Your Opinion: Response to Smith on Tea Party

Dear Editor:

On a cold Dec.16, 1773, a group of outraged citizens gathered to throw tea into Boston Harbor. Why? To protest Lord North's deal with the British East India Tea Company to allow a monopoly in exchange for lower tea prices so Britain could continue to collect tax from the colony's with no increase in the retail price of tea.

Of course the colonists had no say in Britain's government but what difference does that make? Does this sound somewhat like what the Obama administration is doing to us today? I would say what Britain was trying to do then doesn't hold a candle to what the Obama administration is doing to us taxpayers today.

Picture this. Glen Beck's eighth great-grandfather, in the costume of an Indian, face painted black with coal dust, with a tomahawk in hand ready to board the British ships and to break open the chests of tea and throw them into Boston harbor. (Re: Anonymous, "Account of the Boston Tea Party by a Participant, (1773)"

And then there's a T. Smith sitting on Griffin's wharf all upset about these renegade colonists and what terrible action they're taking against this most generous and benevolent government. What to do, what to do? He decides to write a letter to Richard Draper, the editor of the Boston News-Letter and tell them what he thinks of Beck and their attack on our wonderful protective and caring government.

Smith writes, "While the Tea Party has political consequences for our country, they are not really a political constituency. They believe they are the "true' America and they are personally under attack. They are fervent in this belief. Liberals and moderates must realize this force in the Republican (Tea) Party does not respond to reason. They love martyrdom!"

I would bet T. Smith, a Loyalist (also called Tories, Royalists or Kings Men), after George Washington's crossing the Delaware for a major defeat of the Hessians on Dec. 26, 1776, immediately began to plan his move to a place like Florida or Ontario or New Brunswick, which remained loyal to the King.

Isn't it ironic we are hearing recently about American citizens relinquishing their citizenship due to the high and unfair taxing policies of our government? Yet the Tony Smith's, just like the Loyalists, continue to support a greedy and corrupt government. Why? They believe socialism trumps freedom!