"Hi, I'm a Tea-Partier"

Originally posted by projectvxn
reply to post by Misoir

 

I don't think it's funny at all. I've had to put up with being called a racist several times. Even on immigration threads and discussions...And I'm a Hispanic immigrant!

Playing the race card is not exclusive to one party or idealogy...Nor does being a certain race or ethnicity insulate you from such attacks. Glen Beck et al. have pronounced President Obama a racist with a "black agenda" ad nuaseum...

I am uncertain what your point is here? The credibility of a claim of racism, bigotry etc stands or falls on it's own merits, regardless of party.

You are right to point out racism and bigotry wherever it is a valid...right/left whatever.

The TP movement has made intolerance for homosexuals and the Islamic religion part and parcel of thier rhetoric, have they not?

Their immigration rhetoric has been vitriolic at times and seems to be focused soley on hispanic immigrants?

They have been loudly outspoken with regards to thier views on homosexuals not warranting equal priveledges as the rest of the US population?

Should we give them a pass when they cross the line from rational debate to xenophobia, bigotry and racism?

If you feel those on the left are equally guilty of that kind of ugliness, please, by all means call it where you see it and we can trust that folks are bright enough to sort out the truth.

Originally posted by projectvxn
I'm sick of the absurdities. Sick of being compared to Al Qaeda, neo-nazis, the KKK, and the Third Reich.

Terrorist?
Nazi?
Racist?

Sarah Palin? Glen Beck? Rush Limbaugh? ...shall I post quotes for you? Are you living in reverso world?

Originally posted by projectvxn
I'm sick of the marginalization of white people as a form of retribution for a past no one, not even the progressives can change..And boy would they like to because they're heavily involved in it.

I see you have swallowed the whole "progressive" lingo. Do you spit after you say that threatening word?

As far as the "marginalization of white people"? Examine some statistics and census data before you ape rhetoric that can be found on most "white power" flyers.

80%...of the us population is White.
85% ...of Congress is White
95%...of the Senate is White
The Median Income of Whites in the US? 50K Blacks? 32K, Hispanics 38K

There are almost 3 Hispanics in prison for every white.....6 blacks in prison for every white.

I can go on here...

No offense...but do you understand what the word "Margin" or "Margininalized means? When you say the "marginalization of white people"...what are you referring to?

Originally posted by projectvxn
I'm sick of Liberals forcing themselves to agree with socialists and communists because that's who's in charge in their party right now.

Democrats or "liberals" are not Socialists or Communists...Those words have actual meanings. Maybe you should watch the video again...or read the few lines of your own post?

Originally posted by projectvxn
I'm sick of the absurdities. Sick of being compared to Al Qaeda, neo-nazis, the KKK, and the Third Reich.

Originally posted by projectvxn
Why, 'cause they got some brown skin in the pool? I'm one of the minorities they claim to speak for, but every time I hear them speak on the issues that matter to my demographic I keep hearing how I'm going to be screwed, not helped.

Are you here illegally? Otherwise...how are you going to be screwed? Unless you are speaking of the profiling encouraged by certain state level laws?

Originally posted by projectvxn
How does allowing millions of illegals in the country without any remedy or recourse acceptable to anyone, let alone LEGAL immigrants like me whose efforts and struggles are devalued by these policies?

Whose policy is it to allow illegal immigrants into the country without remedy or recourse? I believe the debate is about what that remedy or recourse is...and it is not a Dem/GOP debate. Each party in power treads lightly on this ground...and each party that is out of power takes the one that is in power to task on the issue.

Do you remember how the majority of hispanics voted for GW Bush? ...They voted for Dems in this last Mid-Term. I saw an interview with Jeb and GW last week discussing how to get that voting block back. Not a left/right thing.

Originally posted by projectvxn
I'm sick of being told people like me don't exist. Remember when there were no Black Tea Partiers? Hispanic Tea Partiers? And the ones they did find, you know what they were called? Uncle Toms.

I don't recall anyone calling those folks a traitor to thier race or an uncle tom...please show me a left talking head who has said as much.

I do believe you are in the minority of hispanics in supporting the TP movement. It doesn't mean you are wrong in your beliefs or political views, but it certainly is unusual to find a Hispanic that feels comfortable with conservative rhetoric..

