The Unspoken Tea Party Cause

What are those people so mad about? So scared about? Socialism? Communism? Government takeover of health care? I don't think so.

Its easy to take the liberal angle and see this as a racist agenda--lots of white people coming out of the woodwork to protest the black President. I think its slightly more subtle than that. I think what this is about is the last hurrah for the white man. I think white people (and I'm talking about those people who identify by race as a crucial part of their identity) have slowly come to the realization that they are about to become a minority group in this country. The election of a black man and the elevation of a "wise latina" to the Supreme Court are bitter reminders to whitey that his world is changing, that he is no longer in charge.

Is it any wonder that the party of the white man and big business has courted this hateful fringe? Big business is one of the last bastions of white power, especially for white men. So it makes sense that many of the so-called Tea Partiers are middle to upper income. They are not all dumb hicks. Many are well off whites who have theirs and are fearful of losing it. But they are especially fearful of losing it to people of color. Tea Partiers talk at rallies about propping up big business because they think it will be the salvation of white people. They may talk a good anti-government line, but really--does anyone really believe that anti-big government people were silent when we invaded a sovereign nation and killed 100,000+ people without just cause and have found their voices only when we're threatened with something like (gasp) health insurance coverage for almost everyone? Please!

There will be a day, long after we are all dead and gone, when most people are of mixed race, and it will be a novelty for someone to be only one race, kind of like the rare kid nowadays who comes from a two parent family. Maybe then we'll worry about things that really matter and bigots will be a thing of the past. Too bad we won't be here to see it.