CIVIL LIBERTIES  
AlterNet / By Frank Schaeffer
comments_imageCOMMENTS: 125

Tea Party Movement Returns, This Time with Much More Dangerous and Explicit Rhetoric

It's not too hard to guess where talk of 'Judgement Day' can lead to in the context of a right-wing, gun-loving movement.
October 27, 2009  |  
 
 
 
LIKE THIS ARTICLE ?
Join our mailing list:

Sign up to stay up to date on the latest Civil Liberties headlines via email.

 
 
Advertisement
 

According to the "Tea Party" website, Tea Party Express II: Countdown To Judgment Day" is underway. Here's how their website describes it:

 

All throughout the recent Tea Party Express national bus tour we kept receiving calls from people around the nation who lived far away from the route our buses took across America. We vowed at the time to keep the Tea Party Express effort alive -- and that’s exactly what we are doing.Join us from October 25th to November 11th, 2009 as we tell Congress and the White House: “Enough!” Let’s stand up and stop the bailouts, cap and trade, out-of-control spending, government-run health care, and higher taxes! We’re back and determined to take our country back!

What will happen on their predicted "Judgment Day"?

If you buy the biblical spin of the Religious Right folks -- that make up the bulk of the Tea Party movement -- the implication is clear: Jesus will soon return, send all Democrats, gays, blacks, progressives, liberals, college-educated unbelievers, etc., to Hell, while saving what Sarah Palin calls "us" "Real Americans" -- in other words unreconstructed frightened and resentful white lower middle class Americans.

(As a former right wing evangelical anti-abortion leader who built a good career from these folks -- until I quit in disgust with myself, the anti-American nature of the movement and the takeover the Republican Party by extremists -- I know of what I speak.)

If you put the secular/right's "tree-of-Liberty-must-be-watered-by-the-blood-of-tyrants-Timothy McVeigh spin on the Judgment Day scenario; then there will soon be a hoped for bloody day of reckoning for the occupant of the White House.

If you put the Republican Party/Rupert Murdoch/Fox News spin on Judgment Day; then it's the old game trotted out once again: stir up the malcontent and get them to defeat their own self interest in the name of flag, country, God, babies, free enterprise -- and support the corporate interests that profit from village idiots, say by defeating health care reform.

When the Tea Party folks say they want to "take back our country" who do they want to take it back from? It turns out it's going to be taken back from the democratic process itself. The effort here is to reverse the last election result.

In this scenario any time there is not a white, wealthy, far right Republican in the White House and any time Congress isn't controlled by the far (white) right of the Republican Party, then the country has been "stolen" from "us" "Real Americans."

Since democracy is not so easily undone, the implication is that to "take back" America must needs involve, not votes but "Judgment Day." In the view of the right Democracy Herself has failed "we" good God-fearing, "birther" "deather" "he lied!" "Obama is Hitler!" Americans. So we must now turn to "other means."

First Tea Parties then Judgment Day. Get it?

What do you think "We Real Americans" have all those guns for?


Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back.
Email
Print
Share
Post on reddit
Post on stumbleupon
Post on facebook
Post on digg
Post on twitter
Post on delicious
LIKED THIS ARTICLE? JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Stay up to date with the latest Civil Liberties headlines via email
See more stories tagged with: right wing, tea party, judgement day

