# Do you personally know someone who's been to a Tea Party or yelled at a town hall? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 20, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841 "2009-09-20T16:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/41 "2009-09-22T15:41:46Z")
A lot of conservatives, especially libertarian and small government conservatives, were pretty upset with Bush. Just because they think that Obama is worse doesn’t mean that they loved Bush. And for strictly practical purposes, conservatives are going to criticize Democrats more than Republicans anyway, because in a two party system, those are your only two choices, and the Republicans are more conservative than the Democrats are. So, if you’re a conservative and you criticize the Republican too much, it helps the Democrat get in, and as bad as a Republican is, a Democrat will be worse. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/42 "2009-09-22T16:08:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So they say NOW. Where were they the last 8 years? Telling our local Republican office that this shit would not stand, and that I would not vote for the Republican national candidate based on this. The Right is not monolithic, by any stretch. The DC protests had a collection of people with different posters and issues: - Birthers (the idiots) - Isolationists - Gold bugs - Health Care - Fiscal cons - Anti-gays and other Social cons - Others who have watched the Left have protests for years, and have decided that this is the way to go. I know one family that probably is part of this - the parents of one of the Scouts in my Troop. She is a hard-core conservative Evangelical finger-wagging judgmental Christian. She truly believes that America is at risk of losing its moral way, and has no love of Obama or anything on the Left. She is a True Believer. In the past, Right wing True Believers were around, but they did not march and protest the way the Left did. This has now changed. The Right has looked at the G7/G8 protests, the anti-war protests, the Pink Panthers, Move-On, PETA, etc. and a sub-set of the Right has now decided to come out of the living room and try the tactics of the Left (previously it was only the anti-abortion sub set that was seen publicly in this fashion). IMHO - The key difference is that when the subsets of the Right has these protests, they are shown as a Right Wing Conservative Republican protest. When Move-On does a protest, it is labeled as Move-On. When PETA (or its terrorist wing ALF) does something, the reporting is described as animal-rights. A union march is not described as a Left-wing grouping, or a group of Obama supporters. The Left enjoys a perception in the marketplace that its rowdy groups are judged separately, whereas Right wing rowdies are judged collectively. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/43 "2009-09-22T18:37:02Z")
[QUOTE=Algher] IMHO - The key difference is that when the subsets of the Right has these protests, they are shown as a Right Wing Conservative Republican protest. When Move-On does a protest, it is labeled as Move-On. When PETA (or its terrorist wing ALF) does something, the reporting is described as animal-rights. A union march is not described as a Left-wing grouping, or a group of Obama supporters. The Left enjoys a perception in the marketplace that its rowdy groups are judged separately, whereas Right wing rowdies are judged collectively. [/QUOTE] The people orchestrating these demonstrations - Americans for Prosperity and Fox News - have taken great pains to market this as an organic, grassroots movement, free of any organizing authority. If you are unhappy with the way the Tea Parties are being perceived in this regard, you can point your finger directly at the PR strategy put in place by the people planning them. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/44 "2009-09-22T18:55:13Z")
> [@C3](#): > > The people orchestrating these demonstrations - Americans for Prosperity and Fox News - have taken great pains to market this as an organic, grassroots movement, free of any organizing authority. If you are unhappy with the way the Tea Parties are being perceived in this regard, you can point your finger directly at the PR strategy put in place by the people planning them. I am not unhappy, more observing. This type of reporting is much older than the tea parties, and can be tracked by doing a Lexis search on “right wing extremist” vs “left wing extremist.” ALF is never called a left wing extremist group for example. Union violence is never tied to Left wing extremists. The Left has the advantage of perception that their more unruly elements are not tagged in the same way as the Right. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/45 "2009-09-22T18:56:21Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > A lot of conservatives, especially libertarian and small government conservatives, were pretty upset with Bush. Just because they think that Obama is worse doesn’t mean that they loved Bush. However, the discussion is not about conservatives. The discussion is about those people on the (well publicized) fringes who are overreacting to events that have not even occurred, yet. When one points out that they are concerned with government spending, it is quite reasonable to note that they showed no similar outrage for the Bush spending that was, indeed, the greatest debt increase in history to that time, and to draw the conclusion that the people who are being loudly upset at this time are upset about something other than an increase in debt or spending. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/46 "2009-09-22T18:58:08Z")
To answer the OP: yes, my sister and her husband. They said most of the others who were there (South Alabama) were seniors or at least late middle age. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/47 "2009-09-23T04:24:46Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > However, the discussion is not about conservatives. The discussion is about those people on the (well publicized) fringes who are overreacting to events that have not even occurred, yet. When one points out that they are concerned with government spending, it is quite reasonable to note that they showed no similar outrage for the Bush spending that was, indeed, the greatest debt increase in history to that time, and to draw the conclusion that the people who are being loudly upset at this time are upset about something other than an increase in debt or spending. The problem with that, though, is that we already know that President Obama, for instance, wants universal health care with a public option. To stop that, the protesters have to stop it now. They can’t wait until it’s already passed, if they want to kill health care. They need to kill it now. And they did stuff like this to President Bush too. Remember the protests against giving amnesty to illegal immigrants? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/48 "2009-09-23T13:16:21Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > And they did stuff like this to President Bush too. Remember the protests against giving amnesty to illegal immigrants? No. But then Fox ‘News’ didn’t host a _FNC’s Patriots Day Fuck the Illegals Special featuring Toby Kieth and NASCAR Driver Dick Trickle_, so it must not have been that important. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/49 "2009-09-23T14:58:50Z")
