders) who actually go to work everyday and become millionaires on your clueless backs! This is the same process that took place during Reconstruction that caused poor whites to believe that free Blacks were really their problem. While the whites are busy trying (fruitlessly) to keep Blacks in "their place", the rich got richer. You people will never learn. This is pure and ut"capitalism" you continue to cry, I mean "fight" for will start to work in your favor.

I was at the protest. I did not see any police in their riot gear. And Mr. Nathaniel's pictures clearly show there was no "angry" crowd there. Why did you not call the police when the alleged "Teabaggers physically threatened us peaceful, quiet counter-protesters"? Hmmm....perhaps because it did not happen. If someone threatened me - I would have called the cops. Is your cause so righteous that you have to lie to support it?

yeah, because there's nothing wrong with the government we gave authority to to protect our freedom and property actually taking it away, now is there?

ENOUGH with the race card already! Yeah, there might be a few racists in the crowd, as in any crowd, but this movement has NOTHING to do with race. So knock it off already. 8 years of Bush piling shit on the Constitution, and a new President that promised to reverse it, but so far is doing nothing of the sort - this is the result! Wake up!!

Joe Wilson was right - Obama lied. Before the Democrat Party and the President demand decorum from member of the House and Senate, they need to appologize for the abuse of George Bush during his State of the Union speach to that joint session of Congress. The hypocracy that comes from the left is extrodinary.

Hoffman is nothing more than an unabashed Democrat/Statist propagandist. He is using nothing but ad Hominem attacks.

The people do not like the Presidents socialist health care.
The President is Black
Therefore the people are racists.

Like many Democrats he embraces the race card and attempt to delegitimize opponent's arguments against the liberal policies of the president by smearing them as racists.
In fact ONLY two people bring up the Presidents skin color, Hoffman and Dowd, by there OWN definition that makes them Racists for they do not care about the Presidents policies or political leanings, only his skin color.

This is a sign of desperation. Can't see it any other way. The idea that Obama's political opponents are motivated by racism will apparently now be "mainstreamed" into the Democratic party's talking points against conservatives, as proof by this article.

See Dems on playing the race card: 'You ain't seen nothin' yet'
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/0…

Funniest comment on this thread: "And another thing. . .You're an idiot. Because of people like you. I may never vote for another black president. Why? Because I don't want a pres that I cannot criticize without being called racist.

See how you lefties are causing the very problem you whine about? If you really want to see racism go away a la Martin Luther King, SHUT UP ABOUT THE RACISM THING!"

It's by "Captain Steve" and it's near the top sort of.

I think it's hilarious. He's basically saying "I am not a racist! And to prove it, I'll never vote for a black man again!!1!" Essentially contradicting himself.

Like he would have anyways.

I'm not going to go all analytical and structure logical arguments about this b/c I don't have time. I don't have time to read the plethora of posts here, but I did skim over them. I saw a lot of "Teaparties aren't about racism. blah blah blah".

Instead I'm going to give my gut feeling opinion. Joe Wilson's outburst IS about racism. The birther movement IS about racism. The constant smearing and delegitimization of our President IS about racism. The constant disrespect for the office of the Presidency by the right-wing IS about racism. And the Tea Parties? Yes they ARE also about racism.

You people make me sick!

Rick Perry - Tea Party Darling... is about racism.

http://www.rickperry.org/news/rick-perrys-…

http://austinist.com/2007/01/19/perrys_vis…

Rick Perry's Vision for Texas... Jan 2007 Gov. Perry decided to contradict nearly every major point in his Inauguration speech by hiring Ted Nugent (aka, “The Nuge,” “Uncle Ted,” “Terrible Ted,” “Sweaty Teddy,” “Deadly Tedly,” “Great Gonzos,” “Theodocious Atrocious” and “The Motor City Madman”) to perform at his Inaugural Ball. The Motor City Madman played his scorching set draped in a confederate flag shirt – a symbol of slavery in just about everyone’s book – showing his pride for the South and his disrespect for African-American heritage in one crushing blow of 70’s-era guitar force. During his performance, The Nuge shouted several offensive remarks about non-English speakers and made plain his disgust for foreigners in general and giving them what for. Illegal aliens and people lacking English grammar got a taste of real guitar attack that evening, thanks to the handy work of Theodocious Atrocious. Perry danced on stage in his tuxedo, grinning contentedly.

http://texaslegislature.beloblog.com/archi…

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... it probably is a...

I think Texas succeeding from the Union is problem, reaction, solution to the problem.

http://www.chron.com/photos/2009/04/21/163…

Think of all the wonderful people we could detain and deport back to Texas... the entire Bush Family, Dick Armey, Tom Delay, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, and although a native of Michigan they can keep Terrible Ted...

If they try to get a green card or leave Texas to become a citizen of the United States, we will force vaccinate their daughters with Gardasil at the border...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/us/03tex…

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/20…

http://media.www.themichiganjournal.com/me… Worst-case scenario, it seems as though Merck & Co. are using these people as guinea pigs for Gardasil. We hate to cry conspiracy…but we can't think of a positive way to end that sentence.

We'll call it a 'Grassroots Movement' of Freedom.

