Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Knowing is half the battle: Tea Party Radicals Edition
What's a Tea Party?
The Tea Party protests are a series of nationally coordinated protests across the United States since 2009. Participants say the events are part of a Tea Party movement opposing big government, President Barack Obama, the U.S. federal budget and, more specifically, the stimulus package, which the protesters argue are wasteful government spending and unnecessary government growth. They oppose the increase in the national debt as well. The protesters also objected to possible future tax increases. Protests have been held on April 15, 2009 to coincide with the annual U.S. deadline for submitting tax returns, known as Tax Day, over the weekend of July 4, 2009 to coincide with Independence Day, and on September 12, 2009 to coincide with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, and the protests have sought to evoke images, slogans, and themes from the American Revolution. The letters T, E, and A have been used by protesters to form the backronym "Taxed Enough Already."
Commentators promoted Tax Day events on blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, while the Fox News Channel regularly featured televised programming leading into and promoting various protest activities. Reaction to the tea parties included counter-protests expressing support for the Obama administration, and dismissive or mocking media coverage of both the events and its promoters.
Background
On January 27, 2009 radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh criticized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commenting, "This 'porkulus' bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party's power losses from the 1990s forward, and to cement the party's majority power for decades." The term porkulus was coined as a portmanteau of "pork" and "stimulus," in reference to pork barrel spending or earmarks, proving popular with conservative politicians and commentators, who began to unify in opposition against stimulus spending after the 2008 General Election.
On February 10, FreedomWorks activist Mary Rakovich, who is also a leader in the conservative advocacy group "America Coast 2 Coast", led a protest outside President Barack Obama's townhall meeting in Fort Myers, Florida, displaying a sign with an image of a pig and the statement "$650,000,000 for DTV coupons".
On February 16, the day before President Obama signed into law the stimulus bill, blogger Keli Carender called for and organized a "porkulus" protest in Seattle, Washington. A protest was held in Denver on February 17 and a protest in Mesa, Arizona on February 18 brought 500 protesters.
Tactics
The New York Times reported on August 8, 2009 that organizations opposed to the health care reform legislation were urging opponents to be disruptive. It noted that the Tea Party Patriots web site circulated a memo instructing them to "Pack the hall. Yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early. Get him off his prepared script and agenda. Stand up and shout and sit right back down." The memo continued, "The Rep [representative] should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington."
Some Tea party organizers have stated that they look to Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals for inspiration. Protesters have also appropriated left-wing imagery; the logo for the 9/12 March on Washington featured a raised fist design that was intended to resemble those used by pro-labor, anti-war, and black power movements of the 1960s. In addition, the slogan "Keep Your Laws Off My Body", usually associated with pro-choice activists, has been seen on signs at tea parties.
Someone need these ???
After losing to Germany in the Olympics, USA enlists Ed Hochuli's arms for their next curling event.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
You ought to know: Stop Snitchin', Denmark Vesey Edition
Bio
Denmark Vesey originally Telemaque, (1767? – July 2, 1822) was an African American slave brought to the United States from the Caribbean. After purchasing his freedom, he planned what would have been one of the largest slave rebellions in the United States. Word of the plans was leaked, and Charleston, South Carolina, authorities arrested the plot's leaders before the uprising could begin. Vesey and others were tried, convicted and executed.
Many antislavery activists came to regard Vesey as a hero. During the American Civil War, abolitionist Frederick Douglass used Vesey's name as a battle cry to rally African-American regiments, especially the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
In 1781, Vesey was purchased by Captain Joseph Vesey from the then-Danish Caribbean island of St. Thomas. He labored briefly in French Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti), and then was settled in Charleston, South Carolina as a youth, where Joseph Vesey kept him as a domestic slave. On November 9, 1799, Denmark Vesey won $1500 in a city lottery. He bought his own freedom and began working as a carpenter. Although briefly a Presbyterian, Vesey co-founded a branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. The church was temporarily shut down by white authorities in 1818 and again in 1820.
