October 21, 2011 4:40 PM
What is “the Tea Party” anyway?
Since the spring of 2009 when this phenomenon sprang up, there have been many articles and lots of time on TV and radio devoted to the subject, but confusion persists. Is the Tea Party a political party? Are they terrorists? Are they racists? Are they none of these? Some of these? Something else entirely?
I think I can shed light on this. I’m the 2011 chairman of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association, or CCTA in short-speak. We’re the group that has given all the Tea Party rallies that have been held in New Bern and Havelock.
We are non-partisan and do not endorse candidates. However, we do have a philosophy of government. In a nutshell, we favor small government, low taxes, adherence to the Constitution, unshackling the free enterprise system so that it can create the opportunity for prosperity for all, and personal freedoms coupled with personal responsibility. Simple. Sound. Solid.
Many of our members (as individuals, not as CCTA members) are very active in political parties. Many of us have worked very hard for candidates we believe are aligned with our philosophy of government.
Racists? No. As a matter of fact, I’ve heard many of our members talking among themselves in social conversations express the notion that they’d like to see Herman Cain become our next president. If this is true, and it most certainly is, where could this racism charge have originated? I believe it comes from groundless charges made by people who use government “charity” (an oxymoron if ever I’ve heard one) to buy votes and in the process convince groups of people that their group cannot possibly fend for itself and prosper. Quite the opposite, their group is ill prepared to look after themselves and their families; they need and must get government aid. What a dastardly thing to do to people, but it happens.
Terrorists? Nope. We want the government off our backs and out of our lives. (I prefer to choose my own light bulbs, thank you.) We express ourselves clearly, but we recognize the right of others to think differently. We do not want to force people to believe as we do. We do work very hard to educate and persuade. Our members tend to be very concerned about children and grandchildren. Most of our members are well educated (some with advanced degrees and some self educated). While we tend to be opinionated, most have very kind hearts and are very generous with their time and talents. Most, perhaps all, are religious.
We are not formally affiliated with other Tea Party groups, but we do have a Tea Party chairman, Lynn Childs, who organizes our rallies and is our “ambassador” to other groups. From time to time, we do a project or take a trip (to Raleigh or D.C., for example) with another group. We have informative speakers at our monthly meetings, sponsor Constitution classes, and conduct candidate forums during election years. Some of our members write letters to the editor from time to time, and one of our members, C.A. Lee, has just had her marvelous book, “Shifting Culture: Revival, Revolution or Ruin,” published.
Some of the other Tea Party groups in North Carolina, Tea Party Patriots and Americans for Prosperity, for example, are affiliated with other groups of the same names. Some are completely individual as we are. Each of the groups I’m aware of has few simple tenants (similar to, but not necessarily exactly the same as ours) that they espouse. Some of these groups do formally endorse candidates.
The real strength of “the Tea Party” is its diversity. These groups have spontaneously grown up all across our country formed by concerned citizens who want to improve our country so that all our citizens have the opportunity to prosper and pursue happiness.
Raynor James, New Bern
CCTA CHAIRMAN
NEW BERN, NC
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