November 8, 2013 – Thursday
Two days ago I shared an Americans Against the Tea Party link on Facebook. The subtitle stated, “Because Fear-Mongering, Greed and Hatred just don’t work for us.” Some of my Tea Party leaning friends accused me of hatred. To use their shield against hating the individual, I state, “I don’t hate the individual, but I hate their politics.”
My friends suggested that I should read the Tea Party Platform, which I did. I was challenged to find anything hateful in it. I could not; however, I have found a few examples of Tea Party Rallies where threats, intimidation, and hatred were on full display. I have included a few of the more egregious ones in this post.
I would ask my friends to consider the display of the Confederate Flag; do you view that as a symbol of unity, rather than one of treason? Is it a symbol of racism? Is it a symbol of hatred?
How about the open display of guns at Tea Party rallies; as a citizen who does not agree with their political agenda, should I feel threatened? I think so. Have you considered the rights and “pursuit of happiness” for those of us who choose not to go armed in public?
Greed was mentioned in the Americans Against the Tea Party link. Have my Tea Party leaning friends considered their own conflict of interest in the Tea Party being funded by the billionaire Koch Brothers? They seem to be quite greedy to me.
The research into this subject has been an amazing education and I thank you for stimulating me to do it.
I state to my well intentioned friends, “You have good hearts and good minds; when you have studied enough and matured sufficiently, I know you will think exactly as I do. There is no other logical conclusion.” I realize that would be like condemning some of you to hell, so I take it back.
For your viewing pleasure:
Democrats on Palin ‘crosshair’ map received death threats
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/10/democrats-palins-crosshair-map-received-death-threats/
Shot Congresswoman Was In Sarah Palin’s ‘Crosshairs’
Tea Party Republican Defends Being on Medicaid While Opposing Medicaid
SOURCE: http://socialistworker.org/2010/07/20/calling-out-tea-party-racists
Preceding President Obama’s speech before a group of leading Democrats, Tea Party protesters heckled members of Congress, subjecting them to racist and hate filled epithets as well as physical abuse.
“A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a ‘ni–er.’ And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a “faggot,” as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams.”
SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/20/tea-party-protests-nier-f_n_507116.html
Sharron Angle calls for “2nd Amendment Remedies” telling the Reno Gazette-Journal that people are quietly stocking up on ammunition in case they need to resort to insurrection or “fight for liberty” as she put it.
“Angle: I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry. This not for someone who’s in the military. This not for law enforcement. This is for us. And in fact when you read that Constitution and the founding fathers, they intended this to stop tyranny. This is for us when our government becomes tyrannical… Manders: If we needed it at any time in history, it might be right now. Angle: Well it’s to defend ourselves. And you know, I’m hoping that we’re not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.”
Tea Party hate speech runs amok in Wisconsin over their senatorial recall elections:
“I will tell you ladies and gentlemen, I detest and despise everything the left stands for. How anybody can endorse and embrace an ideology that has killed a billion people in the last century is beyond me,” said Tea Party Nation CEO Judson Phillips.
SOURCE: http://www.politico.com/blogs/davidcatanese/0811/Tea_Party_Nation_The_lefts_killed_.html
U.S. Rep. Steve King attacks Obama because of his middle name, Hussein.
“…his middle name (Hussein) does matter,” King said. “It matters because they read a meaning into that in the rest of the world. That has a special meaning to them. They will be dancing in the streets because of his middle name. They will be dancing in the streets because of who his father was and because of his posture that says: Pull out of the Middle East and pull out of this conflict.”
SOURCE: http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1316727.html
Louie Gohmert (R-Texas, member of the Tea Party Caucus), is a birther who equated homosexuality with bestiality, necrophilia, and pedophilia during a debate on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
At the state level, we have Alabama state senator Scott Beason referring to blacks as “aborigines.”
SOURCE: http://blog.al.com/jkennedy/2011/06/joey_kennedy_scott_beason_hurt.html
After opening a speech by saying that “illegal immigration will destroy a community” he closed it by advising his listeners to “empty the clip, and do what has to be done”.
Rand Paul’s Muslim-Bashing Speech
The Tea Party senator’s attack on Muslims was nothing short of ‘hate speech,’ says Dean Obeidallah, who compares Rand Paul’s words to the bad arguments and vitriol used by al Qaeda recruiters.
Glenn Beck: A Clear and Present Threat to Michael Moore?
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/opinion/ci_24308779/new-heights-tea-party-hypocrisy-letter
Tea Party Funding Koch Brothers Emerge From Anonymity
Day of Resistance Gun Rallies Stoke Tea Party
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