comments COMMENTS ( 125 )
READ COMMENTS
LOGIN OR REGISTER TO POST A COMMENT
 

Comments are closed-

Get a Clue ...
[Report this comment]
Posted by: mmckinl on Oct 27, 2009 6:28 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
~ "When the Tea Party folks say they want to "take back our country" who do they want to take it back from? It turns out it's going to be taken back from the democratic process itself."

~~~

How naive can you be? What democratic process?

The democratic process whereby corporate paid lobbyists pledge tens of millions in political contributions for politicians to ignore and abuse their constituents for the benefit of Wall Street, CEOs, Special Interests and the Oligarchic Families that run this country?

The Tea Bag Organizers are effective because there is NO democratic process, it's all pay to play ... Their cynical ploy to enlist people to wage war on their own interests is working because of the denial that authors like this are in ...

Wake Up! ... And Smell the Rot ...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: Aimleft
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: wbblack
» A little history ... Posted by: djnoll
» RE: A little history ... Posted by: wbblack
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: mmckinl
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: drklassen

Comments are closed-

Idiot America pants after those who will exploit them ...
[Report this comment]
Posted by: editnetwork on Oct 27, 2009 8:07 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... and help them somehow feel better, more empowered, in the process.

For a devastating critique, read Charlie Pierce's Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free. There are scores of such critiques, however, dating back decades; Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman also springs to mind, as does The Twilight of American Culture by Morris Berman.

The great unwashed (though possibly brainwashed) who can't be bothered to examine an idea, let alone two of them at once -- to say nothing of reading a book, or anything not displayed on a shiny screen -- have brought us this far down from the vision of Madison and Jefferson, who soberly warned that only an educated and thinking public could ever hope to govern themselves.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Sorry, this comment has been removed from the system.

Comments are closed-

This comment has been removed from the site due to non-compliance with AlterNet's community policies.
» I agree! Posted by: Parcival01
» RE: Wrong question in this forum Posted by: Sister_Lauren

Comments are closed-

Time for a fun push back
[Report this comment]
Posted by: colinmeister on Oct 28, 2009 4:06 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
On the 5th of November, maybe it would be fun for a few hundred "Anonymous" folk in "V for Vendetta" style Guy Fawkes masks to attend a rally. Disruption of the tea-bagging Glenn Beck fans could be a lot of fun!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» a fun push back???? Posted by: zipper696
» RE: Time for a fun push back Posted by: astralman
» RE: Time for a fun push back Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

i could be totally wrong but
[Report this comment]
Posted by: aislinnluv on Oct 28, 2009 5:00 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
the tea party-ites remind me of the rebellious animals in orwell's "animal farm". "four legs good, two legs bad!" to quote from wikipedia, The novel addresses not only the corruption of the revolution by its leaders but also how wickedness, indifference, ignorance, greed and myopia destroy any possibility of a Utopia. While this novel portrays corrupt leadership as the flaw in revolution (and not the act of revolution itself), it also shows how potential ignorance and indifference to problems within a revolution could allow horrors to happen if smooth transition to a people's government isn't satisfied. these people wouldn't know what to do if they were able to bring down the establishment they are maligning. eventually, the chant becomes "four legs good, two legs better" and the animals find themselves slaughtered one by one. too bad the tea party populists (i use the term loosely) aren't inclined to read much beyond the dung cranked out by the likes of beck, et al. it would be instructional to see the end of their chosen path.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Exploiting religious ignorance
[Report this comment]
Posted by: peacelf on Oct 28, 2009 5:35 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Knowing how far the rich and powerful will go to manipulate the masses for the wealthy's interests is deeply disturbing. It is shameless.

What's worse though is the deeply held nihilism by some Christians AND by the wealthy, both would destroy the world before they would share with others.

Nonetheless, we can't blame the poorer, ignorant, alienated, angry, working people who embrace a misguided religion because they don't have the intellectual tools to critically discern the truth. They're doing the best they can with what they have, and they only seek answers to the pain and anger they don't understand.

Those of us on the progressive left should find a way to reach the exploited disaffected and give them something to hope for.

Peace

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: IV. Period of revitalization Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» RE: IV. Period of revitalization Posted by: LightningJoe
» We've been trying for centuries Posted by: Parcival01
» RE: xploiting religious ignorance Posted by: Spiritgirl
» RE: xploiting religious ignorance Posted by: HillbillyRob

Comments are closed-

Good ol Frank
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Dixie Dawg on Oct 28, 2009 5:46 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Right. Left. No matter. Frank can work both sides. Can he peddle those books or what? Frank has done what few have ever been able to do.. Turn whining about his daddy into cash flow.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Frank... Posted by: zipper696
» Keep sending him money Posted by: Dixie Dawg
» RE: Good ol Frank Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

Yo Frank, why you dissing my movement?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Sister_Lauren on Oct 28, 2009 6:35 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I don't think your analysis is being as respectful of these people as you should be. It sounds like repeating smears to me. I got a song for you,

once in a while you get shown the light

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Elephants and donkeys
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 6:51 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Elephants and the Donkeys gather on the hill
And graze upon the land
"All those animals don't see we're busy feeding and they are such a bother....
Yes
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: lephants and donkeys Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

Good warning
[Report this comment]
