Tea Party battle re-ignites over pressure to abandon "social issues"
Reaction to homosexual group's attempt to subvert movement
POSTED: Dec. 10, 2010
Ever since July when a Tea Party planned for the historic Lexington Battle Green was shut down by RINO Republicans who objected to the pro-family, pro-morality message, a battle has flared over whether so-called "moderates" have the right to silence social conservatives. This re-ignited the following month when one of the same RINO activists attempted to stop a South Boston Tea Party from taking place.
Recently the homosexual "conservative" group GOProud has raised the stakes by mounting a campaign to try to persuade national Tea Party leaders that the movement should avoid social issues completely. However, as the homosexual news service Edge Boston reported, it didn't work -- GOProud was rejected by Tea Party Leaders.
But the moderates, social libertarians, and others attached to the Tea Party movement (we all know who they are) have stepped up the pressure to succeed where GOProud failed. They are re-doubling their efforts to purge the Tea Party movement -- and even the larger conservative movement -- of anything beyond "fiscal issues." Some are even acting under the guise of "pro-family".
Last week Rich Howell, an organizer of the Pioneer Valley Tea Party and active participant in state Tea Party strategy, who is also President of the Natural Rights and Laws Compact in western Massachusetts, began to strike back. He has written a Statement of Principles that he and others are circulating to Tea Parties across the state. It is already gathering wide support.
We are pleased to include it below as we give our brothers and sisters the call not to back down!
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Rich Howell addressing Tea Party gathering in South Boston last summer. |
Government, morality, freedom, and the Tea Party movement
by Richard Howell
11/30/2010
Not all of us agree on everything, true. The majority of us agree on most everything. What brought is together was the threat of losing more of our freedom, more of our liberty and more of the right to govern ourselves.
Where in the Constitution does the Federal government have the right to grant privileges because of sexual proclivities? How does the government stay out of our affairs through "Hate Crimes" legislation? Where in the Massachusetts Constitution does it give the SJC the right to legislate from the bench? A father is led away in handcuffs because he insisted that his son's school follow the law to opt out of any sexual curriculum a parent feels inappropriate. Do you approve of that? But you do not want to mention these because it offends groups who actively oppose us.
Telling large numbers of our people to stay away is what has divided our movement. The problem is not covering social issues. The problem is an edict not to cover them at all. That misguided notion is what brought the state GOP to ruin. No one is telling anyone what to talk about except not to talk on the social issues. If a local organization chooses not to cover a subject that is up to them. Otherwise do not make it the issue the way the non social issues crowd has. That has been the divisive force. The left would love nothing more than to see us separated because when we unite we win.
Planned Parenthood, Mass Equality and the like are extreme leftist groups who fight us with every cent they have. Much of it financed with our tax dollars, this is an issue to tackle not avoid. They support big intrusive government the same way as do unions.
All of these groups on the left unite. We need to do the same. Mass Resistance has spoken at many Tea Party events across the state. They were as well received as any group we have invited. There was no backlash from any except those few undermining Tea Party events alongside establishment GOP types. Nor has it detracted from our mission to shrink intrusive government. Many of these same people also warn us to stay away from immigration, guns and foreign policy. We were even told by this same crowd to avoid the Center for Small Government. That is terribly naive and self destructive.
The Founding Fathers were men of faith who believed in addressing all issues. Most of us today also have faith; it is what sustains us through all of this. None takes issue with those few who may not. Do not remove it from the majority because of the minority. After all that is the mindset we are fighting. The original Sons of Liberty and Tea Party participants did not stop at one issue. Most of us shall not either.
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