It did not look good. When I walked into Chrin's Community Center and Star Chamber for my trial before the Lehigh Valley Tea Party on Friday night, there was a table set up at the front of the room with two presenters, i.e. prosecutors, and a "presiding officer" who himself had already made up his mind that I was guilty as hell.
There were actually supposed to be three prosecutors. King of the Tea Party, Joe Hilliard, was going to step down from his throne and act as Grand Inquisitor. But as the clock ticked closer and closer to 7 PM, Hilliard was nowhere to be found.
He was probably off somewhere, toppling some County government with a slice of pizza. So it fell to the LV Tea Party Unofficial Blogger, Wayne Schissler, to assume the role of Chief Hangman. To his credit, he really tried. He brought his laptop and must have spent hours preparing a damning power point presentation that showed beyond all doubt that I have poked fun at the LV Tea Party, especially the pompous and self-important blowhards at the top.
Yes, I did call Queen of the Tea Party, Kim Schmidtner, the Queen of the Tea Party. I even called her the Queen of Mean. Yes, I did question their complete absence of ethnic diversity. Sure enough, I did slam them when they wanted to have a book banned at Easton School District. Yep, I did question how long it would take before these supposed "patriots" trample all over the First Amendment and censor ideas simply because they disagree with them?
I've certainly been very critical, but I've also been very complimentary. Most members are no different than you. They're actually much nicer than me, and are by no means extremists. But they are upset about the direction of this country, and are doing something about it. People like Stan Bialecki now attend every Lehigh County Commissioners' meeting and is known as its 10th member. Donna Rovito, a freelance writer and editor at Liability and Health News Update, has thrown herself into health care reform and is probably the most knowledgeable person I know on that topic, left or right. Mat Benol, to my consternation, was inspired to run against LV Congressman Charlie Dent. As much as I admire Dent, I was impressed by Mat's self-effacing attitude and pragmatism, and so was Dent. The two became friends.
Whatever you might think of the tea party nationally, it has been a positive influence here locally.
But the thought control police were after me. In addition to the nebulous charge of "acts that could harm the reputation of the Organization," they adopted a resolution telling their press dude to stay away from me, even though I just might be the only local blogger who has actually said something nice about them.
The prisoner's box was a seat at a table facing my prosecutors, but I turned my chair around to face my real judges - rank and file tea party members.
My defense was basically that their "9 principles" trumps their goofy by-laws, and one of them specifically provides, "It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion."
Before the hearing got under way, Presiding Officer Tom McFadden told everyone that the proceedings are "confidential" and must stay in the room. I was told that's in the by-laws. The same ones they were already prosecuting me for violating.
Well, as it happens, that's not part of their by-laws at all. That's just what Hilliard, who must subscribe to Paranoia Weekly, was using to control the membership.
During the course of the hearing, the persecutors were forced to admit they had waited an awful long time, more than a year, before going after me. They had never given me any warnings, either. Some people in the leadership had falsely told rank-and-file members that I had been warned.
I pretty much acted like what I am, an asshole. If it were just me, my head would be on a pike in Hilliard's front yard right now. But I was very fortunate that some people in the rank-and-file, like Rovito, Benol and Ronnie Del Bacco, spoke on my behalf.
They understand that the First Amendment even protects bottom-feeding bloggers.
This exoneration sends a message to the Tea Party leadership. Its membership is unhappy with the direction being set by its King and Queen, Joe Hilliard and Kim Schmidtner.
In recent weeks, King Joe has publicly complained that the group's hard-working Secretary is a "bit dense," that there's a "very tiny minority" with a "dangerous agenda." Like Captain Queeg (Caine Mutiny), poor Hilliard seems to be the victim of constantly disloyal officers.
I'm sure he'll find out who stole the strawberries.
28 comments:
Thank you for the compliment about my health care advocacy, Bernie - there are a LOT of people who know more than I do, but it's still nice to be recognized.
