Nathan Tabor
We had a tea party, now what?
By Nathan Tabor
The nation's anger level is rising as a result of intrusive and unconstitutional acts by the federal government, especially the mishandling of the US economy by lawmakers and the White House. The indicators — unemployment, the stock market, home foreclosures, etc. — have led to an abysmal reaction by some of the very people responsible for the economic downturn in the first place. Rather than pulling back, these politicians are accelerating their pace by spending trillions of dollars and printing more paper money.
Many, many Americans are angry over the reaction of politicans interested in using the people's misery to grab more power and more of taxpayers' money. In retaliation for this behavior — which is viewed as irresponsible at best, and utterly greedy at worst — more and more citizens are taking a page from American history by conducting their own versions of the Boston Tea Party — an anti-government action that precipitated the American Revolution.
During the Boston Tea Party of 1773, citizens dumped tea into the Boston harbor in protest to Great Britain's undercutting of American merchants by taxing them without allowing them a voice in the British Parliament. Hence, the slogan "No Taxation Without Representation."
These modern day peaceful protests, which already have been occurring in various locations — 2,000 people in St. Louis, 3,000 people in Cincinnati, 6,000 people in Orlando — are expected to snowball through April 15 or Tax Day, with hundreds of Tea Party protests held in large and small venues throughout the country.
What makes this movement unique is that activists are using new media web sites such as Twitter and Facebook to find supporters and allies, to meet each other and to establish a sense of community, a community of people who believe they are being oppressed by the new burdens being placed on them by the Democrats who now are in complete control in Washington, DC.
While the Tea Party movement is a great first step and an important symbolic gesture of Americans' dissatisfaction, there needs to be much more done to turn the tide of "change" being hoisted on citizens by unscrupulous and ambitions political leaders.
Ned Ryun, president of The American Majority recently said, "I have asked the question of the organizers of the National Tax Day Tea Parties, 'What comes next?'"
Ryun points out that there are over 1,000 events planned for the April 15th, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to show up and protest the government's out of control spending.
"I believe American Majority (http://www.americanmajority.org) will be part of what's next in keeping the Tea Party Revolution going. I want to encourage people to take their passion into a long-term approach and become implementers of freedom by running for local office or by becoming more effective activists," said Ryun.
To that end, American Majority has constructed a micro-site, www.aftertheteaparty.com, to collect the names of people at the various Tea Parties who are interested in running for local office or in becoming better activists. The micro-site will automate and collect the information, which will then be fed to American Majority. The web site is not complete yet, but will be fully active come April 15th.
"American Majority's core principles are freedom for the individual and freedom in the marketplace. We also believe that national change begins at the community and state level. For these reasons, we are proud to support the grassroots effort being undertaken to promote these principles through the National Tax Day Tea Party and encourage you to become involved in this historic event," said Ned Ryun.
Volunteers are asked to please contact Jaoni Wood at Jaoni@AmericanMajority.org, and let her know your availability and information, and she will mail you the literature to be handed out during the Tea Party you will be attending.
For further information, visit http://www.americanmajority.org or http://www.aftertheparty.com.
© Nathan Tabor
April 14, 2009
The nation's anger level is rising as a result of intrusive and unconstitutional acts by the federal government, especially the mishandling of the US economy by lawmakers and the White House. The indicators — unemployment, the stock market, home foreclosures, etc. — have led to an abysmal reaction by some of the very people responsible for the economic downturn in the first place. Rather than pulling back, these politicians are accelerating their pace by spending trillions of dollars and printing more paper money.
Many, many Americans are angry over the reaction of politicans interested in using the people's misery to grab more power and more of taxpayers' money. In retaliation for this behavior — which is viewed as irresponsible at best, and utterly greedy at worst — more and more citizens are taking a page from American history by conducting their own versions of the Boston Tea Party — an anti-government action that precipitated the American Revolution.
During the Boston Tea Party of 1773, citizens dumped tea into the Boston harbor in protest to Great Britain's undercutting of American merchants by taxing them without allowing them a voice in the British Parliament. Hence, the slogan "No Taxation Without Representation."
These modern day peaceful protests, which already have been occurring in various locations — 2,000 people in St. Louis, 3,000 people in Cincinnati, 6,000 people in Orlando — are expected to snowball through April 15 or Tax Day, with hundreds of Tea Party protests held in large and small venues throughout the country.
What makes this movement unique is that activists are using new media web sites such as Twitter and Facebook to find supporters and allies, to meet each other and to establish a sense of community, a community of people who believe they are being oppressed by the new burdens being placed on them by the Democrats who now are in complete control in Washington, DC.
While the Tea Party movement is a great first step and an important symbolic gesture of Americans' dissatisfaction, there needs to be much more done to turn the tide of "change" being hoisted on citizens by unscrupulous and ambitions political leaders.
Ned Ryun, president of The American Majority recently said, "I have asked the question of the organizers of the National Tax Day Tea Parties, 'What comes next?'"
Ryun points out that there are over 1,000 events planned for the April 15th, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to show up and protest the government's out of control spending.
"I believe American Majority (http://www.americanmajority.org) will be part of what's next in keeping the Tea Party Revolution going. I want to encourage people to take their passion into a long-term approach and become implementers of freedom by running for local office or by becoming more effective activists," said Ryun.
To that end, American Majority has constructed a micro-site, www.aftertheteaparty.com, to collect the names of people at the various Tea Parties who are interested in running for local office or in becoming better activists. The micro-site will automate and collect the information, which will then be fed to American Majority. The web site is not complete yet, but will be fully active come April 15th.
"American Majority's core principles are freedom for the individual and freedom in the marketplace. We also believe that national change begins at the community and state level. For these reasons, we are proud to support the grassroots effort being undertaken to promote these principles through the National Tax Day Tea Party and encourage you to become involved in this historic event," said Ned Ryun.
Volunteers are asked to please contact Jaoni Wood at Jaoni@AmericanMajority.org, and let her know your availability and information, and she will mail you the literature to be handed out during the Tea Party you will be attending.
For further information, visit http://www.americanmajority.org or http://www.aftertheparty.com.
© Nathan Tabor
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