If Not Racism What

I almost did it. A few weeks ago, after one of my letters was published, I was called and invited to a Tea Party Meeting. At the time, knowing I would be outnumbered, I declined. However, as time wore on, and as I thought about our common citizenship and love for this country, I really was considering going to a meeting and at least hearing them out.

Tonight, watching the nightly news, I watched with disgust the report of the first speech of the first national tea party convention. This was the first impression this organization was leaving on the country as it strives for national recognition.

What we saw was a former congressman, who even ran in the presidential primary, use Klu Klux Klan verbiage to talk about the president’s election.

This so called “spokesman” brought up “literacy tests” that were used by racist Jim Crowe election officials in the south to keep American Citizens from voting for nearly 100 years. He sneered that those responsible for electing our President could not read nor could they spell. Then, of course, he spit out the president’s name as a socialist ideologue.

And the crowd cheered! It has been forty-six years since the Civil Rights Act was passed in this country, the Voting Rights Act as well. Both of these laws were bought and paid for with the blood and sweat of many, including Martin Luther King. People died so that an American citizen could simply vote and democracy could live. And the crowd sneered and the crowd cheered.

Enough said, I have heard and seen enough. Regardless of what our patronizing editor writes, the Teaparty is a cover for racism and bigotry. When they say they “want their country back”, they mean the white racists want back in control.

Not me, not this time. We cannot allow this great country to once again slip into bigotry and hate. Too many sacrificed and too many suffered so that people could simply vote. If they vote for someone you don’t like, then you can wait and try to vote in who you like better next time. Why the hate, why the fear?

Fascism grows from hate, fear and scapegoating. Democracy dies when people are afraid and angry and lose faith and trust in the dignity of us all. The Teaparty needs to re- consider their leaders and their message, because they really got off to a bad start!