Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tucson Massacre


My Comments on the Matt Mittan Radio Show
January 11, 2010, 4:40 pm
Podcast 23:18:00

I'd like to take issue with an earlier caller who suggested that the tea party needs to police its own people.

I'm a founding member of the Asheville Tea Party. We don't police our own people. And you know why, Matt? Because we don't have to. We don't have quazi-military thugs standing around at polling places intimidating voters. We don't have SEIU union thugs beating up black protesters at rallies. We don't have people biting off fingers at political rallies. We don't have people making movies called "The Assassination of George W. Bush." We don't have people sending mail bombs to university professors. We don't have people spiking trees, burning SUV's, breaking windows or throwing pies at people we disagree with.

What we DO have is ordinary people and passionate patriots who believe in the founding principles of this country and who are legitimately critical of a greedy government that is growing recklessly out of control.

So, just what is there to police? If you want to learn how to be intelligent, rational, and peace-loving, just watch what the tea party is in fact doing. We're studying the issues, contacting legislators, promoting candidates and educating the public.

I'd like the earlier caller and your listeners to know that we're not going to change our rhetoric. We're not going to change our values. We're not going to let up on the pressure for limited government. And we're never going away.

Frankly, I have never understood from the beginning of this incident why anyone is talking about inflammatory political rhetoric. What's the connection? Jared Loughner, the perpetrator, is not cooperating with authorities and so far there is no evidence that the Tucson Massacre was motivated by any ideas. At this point, it seems pretty conclusive that it was motivated by insanity and not the tea party.

###

RELATED

Jared Loughner’s friend says suspect ‘Did not watch TV...disliked the news’
ABC News | January 12, 2010