I'm glad the membership acknowledged that it's not against the rules to be critical and that those of us who choose to participate in the public arena must accept that there are those who will disagree with us, and that those people may even be less than kind about how they express that disagreement. (I'm talking everyone here, not specifically this blog.)
The Lehigh Valley Tea Party group is comprised of hundreds of intelligent and GOOD people, many of whom have in the past several years chosen to engage in legislative and political discourse for the first time in their lives.
They're educating themselves about important stuff like the Constitution and the goals of our Founding Fathers, the significant issues that affect our nation, and how to make a difference for themselves and the next generation.
They're donating thousands of hours to helping others to get involved and informed, supporting our troops, analyzing current events on their own without the corrupting prism of media bias, and making sure that the people we elect to represent us actually DO represent OUR goals and desires, instead of their own or special interests.
Since the vast majority of us are "new" at this, there are bound to be some stumbles along the way, but we'll continue to learn and adapt and improve ourselves, because what we're doing is so important.
Every stumble is an opportunity to strengthen our core values and cohesiveness as a dedicated group of Americans who, in the end, all want the same things: a stronger nation which is rededicated to the principles set forth by our founding documents, a government which is responsive to the voice of We the People, fiscal responsibility, and government at all levels which is fiscally responsible with OUR money, honest, and transparent.
That said, there's a lot of work yet to be done, but I'm confident that we're up to the challenge.
So does that mean they didn't kick you out?
I wanted your @%#*& ass burned at the stake. Now where do we go from here.
"So does that mean they didn't kick you out?"
I'm sorry to report that I'm still a member of a group to which I never knew I belonged.
"I wanted your @%#*& ass burned at the stake. Now where do we go from here."
They can try again bc this blog alone must have 4 or 5 violations.
Oh boy..I was WAITING for this....LOL
As usual Donna, EXTREMELY well stated!
Hooray! Hoorah! Long live Bernie the Blogger, long may free speech endure. I still don't believe they actually had a trial at the Chrin Center Friday night. You have got to be kidding!!! cate
Believe it or not, there really was a trial.
...many of whom have in the past several years chosen to engage in legislative and political discourse for the first time in their lives.
Since January 20, 2009 in fact!!
Ah yes the Constitution as our "Founding Fathers" wrote it. so when do we get to put the slavery back in, as our "Founding Fathers" intended.
Let me guess part of Donna's expertise on Healthcare is that competition will lower prices as it has for the past thirty years.
Hey look at me I'm an expert! Sorry, I tried to think but nothing happened.
Competition hasn't existed since the federal government created a slop trough and a system to be abused. That was longer than thirty years ago. Turn off MSNBC, stop osessing on Sarah Palin and squeeze real hard to fart an original thought.
Yes, let's continue the fight to take back our country from that commie pinko Obama.
Take it back to the good ole days of the Constitution.
You know FREEDOM. Except for blacks. Except for women.
Might as well stock up with another gun and rifle before they are taken away.
And wait for a Shop-Rite two cans for one sale to stock the bunker.
Oh, for crying out loud, you all KNOW that there are AMENDMENTS to the Constitution, passed in the manner in which our founders intended (because they were really smart and knew that things would change as the nation progressed), and that when someone supports Constitutional values, we support the amendments too!
Oh....and competition in health care WOULD work to bring down health care costs. If we had some. Which we can't, because there's no competition allowed when dealing with the government.
How is the government not allowing competition among health care providers? Costs have gone up by double digit percentages a year for over a decade. Even if you eliminated every medical lawsuit you would not change the cost more than 2 to 3%, so whats your solution? By the way we have free across state line competition amongst gas companies. Notice how their prices are all within a few cents of each other. You can go to Lehigh Valley hospital or Saint Luke's Hospital. Ask them which one will fix your heart cheaper. Be prepared to call a doctor as they throw your ass onto the hard pavement.
By the way, teabaggers have said the "original" constitution is the real one not the amended version that has been bastardized by progressives and activist judges. Read your own newsletters Missy.
