Please tell me again how there’s no racism in the Tea Party…
Category Archives: Tea Party
Ohio Tea Party member demonstrates level of racism in movement – unveils Confederate flag at school board meeting, makes intolerant comments
According to news reports, people living in the Springboro, Ohio School District are upset after a local tea party member unfurled a Confederate flag at a school board meeting and made racist comments, while – of all things – attending the meeting to “speak about summer Constitution classes”.
Sonny Thomas, who according to a Springboro Tea Party group’s website, is its president and founder, went to the meeting because Springboro’s School Board had cancelled the classes because of allegations the curriculum had “religious undertones” and were “tea party leaning.” Both of course would be justifiable reasons for the board to act as it had – something called “separation of church and state,” especially since many in the Tea Party seem incapable of separating itself from wanting to establish a Christian theocracy, or a Christian version of Shariah law in the United States.
One of the groups “sponsoring” the classes is the Institute of the Constitution, which declares in its Mission statement, “There is an Almighty, Everlasting, Omniscient God – the God of the Bible – Who is active in the affairs of men.
“Our rights, including our right to life, liberty and property come from Him.
“It is the duty of civil government to secure, protect and defend these God given rights, to acknowledge out Creator, glorify Him and make Him known; and when civil government becomes destructive of these God given purposes, it is our duty to alter or abolish such Godless government.”
Yeah, the School Board was more than a little justified in cancelling the so-called “classes” from a group which openly declares the “duty of civil government to secure, protect and defend these God given rights, to acknowledge out Creator, glorify Him and make Him known” and advocates the overthrow of the Federal government if it fails to meet the groups expectations. The group is right-wing uber-Christian at best, and a nest of traitors at worse. yes, anyone who calls for the overthrow of the government is a traitor, not a patriot.
Sonny, whose feelings are well known in the community through his racist tweets, claimed he was there to defend the Constitution classes, but then, according to sources, let his mask down and began making racist comments and endorsing the League of the South, an organization advocating secession, state’s rights, and which calls the federal government an “enemy of the people”. At the end of his speech he unfurled a Confederate flag and asked the audience if they were offended.
It’s always interesting when these “good ol’ boys” proclaim a love for the Constitution while advocating the overthrow of the country and the legitimacy of nullification and secession.
One witness, William Cunningham, wrote about the incident on the Facebook page Springboro United for Responsible Education saying, “If the discussion in the community has come down to some man waving the ‘stars and bars’ during a public forum on education while shouting, ‘This is your heritage!’ at the audience is not only appalling, it is downright awful.’”
How is the Confederate battle flag the “heritage” of Ohio? Mr. Thomas needs to read some history. Ohio remained part of the Union during the Civil War raising more than 250,000 troops, and supplying millions of tons of supplies and materials to preserve the Union, as well as being the home state of Union Generals Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and Philip H. Sheridan.
By-the-way, Sonny, Ohio also played a key role in the Underground Railroad – having more safe houses than any other community in the state – ferrying escaped slaves north into Canada; and incidentally, in case you haven’t noticed, Springboro isn’t exactly in the southern end of the state.
Tea Party members are always claiming the group isn’t racist, that it appeals to people of all races, colors, creeds and religions, and yet we keep seeing basically all-white audiences, racist signs, Confederate flags and calls for secession and the preservation of “states rights”. The preponderance of evidence suggests the majority of the group is racist, and it is anything but patriotic. Calling for secession, or the overthrow of the democratically elected government is not patriotic. Personally, I’m tired of the tantrums and the threats; please rise up and start your “rebellion”. The sooner you do, the sooner those of us who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution can do so, and the sooner the rest of us can move on with real issues and problems our county is facing. In other words, “Put up, or shut up”.
Tea Party says Romney Better Move to Right?
According to news reports the Tea Party (whoever that really is) following an upset primary win by Tea Party (TP) backed Ted Cruz in Texas is telling the presumptive Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential nominee Willard Mitt Romney he better start toeing the mark.
Tea Party backed Republican Texas Senate candidate Rafael Edward Cruz
“These guys [newly elected Tea Party candidates]” are going to force Romney to the right,” said Andrea Shell, a spokeswoman for Tea Party group Freedom Works. “That is our entire mission.”