Posted by: fc7711 on Oct 28, 2009 7:15 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thanks for the warning Frank. If you want to read some crazy stuff check out any of the gun rights forums, or concealed carry forums. Warriortalk is one of the worst. The people that this article talks about are the same extremist nuts that congregate on the gun forums. I carry and am all for the 2A but I can't stand most of the people on those forums. I've noticed that Wing-Nuttery is particularly strong among pastors and cops.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Good warning Posted by: dingham

Comments are closed-

Not a movement
[Report this comment]
Posted by: leafsong1 on Oct 28, 2009 7:27 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Tea Partiers are led by Dick Armey for chrissakes. They are a corporate sponsored astroturf smudge on the landscape. Their idiot members posting on this board can easily be identified by their logic deficiencies. But their existence is made possible by the manifest corruption of the government. People are looking for revolutionary leaders. If the only people talking seriously about rebellion are corporate astroturf frauds, they will attract followers. The problem is not so much a fake call for revolution from the corporate right as it is the lack of a real call for it from the left.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Not a movement Posted by: Hydrox

Comments are closed-

Live & Die by the Sword
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Lucidity on Oct 28, 2009 7:36 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm all for government reform but violence is NOT the answer. The PTB know exactly where the militias are, who’s in them and will be the first to fall should hell break loose. Those who live by the sword will surely perish by the sword. There’s a simple and peaceful solution; Civil disobedience. Imagine what would happen if everyone suddenly stopped paying taxes, register vehicles and just started ignoring the PTB. The whole system would crumble quickly without bloodshed.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS IS YOUR RIGHTS
[Report this comment]
Posted by: alicelillie on Oct 28, 2009 7:42 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Actually the tea-partiers come in all shapes and sizes. A few are like the author described, but there are many different creeds, including Ayn Rand athiests.

What we (and I most certainly am a tea-party person) all have in common is the desire to restore our individual liberties.

I want to be allowed to hold a gun in one hand and a joint in the other, while driving at 85 with no seatbelt on, the radio on full blast and an open beer in the cup holder. Whether I actually do that or not is beside the point. The point is, no real crimes are being committed so the police should leave me alone.

The gun, joint, beer and car are all inanimate objects and therefore should all be legal. As long as I do not endanger anyone else, what legitimate complaint could you have?

I do not want to have to work two jobs to pay all the taxes necessary for the Obama administration (and the Bush administration before it) to be able to give free money to banks and big business and spend billions on wars that only kill people, destroy property and cause more wars.

As for "judgement day," one day the system will collapse. It has to; this reckless spending cannot go on forever. We the people earn money by working hard, and the government takes it away to wage war and enforce dumb, intrusive laws. And to wreck the economy for us little guys, favoring the big guys.

If you on the left would just *THINK* a little bit, you'd be right along side us at the tea parties. It's about FREEDOM. You can be of any persuasion; it's about restoring your right to be of any persuasion, keeping the fruits of your labor and possessing any inanimate object you want.

Had Mc Cain won and there had been a Republican sweep in Congress, and they were doing the *exact same* thing (and they would), you'd be out there with us, wouldn't you???

See my blog http://www.alicelillieandher.blogspot.com

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Naive perspective on Biden. Posted by: Parcival01
» WORKING TOWARDS NO RIGHTS Posted by: zipper696

Comments are closed-

Would you change the Bill of Rights?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 10:12 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I do not understand why people who own guns are characterized a "fanatics" and caricatured as “gun-toting”. Is the goal of such caricatures is to remove the right? It seems straightforward to me. The founders were very aware that if there were no checks to power the tendency is for the government to become tyrannical. Armed citizens were a check against that. The founders were thinking of themselves as citizens, not government.
It is an anachronism of sorts. Citizens own limited arms; government owns incredible weapons. Those weapons are used against citizens. At the recent G-8 meeting in Pittsburgh they deployed their crowd control conic cannons initially developed for hostile foreign environments!
And “peace officers” look like storm troopers now. I was stopped for not having a seat belt and I’m and old guy. Backup arrived! I’m in my tiny Scion with 4 armed officers in SUV’s watching to make sure my gray hair didn’t move. The officer that approached the window demanded me to keep my hands inside the vehicle and not move! Disgusting. Utterly disgusting that a “public servant” can assume he has the authority to be dominating and intimidating.
We have a bill of rights, but the government has come up with all sorts of restrictions to water them down. Free speech has come to “free speech zones” out of the eye of the public. Certain topics will become dangerous to discuss with the advent of hate laws. The mass media has been whittled down to ownership by 5 corporations and researchers have documented how the government has embedded itself within the media.
Eminent domain used to be the government could only take private property for public good such as public schools or roads. That has been redefined to mean they can take you river side home if a developer wants it and it will increase government tax revenue.
It also enables the banks to charge interest rates on short term loans that used to be obtained from local loan sharks illegally. But now that they have it going to the banking institutions that fund their careers it is legal.
So in many areas of speech and property things have become redefined and restricted to void the rights of individuals and increase the power of gangs to exploit.
Now the government assumes the right to require me to purchase healthcare coverage out of my non-taxed income or fine me if I do not.
I suspect if there were not the volume of guns among the population the process would be much further along. And I personally do not own a gun.
People should step back a bit from the various debates about various issues and look at the big picture. We have an entrenched ruling class who view themselves as empowered to bully and mandate and steal and lie…and still expect us to believe this is a democratic republic where individual is recognized as sovereign in this personal actions that do not harm others.
We don’t have a government; we have gangsters.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

"Zombie News Network!" ( the new ) "What Now Cartoon"
