By Space Eagle
The Tea Party members, known as “teabbaggers” by their opposition, fear illegal immigrants taking their jobs. The Tea Party express cross-country tour is kicking off in Searchlight, Nevada this weekend. They have a stated goal to “kick Harry (Reid) of of the Senate” in the November mid-term elections.
While watching Tea Party protests, numerous complaints can be heard which demand that we build a wall between the United States and Mexico. Their members want to keep the borders secure against illegal immigrants. They don’t seem to have quite the level of resentment toward Canadians, but most Canadians are Caucasian, which mirrors their demographic.
The Tea Party’s Unite Against Amnesty organized protests against illegal Immigration on their website under the heading “Tea Party Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration” stating,
“Please sign up below to show your support for the Tea Party events on April 15-17, 2010 and your opposition to illegal immigration or Amnesty for illegal aliens.“
They claim that eighty percent of Americans share their opposition to illegal immigration.
The Arizona Tea Party is in support of the recently signed Arizona law that would require people to show their birth certificate to police should the police suspect that they might be an illegal alien. This is ironic because Tea Party members consistently speak out against Communism and comment that President Obama is a Nazi for pushing the health care bill through. One of the biggest selling points to the “Red Scare” was that Russian people were required to show a passport when a police official inquired of them. They have made Arizona look more like Communist Russia or Nazi Germany themselves by pushing for this bill.
To the Tea Party, President Obama is a Communist, Muslim, Kenyan, Manchurian candidate, Fascist, Socialist, Marxist who wants to take away their rights by passing health care reform and by… banning fishing. Tea Party “celebrity” spokeswoman Victoria Jackson flatly told a flummoxed Fox News host, “The president’s a communist.” She has said that Obama “bears traits that resemble the anti-Christ” and shares “so many similar qualities” with Adolf Hitler She also says that when she was on O’Reilly and she said that President Obama was a Communist she got a lot of hate mail, but got some that said she was a prescient which means “a prophet.”
The Tea Party fears the penalty for not complying with Obama’s new policies is being thrown into a prison camp. They accuse him of tyranny because their side lost the health care vote and have designated themselves as an army to wipe out tyranny. They completely ignore the fact that it was the Bush Administration who contracted Halliburton to build the prison camps.
Regarding the recent Arizona bill, The New York Times states,
“It requires police officers, ‘when practicable,’ to detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without authorization and to verify their status with federal officials, unless doing so would hinder an investigation or emergency medical treatment.
It also makes it a state crime — a misdemeanor — to not carry immigration papers. In addition, it allows people to sue local government or agencies if they believe federal or state immigration law is not being enforced.”
Many of the Tea Partiers like to quote Ronald Reagan, a demagogue and their idol, and indicate that they hold the late former president in high esteem. What many of them do not seem to remember is that their historic idol was against walls which separated people, considering them a barrier to freedom. The Tea Party Store lists these Reagan quotes,
“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”
“Concentrated power has always been the enemy of Liberty.”
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
“Man is not free unless government is limited.”
“I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there’s purpose and worth to each and every life.”
They fail, however, to recognize that Ronald Reagan was responsible for tearing down a wall such as the one which they desire to build.
In Berlin on June 12, 1987, President Reagan made his speech at the Brandenburg Gate at 2 PM, in front of two panes of bulletproof glass protecting him from potential snipers in East Berlin, Regan gave his now famous, historical speech. About 45,000 people were in attendance, including the West German president Richard von Weizacker, Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and West Berlin mayor Eberhard Diepgen. That afternoon, Reagan said,
“As long as this gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind …
…There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
President Reagan was of the opinion that the Berlin Wall was a detriment to the cause of freedom and would not have been in support of building a wall between the United States and Mexico if he remained consistent with his statement at the Brandenburg Gate. What would happen to their border wall if Reagan were in office?
The Tea Party claims to support the Constitution, yet they want America to be deemed a Christian nation and want the government to support Christianity in public schools. They wouldn’t have to read very far into the Constitution to find it, either. The 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution reads,
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.“
In Mein Kampf, Adolph Hitler is quoted as saying,
.”..for a people’s liberation from a great oppression, or for the elimination of a bitter distress, or for the satisfaction of its soul, restless because it has grown insecure – Fate someday bestows upon it the man endowed for this purpose who finally brings the long yearned-for fulfillment.”
