LV Ramblings Appeals Tea Party Expulsion

(Blogger's Note: Now that I've lost my Graceland appeal, time to try again. Below is the letter of appeal I am sending to the LV Tea Party today.)

This is in response to a Joe Hilliard and Kim Schmidtner sponsored polemic dated March 29, which apparently bans me from the tea party. The purpose of this letter is to exercise my right of appeal to the general membership.

At the onset, I must say I had no idea I was even a member. Now I know how those damn Commies felt when they were hauled before Senator McCarthy in the good ol' days.

You have ostracized me for a supposed violation of a bylaw providing for removal "for acts that could harm the reputation of the Organization." You cite four blogs I penned as proof of an attempt to "smear, mock and divide the members of the Group in order to try to render our Organization ineffective, if not an attempt to destroy it."

Actually, there were more than four. You missed a few.

According to Tea Party Principle #8, "It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion." Those are your words, not mine. This obviously encourages precisely the kind of criticism I've done. To the extent your bylaw is inconsistent with Principle #8, it must be ignored.

In addition to ostracizing someone for doing exactly what is encouraged by Principle #8, you are acting unevenly. I have learned that the Executive Board has in other cases given warnings instead of the ultimate sanction. In addition, you have winked at racist comments from member Carl Edwards, who even conducted a Jefferson Davis Appreciation Day. Doesn't that hurt your reputation much more than what I write? In fact, shouldn't you be ashamed to support a member who claims, on your own site, that "[t]he old republic basically died when Lincoln's war machine triumphed at Appomattox"?

It appears that you condemn critics while supporting bigots.

I'll note that my criticism of the local tea party is mostly aimed at the blowhards at the top, Joe Hilliard and Kim Schmidtner. Hilliard incredibly even gives himself credit for breaking the Kids for Cash corruption in Luzerne County, which should be news to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

What really bothers Hilliard and Schmidtner is that they, and not the tea party, have been criticized. As for the local tea party, I've been pretty complimentary by bottom-feeding blogger standards. In fact, I'm routinely called a tea-bagger, although that might be a reference to my sexual practices with chipmunks. Here's what I've said.

My Easton Neighbor Visits the Tea Party - "I've attended three of their monthly meetings and can plainly see that, contrary to the negative caricatures painted by our mainstream media, most members are pretty much the same as the rest of us."

LV Tea Party Asks LC Comm'rs To Balance Budget, Tie Wage Hikes to Revenue - "As I've mentioned before, the Lehigh Valley Project 9-12/Tea Party Group is a growing presence in local government."

The Rise of the LV Tea Party - "It is refreshing to see one group speaking for the taxpayer."

LC Comm'rs, Confronted by Tea Party, Trim 16% Tax Hike to 14% - "The "takers," as one spectator called them, were heavily outnumbered last night by rowdy tea party members, who were squeaking pretty loudly themselves."

LV Tea Party Invades LC Comm'r Meetings - "I've been very critical of this nonprofit for its political activity and unelected leadership. But the recent excommunication of Ron Shegda does demonstrate that this grass roots group is making a sincere effort to remain above the partisan fray."

So I am exercising my right to take this to the rank-and-file, and away from power-hungry demagogues. Please advise the date and time of my appeal at your earliest convenience so I can notify my representative, Ron Angle.