[Report this comment]
Posted by: what0now0toons on Oct 28, 2009 10:13 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
These tea party zombies are being whipped up by the likes of Fox News and the right wing talk radio shows. They keep their audience uninformed and miss lead. They whip their audiences up with fear and hate, that can get down right dangerous.
as a lighter side expose I did a short animated toon for the Halloween season about Zombie Making so called news outlets. Here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUcP_UM80Do
Happy Halloween

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Eerie parallels
[Report this comment]
Posted by: nodozejoze on Oct 28, 2009 11:17 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It does not take a whole lot of creative visualization to see eerie parallels between the events, rhetoric, and spin-off wackos involved in the so-called Tea Party "revolt" today to atmosphere in the summer of 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

To think the unthinkable is to remind ourselves that that particular summer, similar things were said about President Kennedy whose "outsider" status--Catholic, liberal, northeasterner -- made him an enemy to the Rightist agenda of the time. That agenda, fanned by racism, an imperial world view, and a warmongering posture towards innumerable "enemies" seems an awful lot to me to be similar to today. Now we have a Black President who is regularly decried as a traitor and a "socialist". I´ll tell you, if a disaffected, so called "leftist" who has infiltrated some tea bag group is blamed for what I dare not say, you can kiss what little is left of US democracy goodbye.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Tea Baggers II: Electric Boogaloo
[Report this comment]
Posted by: eddie torres on Oct 28, 2009 11:36 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To all the haters:

The Tea Baggers represent a broad swath of glorious American patriots, including white gated-community residents, white gun enthusiasts, white anti-tax martyrs, white rural government employees, white corporate retirees, white disgruntled veterans, white computer technicians, white dog catchers, white dog breeders, white dog groomers...

If I wanna drink, drive, smoke, eat, sleep, walk, talk, shoot, sh*t like a United States soldier then damn the torpedoes and I have not yet begun to fight.

Just keep your damn socialist hands off my medicare advantage. I gotta get me a refill of Percocet somewhere...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Good program or what?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Old Horse Being Put Out To Pasture on Oct 28, 2009 2:54 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Let’s stand up and stop the bailouts, cap and trade, out-of-control spending, government-run health care, and higher taxes!"

Well, I hate to say it, but that actually sounds like a good plan to me. This country could do with a good shot of liberalization. It's not like the government has run things correctly until now and that more of the same, probably backed by army goons, will save the bacon.

But we have had elections already, right? So, more of the same old...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Is Demonization the Answer?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Gravitas on Oct 28, 2009 4:39 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Instead of demonizing all tea baggers, who don't we understand that many are simply folks who are frustrated with the system. Why don't we reach out to them to find out what we have in common and work to change that? Unless of course both left and right have been infiltrated by operatives whose purpose is to keep us divided.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Fear mongering
[Report this comment]
Posted by: abigail adams on Oct 28, 2009 7:52 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is fear mongering at its best! I don't even own a gun and have never shot one, so I am not sure where this puts me in this scenario??? And although I do believe in God, I am a far cry from the bible-thumper you allude to!

Uh, Frank, sorry to be the one to tell you this, but this country is not a democracy, it is a republic. Have you never said the "Pledge of Allegiance" (you know, "and to the Republic for which it stands").

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» OMG, What an Idiot! Posted by: LightningJoe

Comments are closed-

What?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 10:31 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What is a "unreconstructed" person?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

How racist is this article???
[Report this comment]
Posted by: antonius116 on Oct 29, 2009 7:59 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In this scenario any time there is not a white, wealthy, far right Republican in the White House and any time Congress isn't controlled by the far (white) right of the Republican Party, then the country has been "stolen" from "us" "Real Americans."

Since democracy is not so easily undone, the implication is that to "take back" America must needs involve, not votes but "Judgment Day." In the view of the right Democracy Herself has failed "we" good God-fearing, "birther" "deather" "he lied!" "Obama is Hitler!" Americans. So we must now turn to "other means."

WTF is that??? If it was the other way around, the NAACP would file a law suit against this author. What a bunch of racist, bigoted crap.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Wow
[Report this comment]
Posted by: xbeeno on Oct 29, 2009 5:51 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You do indeed raise some valid points!

RT
http://www.complete-privacy.at.tc

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Alternet is Central Bank Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Against Tea Parties
[Report this comment]
Posted by: mtcloud on Oct 30, 2009 5:48 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Alternet is Central Bank Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Against Tea Parties

Alternet is mainstream media, they don't sway from Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Themes At All

http://www.trufax.org/general/indoc.html

Take a look at the websites yourself.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/

http://havinganaustinteaparty.com/

Mission Statement
The impetus for the Tea Party movement is excessive government spending and taxation. Our mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.
http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

truthforall
[Report this comment]
Posted by: trutherforall on Nov 1, 2009 5:58 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We must subject ourselves to the will of our government because they know what is best for all.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Alternet Comments:

Comments are closed-

Get a Clue ...
[Report this comment]
Posted by: mmckinl on Oct 27, 2009 6:28 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
~ "When the Tea Party folks say they want to "take back our country" who do they want to take it back from? It turns out it's going to be taken back from the democratic process itself."

