My letter to the Kingwood Tea Party Committee

Hello,

Let me set out my credentials first. I am a registered Republican all of my adult life. I have voted Republican in every Presidential election since 1976 and in every Senatorial, House, and state office election. I believe Ronald Reagan was the greatest President of my lifetime, I proudly introduced to 12 year old son to George HW Bush this past spring as they shook hands, and like you I have serious concerns about the direction the nation is headed.

Having said that, I found it troubling to see the tone of your presence at the Independance Day parade in Kingwood, and in particular the yellow sign one of your members was holding that encouraged "Revolt".

It seems to me that Independance Day ought to be one day in the year that we set aside our political differences and celebrate America's founding and common values, rather than making it a divisive day that separates American from American on the basis of political perspectives, as your member's sign did.

My political and economic leanings are with yours; but it disturbs me to see the way America is becoming increasingly a nation of sore losers and whiners. That sign bothered me every bit as much as signs urging "revolt" against the policies of George Bush have bothered me at any time in the previous 8 years of Independance parades.

I am not challenging your right to freedom of speech. I am simply expressing my own to say that I thought it was in poor taste. I had the impression that your people were feeling some negative feedback from the crowd, because less than a half mile from the parade's start, they were already sounding defensive in their remarks to the crowd.

But I took the opportunity to educate my children about the call upon every American to support their government when they can, and to respectfully and responsibly work for change when they cannot support it.

I hope you will evaluate how to present your message in a positive rather than a negative light, so that your message of limited government (with which I agree) will not be lost in the angry and petulant tone of your presentation.