You folks at the Boise Weekly need to get your head out of the sand. Wake up! You obviously haven't ever read the New American. See the newamerican.com. Read & wake up. Following the constitution of the United States of America is not idolatry. Please turn off your television. Think for yourself. Wake up. Read for a change. Think outside of the box with the ABC, NBC, etc. Blinders off. Look into who owns these Networks. Look into who owns & operates America's newsprint. I'll give you all a little hint: They're not all Polish Catholics. Yes, they're something else - ALL of them. Again, read. Awaken. Know your history. Re - learn it if need be. Before it's too late. Mark H. - Rochester, NY

The question I would ask is who owns the New American... sorry not my cup of tea. For those who clicked the link...

http://www.thenewamerican.com/ The New AmericanMagazine of the John Birch Society, providing in-depth reporting on US and worldwide issues and events.

I believe this is where Nathaniel started... These Tea Party groups are only months old, and yet they have attracted an intense following, spurred by AM talk radio and the John Birch Society, which has been race baiting for decades.

http://watch.pair.com/jbs-cnp.html Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the anti-Communist Senate investigations of the 1950s, would later become a member of the John Birch Society and a principle figure in the JBS intelligence gathering operation, the Western Goals Foundation. Out of the latter emerged the core group which, in 1981, formed the present Council for National Policy -- a consortium of high level political, corporate and evangelical leaders which is the primary coordinating body and funding conduit for Christian Right projects.

http://www.nndb.com/org/700/000051547/ Council for National Policy

http://www.reformation.org/council-for-nat…
http://www.alternet.org/story/21372/

http://www.reteaparty.com/2009/04/13/ron-p… And... The Ron Paul Tea Party? is about racism...

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/angry-…

Paul’s newsletters have carried different titles over the years--Ron Paul’s Freedom Report, Ron Paul Political Report, The Ron Paul Survival Report--but they generally seem to have been published on a monthly basis since at least 1978.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/10… Jan 2008 Ron Paul '90s newsletters rant against blacks, gays

CNN recently obtained the newsletters -- written in the 1990s and one from the late 1980s -- after a report was published about their existence in The New Republic. None of the newsletters CNN found says who wrote them, but each was published under Paul's name between his stints as a U.S. congressman from Texas. Paul told CNN's "The Situation Room" Thursday that he didn't write any of the offensive articles and has "no idea" who did.

The controversial newsletters include rants against the Israeli lobby, gays, AIDS victims and Martin Luther King Jr. -- described as a "pro-Communist philanderer." One newsletter, from June 1992, right after the LA riots, says "order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks."

http://americancity.org/images/uploads/pau…

Another says, "The criminals who terrorize our cities -- in riots and on every non-riot day -- are not exclusively young black males, but they largely are. As children, they are trained to hate whites, to believe that white oppression is responsible for all black ills, to 'fight the power,' to steal and loot as much money from the white enemy as possible."

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/myl/llog/…

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/ronpa… Throughout the shuffle, one thing folks don't seem to be paying much attention to is the newsletters themselves. Dr. Paul has described them as being taken "out of context", which pretty much begs the average person to give them a look. So, without further delay, and because I am basically a manchild who only saved the ones with fun fonts or pictures, are select pages from the Ron Paul Political Report:

http://i.somethingawful.com/u/docevil/ronp…

http://www.reason.com/news/show/124426.htm… A tax document from June 1993—wrapping up the year in which the Political Report had published the "welfare checks" comment on the L.A. riots—reported an annual income of $940,000 for Ron Paul & Associates, listing four employees in Texas (Paul's family and Rockwell) and seven more employees around the country. If Paul didn't know who was writing his newsletters, he knew they were a crucial source of income and a successful tool for building his fundraising base for a political comeback.

My personal opinion is after receiving $940,000 annual income to publish a newsletter under a Ron Paul mast head, his claim that he did not read makes him ineligible to be president due to incompetency or because he's a recist liar...either way.

Ron Paul is a strict Constitutionalist that wants to change the Constitution...

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul346.ht… http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul314.ht…
http://rebuildtheparty.ning.com/video/16th…

Thanks Nathaniel for having the courage to speak the truth.

man, you hit the nail on the head!

look at all the "kill n***" signs. the kkk marches at every protest AND has a membership drive! we all know a few hapless "darkies" who walk by any of these protests get harrassed. one was lynched.

now, let's get to reality.
you are a clown.
seriously.
you KNOW what this is all about. yet you try to change it into a "race issue" to scare away people.
Sadly, this tactic WILL NOT work. why? well for starters, the "race card" is worn out.
people of color are protesting. are they racist? how more ridiculous can you get?
first generation americans are protesting. i suppose they are racists too...

america will not accept your socialist views any longer. period. we will not accept your lying and deceit, nor will we accept it from elected officials. from EITHER party.

we are done. the game is over. cry, whine, call names, muddy the water all you want. we are on to you. like a pitbull, our jaws are locked and we won't go away.

so you and dowd can claim what you want. it isn't working.

now here is a "vowel" so you can solve this problem:

if you don't like our country, if capitalism is so evil, and the conservatives are "neanderthals", find a country more to your liking.

we like our country the way it was. we only want to change it back. we don't want or need your socialism. you will not win.

the quicker you learn this, and accept it, the better off our country will be.