Conspiracy
Inspired by the revolutionary spirit and actions of slaves during the 1791 Haitian Revolution, and furious at the closing of the African Church, Vesey began to plan a slave rebellion. His insurrection, which was to take place on Bastille Day, July 14, 1822, became known to thousands of blacks throughout Charleston and along the Carolina coast. The plot called for Vesey and his group of slaves and free blacks to slay their owners and temporarily seize the city of Charleston. Vesey and his followers planned to sail to Haiti to escape retaliation. Two slaves opposed to Vesey's scheme leaked the plot. Charleston authorities charged 131 men with conspiracy. In total, 67 men were convicted and 35 hanged, including Denmark Vesey.
Sandy Vesey, one of Denmark's sons, was transported, probably to Cuba. Vesey's last wife Susan later immigrated to Liberia. Another son, Robert Vesey, survived to rebuild Charleston's African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1865.
In response to white fears, a municipal guard of 150 men was established in Charleston in 1822. Half the men were stationed in an arsenal called the Citadel. In 1842, the South Carolina legislature replaced the expensive guardsmen with less expensive cadets. The arsenal was turned over to the newly established South Carolina Military Academy, which later became known as The Citadel.
Lil Wayne Jail Sentencing Postponed After he has his Braces Tightened
Lil Wayne temporarily escaped his sentencing in New York on criminal possession of a weapon after the judge found out that the rapper just had his braces tightened. Lil Wayne, 27, whose real name is Dwayne Carter said that he and his Pa had been planning this oral surgery since he was even littler. “You know this has actually been a procedure that Pa and I have been planning for awhile. Braces are very important to a Martian’s appearance and we thought this was a perfect time to get them tightened to close the gap between my Incisors. Fans mistakenly thought I had all this platinum in my mouth for a fashion statement. No, these platinum braces are so Weezy F can keep that Colgate smile, whoadie.” The braces also must be a way to keep him and his Pa close like a father and son should be. As Pa gave him a beautiful and passionate kiss as Wayne walked out of the Orthodontist.
He is still in my heart !!!
Juan Dixon blames his alleged steroid use on the death of his former teammate, Len Bias.
Clark Kent Tells Dwight Howard and Shaq to Kindly Shut the F*ck Up
After the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Orlando Magic this week, Shaquille O’Neal commented to the media questioning the true origin of the “Superman” mantra, referencing the use of it by Orlando center, Dwight Howard. Dwight, in response, basically told Shaq to get over it because ‘a lot of people call themselves Superman, not just me and Shaq.’ And one of those persons held a press conference to tell both of those multi-million dollar superstars to just shut the f*ck up.
“Why the h*ll are we even entertaining these two idiots? “said reporter, Clark Kent, with much disdain. “These two normal humans are making millions of dollars playing a damn game. I am a super human and I had to work as a measly reporter at that crappy Daily Planet, barely making minimum wage, and I didn’t have to step in front of the cameras boasting about who I was. How can they be Superman anyway ? Neither one of them have that little Vidal Sassoon curl in the front of their hair.”
One of Clark Kent’s arch-nemesis, General Zod, was quick to chime in on this ‘Who is the real superman?’ debate.
“In my professional villain opinion, this is really no question. I quickly realized the authenticity of Clark’s Superman powers that time I asked him to ‘Come, kneel before Zod’ and that prick crushed my frickin hand leaving me with Arthritis. Furthermore, how could Shaq even be the son of Jor-el, isn’t his father’s name Phillip or something?”
Clark says that ‘even though everyone uses cell phones now’, he ‘will find a phone booth somewhere if it needs to be proven who the true man of steel is.’
“Look, for the last time. I am Clark Kent and I am the real Superman. Not Dwight Howard and not Shaquille O’Neal. My feats are impeccable and well-documented. And not only in saving Earth from General Zod and his 2 cronies but also in my eye for discovering talent. H*ll, I made Lex Luthor a star way before Enemy of the State and Wyatt Earp.”
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