Why Left Talks About 'White' Tea Parties

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Why Left Talks About 'White' Tea Parties

By Dennis Prager

Opponents of the popular expression of conservative opposition to big government, the tea parties, regularly note that tea partiers are overwhelmingly white. This is intended to disqualify the tea parties from serious moral consideration.

But there are two other facts that are far more troubling:

The first is the observation itself. The fact that the Left believes that the preponderance of whites among tea partiers invalidates the tea party movement tells us much more about the Left than it does about the tea partiers.

It confirms that the Left really does see the world through the prism of race, gender and class rather than through the moral prism of right and wrong.

One of the more dangerous features of the Left has been its replacement of moral categories of right and wrong, and good and evil with three other categories: black and white (race), male and female (gender) and rich and poor (class).

Therefore the Left pays attention to the skin color -- and gender (not just "whites" but "white males") -- of the tea partiers rather than to their ideas.

One would hope that all people would assess ideas by their moral rightness or wrongness, not by the race, gender or class of those who hold them. But in the world of the Left, people are taught not to assess ideas but to identify the race, class and gender of those who espouse those ideas. This helps explain the widespread use of ad hominem attacks by the Left: Rather than argue against their opponents' ideas, the Left usually dismisses those making the argument disagreed with as "racist," "intolerant," "bigoted," "sexist," "homophobic" and/or "xenophobic."

You're against race-based affirmative action? No need to argue the issue because you're a racist. You're a tea partier against ever-expanding government? No need to argue the issue because you're a racist.

As a Leftist rule of thumb -- once again rendering intellectual debate unnecessary and impossible -- white is wrong or bad, and non-white is right and good; male is wrong and bad, and female is right and good; and the rich are wrong and bad, and the poor right and good. For the record, there is one additional division on the Left -- strong and weak -- to which the same rule applies: The strong are wrong and bad, and the weak are right and good. That is a major reason for Leftist support of the Palestinians (weak) against the Israelis (strong), for example.

This is why, to cite another example, men are dismissed when they oppose abortion. The idea is far less significant than the sex of the advocate. As for women who oppose abortion on demand, they are either not authentically female or simply traitors to their sex. Just as the Left depicts blacks who oppose race-based affirmative action as not authentic blacks or are traitors to their race.

In this morally inverted world, the virtual absence of blacks from tea party rallies cannot possibly reflect anything negative on the black and minority absence, only on the white tea partiers.

But in a more rational and morally clear world, where people judge ideas by their legitimacy rather than by the race of those who held them, people would be as likely to ask why blacks and ethnic minorities are virtually absent at tea parties just as they now ask why whites predominate. They would want to know if this racial imbalance said anything about black and minority views or necessarily reflected negatively on the whites attending those rallies.

And if they did ask such un-PC questions, they might draw rather different conclusions than the Left's. First, they would know that the near-absence of blacks and Hispanics no more implied racism on the part of tea partiers than the near-absence of blacks and Hispanics in the New York Philharmonic implies racism on the art of that orchestra.

Second, they might even, Heaven forbid, conclude that it does not reflect well on the political outlook of blacks and Hispanics that they so overwhelmingly identify with ever-larger government. Leftist big-government policies have been disastrous for black America just as they were in the countries that most Hispanics emigrated from. But like the gambling addict who keeps gambling the more he loses, those addicted to government entitlements keep increasing the size of the government even as their situation worsens.

Finally, if one eschews the "racism" explanation and asks real questions, one might also conclude that America generally, and conservatives specifically, have failed to communicate America's distinct values -- E Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust, and Liberty (which includes small government) -- to blacks and Hispanics.

Unfortunately, however, no real exploration of almost any important issue in American life is possible as long as the Left focuses on the race, gender and class of those who hold differing positions. And that will not happen. For when the Left stops attacking people and starts arguing positions, we will see what the Left most fears: blacks and Hispanics at tea parties.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/05/02/why_left_talks_about_white_tea_parties_105317.html

[rsn 135]

I don't think teabaggers are racist. I do however know that they are misguided sheep with waaaaaaay too much time on their hands.

Edited May 2, 2010 by rsn

[Pooky 3,785]

Unfortunately, however, no real exploration of almost any important issue in American life is possible as long as the Left focuses on the race, gender and class of those who hold differing positions. And that will not happen. For when the Left stops attacking people and starts arguing positions, we will see what the Left most fears: blacks and Hispanics at tea parties.

I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.

Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd in The American President [1995]

Transpose "The Left" for Bob Rumson and I'd say it may just be Hollywood, but it's damned close.

[Danno 1,228]

I've been to a few Teas Party events and while it's true they are Majority white, it's also true every Gay rights political gathering is as well.

ANd if the Tea party crowd is mostly white, so what,...... why is it admirable for others to gather in whatever movement appeals to them but Whites can't?