OK you’re right I'm just a crazy socialist that has no clue... A totally unread, uneducated woman. No Tea Party connection to racism here... Just good Christian Patriots fighting for the values of our Founding Fathers... http://www.viswiki.com/en/Christian_Patrio…

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/12… FreedomWorks Foundation, is not a conservative organization led by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. It did not just sponsor and fund this 'Grassroots Movement' Tea Party March on Washington. FreedomWorks is not a Corporate Sponsored Non-Profit... http://news.muckety.com/2009/08/18/dick-ar… Dick Armey, former U.S. House Majority Leader (R-TX), did not received $320,000 a year for working as the Chairman of FreedomWorks' board with an additional $80,000 per year from its lobbying arm. Ain't Capitalism Grand?

The Tea Party Movement is not influenced by the John Birch Society and the Council for National Policy... http://www.nndb.com/org/700/000051547/ It has absolutely nothing to do with the John Birch Society's historic ties to Nazi Germany... http://watch.pair.com/jbs-cnp.html

Dick did not cover Eli Lilly's ass in the Homeland Security Bill... to cover George H.W.'s Eli Lilly Corporate ass...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/… http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/649/el…

I appreciate the irony as Dick now leads the revolt against healthcare reform...his fight for Capitalism over that Socialistic evil… prohibiting frivolous massive class-action lawsuits from whining parents whose children were mercury poisoned by Eli Lilly. Really I do!! He is my hero. He is not really a pharmaceutical lobbyist... http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/14/lobbyi… Ain't Capitalism Grand!!

The Tea Party Darling is not Rick Perry. http://www.rickperry.org/news/rick-perrys-… Governor Perry did not hire Ted Nugent to perform at his Inaugural Ball... Ted did not show up in a Confederate Flag making loud racial slurs and use machine guns as props... that would be in bad taste.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_sW65ilskOC8/Rs84…

...and Governor Perry did not mandate Merck's Gardasil three shot series vaccine for little girls that some how ended up as requirement for citizenship ... http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/20… I really do appreciate the irony of this man's participation in the protests against healthcare reform...although the humor is lost, and it does makes me physically ill at times.

http://www.opednews.com/populum/uploaded/t…

http://politicalblip.files.wordpress.com/2…

He has absolutely no political and/or financial ties to Merck Pharmaceutical... he has nothing to gain from his actions. http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/5546651… Ain't Capitalism Grand?

And George W. Merck never ever participated in Operation Paperclip or US biological warfare... http://books.google.com/books?id=TiSL-7ghC… Search also John Birch Society, the Council for National Policy, Operation Paperclip, and J. Peter Grace. http://watch.pair.com/jbs-cnp.html

Ron Paul is not the Founder of the ReTea Party Movement. http://www.reteaparty.com/2009/04/13/ron-p… ...and Dr. Paul did not have any knowledge of or participation in the vile racial drivel that ended up in his Ron Paul Newsletters that he was paid almost a million a year to produce... under his Ron Paul mast head. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/10…

No Angry White Men here... http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/angry-… He also as a strict Constitutionalist that does not really want to repeal entire amendments from the Constitution... http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul346.ht…

God I really do hope they still let women vote…speak!! http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm…

Tell me I'm wrong... if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... Just trying to call a spade a spade...

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/jfa2530… Game on. The race card is being played and it is ON the table.

The fact that I am still in a country where a free Mid-West white girl is able to have this conversation with all you good Patriots...without being lynched, hosed, or silenced is some days all I can hope for. So I think I'll stay and fight this one out. The quicker you learn this, and accept it, the better off OUR country will be. I won't be going away any time soon.

What kind of race baiting moron writs this dribble. Because concerned Americans voice their concerns on the continual socializing and increasing size of the national debt we are racist? I didn't agree with Bush spending us into oblivion either or agree with the freedom restricting so-called "patriot act" how does that make me a racist? The protest are about issues not the color of skin. Use some substance in your arguments and stop the race baiting you accuse others of doing.

I'm an American,Im an immigrant,I'm White,I'm Muslim,I'm a mother of USA Marine,and I grew up in a communist country and YES I was at the Tea Party protesting as an AMERICAN !!!Color card-it might be-but RED not Black.
I survived communism and I'm not GOING BACK !
I'm not even conservative!!!

Diana:

What is the point of all the links? I read five of them and saw no mention of the Tea Party movement whatsoever.

Your "link shower" method of making it appear as though you have a ton of information backing up your accusations, reminds me of the fundamentalist Christian tactic of "verse-slinging". This is where they give you a shotgun blast of 50 or so Bible verses supposedly "proving" that the Catholic Church is the anti-Christ, or whatever, knowing full well that you're not going to spend four hours looking up every verse in its proper context in order to refute their argument. Thus they think they come off as having proven their point, when in reality most of the proof-texts they rely on have little or no relevance to the topic at hand.

