Tea Party Leaders Condemn, Disown Threats Against Lawmakers
March 27th, 2010 . by TexasFredTea Party Leaders Condemn, Disown Threats Against Lawmakers
Tea Party leaders are condemning the rash of threats made against congressional lawmakers, saying violence and vandalism are not what they’re about — and that congressional Democrats are hardly the only ones dealing with intimidation over the health care debate.
The Tea Partiers say they’ve been enduring threats ever since their movement took off last year, and that while protesters were said to have shouted slurs at lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the weekend, other conservative protesters were harassed by counter-demonstrators. Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican Whip in the House, also said Thursday that his campaign office in Richmond was shot at earlier in the week, though police said the bullet may have been randomly fired.
The Tea Party activists claim the latest threats aimed at lawmakers are, for the most part, coming from lone loons not associated with the Tea Party movement — though at least one incident has been linked to Tea Party activists in Virginia. And they say they’re concerned the intimidation could be used to smear those activists who are behaving responsibly.
“We support peaceful means,” said Debbie Dooley, co-founder of the Atlanta Tea Party and a national coordinator for Tea Party Patriots, adding: “There are so many Tea Party groups that are out there. … It’s like herding cats. It’s impossible.”
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Tea Party Leaders Condemn, Disown Threats Against Lawmakers
“There are so many Tea Party groups that are out there. … It’s like herding cats. It’s impossible.”
Yeah, I know that feeling. 
There have been many well documented posts made, here and elsewhere, calling the TEA Party a rudderless ship. I have to tell you, there is a lot of truth in that statement. It’s said by TEA Party detractors as a form of denigration, or so some in the TEA Party say, but there’s more truth in the statements of your enemies than you care to admit on occasion.
Several Florida Tea Party groups released an open letter to Congress and President Obama Thursday night denouncing “all forms of violence.”
“We the leaders of the Tea Party movement of Florida stand in stark opposition to any person using derogatory characterizations, threats of violence or disparaging terms towards members of Congress or the President,” they wrote.
I stand and salute these folks that had the foresight and courage needed to take a stand against this violence being done, and in many instances, blamed on TEA Party members!
These Florida TEA Party groups aren’t making an apology either! They are rebuking the actions of those that are doing violence in the name OF The TEA Party. That’s a GOOD thing!
It has been suggested by many, and I believe it’s more than a passing possibility, that these acts are being committed by agent provocateur types, in an effort to show a bad light on the TEA Party and to stir as much hatred and controversy as possible on the American political scene.
And, among other incidents, somebody cut a propane line attached to a grill at the Virginia home of Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello’s brother. Tea Party activists had posted the address online, apparently believing it was the congressman’s.
Mike Troxel, the blogger who posted the address online, told Fox News’ Alan Colmes that he was encouraging voters to go to Perriello’s house.
“I think people should have the right to have access to their, um, public officials,” he said. When asked if the children of public officials should be harassed at their house just because they’re related, Troxel said, “You know, I think that’s a burden that comes with being an elected official.”
I don’t know if this Mike Troxel guy is really a TEA Party member or not, but IF he is, there is NO WAY that I can agree with his actions. Posting addresses and encouraging people to go to a mans home in protest is a damned good way to get people shot dead! Castle Doctrine.
If you want to protest against my actions, do it in a PUBLIC protest, not on MY front lawn.
But in the aftermath, both Republican and Democratic officials have condemned such behavior. And Tea Party leaders are being particularly vocal.
“I do not believe we should be encouraging people to visit homes because, although we disagree with their policies and their votes, they do have families,” said Dooley, of the Atlanta Tea Party.
Some TEA Party leaders are are being particularly vocal. Thank God they are. Some TEA Party leaders have the GUTS to stand up and say the right thing, to actually go on record and make a logical statement about this crap being done in the name of the TEA Party. Debbie Dooley is a person of courage and integrity!
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., in an interview with MSNBC Wednesday night, said people are getting “signals” from lawmakers on how to behave and that lawmakers need to “disown” the activity before it gets out of control. He suggested his colleagues were culpable.
“If we participate in it, either from the balcony or on the floor of the House, you are aiding and abetting this kind of terrorism, really,” Clyburn said.
I was addressing this very topic on Friday, I called it acts of domestic terrorism, and I was told that I was wrong, in no uncertain terms. WRONG! It was NOT domestic terrorism!
Maybe, in the eyes of some, I was wrong, but I don’t know what else you would call it. If you commit terroristic acts, I don’t give a damn WHO you are, if it happens on American soil and is committed by an American citizen, it’s domestic terrorism. No matter how you try to spin it!
William Owens, a Tea Party activist from Nevada, said there’s no getting around the fact that people are “provoked” because the government is “acting irresponsibly.” But Owens said activists need to “be gentlemen” about their anger.
“I think most people are acting independently,” he said. “I don’t think you’re going to find a credible Tea Party group condoning any of this activity.”
And again, another TEA Party activist heard from, and my oh my, a voice of sanity in the wilderness, saying exactly the same thing I was trying to present to the TEA Party group that I belong to. The big difference being, I was told I was wrong. I was told that this isn’t an issue that WE need to address at a local level. I was told that WE didn’t need to make an apology.
An APOLOGY! Since when has the denouncement of violent acts become an apology? And if not addressed on the local level, where, exactly, is the proper place to address it?
I was told that the National Party needs to address it. What National Party? The TEA Party is a loose confederation of local groups with NO centralized NATIONAL leadership! The closest thing the TEA Party has to National leadership is The TEA Party Express, and there leadership is the one that made the statement about herding cats!
