There’s been a great deal of noise being made on the increasingly frantic left about the rapid rise of “Tea Parties” in the American political consciousness. Reporters from the so-called mainstream media cannot seem to stop themselves from focusing relentlessly on the ethnic composition of the varied groups that make up the tea partiers, and spend inordinate amounts of time looking for the supposedly hidden racism that at any moment will result in the production of white sheets and nooses. How soon they forget that such implements are the exclusive province of the Democrat Party?
In any event, while I can’t say that I’ve been a participant at any “Tea Party,” I am certainly sympathetic to their goals and find the hostility they arouse on the part of both the Republican and Democrat political establishment rather funny. I can also say that certainly in my lifetime I do not recall such a wide spread, grassroots, and persistent movement developing. I hesitate to compare it to the Civil Rights Era, but there are certainly parallels. And as we know, the Civil Rights Era utterly upended the existing socio-political order.
Are these tea party people racist? My guess is that they are not, at least not in any way that really matters. Mostly they are simply regular people who dislike the direction in which the country is headed under the current administration. Frankly many of them were dissatisfied with the country’s direction long before Barack Obama was elected, but if G.W. Bush’s spending could be compared to a mild marijuana addiction, BHO’s is a meth infused, heroin laced, crack cocaine binge the likes of which this country has never seen. This is not good for our country, and most definitely is harmful to Black Americans, many of whom continue to bear the brunt of the decidedly illiberal, statist, and frankly racist policies of the left. Of course no one wants to acknowledge that tea partiers are demographically just about like the rest of the country:
Are the tea partiers afraid of the president because he’s Black? I’ll let this video answer that one:
The Truth in Black and Right 
It’s easier to paint them all as racist than deal with the real issues.
THANK YOU for posting this! I love your blog!!!
Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
ps. Link Exchange???
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Excellent points, as supported by the statistics that you have referenced. I hope that the Tea Party protests continue to grow, since they are certainly demanding the attention of the political class.
At this point, any criticism of the current administration will immediately be labeled as “racist”, disregarding the concept of “crying wolf” too often. It is simply an effort to obfuscate the fact that the American public (over the last couple of decades) has experienced a devastating loss of faith in politicians and political parties in general.
If true leaders and genuine reformers surface, they will be recognized and supported and in this instance I do not think that race will be a deciding factor.
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Great to have you back TBC!
I have been to three Tea Parties and believe that the demographics your post shows are absolutely correct. These are Americans exercising their First Amendment rights, nothing more. I have seen people from all ethnic persuasions at the three rallies I attended.
I hope that one day people will understand that the Civil Rights movement was championed by a Republican named Martin Luther King Jr. It was Democrats like George Wallace who incited the violence and vowed to keep segregation in place at any cost. It is amazing how few people realize this. Great post as usual.
Chuck, there is no desire for this image to be corrected by either those on the left, or unfortunately, by many in the Republican Party. There is a lot invested in maintaining the narrative of “angry racist sexist (probably Southern) White men.” It doesn’t matter how much that stereotype is false, or how insidiously racist it is, it will continue to be pushed as “TRUTH.” It doesn’t matter that it has been 40 years since the Civil Rights Act passed and 50 since schools were desegregated. Leftist philosophy demands a victim class and an oppressor class; it cannot function without it. Some people’s minds are boggled that any one would chose to be independent and turn down “free” money, or health care or some other government “benefit.” Indeed they are angered by that. So I don’t expect it to change anytime soon; unfortunately not in my lifetime, and Lord willing, I hopefully have another 50 or so years to go.
Great insight into Leftist philosophy, TBC.
You are right – socialists of all stripes and patterns have made their living for years from exacerbating discontent and unfortunately they will always find a willing audience.
Well said TBC – and unfortunately all too true.
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Nice new look for the blog.
thanks… i like to switch it up every now and then