~~~

How naive can you be? What democratic process?

The democratic process whereby corporate paid lobbyists pledge tens of millions in political contributions for politicians to ignore and abuse their constituents for the benefit of Wall Street, CEOs, Special Interests and the Oligarchic Families that run this country?

The Tea Bag Organizers are effective because there is NO democratic process, it's all pay to play ... Their cynical ploy to enlist people to wage war on their own interests is working because of the denial that authors like this are in ...

Wake Up! ... And Smell the Rot ...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: Aimleft
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: wbblack
» A little history ... Posted by: djnoll
» RE: A little history ... Posted by: wbblack
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: mmckinl
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» RE: Get a Clue ... Posted by: drklassen

Comments are closed-

Idiot America pants after those who will exploit them ...
[Report this comment]
Posted by: editnetwork on Oct 27, 2009 8:07 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... and help them somehow feel better, more empowered, in the process.

For a devastating critique, read Charlie Pierce's Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free. There are scores of such critiques, however, dating back decades; Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman also springs to mind, as does The Twilight of American Culture by Morris Berman.

The great unwashed (though possibly brainwashed) who can't be bothered to examine an idea, let alone two of them at once -- to say nothing of reading a book, or anything not displayed on a shiny screen -- have brought us this far down from the vision of Madison and Jefferson, who soberly warned that only an educated and thinking public could ever hope to govern themselves.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Sorry, this comment has been removed from the system.

Comments are closed-

This comment has been removed from the site due to non-compliance with AlterNet's community policies.
» I agree! Posted by: Parcival01
» RE: Wrong question in this forum Posted by: Sister_Lauren

Comments are closed-

Time for a fun push back
[Report this comment]
Posted by: colinmeister on Oct 28, 2009 4:06 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
On the 5th of November, maybe it would be fun for a few hundred "Anonymous" folk in "V for Vendetta" style Guy Fawkes masks to attend a rally. Disruption of the tea-bagging Glenn Beck fans could be a lot of fun!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» a fun push back???? Posted by: zipper696
» RE: Time for a fun push back Posted by: astralman
» RE: Time for a fun push back Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

i could be totally wrong but
[Report this comment]
Posted by: aislinnluv on Oct 28, 2009 5:00 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
the tea party-ites remind me of the rebellious animals in orwell's "animal farm". "four legs good, two legs bad!" to quote from wikipedia, The novel addresses not only the corruption of the revolution by its leaders but also how wickedness, indifference, ignorance, greed and myopia destroy any possibility of a Utopia. While this novel portrays corrupt leadership as the flaw in revolution (and not the act of revolution itself), it also shows how potential ignorance and indifference to problems within a revolution could allow horrors to happen if smooth transition to a people's government isn't satisfied. these people wouldn't know what to do if they were able to bring down the establishment they are maligning. eventually, the chant becomes "four legs good, two legs better" and the animals find themselves slaughtered one by one. too bad the tea party populists (i use the term loosely) aren't inclined to read much beyond the dung cranked out by the likes of beck, et al. it would be instructional to see the end of their chosen path.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Exploiting religious ignorance
[Report this comment]
Posted by: peacelf on Oct 28, 2009 5:35 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Knowing how far the rich and powerful will go to manipulate the masses for the wealthy's interests is deeply disturbing. It is shameless.

What's worse though is the deeply held nihilism by some Christians AND by the wealthy, both would destroy the world before they would share with others.

Nonetheless, we can't blame the poorer, ignorant, alienated, angry, working people who embrace a misguided religion because they don't have the intellectual tools to critically discern the truth. They're doing the best they can with what they have, and they only seek answers to the pain and anger they don't understand.