If you want to persuade anyone you're going to have to do a little more actual reasoning and less link-spewing. One good link with a coherent explanation of how it proves your point, would work better than 25 of them interspersed with sarcastic comments.

This is sad.The Boise Liberals have a place to go to talk aimlessly!!It is truly sad.In the 70's when you Liberal types marched on Washington and got President to pull out of Vietnam and 2.4 million people were slaughter-you didn't bat an eye.Do Liberals have a heart?This is the very reason Horowitz came from being a Liberal Loon over to the other side.Also Jon Voight.The reasoning just with Vietnam makes no sense.Then you go on to throw the race card and call the tea party people vulgar names-You are sad sad people!!!Barack Obama is OUR President and we can disagree with OUR President anytime we want!!!Was Nixon your President that conceded to you murderous request -YES!!Does it make you feel good to put down Americans trying to save their Country.If you want to be uninformed and get your info from the north end.So be it-Just leave informed Americans alone!!God Bless America

Your first sentence is way off. First, the popular vote was almost half and half for each presidential candidate, it is the corrupt Electoral College that was the majority and corrupt states with a lot of electoral voes such as Illiniois for instance is how Obama won.
Second, I am tired of this being turned into a race issue by the far left and the media.
It is becoming sickining and for the most part Race has nothing to do with it.

Aqellius:

My original post to this article was in reference to Nathaniel’s comments that there are some fringe elements too i.e. vaccine skeptics… As a vaccine skeptic, I found it very hard to believe that anyone following the vaccine issue would attend a March on Washington sponsored and funded by Dick Armey and promoted by Governor Rick Perry.

As a House Rep Dick took responsibility for inserting language into the Homeland Security Bill in 2002 that shielded Eli Lilly from class-action lawsuits from children that were mercury poisoned by a preservative called Thimerosal, patented by Eli Lilly. George H.W. Bush went from CIA Director, to Board of Directors of Eli Lilly, to Vice President of the United State (documented in my news links and published books). Rick Perry’s Merck Gardasil and subsequent immigration mandates are also well documented events.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/20… http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/…

So as a vaccine skeptic you would NEVER find me Marching behind these men. Please cross reference my links at will, question the men you follow. I encourage the behavior. I believe the Gardasil immigration shots to be race related.

As for the race issue discussed in this article and associated with Tea Party Movement, I make reference to three Tea Party Leaders (correct me if these are not the darlings of the Tea Party Movement). The people and organizations (not the average citizen) that are actively funding and promoting the Tea Party events are the heart of the issue. Follow the money and FOX News. Again, I encourage the average citizen to cross reference and do there own research.

Tea Party Leaders…

1. DICK ARMEY (TX) http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-p…

The fact that the Tea Party was promoted by FreedomWorks is well documented in multiple news reports. Who is behind FreedomWorks is very relevant to this conversation particularly his connections to the Council for National Policy and the ideology of the John Birch Society.
This is not a grassroots demonstration, but a well organized and funded event by people who support an ideology. If you understand the ideology you will understand the movement.

http://www.nndb.com/org/700/000051547/ http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showPer… THESE PEOPLE

http://www.thenewamerican.com/ Magazine of the John Birch Society, providing in-depth reporting on US and worldwide issues and events. (this link provided by another individual posting comments)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/11822827/The-Joh… THIS IDEOLOGY. I don’t think this country would be better off going back to the days of Senator Joseph P. McCarthy!


2. RICK PERRY (TX) http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/…

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2007/01/te… http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUZ_fM-TQKQ/RowR…

THIS IS RACISM

3. RON PAUL (TX) http://www.ronpaul.com/2009-04-15/nationwi…

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/10/pau… http://americancity.org/images/uploads/pau…

THIS IS RACISM

I believe the Tea Party March on Washington is very much influenced by history and race. No sarcasm interjected. Last Post.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bgoodsel/po…

Bias: Nathaniel has a degree in Africana Studies and lived in an Africana dorm in college. Give the man a break; he's just following his programming (worldview). Jesus called it looking through a glass darkly. No pun intended. I joked with Nathaniel on Saturday, "Uh, oh, Nathaniel, look an angry white male," pointing to a dancing man. He laughed. He knows his views are bunkum. I think he writes this stuff just to get lots of attention. It's about time that someone call Nathaniel out as the attention whore that is feeding off the anger of his readers, lol.
By the way, Obamacare sux bollocks.

"One thing not reported: the Teabaggers physically threatened us peaceful, quiet counter-protesters. One patted his gun and said to one of ours "give me a reason." So no, they don't care about dialogue. They care about their own paranoid fantasies, protecting their tiny world views, and their own selfish needs. That's about it."
I'm gonna call it like I see it...this is a bold faced lie.
Really pathetic on your part.

Racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism,racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism, racism.