Cruz won the Texas Republican primary Tuesday night, which considering it is Texas is a virtual win in November as well.
His victory appears – at least on the surface – to be the latest in a string of TP candidates to use anti-establishment frustration within the party to overcome the seemingly deep pockets of more “traditional” conservative candidates; meaning it’s possible to defeat money in the general election folks – even the seemingly bottomless pockets of the Koch Brothers.
“If we can elect a really conservative House and Senate that will force Romney to go along with our bold conservative agenda,” Shell said. “He’s going to have to really, really go to the right. He’ll be working with guys in the House and Senate. He won’t be able to get away with too many middle of the road policies, especially on things like the deficit.”
Of course, first you have to be able to elect “a really conservative House and Senate”, which is unlikely; and second, Willard has be elected President, something also increasingly at odds with the current political trends in poll after poll, but certainly something that could change as Americans are nothing if not fickle.
“If the Tea Party says it wants Romney to move right, I think, that’s were Romney is going anyway,” Newton Leroy Gingrich, former House speaker (who resigned after multiple extra-marital affairs were revealed) and failed GOTP presidential candidate, told ABCNews.com.
“Romney has endorsed the Ryan budget plan, opposed tax increases, and indicated he supports the full repeal of Obamacare. That’s a pretty activist opening day,” Gingrich said.
Yeah, but having that “pretty activist opening day” is a long shot at best, and your candidate just doesn’t seem to have the moxie to pull that off.
“You have to think of Romney as having a foot in the Tea Party and a foot in the establishment,” he said, adding, “that’s right where the Republicans want him.”
Yes, Willard’s trying to have it both ways, being part of the TP and part of the more traditional side of the party; problem with playing both sides is sooner or later you have to choose because a “house divided against itself cannot stand” observed on rather famous former Republican President.
The problem with the Tea Partistas is they just don’t want a candidate simply moving their way they want them completely indoctrinated and marinated in the TP way of life. Romney’s already moved so far to the right during the primaries he’s bending himself into a pretzel to show he’s not some right-wing lunatic, and it’s only adding to the political perception that he’s a flip-flopping etch-a-sketch candidate.
As former Democratic Speaker of the House used to say, “All politics are local”; winning a senate seat in Texas is one thing – especially in a deeply red state, taking those fringe far-right bumper sticker talking points and winning a national election for the presidency is entirely different. The TP had one of its own on the ticket in 2008 and the result was a resounding defeat.
Walsh Most Corrupt Congressman?
Republican Tea Party (GOTP) Congressman Joe Walsh has received the coveted distinction of being named among Congress’s thirteen “most corrupt” representatives by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
CREW alleges the freshman Congressman’s ethics issues “stem from his failure to pay child support and accurately disclose income and liabilities on his personal financial disclosure forms, and his campaign committee’s inaccurate reporting of interest payment on his loans to his campaigns.” These issues, according to the report, represent Walsh “acting in a manner that does not reflect creditably on the House.”
The seventh annual ranking, based on news reports, Federal Election Commission reports, court documents and financial disclosure forms, also included one senator – GOTP favorite David Vitter — and five additional House members who received “dishonorable mentions.” Altogether, the group includes seven Democrats and twelve Republicans.
Walsh spokesman Justin Roth responded to the ranking by describing CREW as having “a history of being a very left partisan group that tends to trash conservative leaders in Washington,” according to NBC Chicago.
“Joe Walsh has not done a single thing that’s corrupt and will continue to be a strong voice on conservative issues,” Roth continued.
Spit-take, clean off key board, excuse me? “Walsh has not done a single thing that’s corrupt”? Well, gee, how about Mr Family Values lying about his income, failing to pay child support and allowing his children to do without? A wise man once said, “No other success can compensate for failure in the home.” Walsh is clearly a failure in the home, and what makes it worse is he was dishonest about it. How about some good old conservative take care of your debts talk?
Walsh is accused of owing more than $100,000 in back child support to his ex-wife Laura — allegations he has dismissed as “wildly inaccurate,” even though a judge ordered Walsh to provide the court with proof that he is not a deadbeat dad.