Pat Buchanan on Hannity and Colmes

BUCHANAN: One thing that’s different in the year 2050 there will be 102 million people of Hispanic descent, primarily Mexican, wholly concentrated in the American Southwest. That’s one thing. The second thing is Mexicans, unlike Irish or German folks, never claimed America as their country. They owned it. 58% of Mexicans believe the southwest belongs to them. The third thing is, they were assimilated. There powerful assimilation movement in this country that does not exist right now and in so the point of the thing is, they are not assimilated into America. Many Hispanics, as a matter of fact, you know what culture they are assimilating to? — the rap culture, the crime culture, anti-cops, all the rest of it.

thinkprogress.org...

Tea Party members to 2 Hispanic Congressmen: 'Why don’t you go back to Mexico?'
www.dailykos.com...:-Go-Back-to-Mexico-

Hispanic Republicans Demand That Sharron Angle Pull Her Atrocious Anti-Hispanic Ad Now
somosrepublicans.com...

As a Hispanic are you comfortable with these views?


Being a Hispanic Conservative does not require you to turn a blind eye to the racism within your own party.

Keep your conservative views...we need a plurality of voices in this country...but burying your head in the sand and claiming that the conservatives have not amped up thier "anti-hispanic" rhetoric is not honest IMO.

I am "progressive"...and I think the TP has valuable things to say. but I have a hard time listening when racism and bigotry is exploited by the TP, subtly or otherwise, to gain followers.

Why is it that people who self identify as being involved with the Tea Party become so offended by anyone who questions their methodology yet they also always manage to squeeze in angry rants and references to their guns as they are busy complaining that other Americans are made uncomfortable about them?

This is NOT a Tea Party bashing - but a legitimate observation.

We get it guys. You are pissed off. Hell, I am pissed off too. I am no happier with the Government than you are. I happen to be a little less pro Republican than some of you lot seem to be. I can't forget that Republicans brought us such wonderful things as deregulation, trickle-down-economics, the Patriot Act 1&2, the Military Commissions Act, and two, count 'em two wars - one of which has been proven to have been based upon false pretense. But I am not married to either party and would most happily vote for any candidate who actually showed a promise of changing the corrupt system into something streamlined, efficient, and honest.

I've watched absolute meltdowns over "Obamacare" and was left amazed that people would not want universal health care for themselves and their progeny. And before we get into the diatribes about how we can't afford it, I offer this tidbit... Let's get rid of all the pork, waste, graft, and a few dozen other cash drains, bring the troops home, downsize the military to a rational level - and THEN we can figure out if there's money for our nations health or not.

Another apparent divergence for me is in this notion that it's bad to tax the rich. In my estimation you have to either be rich, or have a belly full of the Kool Aid to buy into this "If you tax the rich they'll get pissy and refuse to spend or create jobs" thing. Protip: Rich people love money and they'll keep doing business because that's how they make MORE money. They won't throw tantrums. Oh and they won't move either. The rich love living here, it's our JOBS that they love to send elsewhere. Oh, for the record, that garbage needs to stop as well. American jobs belong IN America. If Johnny J Kazillionaire feels that it's not fair that he has to pay an American a living wage when he can hire an Indian to do that job for a quarter of that wage... then let Johnny J Kazillionaire move to India with his jobs. I bet having to live in Mumbai would make good old Johnny think twice about that notion.

C'mon guys... If you strip away the rhetoric it turns out that we, of all parties, have at least a few points that we can agree upon. How can we refuse to accept Congress pulling this partisan crap - and accomplishing nothing - when we, ourselves, are sitting here doing exactly the same thing? If we don't learn to get on the same page, as best as we are able, we are going to all end up going down with the ship. It's time to quit arguing over who gets into which lifeboat. It's time for us all to man up, head down to the engine room, and to find and plug the leak.