The word kind of loses its meaning after a while.

http://unitedstatesamericanflags.com/image…

http://www.artcriesout.com/directory/pic14…

http://blueollie.files.wordpress.com/2008/…

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm…

http://tommydavis.files.wordpress.com/2009…

http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/birmin…

http://bradley.chattablogs.com/segregation…

http://poplicks.com/images/segregationist.…

http://latinolikeme.files.wordpress.com/20…

https://amsu-english.wikispaces.com/file/v…

http://jewishmemory.info/images/2000-2999/…

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DxVY0JAVzCk/Sad6…

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/WW2Pics3/1…

http://russia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/files…

http://proudatheists.files.wordpress.com/2…

http://www.oliverborrow.co.uk/images/outdo…


NO IT DOESN’T


http://turtlebella.files.wordpress.com/200…

http://theblacksentinel.files.wordpress.co…

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L-O37X6d440/SFqu…

http://scottthong.files.wordpress.com/2008…

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.tmz.com/media/2…

http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggrap…


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Im3_DDT_eKc/SH5L…

http://www.pleasegodno.com/uploads/obamabu…

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gawk…

http://assets.236.com/images/photo2/6438/o…

http://www.youthradio.org/files/yr_media/0…

http://cm1.theinsider.com/media/0/74/83/im…

http://www.thisishowyoudoit.com/blogimages…

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/305527…

http://www.apollobraun.com/store/images/pr…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24211336@N03/…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdixonda/260…

http://sabbah.biz/mt/wp-content/uploads/20…

http://www.amptoons.com/blog/wp-content/up…

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/political…

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OW_mts4kjS4/SPx4…

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/z/…

http://www.moonbattery.com/obama-fried-chi…

http://bajan.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/o…


IT STILL HAS MEANING...

When an observer is looking through a specific lens, they will only see what they are looking for.

What a sad, hateful life the author must live to attend a rally in which the Founding Fathers were evoked, the Star Spangled Banner was sung, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, the Constitution & Bill of Rights were praised, and both political parties blasted for their lack of representation... yet still he comes out of the experience carrying only a tired, worn out race card.

I came out of the rally with a renewed hope for my liberty and country, which I'd been seriously missing.

The author came out of the rally with an agenda of outright deceit.

There's an old joke where a rich man asks a beautiful woman if she would consider spending the night with him for 1 million dollars. The woman, mindful of her good name, tells the man that she'd normally be offended by such a proposition but admits that 1 million dollars is a significant amount. She concedes that she would be willing to spend the night with him for a million.
The man then immediately offers her $10 to have sex in his car.
Outraged, the woman exclaims, "What kind of woman do you think I am?!?"
The man says, "We've already established that, now we're just haggling over the terms."

The reality is, those invested in the right/left, the Repub/Dem, the black/white battles do so at the exclusion of the real battle between liberty and tyranny; and those who stoke the fires of race and party and any idealogy otherwise, are either unknowing dupes of those promoting tyranny, or complicit with them.

True liberty has no party, no color, no idealogy other than it's own preservation.

A politician approached the patriotic American voter with a proposition to let him collect a small percentage of property from only the richest 1% of the population, and in exchange, a series of modest, well regulated social programs that would equally and fairly benefit all citizens, even down to the poorest of them.
The voter, while concerned for his constitutional liberties, admitted that social programs to equalize the rich and poor was a substantial benefit, and conceded that allowing the top 1% to be taxed would be worth it.

The politician then proposed a scheme in which the 60% of citizens would be taxed 5 1/2 months of their yearly labor, 5 - 8% of their purchases, be required to rent their "own" property from the government or lose it, have the government dictate their purchasing decisions down to their choice of toilet and lightbulb, surrender their healthcare decisions to cost-minded bureaucrats, and be taxed an extra $1700/year on their lightbill to compensate for the "carbon footprint" of China and India, be strip-searched in airports by a government who doesn't guard it's borders, and more, all in exchange for a comprehensive, "socially beneficial" cradle-to-grave security of a nanny police state.

Outraged, the voter protested, "What sort of pro-slavery cretin do you take me for?!?"

The politician smiles and says, "We've already established that, now we're just haggling over the terms."

Do we need taxes? Yes, but only for those federal functions explicity enumerated in the Constitution. The other social programs may be ultimately beneficial, but to be constitutional, should be implemented at the state level, on terms that are agreed upon by citizens of individual states, who can hold representatives accountable at a state level.

So, the author, in conceding to the concept of the justice of taxing and regulating a segment of society (like the rich) for a cumulatively "socially beneficial" end, he concedes to the concept that the Federal Government has the right and ability to seize the property and rights of a specific group (like the blacks), so long as the vocal majority are for it. He pretends to be against racism while advocating for the same principles of tyranny that enslaved blacks so long ago.

Your brand of tyranny, sir, is only different from that exercised by the slave owners of the pre-civil war south, in the group upon which you heap your contempt. But you and your idealogical predecessors who have let yourself be sweet-talked into slavery by an ever-expanding federal bureaucracy, have in the process made slaves of us all.

The Tea Parties stand opposed to the tyranny that both you and the slave owners have embraced, albeit under different terms.

Do not project your own contempt for liberty upon them.

P.S. If the author wishes to do his own actual journalism, rather than scraping up the words of Kos and Huffington unexamined, he might consider taking in the CSPAN coverage of the national rally, in which he will see speeches by multiple black and latino speakers, as well as white, to a multi-racial crowd which filled the same length of ground as the 2009 inauguration.
Will the author let his own eyes see and report the truth, or will he swallow what is pre-chewed and half-digested for him by the likes of Huffington, MSNBC and the Washington Compost?

