I agree that the display was unnecessarily militant, from a gain political traction standpoint. The Tea Party movement (I'm only basing this on what I've heard at rallies) is about a government out of control. The taxes are the catalyst for the ground swell, as they were in the original "tea party" (along with the Stamp Act and other sundry infringements) but that is not what the Tea Party is about.frazzled wrote:
No basically he brought a rifle to a POLITICAL RALLY BY A GROUP ALL ABOUT REDUCING TAXES AND DEFICIT SPENDING.
Whats next? Take your rifle to the Soccer Mom Rally? How about the next St. Patrick's Day Parade? Its about as appropriate. Its legal then too, and just as stupid.
You have an NRA parade, great. RKBA parade, great. Open Carry rally, great. Potato Day celebrations, not so much.
I understand the concerns about a hostile media and a more hostile administration, but a movement based on liberty and having grown to the size of this one is going to attract the occasional fringe dweller. But as Tea Partiers are disinclined to restrict someone based on demographics or political affiliation (I have met my fair share of Democrats at these rallies) I doubt they would then be inclined to restrict someone for exercising their 2A rights...provided they behaved themselves.
So allow me a different tack. The media is and will be hostile regardless of how well organized, articulate or massive. The administration will continue to marginalize anyone who dissents until they are ejected by a (finally) active electorate. IMHO, we need to quit worrying about making a good impression on a hostile propaganda machine and focus on what's next. What is the strategy, what are the tactics and how do we accomplish our goals?
As for the occasional AK-47 totin' guy...
