Tea Party Terrorists A new radical, grassroots Right takes shape

Charleston City Paper ^ | 4-22-09 | Jack Hunter

[AmericanHunter]

The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 was followed by a slew of protests, as Americans denounced the government. Many called for the impeachment of our leaders, others their arrest. Some even compared President George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler.

As a result, many conservatives criticized the antiwar movement for being made up of a bunch of lunatics. And anyone against President Bush, they said, simply didn't understand that the creation of new agencies like the Department of Homeland Security or legislation like the Patriot Act by Bush were necessary to protect the country from terrorists — and perhaps antiwar protesters.

Last week, thousands of Americans protested nationwide at various "tea parties" to denounce the government. Some called for the impeachment of our leaders, other for their arrest. And as liberal MSNBC talk show hosts Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow gleefully pointed out, one man even had a poster comparing President Barack Obama to Hitler.

Predictably, Olbermann, Maddow, and other liberals used such examples to label tea party participants as lunatics. They also say that anyone against Obama doesn't understand that his stimulus plan is necessary to save this country financially and his Department of Homeland Security is only there to protect the country from terrorists — and perhaps even conservatives.

According to a recent Department of Homeland Security report released to law enforcement officials titled "Right Wing Extremism in the United States," virtually everyone at the Charleston Tea Party, and at other tea parties across the country, may have fit the profile of a "right-wing extremist." The DHS report notes that members of extremist groups include those who oppose illegal immigration, fear the loss of gun rights, criticize free-trade agreements, harbor general anti-government sentiment, or — my favorite — belong to "groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority."

Funny enough, the day after the report was released, Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) made a well-publicized states' rights declaration. He even proclaimed that his state could secede from the union if it so desired. Speaking to a tea party in Dallas, Perry said, "I'm just not real sure you're a bunch of right-wing extremists. But if you are, we're with you." The crowd cheered wildly.

What the tea parties represent more than anything is something that would have never been possible on the Right a year ago — a substantial, anti-government grassroots movement that is increasingly becoming more radical.

Eight years of defending George W. Bush created a conservative movement that justified big government, cast a blind eye to spending, and cheered a Big Brother agency like the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, I saw tea party signs calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve, the abolition of the income tax, and the end of foreign aid. Dick Cheney would not have felt comfortable. Ron Paul would have felt right at home.

Now is the time for the Right to clean house, and I'm not just talking about Congress or the White House — but their own. It was appropriate enough that Gov. Mark Sanford and Sen. Jim DeMint spoke at the Charleston Tea Party, as their staunch opposition to both Bush and Obama's bailout and stimulus spending gives them credibility.

But while these two South Carolina Republicans were rightfully celebrated, much to my delight, the Charleston Tea Party was not a pep rally for the Republican Party. If, as Sanford said before the tea party crowd last week, "We use this rallying cry as the beginning of this larger notion to change the way things are going in America," it will remain absolutely crucial that any future efforts are not co-opted as yet another faux-populist tool for the GOP establishment. There's a good reason neoconservative Sen. Lindsey Graham wouldn't dare show his face at any tea party in his own state. If grassroots conservatives are serious, they will make sure things stay that way.

It is not "extremist," but logical to recognize that stopping the radical expansion of government will require radical opposition against it. And as that opposition, determined conservatives should expect to be called "terrorists" or worse for the foreseeable future.

As an Old Right, Pat Buchanan conservative, it is my hope that this new, radicalized, grassroots Right, as exemplified by last week's tea parties, will eventually have the anti-government courage to address all wasteful spending, including the wars we fight and the massive defense budgets necessary to wage them. All in due time.

But in the meantime, I remain smiling. This might finally be the movement I've been waiting for — extremely principled, radically righteous, and conservative to a tea.

[AmericanHunter]

I'd say that Jack Hunter is pretty much on the money.

[KansasGirl]

[Last week, thousands of Americans protested nationwide at various “tea parties” to denounce the government]

Correction for the author: That should read HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS.