True liberty has no party, no color, no idealogy (sic) other than it's (sic) own preservation...

…as eloquent as that was... the Tea Party reality show was put on by Dick Armey, and his agenda has very little to do with your Liberty...he has a party, he is white, he has an ideology, and he is preserving his own… it's a partisan agenda of outright deceit.

Wake Up Paul Revered.


Dick Armey, civil rights hero http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/politic…

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw… It's more ironic that former House big shot Dick Armey is a key organizer – and the current GOP is cynically fanning the flames – given that he was part of the Washington GOP establishment responsible for the big-government overreach the tea partiers claim to despise.

http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_s…

http://cs.indiana.edu/metastuff/wonder/ch7…

Diana, have you attended a tea party rally, a 9-12 event?

Republicans who percieve the current tea party momentum as resurgent Republicanism are in a dangerous state of denial. Dangerous to their political careers, that is.

If you actually spoke with tea party goers and listened to their concerns, you would find them equally disturbed by Bush's failure to perform his constitutional duty to defend our borders (in a time of war, no less) and Bush's absurd "abandonment of free-market principles to save the free market" as they are by Obama's accelerated expansion of government that is rolling out on the tracks that Bush laid for him. Many of them, (those who understand their constitutional rights properly) are as equally disturbed by the Patriot Act as the left were so vocal about under Bush (although oddly, their voices are not nearly so loud while Obama diligently reinforces it.) Many of them, like myself, find themselves outraged at a government who will strip-search citizen grandmas in the airport but can't bring themselves to put up a fence at the border for non-citizen whomevers.

Dick Armey's organization is only one part of a loose multi-organization coalition who put on the national rally.

Had you attended the Boise 9-12 / Tea Party rally with eyes that see and ears that hear, you would have heard that the action items the organizers wanted rally attenders to get behind were:

Contintental Congress 2009 (http://www.cc2009.us or http://www.givemeliberty.org) which is a non-partisan project to specifically bypass the two-party system in nominating and electing deligates who will attend a congress of citizens, patterned after the Continental Congresses held in 1774 and 1776 (the latter of which produced a document of some notable value which you may have heard) with the ultimate goal of producing recommended peaceable, lawful courses of action which constitutionally minded citizens may unite together in pursuing to achieve redress from the currently unresponsive (and, in many aspects, unconstitutional) government.

The GOOOH Project (http://www.goooh.com) or Get Out Of Our House! which is a non-partisan plan to bypass the current two-party election process to select and promote truly representative candidates of any political ideology (so long as they represent the constituents who selected them) with the ultimate goal of making a clean sweep of ALL of the 95% incumbent representatives in the House, regardless of party.

Those are the two major action items they encouraged at the Boise rally. Now, regardless of your personal opinion on the merits of these two projects, or their likelyhood of success... Do either of those projects REALLY sound like good 'ol boy network Republicanism to you?

Or is the threat of a movement to restore the country to it's Constitutional founding where equality of opportunity, not equality of results, somehow a threat to your own personal ideology, and so attacking the messenger is your only defense? Because siding with government enforced "equality" of outcome puts you on the side of the slave-master, when you get down to bare principles.

If that is the case, I can see why attacking the messenger is the more expedient course, rather than admitting to be a tyrant at heart. Using linguistic tyranny to brand as racist anyone who opposes the expansion of government and degradation of personal liberty is hypocrisy.

I, like the good Dr. Martin Luthor King Jr., dream of a day when men will be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin. Using Obama's skin color as a wedge to attempt to discredit the opposition of policy is hypocrisy. It is the antithesis of King's dream.

I judge Obama by the means King dreamed of-- by the content of his character-- and find his character, as amplified by policies which reduce the liberty and property of the American individual, to be lacking.
I judge Obama by the means of which Obama himself requested in the debates: By those he surrounds himself with as advisors. He has successfully surrounded himself with self-avowed communists, radicals, socialists, anti-capitalists, men who have argued for the exact opposite principles espoused in the Declaration of Independence (that man's rights are essentially whatever the current government deems the people may have) or that the Constitution doesn't explicitly give citizens the right to reproduce.

Skin color? Race? What rediculously, absurdly, laughably shallow and insignificant factors in comparison to the above. If I didn't know that the real object of the race-baiters is in attempting to discredit the messenger... If I didn't know that they used this approach because they lack the balls to confont the real message and openly ally themselves with government oppression of life and liberty... If I didn't know that, frankly I would be embarassed on their behalf for limping in with such a weak-minded absurdity like the race card.

Whoops! That would be Dr. Martin LuthEr King Jr., rather than Luthor. My Superman comic book reading days are bleeding through my historical and Constitutional reading... those were the days!

