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Let's have less politics at the TEA parties


Wednesday, July 15, 2009 6:24 AM PDT

Comments (22 comment(s))

Well, we now have had two Republican Party-organized events at the memorial fountain Downtown — the so-called TEA party for one.

Instead of throwing tea bags into the fountain, could we have donated them to the local food bank or Salvation Army?

Then there was a Flag Day. where we supposedly get together as a nation to honor our flag and the ones who died for which it stands. But no — we had to have a registration table there from the Republican Party! I know you are having a hard time getting over the last election, but that was in bad taste and made me go away to a place called a cemetery to honor our flag — where no politics are involved, where our brave men and women are buried, never to be asked to sign up for either party. They fought to keep us safe and to honor our flag.

By reading our local paper after both of these events, I did notice the poor attendance. What does that tell you? Let us hope that we do a better job at our next events and leave politics out of it. Maybe we will get more people to come. May God bless America!

Jack Vander Lans
Victor

Reader Feedback

wtf wrote on Jul 16, 2009 10:17 AM:

" Thank you so much for posting the link to this video, Mike! It brought tears to my eyes and was wonderful to see; especially since there is such a LACK of coverage of our brave men and women in the MSM when their bodies are brought home.

I would like to see ALL our boys and girls brought home while they are still alive. The ways things are going here in the US, we're going to need all the help we can get.

Again, THANK YOU, Mike. "

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mike wrote on Jul 15, 2009 9:31 PM:

" Being political is patriotic.
Let's argue about everything, but, never loose this America!
This story and video restored some of my faith in people:

Killed in action the week before, the body of Sergeant First Class John C. Beale was returned to Falcon Field in Peachtree City , Georgia , just south of Atlanta , on June 11, 2009. The Henry County Police Department escorted the procession to the funeral home in McDonough , Georgia . A simple notice in local papers indicated the road route to be taken and the approximate time.

http://blip.tv/play/AYGJ5h6YgmE "

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Jerome R. Kinderman wrote on Jul 15, 2009 12:27 PM:

" But here's a suggestion, Mr. Vander Lans: for whatever group you desire to have a rally, meeting or whatever at the Veteran's Memorial, please organize it and invite the public to attend. It need not be political in nature, as you desire - and I can virtually guarantee you that once you do that, while those who consider themselves patriotic Americans might not agree with you and your reason for meeting, they will certainly celebrate your right to assemble and speak your minds; or at least they should.

That is precisely what that memorial was designed to embrace. "

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CaPatriot wrote on Jul 15, 2009 12:10 PM:

" Also, as far as attendance at the Tea Party; You must remember that we are in one of the most liberal states in the Union, and very close to Sodom and Gomorra Bay Area. Conservatives in this country are also very apprehensive about public demonstration for a number of reasons. 1)We tend to think that is for the "younger" crowd 2) We have always had so much faith in our country that good will prevail, and that "things will iron themselves out" 3) we have all been too busy working to keep this boat afloat to take the time. Ever heard the one about the sleeping giant? It may take some time, BUT THE SILENT MAJORITY IS WAKING UP, AND WE ARE NOT HAPPY! "

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Jerome R. Kinderman wrote on Jul 15, 2009 11:45 AM:

" One other little point, Mr. Vander Lans - what you view as "poor attendance" as it pertains to Lodi's Tea Parties, nationally these functions drew relatively large crowds. You might want to remember that the original tea party was conducted in the dark of night by colonialists dressed as American Indians. There weren't many in attendance at that time either, but oh what a revolution they sparked!! "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:46 AM:

" Link to entire article here:

http://a4cgr.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/06-87/ "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:26 AM:

" … The establishment likes to say that the limited government philosophy is finished. There are no supporters; there is no enthusiasm… Campaign for Liberty is proving them wrong. From all possible political backgrounds, spiritual beliefs, and cultures here and around the world, we have joined together in a grassroots Revolution that is more alive than ever….

…At Campaign for Liberty, we don't believe it's about selecting Party A or Party B's plan for our lives. It's about choosing the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution so we can get our neighborhoods, our country, and our lives back. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:26 AM:

" In just a little over a year since its founding in June, 2008, Campaign for Liberty has grown to include nearly 200,000 Americans and people…who have chosen to re-declare their independence from a mindset that begins and ends every conversation by asking how government can be involved. Although we may not all agree on every particular of each philosophical point, we unite under the concept that liberty must be our starting point, and our goal.

Our mission statement is simple. We exist to promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy, by means of educational and political activity…. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:26 AM:

" Once we ourselves have a firm grasp on our ideas, we must spread the word to others. Write, speak, create and pass out fliers. No matter who you are, there's something you can do to promote liberty…

Unconstitutional laws must be repealed, and those who supported them must be held accountable to the people. No longer should the chief concern be what letter is beside the name in the voting booth. The number one consideration should be their beliefs on the Constitution, and their stands for, or against, liberty.

When we know the issues, and are working to bring others in, with time, you'll be astounded how far we can roll back the intrusions of government. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:25 AM:

" First, we must rededicate ourselves to these "self-evident" principles. Liberty must be the starting point of any political discussion. When any new idea is proposed or old one revisited, it is imperative we examine its effect on liberty….

No matter how inconvenient it may be for the plans of any person or group, our federal government must once again be weighed down by the chains of the Constitution. If we do not recognize this limit, our efforts will ultimately be futile.

