I am referring to that very English ritual of afternoon tea, and yes, this mum has uttered those words.
Seems to me a LOT of tea is being poured these days across the US, as impromptu "Tea Parties" are being held to display displeasure with the current administration's "stimulus" economic fixes.
There is an interesting history of tea (work with me here.)
Back in the 1640s England was involved in a Civil War, which ended in the beheading of their King, Charles I, in 1649. Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protectorate of Britain and his brand of violent Puritanism swept over the country. In 1658, tea was first introduced to Britain, but it didn’t become very popular then. People had too many other things on their minds. Cromwell died in that year and the country was wondering what to do next. The monarchy was returned to Britain in 1660 in the form of Charles II, son of the beheaded former King. In 1663, Charles II married Catherine of Braganza. Part of her dowry was large chests of tea. Tea drinking then became popular at Court. Tea was very expensive, and not easy to obtain, so was kept in locked chests which are now prized and very treasured antiques. If you watch the British Antiques Roadshow, you often see tea chests of great value. The tea clipper ships began to run between England and the Orient to bring tea to the British people....
By the early 1800s, George III had lost the American colonies, where tea had been thrown into the sea rather than having high taxes paid on it without representation in the British Parliament. He had suffered bouts of madness and his son, George, had been declared Prince Regent. [make a cup of tea, and go read the rest here]
And the Boston Tea Party was born:
Victory in the French and Indian War was costly for the British. At the war'sconclusion in 1763, King George III and his government looked to taxing the American colonies as a way of recouping their war costs. They were also looking for ways to reestablish control over the colonial governments that had become increasingly independent while the Crown was distracted by the war. Royal ineptitude compounded the problem. A series of actions including the Stamp Act (1765), the Townsend Acts (1767) and the Boston Massacre (1770) agitated the colonists, straining relations with the mother country. But it was the Crown's attempt to tax tea that spurred the colonists to action and laid the groundwork
for the American Revolution.
Colonialists attack, tar and feather a hapless tax collector (great article here)
This all brings us to today, and across America, impromptu "Tea Party" groups are gathering at legislatures to voice their disapproval of the current "stimulus" economic fixes.
All over the internet, regular Americans are coordinating protests against the humungous pork stuffed into the very IRregular approach to America's financial woes. The grassroots movement is spreading so fast, even the pigs don't have time to keep up. And yes, pork IS being served at some of the demonstrations. Michelle Malkin has ongoing updates as more Americans discover they CAN make their voices heard. Her latest update, with more venues is here. And be sure and read the comments for MORE tea parties.
Wake Up America has a great round up today of many of the "tea parties" scheduled:
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Tea Party Movement
Late on this one but the "Anti-stimulus "Tea Party" movement seems to have grown considerably since I first heard of it, so, without further ado, let us take a look at what is going on around the country.
Last week you may have seen or perhaps heard about CNBC’s Rick Santelli and his report from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, ground zero for American capitalism and free market commerce, where he called for a “Taxpayer Tea Party” in the wake of efforts to enact a new, multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded housing bailout.
I received yet another email today, referring to the "Tea Party", so to explain concisely, here is a bit of that email:
If you are like me, you stood up and cheered.
Rick was channeling what so many limited government advocates have been feeling now for a long time when it comes to out-of-control spending on the backs of hardworking U.S. taxpayers to reward the irresponsible and the corrupt: enough is enough!...
No one has said it better than Rick Santelli of CNBC when, on the floor of the Chicago Exchange, ground zero for American capitalism and free market commerce, he called for a “Taxpayer Tea Party” in the wake of efforts to enact a new, multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded housing bailout.
In the new Obama Administration the bailout train continues to run full steam towards the destruction of our American capitalist system and ultimately to outright socialism. It must be stopped!
FreedomWorks and others in the limited government community stand with Rick and want to make this modern day taxpayer revolt a reality. Will you join us? Sign up for this event using the form below. If you would like help organizing a protest in a city that is not listed, please contact us.
The interesting part about that site is the amount of locations you can sign up for, and the encouragement for more people to have their own "Tea Party."
Fort Myers, FL - Feb. 27, 11:00am - 1:30pm, Bowditch Point Park
Denver, CO - Feb. 27, 10:00am, Colorado State Capitol Building - 200 E. Colfax Ave, EAST side steps
Saint Louis, MO - Friday, February 27th, 11:00am - 12:00pm, The Steps of the Arch on Wharf Street
Los Angeles, CA - Saturday, July 4th, Santa Monica Pier, 7:00am-12:00pm
Boston, MA - Saturday, July 4th, 12:00pm, Griffin Harbor
Chicago, IL - July 4th, 7:00pm, Belmont Harbor, Lakeshore Drive
Vancouver, WA - April 18th, Lawn of Clark County Courthouse, 11am to 1pm
Kansas City, MO - Saturday, Feb. 28th, 10:00am - 2:00pm, J.C. Nichols Foundation, 47th and J.C. Nichols Parkway...
There follows a long list of venues, plus links to sites that give you step by step help in how to set up your own neighbourhood "Tea Party." Go here to get informed.
The people ARE speaking! Speak LOUDER, all the way to the halls of Congress and the White House.
And yes, you CAN be mum! Just get pouring on the noise.
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