Tea, Anyone?

     Something was brewing in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend.  It began with folks gathering from all across the US – they met, listened, and networked with others who had a similar sense of discontent with the direction our country is headed.   It was billed as the first “Tea Party Convention”.  As expected, even before the first session,  the detractors and critics were attacking the event.  “Who’s the Leader?”  “Is it legitimate if it’s a ‘for profit?’”  “Tea Party People (I won’t use the pejorative)  are racists”.   “Sarah Palin will hurt her career if she speaks there”.  “There’s too much disagreement”.  “This event is not THE legitimate event”  “Our event was the FIRST event”.  “So and so backed out of it”  and so on and so on.

     Let me tell you,  IT WAS AWESOME!  From the first session to the last moment of Sarah’s speech, there was a ‘sizzle’ in the air.  There was a sense of something special brewing.  Tea.  All those who are Taxed Enough Already.  All those who are frustrated with our leaders in Washington who don’t listen to the people, who don’t read the bills, who spend OUR money like they have just won the lottery, and who think that we are too stupid to do anything about it.  There is a tempest brewing – and it’s much larger than a tempest in a tea pot.  Andrew Breitbart  said it best, “We may not agree about everything, but isn’t that the great thing about  this tea party movement?  There IS no leader, and we don’t agree on everything – how wonderful is that?!” “….suffocating political correctness where we all must agree – it’s nice to hear something with whom you can agree to disagree…”

    I met people from Maine, New York, Kansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Virginia, Washington D.C., Ohio, Hawaii, and of course Tennessee.  We all had a common purpose – to take back America.  The  convention was designed to encourage and teach WE, the PEOPLE on grassroots efforts, on how to organize our communities, how to re-establish some common sense principles in our government, how to support and build up candidates who will listen to the people and not turn into spending machines when they get to Washington.  I didn’t care if it was the “first event.”  I didn’t care that I didn’t know who the leader was.  I didn’t care that it was “for profit”.  Since when has making a profit become a bad thing?  It cost some money to house the convention – would we expect the hotel cost to be free?  At least it wasn’t paid for with TAX MONEY!  I didn’t care that there were different opinions about some issues or candidates.  We, the people, have a common goal.  Restoring our country!

     The highlight of the weekend was Sarah.  She came into the dining area and graciously greeted people and signed a few books before the National Anthem was sung.  She ate WITH us.  Finally, at the end of dessert it was TIME.  The anticipation was over.  Sarah stepped to the podium.

    The applause was deafening.  She finally had to speak over the applause before it stopped.  She began by saying, “If you love your freedom, thank a vet.”  She followed by saying, ”Happy birthday Ronald Reagan”, and  “A special hello to C-Span viewers.  You may not be welcome in those health care negotiations, but you have an invitation to the tea party.”  ….”I’m a supporter of the tea party movement…America is ready for another revolution.”  ….”If there’s hope in Massachusetts, there’s hope everywhere.”…”I caution against allowing this movement to be defined by any one leader or politician.  The tea party movement is not a top down operation.  It’s a ground up call to action that is forcing BOTH the parties to change the way that they’re doing  business -  … and it’s a lot bigger than a charismatic guy with a teleprompter.  The soul of this movement is the people.  Everyday Americans who grow our food, run our small businesses,  teach our kids and fight our wars.”

    Needless to say, she did not disappoint.  At the end of her speech, she answered a few  pre-submitted questions.  At one point the crowd chanted “Run, Sarah,  Run.”   For all the detractors who say she doesn’t know what she is doing,  I say she was very articulate and has a clear vision of what she wants for this country.   Less government spending.    Less taxes.    Less government intrusion into the free market system.     More support for the military.  More respect for the wishes of the people.  Support for the pre-born, and those children with special needs. 

     As for me,  I first attended a tea party last April on tax day.  Not because I’m some racist, Bible thumping, gun-toting, homophobe who got her marching orders from a political pundit,   but because I am increasingly uneasy with the way the government is spending money it doesn’t have.   With government takeover of the private sector,  and their attempt  to takeover MY healthcare, the car I drive, and how much tax I have to pay.   I am uneasy – no, ANGRY- about the way congress signs bills into law that they HAVEN’T EVEN READ.  That’s their job.  They need to be fired.  Others like myself have sensed this too.  You can call me a racist.  You can call me “Astroturf”.  But I tell you,   no one paid me to go to a tea party.  I wasn’t bored one day and didn’t have anything better to do.  I’m not some angry loon.  This movement is, as Sarah put it,  from the ground up.  It’s bubbling.  It’s brewing.  Sarah may not be the leader of it, but she’s a supporter, and it may be a means by which she’ll continue to influence the direction of this country.  I hope so.  I was one of those chanting “Run, Sarah, Run”.   Please.