Tea Party

Southern Man went to a Tea Party rally at the state capitol today - his first political rally since college. A few observations:

• The crowd were plainly a bunch of enthusiastic, respectful, polite, good-natured Americans who love their country. Southern Man has rarely felt safer or more at home at such a large gathering.


• The participants chose many ways to express their views with signs and shirts and such, but "Don't Tread On Me" was clearly the emblem of choice for the Tea Party.


• The crowd was widely represented in age and gender; Southern Man was happy to see many young participants and equally happy to verify that many women are involved in the Tea Party.


• The closest thing Southern Man saw to hate speach was a "nobama" sign.


• The closest thing Southern Man saw to the lunatic fringe was an "Investigate 9/11" t-shirt. Oh, and the John Birch Society had a table set up with fliers and an email signup sheet.


• There was no evidence of infiltration by the so-called Tea Party Crashers. Given the number of tough-looking men with signs (both military-tough and biker-tough) if any were present they slunk away unannounced.


• There was no uniformed security at all. No matter - they weren't needed.


• And speaking of notable absences: the area reserved for the media - just off the stage, on a hillside with splendid vantage of both speakers and crowd - was conspiciously empty.

Sadly, the crowd was mostly white. Hopefully this will change. Get it? Hope and change.

Speaking of mostly-white political parties: Southern Man did a little volunteer work for a local incumbent Democrat back in his college days. In public, he was a typical folky down-home politician; in private, he and his cronies were the most vulgar, rascist men Southern Man had ever met. His strongest memory of those smoke-filled rooms were how disdainful they were of blacks (including the one token black on staff), who they regarded as bought-and-paid-for property of the Party. Southern Man didn't vote for him and hasn't voted Democrat since.

But since this blogger is a conservative white male who identifies with both the Tea Party and the South he must be a rascist himself. Go figure.