Monday, April 20, 2009

Tea, Talk, and Protest

When I was a Peace Corps volunteer I learned a great deal. I can go on and on with all the treasures that I acquired and brought back to the United States. Not that I was void when I joined the infamous Eastern Caribbean training group (EC 60) – but I was sadly naïve.

One of the most beneficial influences there was the learned behavior of ‘taking it easy’ with the assistances of Earl Grey. Drinking tea became a ritual. Imagine that, a southern boy partaking in a British past time! My morning began with tea. My afternoon concluded with tea and conversations. Long conversations that never failed to address world affairs. I loved the combination: Tea and mouth chatter.

Last week proved to many that there was a need for TEA and a lot of rhetoric. Over 700 tea parties around the United States. Crowds of 10,000 or more. People from all walks of life: young, old, white, white, men, and women. All were mentally consumed with one mission: PROTEST. The age old opportunity to communicate to the powers that ‘we the people’ are unhappy. Disappointed. Disgruntled. And, growing with dissension

(http://www.teapartyday.com/Map.aspx).

While I am a passionate supporter of political dissent that’s responsible and purpose driven, I just could not understand why these folk suddenly decided to voice their concerns all on the same day. Smells funny to me. Some say that the ‘campaign’ to send a message was a grassroots effort. Isn’t that ironic? The Right aligning themselves with grassroots activities? Really? Who buys that crap? We all know that the conservatives, republicans, and ultra right-wingers rarely go to the people to implore them to speak for them. (Well, they did effectively utilize the Ku Klux Klan -- Extremism in America.) Their counter tactics have always begun from the confines of their unyielding and moral high ground politics. Not from some mid-westerner who is upset about a job loss. This act of opposition is reserved for America’s stepchildren e.g. blacks, gays, and women.

But, perhaps things are changing? Are these culturally insulated people finally understanding that government has never been on their side? Have they finally begun to conceptualize that those on the disenfranchised left have been left out? No…say it ain’t so! They are not just realizing that tax increases have the ability to handicap communities? Their trailer parks?

When I visually examined the crowds in state owned parks and on the steps of state capital buildings I could not make many distinctions. However, one element did pop into my brain:

Perhaps, the United States government’s elected officials will listen now. Their distant cousins are now being affected (Billy Bob).

But, reality set in. And, here it is

Taxes have been raised by lying presidents (all of them including President Obama) that I have been blessed to witness walk into the White House – but these pissed-off folk have NEVER orchestrated a day to protest legalized rip-offs since Boston. Makes one wonder what the real frustration could be.

And, now that the Right has no serious plan to combat the Left they have decided to be organized critics of their own system. Actually, it is a clever move: Get the people on one accord under the cloak of ‘we are prepared to do right by you now’.

Who is falling for this?

Well, it is obvious. Look at Grand Wizard Sean Hannity’s sponsored TEA Party protest:

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/files/2009/03/teapartycincy2.jpg

A lot of people, right?

All those people are prepared to kick Barack Obama out of office without understanding that their taxes would have been raised by John McCain too. Do they know this? I believe that they do. This growing whitewashed and extremist radicalism (a fearful reaction to impending ‘White Slavery’) is in response to the BLACK change that they are not psychologically prepared to embrace.

Tax increase is not the change. It is the standard: Happens all the time.

Have you looked at your utility bill lately?

Written by Brian E. Payne. Inspired by Ada B.




11 comments:

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

This whole epidemic of tea partiers has nothing to do with taxes and everything to do with black and white. But I'm sure, as always, one of the good blacks will disagree. ;-)

-NY

MUATA NOWE said...

Muata responds to NY:

Ditto!

I just heard a caller on the Sean Hannity show:

"I am a black female. I went to a rally. It was inspiring. For those who say it was a 'racist affair' they are wrong. I was not lynched. There were all types of people out there standing as one."

Well...

-Muata

MUATA NOWE said...

NY responds to Muata:

Like I said, there's never a shortage of "good blacks". They gonna believe if it kills them, which it sometimes does. Sad and funny thing is the "others" do NOT feel the same way about them.

-NY

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

I too have a problem with the whole tax thing. I’m not in support of any more of my dollars leaving my household. As you know this is a calculated move to incite people to rally against the beloved one (President Obama). I think the concept is bright but the opposition response is also smart. So who will flinch first the American people or the government, my money’s on Uncle Sam. Taxes were going to be ra ised no matter the party in charge, only difference his plan hits closer to home. Poor economy weak market, the system is in need of an overhaul.

-RS

MUATA NOWE said...

Muata responds to RS:

I agree, RS. I want more of my money to stay in my bank account. Uncle Sam will find a way to continue to tax us. Its a given. Deal with it, right? I just believe this rally stuff is a way to find something to stick to the president. They have nothing else. I will say that this is a perfect issue considering thousands of people just showed support for the tea parties. He needs a better response than, "we secured tax breaks totaling $13 for married couples and $8 for single persons." Man, that money ain't nothing but pennies at the end of the day.

-Muata

MUATA NOWE said...

RS responds to Muata:

I agree totally.

-RS

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader response:

what's up, brian? so glad you write these commentaries. keep 'em coming. sometimes i miss something on the news, but you often bring the issue back to the forefront. sometimes i don't have time to make a comment, but i like having hte info avvailable to read.
hope the day was good.

-A Peaceful Journey

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

Well, I think you nailed this one for sure. I could not have said it better. If you can, send this on to Fox, attn: Sean Hannity. Great job kiddo. Keep the voice ringing and keep the minds manipulated.

-AB

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

I like this piece. It is funny to me how white folks don't make a fuss about the world until it starts affecting them and their way of living. That's why most of them wanted Bush out of the white house, his mistakes was starting to cost them dearly.

-AB

MUATA NOWE said...

Muata responds to AB:

White folk are on the defense. They are feeling threaten. That's not a good thing because they typical take drastic measures to maintain what their ancestors stole. President Obama is hitting them in the pocket. Taking white folk money will get you burned or killed.

-Muata

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

Very well written Brian! You go!! You need to submit this to NY Times. Those poor tacky tea party folks didn’t even have enough class to time it as high noon or afternoon tea party. They probably don’t even know the difference.

-CW