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Post by deb on Apr 3, 2010 6:49:33 GMT -5
www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/apr/03/cohen-this-tea-not-so-sweet/I am a registered Republican - but I do support the Tea Party movement. I'm not violent, and I resent being compared to militia groups or the KKK. I'm not racist, unless being insensitive to all the accusations of racism qualifies (I don't dislike people because of their color, but I do dislike their whining and expecting special treatment because of their color.) I'm trying to decide whether the Dems and Repubs are running scared because Americans are becoming engaged in the political process or if they really think we're a vicious mob because we dare to disagree. I believe that coming from Memphis, Cohen gets support by stirring the racism issue, and that without racism as an issue he has little or no political capital simply because of the area he represents. (This is an opinion based on my living in Memphis and the Memphis area for over three decades before relocating to where human beings live - and before you declare this a racist remark, bear in mind that there are whites in W TN, but they still have what I refer to as a Memphis mentality.) Are the people who support the Tea Party racists or just fed up U.S. citizens who want to reign in an out of control government?
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Post by deb on Apr 3, 2010 7:58:48 GMT -5
Cohen: I think it's cultural and these people are ready to be led by the nose and they're being led, and it's just to be against Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel and the different people, the diversity that's exhibited in this present White House. And it could've been any issue, it could be immigration, it could be cap and trade, whatever it is that could get them off. And they'll push them to, whatever levers it is, and they just, their world is changing, and they can't understand it. They don't like it.
From a transcript of Cohen's interview.
He did get one statement right, though. It's bold and red in the quote above.
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Post by foulbreeze on Apr 8, 2010 6:10:09 GMT -5
Most of the Tea Partiers I know cannot stand that there's a black man in the whitehouse. I grew up in a racially divided school that was 50% white and 50% black. I know what to look for in people's eyes when their racism surfaces. On EASTER Sunday I watched a Tea Partier go on and on and on about Obama being a Communist and being a Socialist.
His eyes were ablze with hatred. Much like that dumb@ss in Nashville who slammed his truck into a school teacher and his 10 year old screaming DAUGHTER's car--encouraged by the Alaskan tramp's rhetoric.
So don't be naive. "Obama's a Socialist" is CODE talk for something else, really bad--and these 19th century knuckle draggers find solace with the Tea Bangers.
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Post by Abracadabra on Apr 8, 2010 7:50:24 GMT -5
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Post by Abracadabra on Apr 8, 2010 8:11:16 GMT -5
Tea Party-haters see racism everywhere …... except in themselves. Maybe they should look in the mirror! On second thought, they would not look in the mirror …..because they know …. they would see the following.......
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Post by deb on Apr 8, 2010 8:24:01 GMT -5
Foulbreeze, I lived in Memphis. I can pretty much assure you that Cohen comes closer to the definition of a racist than I do. He has no qualms about choosing words to stir the people in his district almost to the point of a race riot. I am also going to point out, that the emphasis on "they don't like it" from the Cohen quote, refers to government in general. It does not mean that I opposed Obama because of his color. There seems to be a widespread intent to paint anyone wanting small government, lower taxes, adherence to the Constitution and other fundamental changes in government as a racist. There were reports yesterday of minority liberals slamming minority conservatives as "self loathing", when the correct phrase would be "self respecting". www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/apr/07/black-tea-partiers-forced-to-defend-membership/?partner=popular
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Post by foulbreeze on Apr 8, 2010 12:32:25 GMT -5
C-O-D-E T-A-L-K
Believe another reality if you wish, or purge the Tea Bangers of your knuckle draggers--the movement's validity is waning.
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Post by deb on Apr 8, 2010 15:38:36 GMT -5
I know third generation Democrats who are much more prejudice than I am. It amuses me that they are never called out as racists though. How many Dems do you know who use racial slurs, support the Democratic "gimmes", but believe that only whites are entitled to those "gimmes"?
Take a ride to backwoods Mississippi, and you'll see what I'm talking about.
That's not to say that two wrongs make a right, but it merely points out that you will have flakes in any group, and those flakes will have a different idea of what the group stands for. There may be some who think the Tea Party is supposed to be the great white uprising, but I haven't seen it at any of the functions I've attended.
The Tea Party has as much credibility even though there are some knuckle draggers in the crowd, as the Democrats and Republicans -who also have their share of knuckle draggers.
I don't think the movement's validity is waning - I think it's scaring the crap out of the existing Democratic and Republican machines.
Time will tell.
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Post by deb on Apr 8, 2010 17:37:14 GMT -5
FoulBreeze, How old are you? I ask because I think that each generation gets a little more liberal or progressive, and moves further away from what made this country great. I don't know what to blame it on, but I'm tempted to explain it in part to the 50 and younger crowd not having the struggles to defend the freedoms that many hold dear. Many of us are afraid of socialism - as we know that it isn't a viable form of government.
The success of a nation rests in the success of the individual citizens. When a person feels that they have to succeed only to lift up someone who failed, the purpose of ambition is lost. It becomes easier to be one of the failures, and place the responsibility for success on another. If one citizen isn't supposed to have more wealth than another, why should one citizen work harder than another? Most of us aren't that altruistic.
Most of us resent the idea that we could work harder, do more and end up in the same financial situation as someone whom we consider to be a slacker. I also believe that survival instincts are a factor in motivating people to work harder. If necessities are provided by the successful through government redistribution, there is no need for the survival instinct to kick in. There is no incentive if you know that you can get by, your children will be taken care of and you won't be cold or hungry.
Getting back to the basics - small government and individual responsibility will benefit every one of us. I'm hoping that the Tea Party movement can convey the message that this is what the people want. Tea stands for "taxed enough already", and our government needs to respect that we don't want to give them more to waste. Let them make the best use of what they have.
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Post by foulbreeze on Apr 11, 2010 21:15:07 GMT -5
I ask because I think that each generation gets a little more liberal or progressive, and moves further away from what made this country great.Yeah, there's more than this country that likes to keep things the way they used to be--you know, more traditional. By the way: 17,532 days on the day 'ole Revere borrowed Deacon Larkin's horse.
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Post by deb on Apr 12, 2010 10:15:27 GMT -5
As in 48 on Sunday?
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Post by foulbreeze on May 10, 2010 18:26:55 GMT -5
What's the Tea Bangers take on BP's terrorist attack on Louisiana? Are they still banging their Drill Baby Drill drums?
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Post by deb on May 27, 2010 8:51:18 GMT -5
Are we still using oil?
Personally, I believe that BP is responsible for the cleanup - they made the profit from the oil, they pay the price.
If the government is involved, BP should be billed for any government resources used.
If it is found that the MMS was derelict in their duties - the individuals involved should be prosecuted for any illegal actions.
Drilling should continue, but the oil companies may want to put an emergency plan together to address potential spills or leaks. The plan should be approved, evaluated for effectiveness and failure to adhere to the plan should carry additional penalties.
This catastrophe may re-open the ANWR debate, and make the prospect more palatable.
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Post by deb on May 27, 2010 9:30:52 GMT -5
Well, the president has done something I agree with. Just saw an alert that said the head of the MMS has been fired. Goes to show that inspecting porn is a bad idea when you're hired to inspect oil rigs.
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