You Are Cordially Invited To A Tea Party - April 15, 2009

There is an interesting phenomenon going on throughout our country today. In ways not seen on this scale since the war protests of the 70’s, people are showing our government that they are fed up. Americans young and old are sending the message loud and clear that we are tapped out as a nation and weary of yet more restrictions, bail-outs and tax burdens being heaped upon our shoulders and those of our future generations.

It is not a partisan effort, despite what the ultra-left wing branch of the Democratic party would lead you to believe. There are Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike participating in this show of outrage and frustration. We are exercising our Constitutional rights as Americans, whatever our political affiliations might be, to assembly and free speech. We are, as a people, sending a message that while we respect the office of the President, many of us grow increasingly unhappy with the direction the country is being guided or shoved down a path we do not want.

So, today we protest our frustration and convey our disagreement with policies and new taxes and programs that it are being presented as what “we” want. I for one, am tired of being told what is good for me and to just shut up, sit back and agree with those that do NOT represent my views, despite what they seem to believe. I’m angry with the bail-outs that were passed “for our own good” even though the public outrage and opinion showed that Americans were soundly against their passage.

Washington and those currently in office better pay attention to what is being expressed by the people that have elected them as our representatives. If they are smart, they will not put spin on it or tell us once again what they think we meant to say rather than listening to what we are actually SAYING to them. This is a warning shot for those coming up for re-election that we the people, are paying attention and are discontented with their actions and disregard for what we think.

So, exercise your right to be heard. Even if you believe no one is listening, it is a sure bet that you won’t be heard if you don’t even try. In the past few election cycles it has vividly been shown that even a few individual votes do indeed count. If you choose to sit on your backside, then don’t complain when you are not “bailed out” like the major corporations or fall through the cracks when you thought you’d be saved from your responsibilities and allowed a free pass.

Wake up and smell the tea brewing!

Washington, you are not doing a good job at hearing the people you represent and that elected you. This is not just a fluke or something that will go away if you put your fingers in your collective ears and cover your eyes. To even give the impression, whether accurate or not, that the views of your constituents are falling on deaf ears would be a mistake if you wish to continue to serve the people that elected you. Change is indeed brewing in this country, although I’m not sure that it’s quite the change the current administration envisioned. I beg you, do not make the mistake of dismissing or alienating what is becoming a larger and larger section of the American people clammering to be heard.


On another little, purely personal note, I know that the original Tea Party was located in Boston in 1773. However, we in the South know the TRUE value of tea. Look in any refrigerator in a true Southern household, and you will find a gallon or two (or four) of the best SWEET tea that you’ll ever taste. I know that the Yankees amongst us (hear that oh stoic one?), don’t recognize the simple indulgent pleasure in a glass of sweet tea and insist that having sugar on the table will somehow negate the fact that your restaurants don’t have it available on your menus up North. You just don’t know what you’re missing. Perhaps it’s why Southerners always have a smile on their face and something to say to everyone, even making actual eye contact as we do!! We’re just infused with sweetness from birth through our tea! ;)


Today in Atlanta, our tea party will have sweet tea flowing freely and our voices as proud Americans will be heard loud and clear. The only question is, will those in Washington be smart enough to pay attention and react by rethinking some of their proposed actions?

Time will tell. One thing is certain, ignoring it or making light of such a large group of Americans discontent would be foolish and ill-advised on their part.

“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the
majority who participate.” Thomas Jefferson

**The DHS bulletin released or ”conveniently leaked” on April 7th is troubling in the fact that it seems to be a not so subtle hint that our freedom of speech is being threatened at least by threat of intimidation and at worst incrimination. We all need to pay attention and be vigilant of such veiled threats against our freedoms.

Just Another Day in Paradise!

I was born and raised in Georgia. I’m the proud product of the many varied colorful influences that one can only benefit from if they were immersed in our unique and at times ludicrous way of life here in the South. As most will say of the place they call home, I will admit that I have always felt very fortunate to have had my personality formed with a mixture of family, friends, God and country..with a dash of bizarre thrown in for good measure.

One thing that Southerners are never accused of, is being boring. We tend to have an unique way of looking at life. I will also readily admit that you also have to have a healthy sense of humor and not take yourself too seriously to grow up in the South in order to be able to fully appreciate all it has to offer..from the subtle nuances and tempo of the culture to the in your face eccentricities.

I’m a true Southern Belle raised with cotillions and crazy relatives that in many cases, had colorful pasts..bless their hearts. We had dinner on the grounds once a month after Church on Sunday with some of the best cooking on God’s green earth. We eat supper during the week at night instead of having dinner..BUT the meal in the middle of the day on Sunday was always called dinner. I know the difference in pitching a fit or having a conniption. We worship at the altar of our SEC football teams and life stops on Saturday as we follow what is happening to our beloved Alma maters (in my case, UGA..GO DAWGS!). We eat grits and drink sweet tea. We mind our manners and still say “Yes Ma’am” and “No Sir”. We cannot drive in snow or ice…or are smart enough to pretend not to know how to do it, so that we can have snow days or weeks off now and then. We can literally talk the ears off a June bug.

This week a National Survey was released and conducted by Gallup in partnership with Healthways and America’s Health Insurance Plans that ranked the top areas of the country in terms of residents overall well-being. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the rest of the country will see what I have always known, the county I grew up in and still live in, is ranked second in the nation in the survey.

The survey questioned residents across the country about physical health, life evaluation, emotional health and basic access. Here in Cobb, we scored first in the physical health category, second in life evaluation, fourth in emotional health, and 10th in basic access.

Move over Disney World, there’s a new sheriff in town. Who knew we were already living day to day in the new “Happiest Place on Earth”?? All this time we’ve been spending our vacation money (mortgaging our firstborn in some cases) and risking our sanity to go visit the Big Mouse so that we could immerse ourselves in happiness on the E-ticket rides. If we had ONLY realized we could have stayed home and avoided the crowds!!

So, the message for today is…don’t worry, be HAPPY!!

It appears I’m in better shape than I thought given the changes in the world and economic climate and all the accompanying challenges.

Who knew? (besides us, of course)