I just totally disagree about what motivates Tea Party Poster Children; Dick Armey, Rick Perry, and Ron Paul when it comes to healthcare reform or views on people of color... I judge these men by the content of their character. I could not March in their Tea Party Armey without losing my soul and my sense of Liberty…


DICK

Armey’s Tea Party Army http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200904…

Coving the ass of Pharmaceutical companies http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/… http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2002/12…

Epitome Of Privilege http://www.yelp.com/topic/san-francisco-te…


RICK

Tea Party Darling http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/AP…

Government healthcare Gardasil Mandates for profit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-mackowi… http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/5546651… http://politicalmpressions.files.wordpress…

It not a week-minded absurdity to question this Tea Party Darling's view on race when he finds it acceptable to have another Tea Party Darling wear a Confederate Flag and shout racial slurs at his own inaugural ball?? http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/… Please read up on Ted’s astute political convictions… Like Ted Kaczynski he has a manifesto… http://www.tednugent.com/hunting/projects/…

Racism http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244661…

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUZ_fM-TQKQ/RowR…


And RON

Tea Party Mastermind http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politi…

Racism http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/10/pau…

The strict Constitutionalist that wants to change the Constitution in the name of healthcare and those that live south of our border http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m157… http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst1…


The Ted Nugent Republicans http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/stat…


"Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress." Napoleon Bonaparte

"Communism and fascism or nazism, although poles apart in their intellectual content, are similar in this, that both have emotional appeal to the type of personality that takes pleasure in being submerged in a mass movement and submitting to superior authority." James Brown

I voted for Obama actually hoping that he was what he said he was a change. I have been sorely disappointed to discover that he is just another politician that would say and do anything to get elected. I no longer support him and now believe that he is worse for the country than John McCain would have been, if that is racist then so be it.

There's something bulimic about the way you regurgitate links every time you've been exposed to a contrasting view.

But Paul...this is my well formulated contrasting view. If my regurgitation of links seems bulimic in nature, it's because it is regurgitating on my end too. My blogging started with my disbelief that vaccine skeptics would be participating in Tea Party events. I've study the vaccine epic for years...over a decade (1, 2). I attended the autism vaccine Governmental Reform Hearings (3, 4). I KNEW the names and history of the characters as I read the Tea Party headlines (5, 6, 7, 8) I am not just NOW being exposed to a new and interesting contrasting view; my research on these Tea Party men's connection to the vaccine drama makes my blood run cold (9,10,11, 12, 13). The George H.W. Bush connection is criminal (14). Read the book Evidence of Harm by David Kirby to understand the life I have lived (15). In Dec 2002, I watched the Homeland Security Act Senate vote on CNN live with my jaw on the floor as that midnight rider legislation passed (16). Dick Armey is the shadowy figure in that drama and the man disgusts me. HE, DICK ARMEY, sold his soul in those 5 mins. I pray for him, good Christian that he is (17).

Rick Perry's Feb 2, 2007 Gardasil executive order is also very well documented as are his tie to Merck pharmaceutical (11,12). My book about Rick Perry and gardasil may some day be made public, who knows. Worst-case scenario, it seems as though Merck & Co. are using these people as guinea pigs for Gardasil. We hate to cry conspiracy…but we can't think of a positive way to end that sentence (18, 19, 20). I’ve written volumes on the subject. And IT IS about racial population control along the US Border (21). I too pray for these men souls, good Christian that they are (22, 23, 24). I think them bigots (25,26). I find their objections to any dialogue on healthcare reform insulting because it is not in their best interests to reform.

Please DO NOT believe for one minute this conversation is my first exposure to the ideology of Tea Party brigade… just my latest… be careful how you vaccinate.

I’ve footnoted my links perhaps only to document history; does that help weed out your distractions from my original thought? (27)

The Tea Parties are anti-Liberty. http://images3.cafepress.com/product/20289…


(1) http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userco…
(2) http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/200… (search Diana)
(3) http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/i…
(4) http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=76…
(5) http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200904…
(6) http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/AP…
(7) http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politi…
(8) http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/…
(9) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/…
(10) http://books.google.com/books?id=w2PwVMgCK…
(11) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/us/03tex…
(12) http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/5546651…
(13) http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul66.htm…
(14) http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/649/
(15) http://books.google.com/books?id=w2PwVMgCK… Evidence of Harm
(16) http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summa…
(17) http://www.cc.org/image/fmr_us_rep_dick_ar…
(18) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/1…
(19) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26999081/ns/he…
(20) http://media.www.themichiganjournal.com/me…
(21) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1234621…
(22)http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw…
(23) http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance109.…
(24) http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst1…
(25) http://austinist.com/2007/01/19/perrys_vis…
(26) http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/angry-…
(27) http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/4768821…

Many 9-12/Tea Party members (myself included) are skeptical of/frustrated by FreedomWorks' attempts to co-opt the movement. Armey is an opportunist. Period.

You have been convinced, perhaps, by CNN, MSNBC & others that Tea Partiers are rallying behind a leader or organization like Armey. You have been mislead. (IF we are rallying behind anyone, it is the likes of Washington, Franklin, Madison, Paine, and Jefferson.)

In fact, I was recently listening to a talk-radio interview of a New York Tea Party organizer who is leading the charge against a very non-conservative NY GOP candidate there, endorsed by Newt Gingrich (another weasel attempting to co-opt the Tea Party movement for his own political favor) and she had nothing but contempt for both Gingrich and Armey.