[jiggyboy]

People, are we all out of BARF ALERT stickers?

[jiggyboy]

oops, this is where I stopped reading:

“a substantial, anti-government grassroots movement that is increasingly becoming more radical.

Eight years of defending George W. Bush created a conservative movement that justified big government, cast a blind eye to spending, and cheered a Big Brother agency like the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, I saw tea party signs calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve, the abolition of the income tax, and the end of foreign aid. Dick Cheney would not have felt comfortable. Ron Paul would have felt right at home.

Now is the time for the Right to clean house, and I’m not just talking about Congress or the White House — but their own.”

Then he does a complete 180 to cover his ass.

[grobdriver]

including the wars we fight

And I'd say he's slightly over the "peace, love, dove" line.

Fighting wars is one of the jobs of the federal government - none of the BS spending going on now can say the same.

[magslinger]

Doesn’t Homeland Security realize that labeling all Conservative dissent as extremism might become a self fulfilling prophecy?

[AmericanHunter]

“People, are we all out of BARF ALERT stickers?”

Really? I didn’t think this article needed a barf alert.

[boxerblues]

It is not "extremist," but logical to recognize that stopping the radical expansion of government will require radical opposition against it. And as that opposition, determined conservatives should expect to be called "terrorists" or worse for the foreseeable future.

I can live with being called a logical terrorist

[MrB]

The author did not use “radical...Right” in a disparaging way.

He stated that radical was necessary when facing a radical threat as we do today.

[TheZMan]

Might?

[MrB]

Doesn’t Homeland Security realize that labeling all Conservative dissent as extremism might become a self fulfilling prophecy?

Does the left, in general, realize that their overstepping is pushing some to extremism and perhaps violent resistance?

In a word, YES.

I assert that they are pushing us into a corner on purpose so that they'll have an excuse, when we fight back, to use the force of government to murder their political opposition.

[Jeff Head]

Here are some of those increasingly radical, dangerous, right-wing Tea Part protestors:

It is precisely because they are not radical, and because they represent the tens of millions of hard working, productive, and normally not active people across the width and breadth of this nation, who are finally getting fed up with our own representatives tearing down this country in every imaginable way, that Obama and his ilk fear them and want to demonize and marginalize them.

But, for the very same reasons, that wont work.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

NOW WE KNOW WHAT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER DOES

OBAMA, THE STOCK MARKET, AND ENERGY

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IN HIS OWN WORDS

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S UPBRINGING

IT'S TIME FOR A RETURN TO THE OLD SCHOOL

[AmericanHunter]

Great pics.

Thanks

[traderrob6]

More than that...

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2009/04/msm-greatly-underetimates-tea-party.html

[CSM]

“Last week, thousands of Americans protested nationwide at various “tea parties” to denounce the government. Some called for the impeachment of our leaders, other for their arrest.”

I didn’t hear of anyone at the Tea Party protests call for impeachment or arrest of the current administration.

[dalight]

There's a good reason neoconservative Sen. Lindsey Graham wouldn't dare show his face at any tea party

What the heck does this hash mean? Lindsey Graham is not a neocon, RINO maybe, member in good standing of Gang of 14 definitely, but neocon? Neocons are Dems who were mugged by reality and became Conservative. Think Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, etc..

It has been a serious sport making fun of neocons but this was started by the left to patch this hole.. and pour derision on anyone else who might think to wake up.

[Oldpuppymax]

“Proud to be a Right-Wing Extremist”!

[djsherin]

Ping

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

According to Pooploosli,

We are not “Grass Roots”, we are “AstroTurf”, funded and populated by the Rich.

But then, looking at how she lives, and how stupid her voting base is, she is more like a Country Club 18th hole green, who still thinks she is Shirley Temple.

[magslinger]

Yes, might. I worry that there may no longer be enough people of the lives, fortunes and sacred honor type to make a difference anymore.