Tea Party Gets Even Less Inviting
While the tea party movement may be brushed off by some as the work of a bunch of misguided Fox News enthusiasts, the opening speech at the first national Tea Party Convention in Nashville suggests something more sinister at the root.
While the tea party movement may be brushed off by some as the work of a bunch of misguided Fox News enthusiasts, the opening speech at the first national Tea Party Convention in Nashville suggests something more sinister at the root.
Former Congressman Tom Tancredo’s opening remarks included attacks on the “cult of multiculturalism” and immigrants, and the argument that President Barack Obama was elected because the U.S. no longer requires civics and literary tests before granting the right to vote — a gross throwback to the early 20th century segregationist policies of the South. –JCL
Wait, before you go…The Guardian:
America’s disparate army of angry conservatives assembled under one roof yesterday at the first national tea party convention in Nashville, amid controversy over an opening speech which preached bigotry bordering on racism.
Up to 600 delegates from all over the US descended on the cavernous Gaylord hotel to plot a strategy on how to take back the country from the perceived threat of the Obama administration. Sporting a shirt made from the Stars and Stripes, Tim Peak from Arizona said he had travelled so far because it was “time for the silent majority to stand up and start speaking”.
But amid talk about fiscal conservatism and the “subversive threat” of the green movement, there was also a strong undercurrent of a cultural bigotry which previously had been kept to the margins of the tea party phenomenon.
Tom Tancredo, a former Republican congressman from Denver in Colorado who ran for president in 2008, devoted most of his opening speech on Thursday night to illegal immigration. He said the fabric of US society had been eroded by the “cult of multiculturalism”, “Islamification”, and large numbers of immigrants who did not want to be Americans.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
With his nonstop barrage of lies, the president has degraded our electoral system to the point that any result will feel illegitimate.
The class war that gave rise to his campaign is the fault of a long line of corporate Democrats like Joe Biden, and voters know it.
A revealing new study finds the Justice Department charged just 359 such criminals in January—a decline of 25% from five years ago.
A closer look at the Trump administration's agreement with the Taliban reveals all the president's concerned with is bragging rights.
After nearly two decades, America's longest-running conflict appears to be coming to an end. Even a flawed peace deal is worth celebrating.
Since his acquittal, the president has only doubled down on his impeachable offenses, subverting both the republic and its Constitution.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.