Those of us on the progressive left should find a way to reach the exploited disaffected and give them something to hope for.

Peace

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: IV. Period of revitalization Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» RE: IV. Period of revitalization Posted by: LightningJoe
» We've been trying for centuries Posted by: Parcival01
» RE: xploiting religious ignorance Posted by: Spiritgirl
» RE: xploiting religious ignorance Posted by: HillbillyRob

Comments are closed-

Good ol Frank
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Dixie Dawg on Oct 28, 2009 5:46 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Right. Left. No matter. Frank can work both sides. Can he peddle those books or what? Frank has done what few have ever been able to do.. Turn whining about his daddy into cash flow.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Frank... Posted by: zipper696
» Keep sending him money Posted by: Dixie Dawg
» RE: Good ol Frank Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

Yo Frank, why you dissing my movement?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Sister_Lauren on Oct 28, 2009 6:35 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I don't think your analysis is being as respectful of these people as you should be. It sounds like repeating smears to me. I got a song for you,

once in a while you get shown the light

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Elephants and donkeys
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 6:51 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Elephants and the Donkeys gather on the hill
And graze upon the land
"All those animals don't see we're busy feeding and they are such a bother....
Yes
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: lephants and donkeys Posted by: orwellturns

Comments are closed-

Good warning
[Report this comment]
Posted by: fc7711 on Oct 28, 2009 7:15 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thanks for the warning Frank. If you want to read some crazy stuff check out any of the gun rights forums, or concealed carry forums. Warriortalk is one of the worst. The people that this article talks about are the same extremist nuts that congregate on the gun forums. I carry and am all for the 2A but I can't stand most of the people on those forums. I've noticed that Wing-Nuttery is particularly strong among pastors and cops.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Good warning Posted by: dingham

Comments are closed-

Not a movement
[Report this comment]
Posted by: leafsong1 on Oct 28, 2009 7:27 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Tea Partiers are led by Dick Armey for chrissakes. They are a corporate sponsored astroturf smudge on the landscape. Their idiot members posting on this board can easily be identified by their logic deficiencies. But their existence is made possible by the manifest corruption of the government. People are looking for revolutionary leaders. If the only people talking seriously about rebellion are corporate astroturf frauds, they will attract followers. The problem is not so much a fake call for revolution from the corporate right as it is the lack of a real call for it from the left.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Not a movement Posted by: Hydrox

Comments are closed-

Live & Die by the Sword
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Lucidity on Oct 28, 2009 7:36 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm all for government reform but violence is NOT the answer. The PTB know exactly where the militias are, who’s in them and will be the first to fall should hell break loose. Those who live by the sword will surely perish by the sword. There’s a simple and peaceful solution; Civil disobedience. Imagine what would happen if everyone suddenly stopped paying taxes, register vehicles and just started ignoring the PTB. The whole system would crumble quickly without bloodshed.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS IS YOUR RIGHTS
[Report this comment]
Posted by: alicelillie on Oct 28, 2009 7:42 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Actually the tea-partiers come in all shapes and sizes. A few are like the author described, but there are many different creeds, including Ayn Rand athiests.

What we (and I most certainly am a tea-party person) all have in common is the desire to restore our individual liberties.

I want to be allowed to hold a gun in one hand and a joint in the other, while driving at 85 with no seatbelt on, the radio on full blast and an open beer in the cup holder. Whether I actually do that or not is beside the point. The point is, no real crimes are being committed so the police should leave me alone.

The gun, joint, beer and car are all inanimate objects and therefore should all be legal. As long as I do not endanger anyone else, what legitimate complaint could you have?

I do not want to have to work two jobs to pay all the taxes necessary for the Obama administration (and the Bush administration before it) to be able to give free money to banks and big business and spend billions on wars that only kill people, destroy property and cause more wars.

As for "judgement day," one day the system will collapse. It has to; this reckless spending cannot go on forever. We the people earn money by working hard, and the government takes it away to wage war and enforce dumb, intrusive laws. And to wreck the economy for us little guys, favoring the big guys.

If you on the left would just *THINK* a little bit, you'd be right along side us at the tea parties. It's about FREEDOM. You can be of any persuasion; it's about restoring your right to be of any persuasion, keeping the fruits of your labor and possessing any inanimate object you want.

Had Mc Cain won and there had been a Republican sweep in Congress, and they were doing the *exact same* thing (and they would), you'd be out there with us, wouldn't you???

