Mad Tea Party

Free speech. It's a wonderful thing. So is that freedom of assembly thing. Here in America, you can pretty much get together with your like-minded pals and have your say. The assemblages in front of the Capitol on Saturday were full of free speech: "Kill the bill," and "Get your hands out of my pocketbook and health care." And then there was the n-word. Apparently, part of making their point regarding the pending vote on the health care legislation included hurling racial epithets at African-American members of Congress. Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn from South Carolina told reporters, "I heard people saying things today that I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to try to get off the back of the bus."
When did this ideological divide become one of race as well as party? Republican leaders, including RNC Chairman Michael Steele, strongly condemned the action of these frothing members of the so-called Tea Party. "It's certainly not a reflection of the movement or the Republican Party when you have idiots out there saying stupid things," said Chairman Steele, who is black.
And what about the homophobic slurs hurled at Representative Barney Frank? Now we've got politics, race, and sexual preference to choose from, and if your tiny brain has a hard time with the intricacies of a public health care initiative, maybe it's best to stick to what you know best: hate.
"Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps! End of list." - Denis Leary
Well folks, gather your cups and saucers and your tea bags and prepare to start hating the beginning of health care reform in America.