If you are an Obama supporter, I can see how it may be difficult to understand the concept of separating a movement or cause or principle from a person or cult of personality... But I do not identify, nor have I met another Tea Party person, who bases the identity of their principles and concerns behind a individual person or personality, or leader. Yes, many of us do listen to and appreciate Glenn Beck, but he himself is calling for the distrust of parties (and even of himself, if he is ever found to be in contradiction of the constitutional principles of liberty.)

Glenn, like the tea party folks, is finding himself the object of GOP scorn. That tends to happen to people who call for others to desert the party and hang on to principles, as Glenn has been doing for at least the last year. If you only get your info from the White House press secretary, or from MSNBC (sorry, redundant), you won't learn of Beck's criticism of the GOP, but since he's put it on national television, radio, and in clear black & white in his last two NYT best-seller books, it's a fact that's hard to miss unless one has their head inserted in some sort of darkened orifice.

When you see Tea Party people applaud Perry, it is when he is speaking for States Rights (10th Amendment) and 2nd Amendment rights... they are applauding the principle, not the person. (incidentally, I don't support mandatory Gardasil vaccinations, and you'd be hard-pressed to find 9-12ers who do.)

When you see Tea Party/ 9-12ers applaud Ted Nugent, it is when he is speaking for gun rights (2nd Amendment).. they are applauding the principle, not the person. There are some who make the argument that flying the Confederate Flag is a symbol of support for States Rights as well, but since that message never gets heard over the more common connotation for what that flag symbolizes, I don't find it's use either appropriate or effective.

The ONLY expression or mention I've heard regarding RACE in connotation with Tea Parties is the disparaging media and Dem party giving their own versions of what our motives are.

I believe I've mentioned already the effort of the Idaho Tea Party and the Idaho 9-12 groups to support the Continental Congress 2009 project (http://cc2009.info). In the effort, each State was to conduct an election for delegate nominees on Oct 10th, with the top 3 delegates from each state and DC attending the Congress held in Illinois in November.

So all us hard-core, white-sheet-wearing tea party racists (as many would like you to believe) all got ourselves together to pick our best man, and which nominee got the most votes to represent us in the congress for Idaho?

Paul Venable... the only black nominee. (http://www.challism.com/cc2009/venable.htm) How dare we! We obviously selected him to represent ourselves based on some sort of deep-seated racism. Heh... Or not.
Actually, I've met Paul, and I understand why most of the people were impressed enough to vote for him, as did I.

Tea Partiers find themselves a target of the GOP in New York: http://taxdayteaparty.com/2009/10/its-war-…

You cannot find a majority of either current and former republicans who are backing the GOP right now.... http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_con…

The current administration and the rubber-stamp media would have you believe that the Tea Party or 9-12 movement is a manufactured minority party desperation move, but we're not interested in reclaiming Republican power... we're interested in reclaiming a constitutional democratic republic. They WANT you to stay focused on the Rep/Dem, Left/Right partisan sports-team rivalry...

To Hell with the 2-party monopoly, I just want my constitutional liberties.

In my experience, Tea Party people tend to be about 1/3 each of current/former republican conservatives, independents (with a trace of current/former democrats), and libertarians.

Perhaps you are confusing the Tea Party with the neocons? (who are neither new nor conservative.)

Among Tea Partiers, you'd hear criticism or outright condemnation of the Patriot Act. You'd hear some who were originally opposed to the Iraq War, and some who initially supported it but have seen it mismanaged and politicized to the point where withdrawal is argued as the only moral/humane option. Of course, there are still some who will continue to support the mission of the troops as a form of supporting the troops themselves.

Personally, when I heard Bush essentially saying, in the middle of a war, that nothing would be done to protect the borders, yet American grandmas would be strip-searched in the airport for a commuter flight, I knew The Powers That Be weren't taking seriously the same threat they were scaring everyone else with.

You certainly won't hear any Tea Party or 9-12 people defending the Bush liability waivers for vaccines, which were ushered in with fear and demagoguery following 9/11 along with the NSA, DHS, TSA, patriot act, etc.

I actually had never heard the term Thimerasol until I began associating with the more libertarian side of 9-12ers, many of whom see actions under the previous administration, such as passing laws authorizing mandatory vaccinations under the cover of a potential government-declared pandemic or martial law, as laying the foundation for current or future administrations to implement significant restraints on one's "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

You may, for example, disagree with the concept of States Rights, but if you do, you are in opposition to the Constitution and its framers. But your disagreement with the ones who secured the liberties you enjoy today does not make me a racist.
You may disagree with the concept of gun rights, but if you do, you are again in opposition to the Constitution and its framers, who secured your liberties as a private militia using privately owned and operated cannons and other weapons of mass destruction (for their time) that put to shame arguments that the Founders would have never conceived of or approved of the private use of assault weapons. But again, your disagreement with those principles does not make me a racist.

So next time, before you move to characterize a movement in a certain way, you might actually try speaking to a member of that movement first.

And by "speaking to" I mean, listening to and understanding their words.

(Versus preemptively plugging one's ears and reciting, "La-la-la-la-la! You're racist because all your political enemies say you are!")