~Heff

reply to post by Hefficide


I like your idea of sending the execs of major corporations to live in the countries they exploit - sorry - outsource to. But how in the world would are we able to judge the overall quality of a country if it isn't by the richness of their Richie Riches?

off topic (perhaps), but I've felt, for a while, that if we're living in a global economy we need global rules governing international companies. Firstly: Force companies to follow the employee and environmental regulations of the country where the majority of their advertising dollars are spent. Make athletic equipment for the American market? spend 40% of your global advertising budget in the American market? Great! now pay your Indian/Chinese/whoever employees American minimum wage and follow American environmental regulations. Take away the benefits of shipping jobs overseas and they'll come back.

reply to post by maybereal11

Playing the race card is not exclusive to one party or idealogy...Nor does being a certain race or ethnicity insulate you from such attacks. Glen Beck et al. have pronounced President Obama a racist with a "black agenda" ad nuaseum...

I don't think Obama is a racist. Being in a Tea Partier doesn't not equal agreement with everything people say on FOX News.

I am uncertain what your point is here? The credibility of a claim of racism, bigotry etc stands or falls on it's own merits, regardless of party.

You are right to point out racism and bigotry wherever it is a valid...right/left whatever.

The TP movement has made intolerance for homosexuals and the Islamic religion part and parcel of thier rhetoric, have they not?

Their immigration rhetoric has been vitriolic at times and seems to be focused soley on hispanic immigrants?

I certainly have not made any anti-homosexual comments, nor am I against gay marriage. Some in my group are, some aren't. The thing people never seem to get is that this movement is a collection of individuals, not one solid group of ideologues.

People like me aren't focused on 'Hispanic immigrants' we're focused on illegal immigrants. Big difference.

Should we give them a pass when they cross the line from rational debate to xenophobia, bigotry and racism?

No one individual should be given a pass for this ever. But to say everyone in the tea party is a homo hatin' racist xenophobe overlooks a lot of detail don't you think?

Sarah Palin? Glen Beck? Rush Limbaugh? ...shall I post quotes for you? Are you living in reverso world?

Apparently you didn't understand or internalize anything I said. So this is where this conversation will end.

reply to post by projectvxn


Well good for you as you have not denied that the TP has also attracted right wing nut cases because it is a movment. All movements carry a spectrum of political opinions. I could attend a TP rally and carry any kind of racist/homophobic/stupid/offensive comment and no one would challenge me! That is the reason why people have responded negatively to the TP. I do not support big government at all.

reply to post by tiger5

True,
but that is the meaning of free speech isn't it?
The T.E.A. Party is not defined by the most extreme elements within it, and it is not defined by the mainstream media. I can always tell where posters get their information, and that includes the so-called conservatives (as opposed to true conservatives).

The U.S.A., the people, need to decided whether they want government dictating how they live their lives and how their money is going to be spent, or whether THEY decide. Both sides have been playing the same game while pretending to be on opposite sides of the spectrum. The true T.E.A. Party is tired of all of that, it doesn't mean they are perfect. There are many members that could use some guidance in fact. The HAVE been called every name in the book by pundits in the media, and everyone knows that is the truth. They don't deserve to be lied about as a group, but that happens because these pundits have an agenda. No representation of the average person is acceptable.

Originally posted by tiger5
reply to post by projectvxn

 

Well good for you as you have not denied that the TP has also attracted right wing nut cases because it is a movment. All movements carry a spectrum of political opinions. I could attend a TP rally and carry any kind of racist/homophobic/stupid/offensive comment and no one would challenge me! That is the reason why people have responded negatively to the TP. I do not support big government at all.

edit on 16-11-2010 by tiger5 because: (no reason given)

This is most certainly not true:

reply to post by projectvxn


If the Tea Party is just a bunch of individuals with separate ideas and beliefs and no commonality beyond anger and frustration... That's kind of a crappy movement. Anger and Frustration are horrible motivating factors for anything, and usually lead to whatever was trying to be accomplished ending in disaster.

I can appreciate that it must be hurtful for the more equality-minded Tea Party sympathizers to be labelled bigots. How could it not be? But how can you just ignore the fact that a good number of Tea Party candidates ran on platforms that placed bigotry -sorry, "family values"- front and center? The identity of a political party or movement is created by those it hoists up as representatives/talking heads, and no matter how often I hear Tea Partiers talk about 'real change' or 'a break from the status quo' or 'fixing the government' all I'm hearing from their platforms at the core level is the same old neocon garbage.

