Don’t dis the Tea Party!
The Harvard Crimson wrote a really condescending, insulting editorial the other day, claiming that the Tax Day Tea Parties were “puerile,” hurt conservatism, and had no purpose. I completely disagree with everything that was said in this editorial and feel the need to respond to it.
I attended part of the Tea Party in Boston, and it was one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed. I don’t think I could come up with one negative thing to say about the Tea Party; it really was that awesome. The Crimson, however, managed to come up with quite a few…
First, the Tea Party was by no means “puerile” and by no means a “tantrum,” as they claim. Crowds of libertarians, social conservatives, and moderate Republicans converged peacefully on the Boston Common, waving flags and holding signs, and then marched to Christopher Columbus Park, where they dumped tea into the harbor and cheered. Somehow I doubt the Crimson would have described a similarly peaceful rally for gay marriage, gun control, or increased taxation as a “tantrum.”
Second, the Tea Parties did not marginalize conservatism but instead united conservatives and provided them with a worthwhile cause to rally around. While many in attendance were Republican and Libertarian activists, there were also numerous people who had simply stopped by during their lunch breaks or had seen the demonstrators and decided to join in. If Boston’s Tea Party was any example, the protests united conservatives of all types and brought normally apathetic people into the movement.
Third, although the Crimson claims that “it is not entirely clear what the protesters were protesting,” to me it was obvious. We were protesting taxes, and we were protesting spending. We were protesting big government in all its forms, or more accurately, celebrating individual liberty. Why does the Crimson staff find liberty so hard to understand?