The Tea Party has manufactured a great oppression that exists in their minds alone. Its members and in part Fox News have whipped up bitter distress because of their emptiness of spirit. They are restless to act against this perceived oppression painting President Obama as the source of all the evil they fear. The Republicans’ Newt Gingrich has encouraged this and named them their “Militant Right,” saying that they are “more likely to end up as the militant wing of the Republican Party” than as an independent or third party.” Gingrich also tweeted, “The left may think that being militant that we not bury our children and grandchildren in debt is a bad thing. I don’t.”
Tea Party members frequently spout hate and fear of perceived Communism, Socialism, Marxism, and Nazism, yet they espouse and display the very characteristics they claim to fear. If these members would take a close look at themselves, they might say, “I looked at the enemy and it was I.” Will the Tea Party end up changing the United States into something resembling Stalin’s Russia or Hitler’s Germany, the very things they claim to protest against?
Sources:
Unite Against Amnesty – “Tea Party Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration April 15-17 (ROUND 2)”
Arizona Tea Party Network website – “AZ Capitol – SB1070 Immigration Reform Rally”
TeachingAmericanHistory.org – “Speech at Brandenburg Gate”
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=733
The Washington Post – “Tea parties, backing the Arizona immigration bill”
Tea Party Store – “Ronald Reagan”
CBS News – “Divisive Ariz. Immigration Bill Signed Into Law”
Slate Magazine – “The Tea Party’s Toxic Take on History”
KRGM Local News – “Tea party comments bagged”
Media Matters for America – “Fox’s Doocy learns the hazards of not vetting guests”
Adolph Hitler, – Mein Kampf,” 1925
Fox Nation – “Newt Responds to Uproar Over His ‘Militant’ Tea Party Remark “
Subversify Staff
Has anyone even bothered to read the new law instead of repeating what they heard?
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Ehline, Billy McKee. Billy McKee said: Tea Partiers http://bit.ly/dctQsX […]
The end of the Berlin Wall actually brought impoverishment and a steep drop in life expectancy and living standards across Eastern Europe, the aftereffects of which continue to this day. What price, then, “freedom”?
Arizona lawmakers have approved changes to the state’s controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants. The changes were designed to answer charges made by protesters that it will lead to racial profiling by police. The original law stated police can conduct an immigration status check during any quote “lawful contact,” if they have reasonable suspicion a person is an illegal immigrant. It replaces “lawful contact” with “lawful stop, detention or arrest,” clarifying police may not stop people without cause. The revised law also removes the word “solely” from the phrase “The attorney general or county attorney shall not investigate complaints that are based solely on race, color or national origin.” Read the new Arizona Immigration Law
I just read the best reaction to the immigration law ever on CNN. Awesome! “OK… so a cop’s title is “Law Enforcement Officer”… in order to be an “Illegal Immigrant” you have to be breaking the law of the United States of America… why would we not expect our “Law Enforcement Officers” to enforce the law of the United States of America? This is not a racist statement, this is not an anti-immigrant statement, I’m not a tea-partier, Im a slightly left of center gay American whose partner of 8 years is a Canadian. My partner goes through a massive ordeal in order to stay in this country legally, which he does… Im not able to sponsor him for permanent residence, and there is no legal pathway for him to gain permanent residence… so for now we live with renewing his temporary status based on his job and NAFTA, hoping for either an employer willing to sponsor him for permanent residence (a 5 year long, very expensive process) or the repeal/invalidation of DOMA, or the passage of the UAFA bill. He has to prove his legality in this country quite often, and is required to have his passport with proof of his legality on him at all times… I am more a victim of discrimination, as a US Citizen who cannot sponsor my permanent partner for US residence, than these illegal aliens who are breaking the law of the united states”
Bill, i had to stop and reflect a moment over your comment concerning the Berlin Wall. It’s true the Eastern bloc suffered more after it was dissolved than while it remained in place. The Western bloc had already established an energetic legacy of Capitalist enterprise, while Eastern technology was more utilitarian. Their products had neither the appeal nor the novelty for a consumer society and the sovereign currency for the unprepared Eastern countries was easily toppled.
However, the border area of Mexico cannot be compared to Berlin. The border states had large communities of Hispanic people before the United States declared war and seized the territories, and continued to have them after the war. The politics of Mexico have very little difference from those of the U.S. It is considered a democratic country. The people have the right to vote, free assembly, free speech, free enterprise and a four party system. There is PAN, which is more or less like the Republican party, favored by the wealthier social classes; PRI,which takes a populist view, a socialist party whose name varies from time to time but is the leading voice of the workers, and a communist party, which has a following, but is generally ignored.
Economically, Mexico suffered enormously when President Portillo emptied the banks of Mexico of its American dollars (with US aid) and flew out of the country, parts unknown. However, today, it has proven its ability to stabilize itself out, and once again is a powerful voice in International affairs.
