Tea Party Sits on a Three Legged Stool
If someone from outer space asked you what the Tea Party stands for, what would you say?
Baggers seem to rest their decaying laurels on three principles: (a) anti-immigration (b) anti-education and (c) anti the 1964 US Civil Rights Act.
It's tragic and incomprehensible for me to be writing about these archaic Tea Party principles, which I believe are unenlightened and regressive.
Nonetheless, to take this party for granted, to pretend it will go away for lack of oxygen or sunlight deprivation is, sadly, delusional on my part. Consequently, I continue my personal quest for knowledge about who the Tea Party is and what they mis-represent.
Baggers appear to sit on a three legged folding stool. (1) They are descendants of immigrants, but they rail about immigration. (2) They are educated people who can read and write, because Americans provide everyone with access to free education, but they rail against education. (3) Baggers exist because they enjoy the right to free speech as American Citizens, but now they're tinkering with the philosophical idea of the US Civil Rights Act (so says the bagger's newly elected dumbo, Dr. Paul of Arkansas).
Hypocritical baggers fold up this three legged stool and tuck it away whenever it's politically expedient to do so; but they plop their rumps back on or use it as a soap box while getting supporters riled about their "anti" rhetoric.
Americans look back in horror at the terror campaigns reigned by the Ku Klux Klan decades ago. In my opinion, baggers appear to long for the days when terror ruled the night. Like the Klan, the baggers are fired up with brimstone fed by hate. All the while, during those dark days of segregation, immigrants, blacks and anyone who just didn't fit in prayed they didn't hear knocks on their doors in the middle of the night. Knocks could be ominous signs of lynchings to come.
So, what do Tea Party baggers stand for?
Without the support of the three legged stool, they are valueless - lacking compassion, charity, or interest in supporting international relations with neighbors Canada and Mexico. They may even want to repeal the values Americans hold dear, like every person's right to quality education taught by qualified teachers.
In other words, philosophically speaking, baggers are dangerously dumb.
If I had my way, baggers would be assigned to sit on their three legged stool in the corner wearing a dunce hat.
While sitting, they should be required to read the New Testament Sermon on the Mount, i.e., the Beatitudes, by Jesus Christ, followed by the books, "To Kill A Mockingbird" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
Meanwhile, we who oppose the baggers need to support our own three legged stools - built on enlightenment, charity and guaranteed civil rights for all people.
Comment sent to my email from Father John: Dear Julie,
My understanding is that the Tea Party movement is supported and used by three groups, who sometimes overlap in membership. There are the libertarians, like Ron Paul, who believe in laissez-faire capitalism and the right of each person to do what he or she pleases with as little government interference as possible. There are the followers of Ayn Rand, who are into selfishness as the prime virtue. They believe that selfishness is the engine that drives the economy and that deregulation is the key to prosperity. Alan Greenspan, an admirer of the Rand philosophy, was shocked when it didn't work. There is also the Club for Growth gang who believe in dismantling most social programs to lower taxes and allow the rich to get richer. The jailed Jack Abramoff was one of the partisans of this position. They foster the growth of neo-conservative think tanks to counter liberal think tanks.
Peace in the Power of the Holy Spirit,
John, SJ
Also read commentary: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/24/AR2010052402991.html?wpisrc=nl_opinions
Baggers seem to rest their decaying laurels on three principles: (a) anti-immigration (b) anti-education and (c) anti the 1964 US Civil Rights Act.
It's tragic and incomprehensible for me to be writing about these archaic Tea Party principles, which I believe are unenlightened and regressive.
Nonetheless, to take this party for granted, to pretend it will go away for lack of oxygen or sunlight deprivation is, sadly, delusional on my part. Consequently, I continue my personal quest for knowledge about who the Tea Party is and what they mis-represent.
Baggers appear to sit on a three legged folding stool. (1) They are descendants of immigrants, but they rail about immigration. (2) They are educated people who can read and write, because Americans provide everyone with access to free education, but they rail against education. (3) Baggers exist because they enjoy the right to free speech as American Citizens, but now they're tinkering with the philosophical idea of the US Civil Rights Act (so says the bagger's newly elected dumbo, Dr. Paul of Arkansas).
Hypocritical baggers fold up this three legged stool and tuck it away whenever it's politically expedient to do so; but they plop their rumps back on or use it as a soap box while getting supporters riled about their "anti" rhetoric.
Americans look back in horror at the terror campaigns reigned by the Ku Klux Klan decades ago. In my opinion, baggers appear to long for the days when terror ruled the night. Like the Klan, the baggers are fired up with brimstone fed by hate. All the while, during those dark days of segregation, immigrants, blacks and anyone who just didn't fit in prayed they didn't hear knocks on their doors in the middle of the night. Knocks could be ominous signs of lynchings to come.
So, what do Tea Party baggers stand for?
Without the support of the three legged stool, they are valueless - lacking compassion, charity, or interest in supporting international relations with neighbors Canada and Mexico. They may even want to repeal the values Americans hold dear, like every person's right to quality education taught by qualified teachers.
In other words, philosophically speaking, baggers are dangerously dumb.
If I had my way, baggers would be assigned to sit on their three legged stool in the corner wearing a dunce hat.
While sitting, they should be required to read the New Testament Sermon on the Mount, i.e., the Beatitudes, by Jesus Christ, followed by the books, "To Kill A Mockingbird" and "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
Meanwhile, we who oppose the baggers need to support our own three legged stools - built on enlightenment, charity and guaranteed civil rights for all people.
Comment sent to my email from Father John: Dear Julie,
My understanding is that the Tea Party movement is supported and used by three groups, who sometimes overlap in membership. There are the libertarians, like Ron Paul, who believe in laissez-faire capitalism and the right of each person to do what he or she pleases with as little government interference as possible. There are the followers of Ayn Rand, who are into selfishness as the prime virtue. They believe that selfishness is the engine that drives the economy and that deregulation is the key to prosperity. Alan Greenspan, an admirer of the Rand philosophy, was shocked when it didn't work. There is also the Club for Growth gang who believe in dismantling most social programs to lower taxes and allow the rich to get richer. The jailed Jack Abramoff was one of the partisans of this position. They foster the growth of neo-conservative think tanks to counter liberal think tanks.
Peace in the Power of the Holy Spirit,
John, SJ
Also read commentary: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/24/AR2010052402991.html?wpisrc=nl_opinions
Labels: 1964 Civil Rights Act; Tea Party
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 5:10 PM
1 Comments:
While I agree that Dr. Paul is the new poster boy for the Baggers and his Extreme Libertarian views are dangerous, I have to say that the Civil Rights Act has yet to shelter "all" from discrimination. It is still perfectly legal almost everywhere to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identification. Ironically, this is why it is vital this issue stay in the foreground. Even Dr. Paul has backpeddled saying "it is settled law" so it is not a question for today's polititions. It may be settled law, but it is in no way settled experience. Today millions of AMERICANS (including by the way, those in AZ who may be caught up in a dragnet for no other cause than they have "the look of an illegal") are discriminated against. This discussion needs to be front and center because this Act to prohibit Discrimination could easily come to the Congress and Senate in the years to come to address pieces left out in '64. Dr. Paul would certainly vote against inclusion of any other "protected classes" as his vision of private ownership would not allow government infringement of corporate rights. Finally, yes, the Tea Baggers are terribly dangerous and Dr. Paul has hooked his wagon to them. He may truly be a purist Libertarian - but I doubt seriously those putting him in the race even understand the ideology of Libertarianism, and probably can't spell it either.
sigh.
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