Reconsidering tea party movement

I’ve been thinking about my comments in this column back in April when I argued for supporting the tea party initiatives across America.

My appreciation for the effort only intensified as I stood in front of Newnan City Hall and made the time to speak with dozens of the people (black, Asian, white, Latino and European immigrants) in attendance, asking them why there were there.

Bottom line, they were sick of Washington’s interference in their lives. They cited Bush and Obama and the Republican and Democratic parties controlling Congress as the root cause of their dissatisfaction, dismay and disdain.

But now, I’m wondering if I misled myself in buying-in to such a position. After all, for example, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently identified many of those attending such rallies as potential domestic terrorists due to the positions they take.

Those identified by DHS include former veterans, those who have ever supported a third political party or those who support a pro-life stance on abortion.

DHS initially published the lexicon for its “partners” in state and local law enforcement, but then took it back. But DHS is our domestic security apparatus, so they must be right.

Additionally, is anyone in this country so naive as not to understand that DHS and other federal agencies take their lead from the administration of the person/party who occupies the White House? So the person/party must be right, too.

And I wondered if I had been too harsh in previous columns in condemning so many of the actions of what I call the economic treason of the Ruling Elite (the Presidential/Congressional oligarchy) that functions as the puppets of their multinational corporate masters, some of whom will thrive regardless the changes coming from Washington.

I had already come to realize years ago that, regardless of the false admiration heaped upon them by our so-called “leaders,” people like Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln and Eisenhower (toward the end of his administration once he dumped Dulles) have no real place in America today.

The patriots and revolutionaries of the past carry little more political validity than the “Christian evangelical extremists” of today whom the U.S. government (or at least DHS) equates with potential domestic terrorists.

The openly espoused views some of our former Presidents have become anathema to our leaders today, especially but not exclusively on the political Left. After all, in America today, and with the national media as their mouthpiece, Left is right and Right is wrong.

Simply put, the America of our founders and of some of our national leaders that followed is not the same America we see today. The impetus to move away from the Constitution began shortly after the Revolution and was thrust forward exponentially about 100 years ago.

If they were alive today, Jefferson, Washington, Jackson and others would be branded exactly the same way the tea party people are being branded. They would be mocked and not taken seriously. And they would be considered “potential domestic terrorists” today. And, God knows, we don’t need any additional terrorists on American soil.

America today, as was the case 100 years ago, has been thrust into the world-view of the Progressives (e.g., leading Democrats such as Hillary Clinton, since that’s what she called herself in a speech a few months ago).

This revival having firmly taken root under the current administration, we should be thrilled. After all, the Progressive world-view gave us child labor laws and the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act). And the Progressive mindset spawned other memorable feats like the Federal Reserve System (the very big business cartel the terrorists Jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln opposed), the graduated income tax and, of course, the proliferation of the Zarathustra-emboldened, sociopolitical engineering instrument, the eugenics movement, that only fell out of favor when the Nazis let the real cat out of the bag.

Recently, while reading a copy of a Dec. 30, 1778, letter from George Washington to (Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates) Benjamin Harrison (Annals of America, Vol. 2, pp. 510-511 published by Ency. Brit., 1968), I realized that Washington, too, was little more than an unappreciative conservative and potential domestic terrorist. Read a portion of it for yourself:

“If I was to be called upon to draw a picture of the times and of men from what I have seen, heard, and in part know, I should in one word say that idleness, dissipation, and extravagance seems to have laid fast hold of most of them; that speculation, peculation, and an insatiable thirst for riches seems to have got the better of every other consideration and almost every order of men; that party disputes and personal quarrels are the great business of the day, while the momentous concerns of an empire — a great and accumulated debt, ruined finances, depreciated money, and want of credit (which in their consequences is the want of everything) — are but secondary considerations and postponed from day to day, from week to week, as if our affairs wear the most promising aspect. After drawing this picture, which from my soul I believe to be a true one, I need not repeat to you that I am alarmed and wish to see my countrymen roused.”

See what I mean? There is just no excuse for this. How dare Washington and other fallen paragons of American history call into question our current move toward an enhanced version “state capitalism” or “state corporatism?” It’s the wave of the future. More on all this in another column.

So maybe I was duped by our Constitution and the first 10 amendments. Maybe government should rule our lives. Maybe we should continue in lock-step with the political Ruling Elite that is destroying this country. Maybe there should have been no American Revolution.

But the more research I do, the more I realize that my crime was not in supporting tea parties. Far from it, since the time for tea parties, instead of the status quo of the two parties, is long overdue. My real crime was standing by in silence for so many years.

Well, folks, silence equals consent. Consent equals servitude. I won’t make the same mistake again.

Ben Nelms

Submitted by Tug13 on Sat, 05/30/2009 - 10:43am.

I don't usually miss Ben's column but due to other "things" I haven't been reading The Citizen. I have a lot of catching up!

Well Ben, I might be on DHS list, I haven't always been silent. Thanks for another great column.

Tug

login to post comments

Mr Nelms Is Right On Target

Submitted by Mike King on Sat, 05/30/2009 - 10:20am.

My apologies for tardiness in response, but this article hits the nail upon the head. Principle over policy, loyalty to nation vice party, fiscal responsibility vice rampant spending, selfless service vice political power, and I could go on but the message is clear. Can anyone fathom the national potential should 535 elected clowns suddenly become unemployed? The idea is to work with the administration for the national good not this constant bickering and banter from one side or another. Will our great nation be forced to sell the 49th or 50th state just to repay debts that our grandkids will not be able to afford?

Wake up America, it was a grass roots movement that birthed a nation, it may take another to restore it to its destiny.

login to post comments

I was there.

Submitted by grassroots on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 8:00pm.

I was there in the 60's with long hair. I voted for Reagan. I'm a fan of the Bible. I like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. I'm for our Constitution and am in awe of our founding father's courage and foresight. If the religious right had their unbridled way I would be burned at the stake for being a heretic. If the liberal left goes unchallenged I'll be taxed for being a heretic. I'm no longer duped into thinking that either political party is that different from the other. I'm a dichotomy and I think the tea baggers were unfairly labeled by the media and Mr. Nelms has got it right. They're Americans from all walks of life with various beliefs with one constitution that should bind us all. Janet Napolitano may just make Janet Reno look like a walk in the park and Waco all of us. Time to dust off my Dylan records cuz a Hard Rain's Gonna Fall and the Times They Are A Changing. We can think global but act local thanks to this newspaper.

login to post comments

I Like This Guy

Submitted by Git Real on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 8:18pm.

Hope that endorsement doesn't ruin him. Screw the parties... Let's restore this government to represent 'We The People".

Don't Spread My Wealth.... Spread My Work Ethic

login to post comments

Fabulous piece Mr. Nelms

Submitted by DarthDubious on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 7:46pm.

If only more journalists would step up and report the truth, this nation would stand up and lay charges on the elitest scum that have hijacked our Republic.

BTW, the "Tea Party" movement was started a few years back by "We Are Change" and the "9/11 Truth" folks.

In Liberty,

DarthDubious

login to post comments