Why then, should the US wish to wall itself away from Mexico? Why can’t it maintain at least as equitable a relationship with Mexico as it has with Canada? It boils down simply to racism. The US wishes to blame its drug addicted society on Mexican exploitation. It takes two to tangle. There is no more innocence in consent than there is in the offer. On the other side of the border, you will not find a society any more addicted to drugs than you will in the US.
The US wishes to blame Mexico for job losses – many of the jobs immigrants take are ones Americans feel they are too good to accept; fruit picking, digging holes, cleaning barns and stables, dish washing, maid service. The jealousy begins when they see these immigrants frugally save as much money on housing and expenses as possible so their families can thrive. This is against the American ideals of self serving spending.
Political Junkie, there is a large split between what is lawful and what is a mandatory order. Laws such as zoning regulations, mandatory insurance and random requirements to show ID are not lawful, they are the statutes of jurisdiction. They are created to manipulate and control the behaviors within area demographics. Any number of things can be deemed illegal through this implementation, although these legal mandates are not necessarily lawful.
Do not believe this effort to create a wall around the US is simply to control immigration. It’s also to keep the United States in. I can no longer enter Canada without a passport. Canada will let me in on my valid ID, but i cannot re-enter the US without a passport. For an Alaskan, this is quite a vexation. Most of my travels to the Continental US have been by way of the Alcan, not to mention i live close enough to the border that a day visit to Canada has not been unusual in my itinerary. The ironic part is, the biggest reason Alaska became a state was so that US citizens who had settled in Alaska could visit their families in the Continental US without showing passports at the border. I think it’s time for us to secede.
Karlsie, I’ve been thinking on the meaning of freedom for a long time, and written about it too. In my opinion, “freedom” is only a word, a much-abused word at that. Certainly it’s worth writing an article on how it’s been misused.
I think the song, “Me and Bobby McGee” says it best: freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. While under the guise of free enterprise, the purveyors of capitalistic dreams use the noble sounding word to freely exploit, divide public opinion, and shirk responsibility for their actions. The consequences are placed on the public and the public has no noble leaders to carry them out of the selfish wasteland left behind in the free pursuit of monetary gain. It’s not until we lose and the game is over, that we realize we’ve sacrificed our freedom to be who we are and what we believe in to become pitiful pawns in the runaway desires for wealth and power among the ambitious and successful. If you ask an American what freedoms s/he is trying to protect, you will receive the lofty argument of free press, free speech and free assembly, with no real ideas of how to use these freedoms without following a band wagon. If you ask a revolutionary fighter in Latin America what freedoms s/he’s fighting for, the answers are more specific. They want the rights to potable water, sustaining jobs, adequate housing. These are the freedoms they search for and yearn to accomplish. These are basic rights that all should enjoy, but only a select number are allowed to exercise.
Things will probably change soon for America. There is still a shaking middle class that believe their continued contributions to the political whores will sustain them through the economic crisis, but for many, there is the realization that they have nothing left to lose. They are in an underworld where priorities shift as they find themselves doing things it was easy to moralize against when they had money. Freedom takes on a new dimension as they see first hand the miserable plight their slavery to a system that has failed us has taken them. Things will change drastically. The blood letting has already begun at the borders, as desperately those who remain within the circle of monetary gain struggle to maintain their status quo.
Many today claiming to stand up for freedom are making a mockery of freedom. They use the term to support rights of huge corporations over the rights of the average citizen. While the corporations scream that health care is unsustainable, what really is unsustainable is the fulfillment of their greed and avarice. If it turns out to be impossible to cap this current oil disaster, none of this will matter anyway. Their “Drill baby drill” mentality may have ended things for all of us.
Thanks for the great writing. I enjoyed the post.
Hola, ЎGracias por el artнculo. Cada vez que quieres leer.
Boldy
I have heard more people discussing that the law is Unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause. The Supremacy Clause forbids state and local laws that contradict federal laws in matters where the federal government has authority to act.
Once again it only applies in situations where the law contradicts the current law. Arizona’s law requires that State/Local authorities hand over suspect illegals to the proper federal authorities. Maybe you have forgetten (since we haven’t enforced these laws) but it’s still a crime to enter our country illegally.
But as long as we are talking about Constitutionality let’s talk about the Commerce Clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8). This clause prohibits states and localities from passing laws that burden interstate or foreign commerce by, among other things, creating “discriminations favorable or adverse to commerce with particular foreign nations.”
Boycotting Arizona is UNCONSTITUTIONAL so knock it off already. Also to the Arizona government, how about we step up and actually file suit against these cities?