For the “greater good”…
I love all of the political energy flowing these days and how people are finally shaking free of their decades of political hibernation and engaging on almost every topic of the day.
The “Tea Party” are few in number when considered on a national scale, but their impact shouldn’t be underestimated. Regardless of what you may think their motivation is, fear, racism, altruism, or religion, they are stirring up everyone. Many call them ignorant, others call them extremist, some consider them highly educated and wise - ahead of their own time, or a throwback to an earlier one.
As individuals, I’m sure you can find examples of every positive or negative stereotype in that group. To be sure, the media has gravitated towards the more “interesting” examples, which often leads to them being shown in unflattering situations, with seemingly uneducated slogans, or more hard-line stances.
The best question to ask isn’t whether they are good or evil, wrong or right, its if their impact will be a positive one on the nation or something more damaging and akin to the McCarthy era.
From the viewpoint of how they have evoked heightened political awareness, the result is undoubtedly a positive one. But, the direction that awareness leads and peoples’ corresponding actions will tell the tale in the end.
The Tea Party is an evolving concept lacking a strong consensus of who they are other than the fact that they are fearful of government and the current economic instability. Sure, there are a few basic tenants that seem to be common such as many want more individual protection, less regulation, more economic stability, and less government intrusion into their lives, but currently this is more of a movement driven by what they don’t want rather than one offering specific ideas or suggestions of how these problems might be solved.
The problem is that while this group is in its infant state, its highly subject to manipulation and direction by those with the understanding of group psychology and the wealth to use the internet, media, and other tools to lead these people down a path to achieve more nefarious ends. It’s inevitable that the Tea Party will become better organized, funded, and more well defined in its dogma, but will it be able to remain true to its grass-roots, or will it simply be absorbed and assimilated by the existing politico-corporate world against which they are fighting? Whatever their future, upheaval and pain will be part of it.
The good news is that the more this group stumbles around, the more it is likely to rub people in the traditional right and left the wrong ways and scare the moderates enough that everyone will be forced to come out of the woodwork and become a part of the process instead of remaining the “silent majority” of the 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s.
If this happens, even the most detrimental affects of the birth and growth of this group will ultimately be overshadowed by the net gain in individual involvement and awareness of how this nation is governed - how can that be bad?
