Okay, did you have a good day?

[kyburg]

Wow, the media is just all over the fact that thousands across the country showed up in groups to protest yesterday.

I've tried to read the reports. Mixed in with a TON of advertising, each and every time. (You know this pisses me off, right? You don't want to inform me of anything, NAAAOOOW. You want me to buy soap. Lots of it.)

I'll admit, the site I'm quoting has ads, too. And a ton of commenters with agendas. At least I won't get a seizure trying to look at the site from all the flashing gizmos.

But instead of just screeching 'YER DUMB' - here are some of the statements claimed to be behind this whole event - with enough drill-down to satisfy anyone.

I hope everyone had fun yesterday. You got used by people who only wanted to pick your pockets SOME MORE at your expense, while telling you (very convincingly, I will admit) that the people who are working in your best interests...aren't. They aren't the Right People, after all. I know what you're looking for. These aren't the droids you think they are.

I'm still a little peeved that there are STILL people taking advantage of folks with the BEST motivations on the planet - and get used by some Astroturf-selling carpetbaggers.

And people let them. It's FUN.



Don't worry too much. If anyone has something to say, they're saying it - just friends-locked, cut-tagged, hidden away where nobody can point out in clear language they've been had, continue to be had...and that they really need a better hobby or focus for their social clatch.

People who deserve better treatment by the people they've put their trust in. Instead of scaring them, insulting their intelligence and making fools out of them. I'd had enough of that with the first Bush term, thank you very much.

(And thousands are turning out today to mourn the death one 8 year old child. I saw thousands turn out at one polling place on election day. Thousands in a country the size of ours does not impress me.)

Comments

[blindgeoff.livejournal.com]

Daily Kos has a GREAT comparison on the Tea Parties...

=========================================================

A crowd of about 7,000 people assembled near the harbor. That night, after a town meeting in Boston's South Meeting House, around a hundred men, led by Sam Adams, boarded the vessels and dumped all 342 chests of tea in to the harbor.

A quick search of the intertoobz doesn't give the population of Boston at the time. But 17 years later, the first official US census found Boston's population at a little over 18,000; given the population growth trends of the time, it's probably safe to say that Boston's population in 1773 was around 15,000.

So, for the Boston Tea Party, the crowd was a little under half the size of the entire population of Boston.

Today, some people angry that they have both taxes and representation, got together in Boston. Fox News, which has been trumpeting these gatherings for days if not weeks, reported that the crowd was about 500 people. The current population of the city of Boston is over 600,000 people, and the population of the Boston metro area is close to 5 million.

So, fun with numbers:
Crowd at Boston Tea Party=7,000, equal to 46% of population of Boston

Crowd at Boston Teabaggers's Party= 500, equal to 0.08% of population of Boston.

BTW, the original Boston Tea Party didn't have free advertising from Fox News.

[washuotaku.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that in 1773, people didn't have TV and other such too, so its not like they had anything better to do. XD

But honestly, media tends to over hype protests in general. Being down in Charlotte, I see a few protesters on the streets every once in a while... about 10-12 at most; then later on the news you see a report of mass protesters descend upon us. One time I watched a camera man telling a group of protesters to squeeze together so it would look full on screen. A lot of protests you see on TV is merely show.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I would completely agree with that. I've seen it myself.

It was good for a laugh...

[n6vfp.livejournal.com]

The 'tea bag party' in Santa Ana was the largest collection of kooks, crooks, and liars I'd seen in while, but remember, this is Orange County California, birthplace of Richard Nixon and the John Birch Society.. so they came out of the woodwork. I did post some pictures.

[muimi07.livejournal.com]

Aside from the fact that the Tea Party here in the Delta decided to protest right next to the muthafrackin' freeway during rush hour (HELLO you morons, we've got a traffic problem as it is, thanks for making it worse), my sister and I just kept on snickering to ourselves. Ehehehe. TEABAGGIN'. EHEHEHE. We're twelve, yes.

[doki.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I64Ed5iLu4M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i-OWDjOQfI
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/30145811#30145811

[washuotaku.livejournal.com]

It is actually sad that some of the news media made fun of the whole event.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

And made money on the deal. Yeah. That.

[rin-o.livejournal.com]

while i could try to say something meaningful about this whole manufactured "protest"......i'm too tired for anything but smartass remarks. fortunately...

"i've never seen a woman take so much tea-bagging!"

[seamusd.livejournal.com]

Oh come now! Anyone can see that this woman makes at least $250,000 per year and that the government is about to totally destroy her lifestyle. I'd protest, too!

[dame-of-dames.livejournal.com]

Anyone else feel like they're 13 years old and wanting to giggle insanely?

Teabagging.

[bitpig.livejournal.com]

You folks seriously believe that we evil right-wing extremists ought to just shut up and stay home, right?

There really are two Americas, I guess.

[the-paulr.livejournal.com]

Right-wing extremists have as much right to protest as left-wing extremists. And those of us in the middle have the right to point out when either side is acting like idiots.

These "tea parties" are a case in point. Protesting about taxes is one thing, but trying to compare these protests to the original Boston Tea Party showed a complete lack of intelligence or historical understanding on the part of the organizers.

The Boston Tea Party was about more than just taxes; it was also about the colonists not having a say in how they were governed. The people at these protests DO have a say even if they don't choose to exercise it.

[rin-o.livejournal.com]

"The people at these protests DO have a say even if they don't choose to exercise it."

or bother to learn how to exercise it...

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Reading the bills in question to analyze whether they do in fact do what the leadership claims might be an appropriately extreme option.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

No, there are some people out to make a quick buck and think taking advantage of your loyalty is a good way to do it.

You deserve better, Bruce. You really do.

And no, you don't deserve to stay home and shut up. You deserve to be taken seriously, listened to and heard just like anyone else.

Not made fun of for fun and profit.

[the-paulr.livejournal.com]

The people behind these "tea parties" are acting like spoiled children throwing a tantrum because their side lost an election. And that's the nicest thing I can think of to say about them.

[galewolf.livejournal.com]

The real winner in all this: Lipton.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Dude.

[kimberlychapman.livejournal.com]

The whole thing has been hysterically funny, especially in the phony gravitas poured on it by the Foxies.

And we wondered what the Daily Show would have to mock after the inauguration...not that this administration hasn't been funny too, of course.

Did you see the crazy lady on DS going on and on about how she wouldn't be interviewed because Jon Stewart is a communist? Tee hee...

Anyway, just did a quick catch up with your posts, glad things are calming down and you're finding a routine that fits. Routines are nice and comfortable as long as you don't let them strangle you, so ease in and you'll all be okay. :)