Again (because I assume you missed it the first time, and I'd honestly like an answer.... from someone, anyone): If the Tea Party represents a change and a taking-to-task of both political parties, why did its candidates run on the Republican ticket? If you represented a break from business as usual politics, wouldn't you want to run as an independent?

reply to post by FuzzyDunlop

Why did they run on a Republican ticket? Because the Democrats have lost their minds, maybe?
There is no hope for an individualist in the Democratic party. The Tea Party fought the Republican and the Democrats wanting to throw them all out, but to align themselves with the Democratic party would have been ridiculous.
Both parties care nothing for the voter, and it is virtually impossible to get elected unless you run as a Democrat or a Republican. The hurdles for third party candidates are simply too high.

reply to post by Stewie


Seems kind of hypocritical to me to publicly claim you've got a problem with how someone is running things (both parties), then eat at their table. If there really was the groundswell of support for the tea party movement, it seems like they'd be able to find a way to get their people elected. Even if they only got 50% the number of seats, but all as independents that would have sent a much clearly message to both parties. Then again, much of the rhetoric coming from the tea party seemed so conservative that the idea that it was an 'independent' movement looking to fix politics of its woes seems almost laughable.
laughable like a conservative christian saying both 'the government doesn't have a right to tell me how i can live my life.' and follow it up with 'the government can't let homos get married. it has to tell them how they can live their lives.' or 'Obamacare is the worst thing ever.' followed by 'I got my electric scooter for free through medicare.'

reply to post by FuzzyDunlop

Really, it is all about ballot access. It takes all of us to make it possible for us to be truly represented.

www.hlrecord.org...

As for, "obamacare", that has little to do with health care, and a lot to with more federal control over our lives. It is a total sham, and is largely responsible for our continuing economic troubles.
Both parties are to blame, just like both parties brought us deregulation and the rape of main street to enrich wall street,.

The T.E.A. Party religious nuts can be made to understand that government shouldn't be "regulating" marriage, but can the progressives be made to understand that more government is not the answer to our problems? I don't think so, because government is growing while the rest of us are going broke.

reply to post by Stewie


I don't think progressives necessarily think we need big government. But in the case of enforcing regulations for the good of the workforce and environment, I think government intervention is a necessity. Big business interests are the same as Wall St. interests, and as I mentioned in a previous post on this thread, big business has repeatedly shown us it's not about to let something as inconvenient as the environment or well being of it's workforce or the community it's in stand in the way of profit. Sure, Joe Beef the independent dairy farmer is going to feel responsibility to his community and livestock. He has to face them every day. But Agricorp Milk Manufacturers Co. Ltd., with their head office and executives in Manhattan are only interested in what their profits are.
Maybe I'm wrong. I mean, it's not like the executives of a major oil company are going to knowingly ignore their experts and go through with a risky and half-assed drilling operation near Americas coast that results in one of the worst human-caused environmental disasters on record.

It's not necessarily *less* or *more* government that's needed, it's just a government that does what's in the best interest of the people and not the top 1% that's needed. Easiest way to accomplish that: ban corporations from making political contributions. Ban lobbyists from offering any sort of compensation for a politician siding favourably with them.

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


You act as if the rich only are for Republicans. What rich folks got a pay day thanks to the Democrat's? Insurance companies, lawyers [granted not specifically but look at all the law suits they get in on], and unions [look at all the gifts they got].

reply to post by hangedman13


If you're truly wealthy you don't care which party you vote for because you understand that you control both of them.

I'm sure homosexuals are completely cool with bigoted Tea Partiers telling them they can't get married, and shouldn't be allowed to raise or teach children. I'm also sure women who are pro-choice are cool with pro-life Tea Partiers telling them they shouldn't have any right to terminate a pregnancy and therefore really don't have any power or ownership over their own body.

Its funny, the only bigotry ive seen concerning the Tea Party has been TOWARDS the Tea Party......interesting how that happens huh?

All those angry bigots involved with the Tea Party and all those rallys they held that were so violent! Wait.........oh none of that happened?

Hmmm.........odd........shhh "i see hypocrites" funny how its the liberals that do that.....