I wonder if the -Million Man March- had an ample amount of hispanics asians or Whites?

No the truth is, the Left is obsessed with Race, where I have never heard word or read one sign which had anything to do with racial issues, they are convinced (or they are trying to convince) race has an element to the Tea Parties..... and as the above points out... it must be to avoid the political conversations about Government so many in this country are ready to have.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

According to Alinsky, the organizer — especially a paid organizer from outside — must first overcome suspicion and establish credibility. Next the organizer must begin the task of agitating: rubbing resentments, fanning hostilities, and searching out controversy. This is necessary to get people to participate. An organizer has to attack apathy and disturb the prevailing patterns of complacent community life where people have simply come to accept a situation. Alinsky would say, “The first step in community organization is community disorganization.”

Through a process combining hope and resentment, the organizer tries to create a “mass army” that brings in as many recruits as possible from local organizations, churches, services groups, labor unions, corner gangs, and individuals.

[john & jean 37]

only whites disapprove of Obama

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

I do however know that they are misguided sheep with waaaaaaay too much time on their hands.

like these?

[Peikko 1,575]

These OP ed pieces are crud. They take a stupid premise and then prove how evil the left(right or whoever it is that is the target of the piece) is by carefully constructing an outrageous house of cards based on it. If you are fooled by this type of journalism, well, nothing can be said to you to make you change your opinions. Too bad.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[JohnSmith2007 353]

These OP ed pieces are crud. They take a stupid premise and then prove how evil the left(right or whoever it is that is the target of the piece) is by carefully constructing an outrageous house of cards based on it. If you are fooled by this type of journalism, well, nothing can be said to you to make you change your opinions. Too bad.

As I mentioned to Madhouse the other day, because the OP ed stories reflect the mindset of the poster. In this case it reflects my mindset. I see bigotry and racism on the left with the "angry white guy" critisizm of the tea party. They don't want to admitt that it is a grassroots movement populated with normal everyday middle class people. They would rather play the race card in attempt to marginalize the movement. This will of course backfire on them since the tea party really is a legit movement.

[Dan J 277]

As I mentioned to Madhouse the other day, because the OP ed stories reflect the mindset of the poster. In this case it reflects my mindset. I see bigotry and racism on the left with the "angry white guy" critisizm of the tea party. They don't want to admitt that it is a grassroots movement populated with normal everyday middle class people. They would rather play the race card in attempt to marginalize the movement. This will of course backfire on them since the tea party really is a legit movement.

What cohesive position on issues does the tea party represent other than opposition to a democrat as president?

[JohnSmith2007 353]

What cohesive position on issues does the tea party represent other than opposition to a democrat as president?

I see that all you know about the tea party is the hype. I guess that is part of the problem. They object the the massive expansion of the goverment, the budget and the inevidable tax hikes that must follow. The few parties I have attended spoke out againsed big spending reps just as much as the dems.

[Danno 1,228]

What cohesive position on issues does the tea party represent other than opposition to a democrat as president?

Are you under the impression Gov. Crist is a democrat or president?

If you've not paid attention, tHe Tea party has a scope much wider than Obama.

[Peikko 1,575]

As I mentioned to Madhouse the other day, because the OP ed stories reflect the mindset of the poster. In this case it reflects my mindset. I see bigotry and racism on the left with the "angry white guy" critisizm of the tea party. They don't want to admitt that it is a grassroots movement populated with normal everyday middle class people. They would rather play the race card in attempt to marginalize the movement. This will of course backfire on them since the tea party really is a legit movement.

Then you should broaden your mind. If you think like this then you are buying into the commentary that the US is divided into left and right and that everyone on one side thinks in one way and everyone on the other side another, that there is no common ground and that it is rational to accuse, breed hatred and stigamatize whoever doesn't represent your views or hold them. That's insane.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Then you should broaden your mind. If you think like this then you are buying into the commentary that the US is divided into left and right and that everyone on one side thinks in one way and everyone on the other side another, that there is no common ground and that it is rational to accuse, breed hatred and stigamatize whoever doesn't represent your views or hold them. That's insane.

No, I don't think my opinion is insane. I think I am quite sane thank you. I am talking about the far left that uses the terms teabaggers and terrorists when talking about the tea party. They are bigots and racists. They see everything through a prism of race or class. Most people are not like that, only the hard left wingnuts.

[Pooky 3,785]

Then you should broaden your mind. If you think like this then you are buying into the commentary that the US is divided into left and right and that everyone on one side thinks in one way and everyone on the other side another, that there is no common ground and that it is rational to accuse, breed hatred and stigmatize whoever doesn't represent your views or hold them. That's insane.

It may be insane, but most Americans I know, IRL and OVJ, don't seem to understand the shades of grey that fill the void between the left and the right. They are definitely into absolutes until an outsider comes in and throws them a few curveballs to think about.