Question for those whose friends/acquaintances said there were more people than the news reported: did you ask them their basis for the assertion? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/50 "2009-09-23T16:18:02Z")
I’m sure most people here have seen [this footage](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq5Y) from the 9/12 DC Tea Party march. Can someone find me something equally as entertaining from the Radical Left? (Looking up anti-Bush rallies got me a whole lot of [this kind of thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP4kE5rFSR8). Not quite as fiery, though someone does mention Hitler!) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/51 "2009-09-23T16:46:43Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > I’m sure most people here have seen [this footage](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq5Y) from the 9/12 DC Tea Party march. Can someone find me something equally as entertaining from the Radical Left? (Looking up anti-Bush rallies got me a whole lot of [this kind of thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP4kE5rFSR8). Not quite as fiery, though someone does mention Hitler!) I love the looks on the faces of the morons holding up the anti-Czar signs when they’re told that Ronald Reagan was the first POTUS to start that practice, and that advisory “Czars” don’t really have imperial powers. The crowd also looks to be mostly over 50, and virtually all white. They also didn’t really look that numerous. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/52 "2009-09-23T22:48:35Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I love the looks on the faces of the morons holding up the anti-Czar signs when they’re told that Ronald Reagan was the first POTUS to start that practice That annoyed me, because he’s wrong–_Nixon_ started the practice with his Energy Czar. ---
**Author:** ![shallora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@shallora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shallora)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/53 "2009-09-23T22:50:15Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Nobody is arguing that the left protests also. The point is the REASON for the protests. You can’t seriously compare anti war protests vs the ignorance of the tea parties can you? the fact that they are protesting is inconsequential, its that they are protesting against scary words that they have absolutely no idea about simply because they heard it on FOX news. \*\*Yes, we can compare the tea partiers vs. the ignorance of anti war protesters. How are tea partiers any different from those who protested against Bush simply because they heard some scary words on Air America that they had absolutely no idea about?\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/54 "2009-09-24T00:09:55Z")
Say, **shallora**. I don’t know if you heard, but there was an actual war going on that the anti-war protesters were protesting. If you can show me how protesting against Obama being Muslim, which he’s not, compares … I’ll concede the point. ---
**Author:** ![shallora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@shallora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shallora)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/55 "2009-09-24T01:01:22Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Say, **shallora**. I don’t know if you heard, but there was an actual war going on that the anti-war protesters were protesting. If you can show me how protesting against Obama being Muslim, which he’s not, compares … I’ll concede the point. Say, Jack, I don’t know if you heard, but there are actual congressional bills under consideration that will actually raise taxes that the tea partiers were protesting. Don’t try to change the subject, this has nothing to do with anyone’s faith. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/56 "2009-09-24T01:05:05Z")
> [@shallora](#): > > Say, Jack, I don’t know if you heard, but there are actual congressional bills under consideration that will actually raise taxes that the tea partiers were protesting. No there aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/57 "2009-09-24T10:46:30Z")
> [@shallora](#): > > Say, Jack, I don’t know if you heard, but there are actual congressional bills under consideration that will actually raise taxes that the tea partiers were protesting. Don’t try to change the subject, this has nothing to do with anyone’s faith. Yeah. Not one Teabagger has ever mentioned anything about faith. Teabaggers aren’t protesting spending, or healthcare, or taxes, or bills in congress. They’re protesting because their guy lost. Period. You are as transparent as they are. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/58 "2009-09-24T13:33:00Z")
> [@shallora](#): > > Yes, we can compare the tea partiers vs. the ignorance of anti war protesters. Ignorance about what? What critical facts were they ignorant of? What did they say that has been proven wrong? > [@](#): > > they heard some scary words on Air America that they had absolutely no idea about? 1. _What_ scary words? and 2. Nobody listened to Air America, remember? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/59 "2009-09-24T13:46:29Z")
> [@shallora](#): > > \*\*Yes, we can compare the tea partiers vs. the ignorance of anti war protesters. > > How are tea partiers any different from those who protested against Bush simply because they heard some scary words on Air America that they had absolutely no idea about?\*\* Was Air America even around when the war in Iraq started? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841/60 "2009-09-24T14:14:33Z")
Air America started in 2004, so it was well after the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Plus, as has been pointed out, it’s hardly a ratings juggernaut. The anti-Iraq War protests really were a grass roots response to real events, not the kind of fake, media created fan-cons that the teabag parties are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-personally-know-someone-whos-been-to-a-tea-party-or-yelled-at-a-town-hall/510841.md?page=4)