In his ex-wife’s filing, last December, she claimed that Walsh said he could not afford to make the payments for their three children while, at the same time, he loaned his own campaign $35,000 and took vacations abroad.
“I’m sorry dear, I just don’t have any money to take care of family responsibilities, I’m too busy loaning my money to my election campaign,” his Brain Captain said.
Alas, back child support allegations aren’t the only questionable financial practice allegations against Walsh. He’s also been accused of stiffing his former campaign field director Richard Cape of $20,000 in pay. Two other staffers allegedly quit after they accused him of not properly disclosing a 2008 home disclosure and traffic citations to the public.
Walsh is just another “don’t do what I do, do what I say” Tea Party crack pot, who will likely only serve one term and then he’ll be a foot note in congressional history. If you’re party claims it stands for “family values”, “duty”, “country”, “honor”, “mom’s apple pie” etc., then you better make darned sure your candidates stand for those things, or is this just normal Republican Tea Party hypocrisy in action?
Beck to Lead a Holy Crusade to Israel?
Glenn Beck recently announced on his radio show that he is planning to hold a rally in Jerusalem sometime in August called “Restoring Courage.” This of course will be his Holy Land version of his “Restoring Honor” rally last August in Washington D.C.
I cannot imagine anything more ludicrous than Glenn Beck presuming to hold a rally in Israel named “Restoring Courage”. Talk about being clueless. Of all the countries in the world, he’s going to go to Israel and presume to take his act there and tell the Israeli people about courage?
What makes this more ludicrous is the fact Beck is a borderline anti-Semite. I’m sure he’ll just be adored in Jerusalem. Of course with Beck’s ego he’ll probably demand to enter the city on a white colt and have palm fronds thrown on the ground in front of him.
I’m really surprised he hasn’t scheduled it during the Passover, and then claim he didn’t know; like last year when he held is DC rally on the anniversary of Dr. King’s, “I Have A Dream” speech and then claimed he didn’t know it was the same date.
Beck recently visited Israel and Jerusalem, and he’s been doing his best Billy Graham impression, warning his listeners of impending disaster in Israel, because of a “two state solution that cuts off Jerusalem” from the world. Something no one has proposed, except in Beck’s frazzled mind.
“God is involved in man’s affairs, but so is the force of darkness,” Beck preached ominously. “I believe I’ve been asked to stand in Jerusalem. Many in the history of man have had the opportunity to stand with the Jewish people…and they have failed.” He asked listeners to “stand with me, in Jerusalem” in August.
So, now Glenn Beck has elevated himself to the roll of Prophet? He believes he’s been asked to stand in Jerusalem? He wants is listeners – aka his congregation – to go to Israel with him and to have a Glenn Beck crusade there?
He’s calling his Jerusalem crusade another “life altering event” (the same verbiage he used to hype his evangelical meeting in the DC) but now there’s a twist, it seems the powers of the Adversary are opposed to Beck and he’s warning his followers that the “very gates of hell” would fight his attempts to hold his rally.
OK, it’s official. He’s certifiable. He’s now declared he’s speaking for God, and that Satan is opposing him. Maybe Glenn he’s not opposing you, maybe he’s all the voices you’re listening to.
As I’ve said before, God works in mysterious ways, not stupid ways.
Audacity of Limbaugh
Yesterday, 10 Jun 11, while flipping through the radio stations, I came upon a brief exchange between a female caller from Martinez, CA and Rush.
Female Caller: “Every night when I put my girls to bed Rush, we pray for you and for our country.”
Rush: “Why thank you, they’re one and the same.”
Really?
Rush and the country – the United States of America – are one and the same? This demonstrates how Limbaugh really believes he’s running the country. That through his radio show – allegedly touching 12 million listeners (which is less than half of all Republicans in the country) – he thinks he’s guiding America’s destiny.
Of course Rush – if challenged on his comment – would say he was being glib, that it was entertaining.
Problem is, Rush might say that, but he really does believe he’s some kind of king maker. A few moments earlier in the show he had ascribed Mitt Romney’s change of heart on global warming to the fact that he – Rush Limbaugh – had said how Romney’s support of that theory was the end of his campaign.