See my blog http://www.alicelillieandher.blogspot.com

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Naive perspective on Biden. Posted by: Parcival01
» WORKING TOWARDS NO RIGHTS Posted by: zipper696

Comments are closed-

Would you change the Bill of Rights?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 10:12 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I do not understand why people who own guns are characterized a "fanatics" and caricatured as “gun-toting”. Is the goal of such caricatures is to remove the right? It seems straightforward to me. The founders were very aware that if there were no checks to power the tendency is for the government to become tyrannical. Armed citizens were a check against that. The founders were thinking of themselves as citizens, not government.
It is an anachronism of sorts. Citizens own limited arms; government owns incredible weapons. Those weapons are used against citizens. At the recent G-8 meeting in Pittsburgh they deployed their crowd control conic cannons initially developed for hostile foreign environments!
And “peace officers” look like storm troopers now. I was stopped for not having a seat belt and I’m and old guy. Backup arrived! I’m in my tiny Scion with 4 armed officers in SUV’s watching to make sure my gray hair didn’t move. The officer that approached the window demanded me to keep my hands inside the vehicle and not move! Disgusting. Utterly disgusting that a “public servant” can assume he has the authority to be dominating and intimidating.
We have a bill of rights, but the government has come up with all sorts of restrictions to water them down. Free speech has come to “free speech zones” out of the eye of the public. Certain topics will become dangerous to discuss with the advent of hate laws. The mass media has been whittled down to ownership by 5 corporations and researchers have documented how the government has embedded itself within the media.
Eminent domain used to be the government could only take private property for public good such as public schools or roads. That has been redefined to mean they can take you river side home if a developer wants it and it will increase government tax revenue.
It also enables the banks to charge interest rates on short term loans that used to be obtained from local loan sharks illegally. But now that they have it going to the banking institutions that fund their careers it is legal.
So in many areas of speech and property things have become redefined and restricted to void the rights of individuals and increase the power of gangs to exploit.
Now the government assumes the right to require me to purchase healthcare coverage out of my non-taxed income or fine me if I do not.
I suspect if there were not the volume of guns among the population the process would be much further along. And I personally do not own a gun.
People should step back a bit from the various debates about various issues and look at the big picture. We have an entrenched ruling class who view themselves as empowered to bully and mandate and steal and lie…and still expect us to believe this is a democratic republic where individual is recognized as sovereign in this personal actions that do not harm others.
We don’t have a government; we have gangsters.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

"Zombie News Network!" ( the new ) "What Now Cartoon"
[Report this comment]
Posted by: what0now0toons on Oct 28, 2009 10:13 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
These tea party zombies are being whipped up by the likes of Fox News and the right wing talk radio shows. They keep their audience uninformed and miss lead. They whip their audiences up with fear and hate, that can get down right dangerous.
as a lighter side expose I did a short animated toon for the Halloween season about Zombie Making so called news outlets. Here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUcP_UM80Do
Happy Halloween

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Eerie parallels
[Report this comment]
Posted by: nodozejoze on Oct 28, 2009 11:17 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It does not take a whole lot of creative visualization to see eerie parallels between the events, rhetoric, and spin-off wackos involved in the so-called Tea Party "revolt" today to atmosphere in the summer of 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

To think the unthinkable is to remind ourselves that that particular summer, similar things were said about President Kennedy whose "outsider" status--Catholic, liberal, northeasterner -- made him an enemy to the Rightist agenda of the time. That agenda, fanned by racism, an imperial world view, and a warmongering posture towards innumerable "enemies" seems an awful lot to me to be similar to today. Now we have a Black President who is regularly decried as a traitor and a "socialist". I´ll tell you, if a disaffected, so called "leftist" who has infiltrated some tea bag group is blamed for what I dare not say, you can kiss what little is left of US democracy goodbye.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Tea Baggers II: Electric Boogaloo
[Report this comment]
Posted by: eddie torres on Oct 28, 2009 11:36 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To all the haters:

The Tea Baggers represent a broad swath of glorious American patriots, including white gated-community residents, white gun enthusiasts, white anti-tax martyrs, white rural government employees, white corporate retirees, white disgruntled veterans, white computer technicians, white dog catchers, white dog breeders, white dog groomers...

If I wanna drink, drive, smoke, eat, sleep, walk, talk, shoot, sh*t like a United States soldier then damn the torpedoes and I have not yet begun to fight.

Just keep your damn socialist hands off my medicare advantage. I gotta get me a refill of Percocet somewhere...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Good program or what?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Old Horse Being Put Out To Pasture on Oct 28, 2009 2:54 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Let’s stand up and stop the bailouts, cap and trade, out-of-control spending, government-run health care, and higher taxes!"