Secondly, we must educate ourselves. Our Founders were able to articulate their principles so brilliantly because they knew them so intimately. To effectively defend and advance our positions, we must study why we believe what we believe. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:25 AM:

" Our Republic can ill afford any more big plans from the federal government, but it has always needed - and has always had room for - the big plans of the individual… Though our nation can do more than just tolerate big plans, our system is built on the fundamental concept that you should not be able to forcibly take money from others to pay for them.

President Obama was correct when he said that free men and women have achieved great things. It is their freedom, and not the government, that works. Why then, does our system insist on regulating and burdening them as much as it can get away with?

Because we have allowed it to.

So, what can we do to recapture the vision our Founders had when they declared their independence to the world? "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:24 AM:

" Big government has had decades to make its case, and if its closing argument doesn't drive our nation over the cliff, let us hope we have learned our lesson.

Unfortunately, the president failed to realize he had answered his own question in the preceding paragraph of his statement, saying:

"Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage." "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:24 AM:

" "What the cynics fail to understand," he said, "is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works...."

Stale political arguments? What to a ragtag group of oppressed men had been worth dying for is now relegated to being a stale political argument?

…So, President Obama, we've asked if government works, and the answer is a resounding no. Why? Because of the overreaching vs. limited question you claim is outdated. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:24 AM:

" ….If the Founders were so incensed about physical government presence in their homes, and a tax on tea and stamps, I can only imagine how they would turn in their graves over what the government they created has turned into and is engaging in now. Not only does Washington rip the money from your pockets, our representatives in Congress use our taxpayer dollars to make sure they can keep an eye on you.

In his inauguration speech, President Obama stated that the time for asking whether government is too big or too small has passed. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:23 AM:

" Along the way, though, corruption, greed, and a lack of vigilance to check these human frailties led to a shift in the balance, and the intent of our Founders was lost. As the federal government grew and the power of the states shrank, many of our liberties were greatly diminished or ripped entirely away, and much of our voice in the system was silenced. To make matters worse, not only did many Americans begin to believe that the federal government was always intended to control every detail of our lives, they came to accept it as incontestable fact.

As public indifference to centralized governmental power grew, so did the government's attempts to increase that power. No longer was it enough for the government to simply lord its authority over the affairs of men and women. The temptation to use that authority to control and monitor those affairs became too hard to resist…. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:23 AM:

" ….To protect their new independence, they constructed a government also unlike any other, an "experiment in liberty" that would have to be carefully guarded and defended with the same passionate care that had given it birth….

….Investing too much power in the central government would open the door for it to rule the lives of the people and too easily be able to take away their newly-won freedoms. Essentially, they did not want to recreate what they had lost so many fighting to free themselves from. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:23 AM:

" I received this article in an e-mail today and have posted part of it...and yes, it is long, but well worth reading.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago today, a small band of men put their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor on the line against the most powerful nation on earth.

In no uncertain terms, they sent notice that thirteen colonies would be exiting the British Empire and forming their own nation.

Reportedly, British officials strongly disagreed with their decision.

A long struggle ensued that tested the mettle of those who courageously believed there were limits to government's power. Limits as inherent as the rights with which they had been created… "

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Cogito wrote on Jul 15, 2009 9:39 AM:

" Bob, "no credibility"? Ahh yes, aren't personal opinions great. "

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Jerome R. Kinderman wrote on Jul 15, 2009 9:36 AM:

" Mr. Vander Lans, as you refer to the men and women who gave their lives for our flag, you should also realize that their sacrifices were also made in furtherance of everyone's Constitutional right to peaceably assemble and exercise their right to speak.

I doubt that the Republicans are having as hard a time as you suggest; they're simply not wasting any time preparing for the next election. With all of the angst toward their endeavors to become whole again, could it really be fear that has the Democrats worried about their revival?

Finally, those tea bags were symbolic or perhaps you don't remember reading about the Boston Tea Party as being a salient moment in our nation's history. The display was neither disrespectful nor destructive, as the memorial area was returned to its previous condition once the event was over. Donating them to a food bank or the Salvation Army would have made no sense in light of the point the participants were trying to make.

But I completely agree with your last sentiment to ask God to bless America - we need His blessing more now than ever. "

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Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Jul 15, 2009 9:16 AM:

" CaPatriot, you couldn't even get through one post without "leaving politics at the door."

This is just one example why your tea parties have no credibility. "

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Cogito wrote on Jul 15, 2009 8:04 AM:

" I wonder if Mr. Vander Lans would have held the same disdain had the Demoncrats set up a table. I doubt that very much. "

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CaPatriot wrote on Jul 15, 2009 6:36 AM:

" I am a member of the organization that put on the Flag Day event (www.lodicitizensinaction.com) and I assure that these were not "Republican Party organized events" The gentleman that parked himself there to regsiter voters and sell buttons was a private person that was on public property and he was not invited- we don't even know who he was or where he came from. Our outfit has discussed this and we have made a commitment to leave politics at the door- Republican or Democrat, if our representatives are not acting in the best interests of the people- we want them gone. As far as "getting over the last election" I did not vote for Obama, but when he won the election in Novemebr I vowed to support him as my President. Then January 20th rolled around with that ridiculous stimulus package and things have gone downhill since..I am not the only one- his Rasmussen approval rating is at -5, but we won't hear about that from the mainstream media Obama Love Fest crowd. This country is on a fast track to oblivion and no, I don't like it. "

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