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The National Tea Party Convention concluded this past weekend, and  If you’ve already read part one, then you know that the tone of the convention was set very early on.  Racial paranoia wafted heavily in the air over the weekend, dampening the intended message of anti-tax, and anti-government intervention the movement was trying to focus on.  It’s hardly a surprise that beneath the surface of the angry, pro-liberty message– exists a bubbling brew of right-wing extremist views– and disdain for cultural changes taking place in the country.  As the convention dragged on, more emphasis seemed to be place on social commentary, and divisive issues.  Here’s an example:

The birther meme seemed to be in vogue, as evidenced by WorldNetDaily’s Joseph Farah’s widely praised speech about the president’s birth certificate, and his citizenship:

“The media, the politicians … all say, no, it’s all been settled. I say, if it’s been settled show us the birth certificate. Simple,” Farah’s said, as his remarks were cheered by the roughly 600 activists gathered in Nashville for the event.

Farah’s role as publisher of the ultra-conservative WorldNetDaily, affords him a consistent base to launch virulent attacks on the president’s citizenship, and fitness for office as seen here.  Farah also led the charge in urging the 600 tea partiers in attendance to engage in a cultural war, and to “take over not only the political institutions, but the cultural institutions, like the press, the entertainment industry, the universities, and yes the churches.”

What occurred after Farah’s speech was, in my estimation, the high point of the entire convention.  Farah got into a heated confrontation with conservative media magnate Andrew Breitbart about the birther issue.  The exchange was almost to good to believe, especially if you believe that the birthers have lost touch with reality.  Here’s a few amazing snippets.  Farah is first, followed by Breitbart:

“It is a winning issue!”

“It’s not a winning issue.”

“It is! It becomes even more of a winning issue when the press abrogates its responsibility–”

“You don’t recognize it as a fundamentally controversial issue that forces a unified group of people to have to break into different parts? It is a schism of the highest order.”

“Nothing exposes the president’s–”

“Then prove it!”

“The press isn’t asking the question–”

“Prove it!”

“Prove what?”

“Prove your case.”

Read the full, amazing text here.  I highly recommend it.

I don’t necessarily have any issues with protest and voter antipathy toward politicians.  In fact, it should be a part of our DNA to engage in active civic discourse.  What demeans the entire process is irrational paranoia and fear-mongering.  It disguises the fundamental disagreements we all have, and dilutes political engagement.  This birther issue is being ridden to the point of exhaustion, and there is no salient outcome that would appease its proponents–save the resignation of the president.

In a way, birthers exist in that same parallel universe homophobes do– questioning existing truths already known– and denying the actual realities because of those truths.  The strains of homophobia were present in Nashville, as speakers denounced the president’s proclamation of a “gay pride month.”  The former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court stated that the president “has elevated immorality to a new level.”  But this one quote takes the proverbial cake:

“[Obama] has ignored our history and our heritage, arrogantly declaring to the world that we are no longer a Christian nation. He has elevated immorality to a new level, setting aside the entire month of June to celebrate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride. He now threatens to change our law to allow homosexuality in our military … He’s apologized to the Arab world for our past, subjugated our national sovereignty by bowing down to the king of Saudi Arabia. He has pursued a socialist agenda by taking control of private companies and pushing a national health care plan with a public option. Backed by a willing Congress, he’s bought off our senators and representatives with our own money in an effort to mandate his agenda.”

Not exactly creating a warm inviting climate in my opinion.  But then, that wasn’t the point here.  The point was to release all of their pent up repression about how this country had the temerity to change, and elect new leadership.  Eight years of ramped up deficits, misguided foreign policy, and illegal torture procedures did nothing to dampen their appetite for more of the same.

And where does Sarah Palin fit into all of this?  Quite snugly actually.  As the keynote speaker Saturday night, Palin pulled out her usual rhetorical assault of President Obama, and the state of the country.  But there was one important difference in her recycled rant this time:  Palin used a black sharpie to remind herself of her talking points.  It wasn’t unusual in and of itself, except for two thing:  She was already reading from prepared notes, and she only wrote down three things on her left hand.  It makes you wonder how prepared she would be if she had to do a Q&A session in hostile territory without the benefit of any prep time (As most politicians worth their salt have to do from time to time).  She couldn’t remember three words?  Maybe she is the right person to lead this movement.

This convention, for all of its blustery, anti-government animus, exposed some seriously dark elements of tea party society. Right or wrong, the meaningful policy arguments this movement may have, will be shrouded under the shadowy hateful rhetoric of many of its speakers.

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