Will The Real Tea Party Please Stand Up

Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 5:58pm | Edit Note | Delete
Recently much shouting has been going on about the registration of the Florida TEA Party with the FL Division of Elections. Lots of people have bemoaned this as a 'splitting of the conservative vote' and 'hijacking of the tea party name.'

These complaints have been debated extensively. If you want to read the give and take please see the NOTES tab on my profile page.

But I am seeing another disturbing trend that really should be addressed. And that is censorship.

Many of us have been alarmed by statements from the Obama administration about reigning in talk radio. We also complain that the main street media routinely smear and misrepresent grassroots activists on TV.

But now I and others are receiving this same rough treatment from some leaders of the tea party movement.

Specifically the Tea Party Patriots website banned one of the Florida TEA Party members. His offense? Replying to a post that contained inaccuracies about FL TEA Party. The response was not rude in any way, just his side of the story.

I too have had posts deleted from the Florida ResistNet website. No explanation (even though I have asked), just one day they are there and the next they're not.

The really odd thing is that I have recommended both sites as great examples of the tea party movement.

In addition to the obvious forms of censorship stated above, a more subtler type is now in play.

I, along with others have now had every possible half-truth and lie spread about us over the Net. Yes, there was some truth to some of the statements. But I really thought the tea party folks were a little more respectful and cautious about spreading rumors.

And now we come to the most oft heard complaint. That somehow the chairman, Fred O'Neal stole the Tea Party name.

I thought that various people stuck the tea party name on their organization to describe what it was about. It's not like one person dreamed it up. Indeed, people are urged to build up tea party rallies and groups to grow the movement.

The whole reason for this posting, is not to stop debate, but to ask that we do it in a civil manner.

I'm reminded of two early tea party patriots. One was named John Adams and the other was Thomas Jefferson. They had a falling out over opinions. After remaining bitter enemies and rivals for decades, one wrote the other to beg for reconciliation. Draw your own conclusions.

Nick Egoroff
Communications Director
Florida TEA Party

Please forward to interested folks.