We are racist, but they pull the race card at every chance they get, and continue enabling oppression of minorities by keeping them in a perpetual state of self loathing, and desperation....remember your the poor poor minorities that just need their help.....

Yet its the conservatives that pull these minorities up by their trousers and say "stand on your own feet, your NOT oppressed , enable yourself, here are the tools, go make your life what you wish, you dont need a welfare state you NEED JOBS"

And were the racists.....

Were the bigots , yet its the liberals and progressives that truck in people and are the ones caught on camera starting fights and beating people........

I love it........despite all the evidence to the contrary, you guys spew this hypocritical vitriol.

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask


I'm sorry, I must have mistaken all the rhetoric about 'protecting family values' and fear-speech about 'protecting our children from the homosexual agenda' as trying to deny homosexuals equality and not the rallying call for them to challenge themselves that it was intended as.

Come on homosexuals! you can get legally married! don't let the fact that you legally can't stand in your way!

Please, you're really saying that *we're* bigoted for thinking trying to vilify homosexuals with hysterics and disinfo is bigoted? How about the fringe elements that think they should be able to deny service based on race? I guess I'm just a huge racist trying to keep the black man down for finding that offensive.

reply to post by FuzzyDunlop


Well here is a sad truth about American politics. There is no way to make everybody happy. To please one group your gonna have to irritate another. The policies made to benefit one particular group do so at the expense of the rest. Work place quotas? Quite a joke. What is equal about preferential treatment? Instead of making it where everybody gets a equal chance, some pet lobby group gets them a leg up. Where is the equal opportunity in say professional sports? Why are there not more Asian football players?
One thing I love about the Dems is how often they work at cross purpose with their own people. Remember the John Stewart rally? Quite a few pro prop 19 people there, but was it not Eric Holder who said the fed would still enforce federal drug laws? OH the irony.

reply to post by FuzzyDunlop


your saying that people who want to preserve the sanctity of marriage between a "man and woman" are bigoted?

Yet the same gay people bash the bible and everything in it, want to use IT as a revolutionary tool to facilitate a movement? Thats odd, if they disagree with it so much, then why the NEED to be considered married under its premise?

Ill tell you why, because its not about getting married, its about an AGENDA

now my opinion? If gay people want to be married i could care less, get married all day long if you like....

The issue isnt the "marriage" issue, the issue is that they are using it as a battering ram, much like many other movements latch on to something and use it till its used up, or the goal is attained, then they grab ahold of something else......

I have quite a few gay friends as a matter of fact, and their issue is the exploitation of being "gay" as a means to an AGENDA......

They are perfectly happy with their civil unions, the only issue they ever had were the "rights" that they would like to have that married couples have, it wasnt about having the "title" of being married.....

If they had all the rights married people did under civil unions, thats just fine with them.......

But again like ive stated, its not about that........its the fact that the term is used to push the agenda.....and as a bat to beat down anyone who doesnt see their way..........again......i see biggotry coming more from the gay rights fanatics, and trust me , they make their other gay brethren look bad.....

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask

Agreed.
What makes this all possible is the fact that people look to government to "legitimize" whatever it is they think should be "legal" or "acceptable". Or, they pretend to. Or, they are led to believe they NEED to.
Government is all TOO happy to oblige, given the opportunity to divide the people along these sorts of lines.

People will always disagree with each other on certain things, like abortion, gay marriage, universal health care, tax rates, the military, etc, etc, etc. That is why there is such a thing as LIMITED GOVERNMENT based upon a constitution. Don't ask the government for permission to live a gay lifestyle. Don't ask them to legitimize it either. TELL the federal government to uphold the constitution and stop invading foreign lands, stop looking the other way while wall street rapes America, stop handing millions of dollars to foreign governments, stop increasing the size of the federal government while the country slides into depression, stop giving federal employees raises while America slides into depression, stop empowering all of these so called SECURITY AGENCIES to spy, harass, and sexually assault Americans, start investigating the corruption that is destroying our home mortgage industry kicking people out into the street.....

But, no. We talk about what separates us from each other.

A funny rebuttal to your fake tea-party video..

--Charles Marcello