Rush is megalomaniacism personified.
The fact some family prays for Rush Limbaugh is just astounding. Some good old white bread far right tea party Christian family prays each night for Rush? The sad part is, Rush the multi-millionaire doesn’t care what happens to that woman’s family; he could care less that she prays for him, except that it plays into his ego, and reinforces to him how gullible his listeners are, and how faithfully blind they are.
It’s scary that people believe so whole heartedly in men like Limbaugh and Beck. It speaks volumes to the seemingly low level of intelligence of Limbaugh’s “faithful” listeners (the “Ditto-heads”) and of how desperate they are to have someone to tell them what to think on the issues of today.
One also has to wonder if this female listener in Martinez, CA, casually dismisses all of Rush’s sexist and demeaning comments about women? Does she clarify for her daughters that Rush is “just kidding” when he says demeaning things? Or do those comments just fly right over her head? Unfortunately, it’s probably the latter.
Palin is as obtuse as ever regarding American history?
The Ice Queen – Sarah Palin – is insisting history is on her side when claiming Paul Revere’s famous ride was intended to warn both British soldiers and his fellow colonists.
When asked by FOX PAC News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace, “You realize that you messed up about Paul Revere, don’t you?” Palin bristled and replied, “I didn’t mess up about Paul Revere”.
“Part of his ride was to warn the British that were already there. That, hey, you’re not going to succeed. You’re not going to take American arms. You are not going to beat our own well-armed persons, individual, private militia that we have,” she added. “He did warn the British.”
According to the Associated Press, Palin was asked Thursday in Boston about the Revolutionary War hero during a stop on her politically funded family vacation, aka her “East Coast bus tour”.
“He who warned the British that they weren’t gonna be takin’ away our arms by ringing those bells, and makin’ sure as he’s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed.”
Yeah, well, that’s not quite how it happened, Your Majesty, and this is clearly one of two things; one, it’s typical modern day conservative revisionist history; or two, it’s one more piece of obvious evidence demonstrating how completely unqualified the Ice Queen is to ever be allowed anywhere near the White House.
How can anyone think, or believe, that Paul Revere’s ride was in any way designed to warn the British? The only British along Revere’s route were British Dragoons sent to block movement along the roadways, and to screen the infantry’s movement to Lexington and then to Concord.
Revere’s mission was to ride to Lexington in order to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were coming – in force – to arrest them both, and to seize the militia weapons. There was no intent to tell the British anything.
What’s truly sad is there are literally millions of FOX PAC devotees who are nodding their heads agreeing with Palin.
She’s as obtuse as ever.
GOTP “candidates” sell themselves as sacrifices to the far-right conservative Christian crowd?
And so it begins. Those seeking the GOTP presidential nod have begun officially bowing before the alter of the far-right conservative Bible thumping, fire breathing “Christians” of the party hoping that they will receive the groups seal of approval.
The Washington D.C. two-day conference of the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s proved to be just too much of a temptation for the GOTP hopefuls who decided they needed to “render unto” the theocratic right what is there’s playing it as though it was also what is God’s. Never mind the fact at least three of the candidates don’t stand a prayer – or a snow ball’s chance – of ever gaining the group’s “blessing”. Those three of course would be Romney and Huntsman – both Mormon – and Cain, who besides the fact his name will offend some of the group, bears “the mark” of that name and will be snubbed because of it by large numbers of these so-called “religious” folks. Yes, they won’t nominate him because he’s Black.
Ever since their favorite son, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee decided not to run – not wanting to be this election cycle’s Bob Dole – the far-right religious crowd has been looking for someone new to embrace, and all they had to do was hold a convention and off the GOTP candidates run to pander, and to promise, and to sell themselves.
As the selling of political souls began, the candidates set the nation’s most fearful moral concerns as federal debt and health care policies, while still playing up to the sizably overinflated egos of the religious conservatives.
According to the Associated Press, one of the two dreaded Mormon candidates, former Utah Governor – and Obama Administration appointed Ambassador to China – Jon Huntsman bypassed a large scrum of journalists but did give an interview to the Christian-oriented CBN network.
