Patriot Media Network
A few days ago while I was perusing FoxNews.com, I came across a post reading “NAACP, Left-Leaning Media Groups Form Tea Party Tracking Site.” Certainly not surprised by this report, I visited the website in question, TeaPartyTracker.org. What I discovered was not really startling or original, but rather more evidence of liberal interest groups distasteful attack on conservative America. But what angered me the most was the unequivocal message displayed on the website’s home page: “TeaPartyTracker.org monitors racism and other forms of extremism within the Tea Party movement.” Next to this claim is a thirteen minute video of a correspondent speaking with several rally attendees, some of whom make inarticulate comments.
As I write this editorial, I am trying to restrain myself from scribbling down anything that would indicate my outrage at such an insincere assertion. First of all, I’ve always enjoyed watching the liberal media undercut their own message when they ask loaded questions to a few ignorant people from a group of hundreds of thousands. That’s always the way to belittle your opponent. Talk to them as though they are as foolish as you are.
The journalist in the video then caught interviewees off guard when he asked them about a remark made by Glenn Beck claiming that President Obama has an intense hatred of white people. While Beck certainly made this allegation publicly, he later admitted to jumping to conclusions, blaming the President rather than his “black liberation” ideology. Whether you agree with this or not, is it really pertinent to ask the Tea Party goers about one quote? How is Beck’s comment relevant to them or their reasons for attending? And even then, the few people asked about this in the video couldn’t believe that Beck had made such a remark. If these people had been racists, they probably wouldn’t have been so quick to distance themselves from such an accusation. The correspondent then asked the same people how they felt about the Cordoba Initiative mosque at Ground Zero and illegal immigration. The more I think about it, I’m glad he took the time to ask such germane questions. Now that’s journalism!
Lastly, I always enjoy seeing powerful liberal interest groups behind such a “concerned” effort by all of you who cry racism at the sight of these gatherings. The NAACP and Media Matters are such unprejudiced entities that really have everyone’s best interests at heart. And of course, their agendas are anything but racial! I mean, they commend “multiculturalism” and “tolerance!” But an assembly with the majority being Caucasian constitutes a racist congregation on the anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech. Give me a break.
What I do think is unfortunate is that many Tea Party attendees lack a philosophical justification for their unhappiness with their government. On top of that, when asked about why they assemble in protest, many simply reiterate what they think they hear Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin preach. This not only makes the tea party movement appear vacuous, but it makes every conservative/libertarian who supports the movement look uniformed or unintelligent. It seems as though everyone agrees that the size of government needs to shrink. It seems as though everyone believes it is imperative to throw out most of the incumbents in November. While there is no problem with either of these premises, what we need to make absolutely clear is that we are rejecting the progressive intellectual conformity. We are choosing to think and then act on the basis that we must reverse the gradual advancing towards a social democracy. We need to reject the idea that a group of people or a government knows what is best for individuals (collectivism vs. individualism). Lastly, as I stated in my previous article, endorsing “life, liberty, and property” is essential to individual rights. Taking a page out of the Objectivist playbook, I believe Americans must do this with the conviction that our Republic, established on these ethics, is the only moral political system in the world.
One final request, you pesky liberals: please stop badmouthing the Tea Party Movement in an effort to make your agenda and the people you support in the government appear less destructive for this country. I understand that maybe you are all getting a little antsy for the upcoming election; I imagine we all would be if we were afraid of a huge upset.