In my opinion, (and I stress opinion), the planned Tea Party rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial this Saturday curiously coincides with the 47th anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech delivered by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It also coincides with a planned rally by the Rev. Al Sharpton to honor Dr. King's speech, an annual event that includes a march to the site of the future memorial to Dr. King. It just so happens that both rallies will take place at the same end of the Mall;by the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial. Coincidence?
This is the United States of America; peaceful assemblies are assured by the Constitution for all U.S. citizens in the 1st Amendment. Both groups have a right to congregate on any day, where ever they choose. (I assume that the parties involved have obtained the proper permits.) But, Glenn Beck, who is organizing the Tea Party rally, seems like the least likely caretaker of the message Dr. King delivered to us than anyone I can think of off the top of my head, except for maybe Joseph Stalin. Beck has rallied conservatives with his message to take back America and is staging this rally "...in honor of the troops". Which is an honorable purpose indeed. But, from where I sit it seems that the "Honoring the Troops" slogan is a smoke screen so the Tea Party can have a reason to be in close proximity to those commemorating Dr. King's speech. How can some sort of dust up not take place?
Let's face it, the Tea Party has not been all "Love and Light" since they flashed into existence after President Obama was elected president. They have attacked the president, liberals, democrats and non-conservatives with name calling, misguided rhetoric and misinformation from the very beginning. As a liberal Democrat, what I have witnessed has evoked a sense of anger and sadness in me after I read about and hear on the news that another Tea Party gathering has ended in name calling, chaotic furor and even violence. From what I can see, they don't tolerate anyone else's views other than their own and seem unable to accept people different then they are. So, naturally they want to gather on the National Mall, on the anniversary of Dr. King's historic address, in the exact spot the good Doctor preached for non-violence and peaceful coexistence? To Honor the Troops? I don't buy it. It seems more like a slap in the face of everything Dr. King said 47 years ago.
What I believe is happening here is that the Tea Party's membership is mostly made up of white, conservative individuals who are more "Spoiled Star Athletes" than "Team Players": they want theirs first, its more important that they get theirs above all else and who cares if the team descends into chaos and in-fighting on the way to being a losing team, as long as the Star Player gets theirs first. Who cares if "theirs" suddenly dried up overnight because the team went down in flames and everyone involved ends up with nothing. The Tea Party wants to take steps back when to do so would only make the situation in this country much worse. Its like building an addition on a house that is engulfed in flames!
Fireman: "The house is on fire, we need to get out!"
Tea Partyer: "Do you know what would look good off the living room? A sun room!"
Fireman: "We can't stop the fire! We need to get to safety!"
Tea Partyer: "With Lots of windows and hardwood floors! That would look great!"
Judging by the Tea Party's track record, they don't seem to understand that some sacrifice is needed to pull the country out of the economic turmoil we have been in for the past few years. If you listen to their message, they rail against "Social Reform", health care reform and the Welfare System. Some of their protests seems to have racist undertones, which I do not think is a coincidence since the birth of the Tea Party coincides with the election and Inauguration of the country's first African American President. You can interpret the Welfare stats anyway you like, but the majority of Welfare recipients are NOT black and a very small percentage "live off" of Welfare for longer than 2 years, regardless if they are black, white, Hispanic or other. The Tea Party, to me anyway, seems like the outcome and combination of all the built up racial and anti-government anger that has been festering for decades. While many of us have seen and experienced changes towards equality and acceptance of those different from ourselves, there is still a very real and volatile segment of the United States population that has not joined the party. The election of President Obama was the final event that set into motion the creation of the Tea Party. Not only has the government been screwing the American people--with their backroom deals, and empty promises--but now a non-white president was elected to office. President Obama's election gave the Tea Party legs, for now they could rail against the president and the government and hide their bigotry behind a "Restore Honor to America" platform, and an "Honor the Troops" rally.
If you think this is all tripe and I am out to lunch, consider what Glenn Beck said when someone told him his rally fell on the same day as the 47th anniversary of Dr. King's speech. He called it "divine providence." Seriously? Does this man take all of us for idiots? I don't believe for one second that this was in any way a coincidence. The rally to commemorate Dr. King's speech has been taking place for
years. Out of all the Saturdays in all the weeks of the year, "divine providence" led Beck to schedule his rally on this particular Saturday? When asked about this issue, Beck responded--and I am paraphrasing here--by saying Blacks don't own Martin Luther King just like Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln. He went on to say--again paraphrasing--that Dr. King and Abraham Lincoln are American icons and this rally is to honor character. I would have believed Mr. Beck if he had simply stated that no one owns that day or the ideals of Dr. King and he chose Saturday to commemorate the good Doctor and President Lincoln as symbols of honor, integrity and character. I do believe in providence, just for the record, but I just simply do not believe it in this case.
Judging from the past events that have surrounded the Tea Party, I am quite concerned that this rally is going to end in altercations and perhaps even violence. I hope to God that the spirit of Dr. King is remembered and present Saturday, on what many worry could be a day of confrontation. Here's hoping it turns out to be a huge love-fest instead. The past, however, suggests a different outcome, one in which two groups on opposite ends of the political and social spectrum will occupy the same area at the same time with very different ideals and agendas.
I wish that I could believe that this Saturday, non-violence, unity and respect will once again grace the mall on the anniversary of just such a day, that each side gives a nod to the other in peaceful respect of the good and honorable messages that their respective rallies celebrate as they pass each other by, that the troops are honored for the freedoms that they fight for and provide for us everyday, as is the message that Dr. King delivered on that historic day in 1963. I wish I could believe that what looks like a conflict in the making turns out to be a step in the right direction for this country to continue the healing process and take another step towards the dream that Dr. King so cherished and passed on to all of us.