During his address to the “faithful” – after citing numerous anti-abortion laws he signed as governor of Utah – Huntsman declared, “I do not believe the Republican Party should focus solely on our economic life to the neglect of our human life”.
Strangely, neither Huntsman nor Romney mentioned their own religious faith while addressing this very religiously “inclusive” audience.
Others jockeying for the pharisaic endorsement included former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Representative Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who strangely declined an invitation to the conference; now why would Newt turn down an invitation? Maybe the whole being caught in the act of adultery thing is just too much for the sensitivities of these modern day “Christians”?
Pawlenty, a Catholic-turned-Protestant evangelical (basically someone who this group would therefore count as having been “saved”) opened and closed his remarks with biblical quotes. During his sermon, he declared his four top “commonsense principles” – if elected – would be for the nation are to turn toward God, protect the unborn, support traditional marriage and keep Americans secure. Translation being he would oppose anything produced in Hollywood, and would never support the building of any Muslim houses of worship anywhere close to the “hallowed” Ground Zero; he would take away a woman’s right to abortion; he would make sure only “his type” of people could get married, and he would declare crusades against the evil spread of Islam throughout the world, to include bombing Iran, maintaining the war on terror in both Iraq and Afghanistan and wholeheartedly support the torturing of prisoners.
The crazy woman from Minnesota, Michelle Bachmann, told of her home-schooling of her five children and how she had served as foster mother to 23 other children. She told the crowd – of a few hundred – that “marriage is under siege” in America, and then – as the self appointed priestess-in-chief of the GOTP – she ended with a prayer asking a blessing for President Barack Obama, the same Barack Obama she had just finished sharply criticizing moments earlier.
Romney – aka Flopsy Mopsy – who as a Republican Senate candidate and one-term governor in Massachusetts, supported legalized abortion, gay rights and gun control, but who has since “seen the light” and reversed his stands on those positions. His change of heart is not an easy sell when he so fervently defended each during an October 1994 debate against Senator Edward Kennedy
Flopsy spoke of “our belief in the sanctity of human life,” and said marriage should apply to “one man and one woman.” He said the nation’s high unemployment rate was President Obama’s fault and said job losses can push marriages to the breaking point, calling it – unemployment – “a moral crisis.”
It’s interesting that during his tenure as Governor of Massachusetts his state ranked 47 of 50 for job creation, and that he never spoke of this “moral crisis” while his buddies Bush and Cheney were throwing the economy to the wolves of Wall Street.
And last, but not least, the always entertaining Ron Paul of Texas mixed quotes from the Bible’s first book of Samuel with his familiar libertarian proposals, such as returning to the gold standard, appealing to the two things the crowd held most sacred; quoting scripture and personal acquisition of lucre.
But while the economy is a concern for almost everyone else in the country some religious conservatives are not happy with the heavy emphasis on economic matters these days, and the congregation sat stone faced when Boss Barbour spoke of how the sheep must blindly follow whichever shepherd won the nomination despite the absolute certainty they will disagree with that person on some issues – unless of course they pushed for and got someone like Palin or Bachmann.
Boos Barbour declared, “Purity is the enemy of victory.”
Yeah, I’m fairly certain that line isn’t going to become a bumper sticker throughout the Bible belt anytime soon.
I really hate to say it, but perhaps the “smart” candidates were the ones who didn’t go running to the church in the wildwood, and who didn’t promise things they know full well they can’t deliver on. Anyone who promises to overturn Roe v. Wade (i.e., “protecting the rights of the unborn”) is one of three things; a liar, a lunatic, or both. It is established federal law and no President is ever going to be able to overturn it. They are lying every time they speak as though they can.
How truly sad that anyone seeking his party’s nomination for the office of the President of the United States must go hat in hand to any religious group asking its blessing. It is even sadder they pander to the group which screams about Islamic Sharia Law being enforced in America – when it isn’t – while having absolutely no regrets of shoving its brand of “Christianity” down everyone else’s throats.
Perhaps Newt and Palin – gulp – were the smart ones.
The Liberty Tree 