Several Florida TEA Party groups addressed this matter, and yeah, the lady that founded the Atlanta TEA Party addressed it, but isn’t there strength in numbers? Isn’t this a case where as many individual groups as is possible need to unite and make it glaringly apparent that we aren’t doing this, we don’t condone these actions and we condemn those that are acting out in violence in the name of The TEA Party?
One would think so, but it seems that in some cases, one would be wrong.
This is an exact copy of the Open Letter that was going to be posted on The Rowlett TEA Party site. I was TOLD, we didn’t need to get involved. I was TOLD that this is an apology. I was told that my reference to “this is NOT an act that was ordered by The TEA Party Organization, and is not an act that is endorsed by the vast majority of TEA Party groups.” was wrong, that NO TEA Party groups endorsed actions like this was a wrongful statement, even when there is a direct quote from the leader of the Danville, VA TEA Party saying that HE had posted addresses and encouraged people to go to lawmakers HOMES and protest there. I was TOLD that my reference to domestic terrorism was WRONG! You decide!
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An open letter to the President of the United States and both Houses of Congress regarding the recent violence in relation to the Healthcare Bill
It seems that there are some among us that are insistent on doing violence against our elected officials as an outlet to express their anger over the passing of the recent healthcare bill.
Those individuals engaging in acts of violence and domestic terrorism are WRONG in their actions.
We need to reevaluate the healthcare bill that was passed by the Congress and signed by the President, but violence, vandalism and the like is NOT the answer. This is a question of conscience that needs to be settled at the polls.
These acts of violence are NOT the work of PATRIOTS.
They are the ill-conceived efforts of uncouth louts suffering from a strain of violence that they feel must be carried out. Or, perhaps it’s simply the acting out of pure trouble makers that seek to incite radical violence and revolution in this nation.
One thing is a certainty, this is NOT an act that was ordered by The TEA Party Organization, and is not an act that is endorsed by the vast majority of TEA Party groups.
The Rowlett Texas TEA Party does not support these acts of domestic terrorism and condemns those that have committed them.
The Rowlett Texas TEA Party
Board of Directors
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The letter rebuking these domestic terrorists was never posted on the TEA Party site…
I have to confess some difficulty with these violent elements in our political discourse.
I believe threats and civil disobedience are more the stuff of liberals, but I see more and more reason for conservatives and libertarians to legitimately protest what the government is doing.
I personally prefer peaceful revolution, and that’s what I’ll work for. I can’t imagine taking up arms against fellow Americans, or anything nearly so drastic.
But people become frustrated when peaceful protest does not bare results, and they wonder if anybody will pay attention to them. At some point in every revolution there comes that flash point where otherwise peaceful folk come to believe that peaceful protest isn’t working and the next step is, if not guns in the streets, some form of violence. Maybe it’s making threats; maybe it’s shooting out an office window; maybe it’s a physical confrontation. I’m no expert on this stuff. Perhaps we ought to ask William Ayers or one of those guys.
I wonder if what we are seeing is perhaps that frustration boiling over in some people?
Whatever the state of things, if Obama and the Congress don’t wake up pretty soon, things likely will get worse.
Well sir, as in 99.9% of the time, you ain’t wrong!
After watching the Democratic party in action it would not surprise me if they staged themselves or embellished on any so called attacks. This type of activity is part of the socialists handbook to gain power by discrediting those you wish to gain power/control over.
CAVOK
As I posted elsewhere,at Anthony’s Examiner I think. I have a feeling that these things have been done by juveniles, or agents of the left. None of us are either that immature, or that stupid.
I don’t think it was the folks in the Tea Party Express bus throwing eggs at the Reid supporters, do you? And yet, they all want you to believe it’s US who is hostile and violent? I don’t bloody well think so! Granted, eggs aren’t the same as bricks, but I’ve no doubt, if there hadn’t been so much media coverage, bricks could well have been in play, and worse.
And even now, there ARE TEA Party members that won’t stand and denounce those that ARE doing the violence…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t the American Revolution an act of violence that lasted over 8 years. Is the US now near a 2nd American Revolution? I submit the US is in that position. Decades of abuse by politicians on both sides of the aisle against those who elected them may be coming to a head.
The Left for decades has ‘cried wolf’ about the violent Right-wing. Careful what you cry wolf about, as that wolf may appear and eat you alive.
All I can say is that I too disagree with the violent approach. However, in the 50+ years I have been a voter, I have never seen a reaction like this to anything the Congress or the President has done. It should send a message. I guess however they will continue to turn deaf ears, make a big deal about the acts of the few to mask the real issues. Vote in November 2010 and in November 2012—that is the best way. Americans need to overcome their apathy.
Do we call Washington, Jefferson and Franklin domestic terrorists? While a violent change in government is now not appropriate, it can’t be ruled out being used in the future as a last resort if that is the right and just means to a free Republic. For now its throw the bums (Marxists) out through the elective process. Basti makes a good point it that “We The People” have had all we can stand. Time to bide our time and see what November brings.
Washington, Jefferson and Franklin et al, exhausted every avenue in an effort to attain a peaceful resolution,
I feel that November is the end of the line, if this nation can’t be turned 180° and returned to some solid Conservative ground, if, by some act of Executive Order the elections weren’t held due to a declaration of martial law, that may be the end of it, we can only take so much…
I don’t know if these random acts of vandalism are committed by tea party members or not, but I do recall many acts of violence leading up to WWII in Germany were committed not by those who opposed the Nazi, but by the Nazi themselves and blamed on others and one must remember the Nazi learned many of their tactics from the American progressive movement. So for now I will not point the finger at the right on these incidents but will keep a suspicious eye on the sneaky left.
Hmmm! Read up on Norman Matoon Thomas. You might find it interesting in relation to the above comments.