Neo-Conned Again

Writes Kit Maira:

I attended the tax day Tea Party in the San Fernando Valley last night and was appalled at how the anti-tax message has been co-opted by the cynical neocons and their pro war agenda. There was a large crowd of maybe 800 sign-carrying activists with mostly on-topic placards opposing taxes, lots of signs denouncing Obama as a Socialist, a smattering of signs against the Fed, a half dozen in support of Ron Paul and probably the last two remaining Libertarian Party activists in the San Fernando Valley, my friends Joe Miranda and Ed Bowers, handing out leaflets and doing their best to promote the LP.

However, the roar from the stage was a completely different story, as speaker after speaker drummed up pro-war jingoism with constant exhortations about “9-11” this, and how “Obama is in bed with the terrorists,” and how he was opposed to the concept of “American Exceptionalism.” This was all punctuated with chants from the stage of “USA! USA! USA!”, which I am annoyed to say was carried by a large contingent of the audience.

I thought I was going to puke. As the event was dying down the mike was opened to comments so I made my way to the stage to make a statement. I was handed the mike and started to say, “If you want to end taxation, we need to end the war, and bring the troops home.” At that point the lady in charge of the mike immediately lunged for me, grabbing it, while screaming, “Don’t touch me! Don’t ever touch me!” as if to get security to take me down. Fortunately, none emerged.

I left the event feeling angrier then ever. Guess we’ve been Neo-conned again.

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11:07 am on April 16, 2009