Tea Party = the most unintelligent, racist, backward people this country can produce.
by an Anonymous Coward
Actually. I've always considered anonymous blogging trolls who don't even possess the creativity to make up a fake name and who can only regurgitate low-IQ insults they've heard on MSNBC to be "the most unintelligent, racist, backward people this country can produce."
Such moronic behavior is undeserving of the opportunity to engage in civil conversation with decent people.
Anonymous 3:58
You really should stop making moronic staements. But I will give you an opportunity to explain yourself. I presume you are referring to the "3/5's" clause in the Constitution. If you are would you be so kind as to explain it and why it is in there. You and your ilk are responsible for th dumbing down of the nation because you were obvioulsy asleep during American History class
Missy
Let me see, gas companies and insurance companies? Yeah their the samee. Do yourself a favor and check the number of gasoline blends we have in this nation thanks to your friends in the government. Take a look at what happend in NJ when they allowed a multitude of insurance companies to come into the state. And when it comes to health care do you want to explain to me why we have not passed a TORT reform law in this nation or why we don't look at medical coops for those who have pre-existing conditions.
Donna Baver Rovito, why didn't you ad the rest of tea party bother to activate until AFTER Barack Obama was sworn in? Interesting timing.
Anon 10:01
I've been advocating for quality health care and related issues since 1996.
Where have you been?
Ayn Rand, clearly there's been no action on tort reform because the largest contributor to Democratic candidates is the American Trial Lawyers Association (euphemistically renamed the "American Association for Justice.")
Sorry, had to gag....
The teabaggers hate when folks bring up the "slavery" issue. Now you did it.
Yeah they like to trot out good old the "3/5" clause and paint it as what they "feel" it was as opposed to exactly what it was.
They are obsessed with out of context quotes and phrase. It is reflected in their use of the Bible. They often mix and match bible passages that promote their views, while ignoring the context of the usage and even the profound differences in the Old and New Testaments.
It is an old trick of propagandists. The Faux news crew and Limbaugh have used it effectively for years. Sadly many Americans are too lazy to research these so-called "facts" and take them as stated.
No wonder America is headed towards the ash heap of history. The teabaggers are making the nations noose and getting average Americans to help, while their corporate sponsors send the jobs to china and India.
A Real Patriot without the artwork!
Good work anon 7:48.
Real Patriot
I noticed that you spew a lot but nothing factual like your interpretation of the "3/5's" clause. Allow me to suggest that after you finally do read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that you go to Alexix de Tocqueville's book "Democracy in America" It's a big book with big words but you can probably get through it. One of the great things about this work is that de Tocqueville not only points out the greatness of a young America and what he sees for our future, he also warns us of paths to avoid and he notes that if we relagate religion and morality to the dust bin of history we will fail. He makes it plain that if we become and entitlement nation we will surely fail and fall.
As to the Old and New Testements you are correct there are profound differences to the point that people today want to forget the Old Testemant and follow the New until they get to that little reminder at the end known as the Book Of Revelations. Talk about your killer ending.
Do you think that people who use the term "teabagger" in such cavalier fashion would be upset if people who didn't agree with their politics regularly called them "bone----ers" or "co------ers?"
Sorry for all the blank spaces, I don't want to violate Bernie's vulgarity rule. I don't think most of Bernie's readers should have a difficult time filling in the blanks.
The terms are all basically the same thing - pejorative and demeaning terms which describe those who engage in specific sexual practices.
I suspect that most Americas who support tea party principles of limited government which utilizes tax dollars to provide necessary and appropriate services in a RESPONSIBLE manner probably haven't called anyone who supports bigger and more powerful government a "co------er" today.
Although if the wussy "anons" who troll this and other websites continue to use that offensive term about tea party supporters, I suppose we could start....
NAH....nice thought, but we're just not quite that LOW.....
Teabaggers are nothing but Santorum consumers. Google "Santorum" to catch my drift.
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