Dissent is Not Terrorism

The United States of America is a system of representation and individual liberty that is open to criticism and dissent.

This is an inherent part of freedom and our liberties, not to mention our right to free speech, the First Amendment and our Bill of Rights.

Tea Party activists have gotten a very negative wrap from some representatives in the current administration and public at-large, and it appears that this is moving towards a whole new level.

A very good resource, The Patriot Post (PatriotPost.US), had a story on training activities taking place with our own American soldiers to “deal with” terrorist threats including the “Local Militia Groups / Anti-Government Protesters / TEA Party” (Alexander, 2010).

Political dissent, when expressed without any type of violence towards others, is a legal activity that is an important part of being an individual in the United States of America.  The fact that these people – the TEA Partiers – could be targeted by our own military, is scary and preposterous.

Please take the time to read the whole essay here.

- Joseph Poder

References:

Alexander, M. (2010). The Patriot Post (PatriotPost.US). Retrieved on May 6, 2010 from http://patriotpost.us/alexander/2010/04/29/army-preps-for-tea-party-terrorists/

Colorado Liberty

Want to support organizations that stand up for liberty and free markets?  Check out Colorado Liberty, a blog that educated and promotes FREEDOM – the basis for our choices and the opportunity for the American Dream.

CHECK OUT COLORADO LIBERTY’S BLOG HERE.

Going to a Caucus – Where are WE THE PEOPLE?

By: Tisha Casida

I am the youngest person here by at least 20 years, and I am 28 years old.  Out of 264 people in my precinct 83 – only 6 people are sitting at the table (only 5 technically count because when I registered to vote when I was 18 I decided that I was Independent).  That is a 1.9% turnout.  If this were a test – WE THE PEOPLE – failed miserably.

I am a citizen of the United States living in the great state of Colorado.  I convinced my parents to go with me to the republican caucus taking place this evening – Tuesday March 16, 2010.  In addition to the three of us, there were three others at our table – Bill, Ken, and Steve.  Our chairman for our precinct was not present.  Ken and Steve were diplomatic enough to take over and explain the processes as we went along.  Reading material on most all of the candidates was available for everyone to look at as well as pick up – I saw every candidate there represented in one form or another except for Scott McInnis – I guess the Southern part of the state may not mean too much to him, at least that is what I came away with.

The purpose of a caucus, as I have gathered so far, is that this is where WE THE PEOPLE start to select candidates for governor, the U.S. senate, the U.S. house of representatives, state treasurer, state senate and house districts.  On the docket tonight (at least for the straw pole) was to decide upon who the registered republican precinct members wanted for governor (Dan Maes vs. Scott McInnis) and the U.S. senate (Ken Buck vs. Jane Norton vs. Cleve Tidwell vs. Tom Wiens).

Several of the tables for other precincts meeting here were EMPTY – meaning that NO ONE from these precincts of around 200 people came to represent a candidate or represent a value or ideal they would like to see upheld.  Tragic.

The process was simple, efficient, and ended in just ONE HOUR.  We talked about all of the candidates, everyone voiced an opinion as to what they thought, the votes were made for the straw pole (at our table), and everyone was given the opportunity to present resolutions (of which we had none, however there were several for us to look at on one of the tables when we walked in).

It was overwhelming at first, but now an understandable process.  Which really irritates me, because more people should have been there, more people should know what is going on (republican OR democrat OR anything else).  This is a fatal flaw of the public education system – fifth graders should be able to rattle off their precinct number and the process of a caucus, a county convention, a state convention, and a primary.  This is also a dangerous flaw with our society – the reason we are in the mess that we are in is because we have sat on our keisters and not taken an hour out of an evening to go to things like this.

Know your enemy folks – it is ignorance and arrogance.  Learn about our political system, get involved, and fight for liberty – we are all we have.

Denver Tax Day Tea Party – Watch the Pigeon Holes

On April 15^th I was visiting Denver and decided to visit the Tea Party Rally at the State Capital.  I seek out Tea Parties around the country as I travel.

It was a large gathering and a big mix of people.   There was even a handful of protestors (protesting against the Tea Party) on the other side of the street, as well as an abundance of police.

I like the Tea Party moment.  I identify with them.  As an Independent I lean very conservative and libertarian in my views.  I listened to the speakers as I moved about the crowd and was having an enjoyable time, until, one of the speakers ranted about “latte-drinking, iPhone-carrying socialists”, and the crowd there erupted in supportive noise.  I stopped; I listened more; I looked around at the crowd.  I set my Starbucks latte down and reached for my iPhone.  Could it be that I was just lumped into the group of people they think are destroying our country?  Maybe even profiled?  The crowd really seamed to identify with this spearker’s comments.  I quickly felt out of place.

I was becoming more disappointed by the second.  Could I be one of ‘those’ people that they were chanting about?  Am I supporting socialism by being a consumer supporting two great and successful American companies?  Wait.  Aren’t I fueling the economy with my purchases of American goods and services?  This was troubling.  For a few minutes I was in doubt.  Then I snapped out of it, and got over it.  It’s free speech and I support that.  But, for the first time, I felt alienated at a Tea Party – and that will hurt the movement and the cause.  I support them because the idea has been to win people over to the side of liberty – not pigeon-holing them and pushing them away.

Instead, win people over by welcoming them with open discussion and education about the Constitution and Bill of Rights; about thinking and voting your ideals.  We are ALL AMERICANS.  We must unite and not divide.  United we save our great country!  The message that day was lost to some of us.  I was not alone in that crowd.

I hope my message today is a wake-up for those in the Tea Party or any party.  There are thousands of us latte-drinking, iPhone-carrying freedom lovers and I am proud to be lumped into the same group as another iPhone and Apple-fan, Rush Limbaugh.  Think before you speak!  We are all listening!  I accept you, wont you accept me?  We have more in common than you think.

- Steve Thompson