Well, I hate to say it, but that actually sounds like a good plan to me. This country could do with a good shot of liberalization. It's not like the government has run things correctly until now and that more of the same, probably backed by army goons, will save the bacon.

But we have had elections already, right? So, more of the same old...

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Is Demonization the Answer?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Gravitas on Oct 28, 2009 4:39 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Instead of demonizing all tea baggers, who don't we understand that many are simply folks who are frustrated with the system. Why don't we reach out to them to find out what we have in common and work to change that? Unless of course both left and right have been infiltrated by operatives whose purpose is to keep us divided.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Fear mongering
[Report this comment]
Posted by: abigail adams on Oct 28, 2009 7:52 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is fear mongering at its best! I don't even own a gun and have never shot one, so I am not sure where this puts me in this scenario??? And although I do believe in God, I am a far cry from the bible-thumper you allude to!

Uh, Frank, sorry to be the one to tell you this, but this country is not a democracy, it is a republic. Have you never said the "Pledge of Allegiance" (you know, "and to the Republic for which it stands").

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» OMG, What an Idiot! Posted by: LightningJoe

Comments are closed-

What?
[Report this comment]
Posted by: lclark on Oct 28, 2009 10:31 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What is a "unreconstructed" person?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

How racist is this article???
[Report this comment]
Posted by: antonius116 on Oct 29, 2009 7:59 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In this scenario any time there is not a white, wealthy, far right Republican in the White House and any time Congress isn't controlled by the far (white) right of the Republican Party, then the country has been "stolen" from "us" "Real Americans."

Since democracy is not so easily undone, the implication is that to "take back" America must needs involve, not votes but "Judgment Day." In the view of the right Democracy Herself has failed "we" good God-fearing, "birther" "deather" "he lied!" "Obama is Hitler!" Americans. So we must now turn to "other means."

WTF is that??? If it was the other way around, the NAACP would file a law suit against this author. What a bunch of racist, bigoted crap.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Wow
[Report this comment]
Posted by: xbeeno on Oct 29, 2009 5:51 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You do indeed raise some valid points!

RT
http://www.complete-privacy.at.tc

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

Alternet is Central Bank Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Against Tea Parties
[Report this comment]
Posted by: mtcloud on Oct 30, 2009 5:48 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Alternet is Central Bank Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Against Tea Parties

Alternet is mainstream media, they don't sway from Corporate Tyranny Indoctrination & Propaganda Themes At All

http://www.trufax.org/general/indoc.html

Take a look at the websites yourself.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/

http://havinganaustinteaparty.com/

Mission Statement
The impetus for the Tea Party movement is excessive government spending and taxation. Our mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.
http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Comments are closed-

truthforall
[Report this comment]
Posted by: trutherforall on Nov 1, 2009 5:58 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We must subject ourselves to the will of our government because they know what is best for all.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

 
Advertisement
From The Blog
 
The Hollywood Double Standard: Tiger gets cooked, Charlie Sheen gets another free pass
 
Is Greece the New AIG?
 
Confused About Nutrition? Eat Food!
 
Insurer Denies Life-Prolonging Treatment To Five-Year-Old Boy With Cancer
 
Budget Paranoia
 
Why Does the U.S. Assassinate Americans?
 
Jon Stewart: Why Does Sarah Palin Need a Cheat Sheet?
 
We Must Lift the Veil on US Troops in Pakistan
 
Pushing for “Zero Tolerance” on Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
 
Updated: Obama Calls GOP Bluff on Health-Care Reform
 
MORE 
ALL BLOGS 
 
 
Most Read
Most Emailed
Most Discussed
On REDDIT
On DIGG
 
  1. Shadow Elite: How the World's New Power Brokers Are Upending Our Democracy
  2. New Poll Results Are Proof That Republicans Don't Think
  3. White "Savior-Afflicted" Christians, Black Haitian Babies: This Won't End Well
  4. Why I Had to Stop Making Hardcore Porn
  5. Sarah Palin Aims to Bust Up the Republican Party -- And the Tea Party Movement
  6. One Company Thinks They've Created Fast Food With a Conscience -- Are They Right?
  7. The Newest Diet Trend: What Would Jesus Eat?
  8. Could Your Cell Phone End Up Killing You?
  9. Half-Naked Hot Chicks and Beer: The Sexist Guyland of the Super Bowl Beer Commercial
  10. Top 10 Problems with America Killing Its Own Citizens
loading ...
POWERED BY DIGG'S USERS
ABOUT DIGG