I don't want to hear anything from any of these Tea Party, GOP or Democrats. Apparently the American people haven't been corn holed hard enough yet to do what needs to be done.
Please don't confuse the DC based AFP (American's for Prosperity) with the HUNDREDS of local tea-party organizations in Wisconsin who are grass-roots, formed at the local levels and ENTIRELY committed to the principles of the constitution.
I posted this in another thread, but am also posting it here because I think its very important.
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received this email today from Tim Dake who heads up the tea party group Wisconsin Grandsons of Liberty and also organized the Wisconsin Tea Party coalition. (though he is speaking on behalf of the Grandsons of Liberty in this case as he points out, no one individual speaks on behalf of all the tea party groups that are part of the coalition.)
Nik,
I have read with great dismay the letter sent by Nancy Mistele to the various organizations that she believed might encourage their members to open carry while attending the April 16th Tea Party in Madison. I also read with equally great pleasure your erudite response to Ms. Mistele. I am, and the members of my organization are, appalled at the hubristic attitude of Ms. Mistele and the organization that she represents, Americans For Prosperity - WI. Unfortunately, I am not surprised by this unpleasant development as our own involvement in the preparations for the Tea Party proved similarly frustrating – to the point where we ceased planning.
I have heard from some members of the tea party community that were deeply offended by Ms. Mistele’s letter and subsequently opted to boycott the event in Madison. Many found it hypocritical to be, in part, celebrating the Constitution while denying a basic freedom guaranteed by that very charter. The implied threat of arrest for exercising a lawful freedom was simply too much to accept from an organization that claims to champion our constitutional rights.
The WI GrandSons of Liberty terminated any association with AFP nearly a year ago due to this type of behavior involving last year’s Tax Day tea party under their previous director. We support the United States and Wisconsin Constitutions in their entireties. We do not believe that the Constitution is an a la carte menu from which one can pick and choose the portions that we support. It is our firm belief that the Second Amendment is the insurance of all of our other constitutional rights. We hold that active exercise of our Second Amendment right keeps that right strong and uninfringed.
AFP-WI, the collection of tea party type groups that they fund and control, and Nancy Mistele do not speak for the rest of the tea party movement in Wisconsin. I can only speak for the WI GrandSons of Liberty and I do not know of any single person involved in the WI Tea Party movement that can speak for all of the groups. But the WI GrandSons of Liberty wish to be clear that we completely and unequivocally support open carry at any and all of our events where it is legal. We would like to stress that Wisconsin Carry and all other pro-Second Amendment organizations are welcome to freely exercise their Second Amendment right at any and all events that our organization holds. We welcome the public display of a citizen’s exercise of their rights and we are warmly reassured by the additional security and safety that is provided to all by free American citizens responsibly bearing arms.
Thank you for your continued strong stance and leadership in support of this most basic and important of our constitutional freedoms.
-Tim Dake
WI GrandSons of Liberty
I really don't know a great deal about AFP, but as for all of the grass-roots tea-party groups in Wisconsin, many of which have invited me to speak at their meetings, they have all been exceptionally strong supporters of the right to carry and open carry.
Its critical to 'organize' in some form or manner with like minded folks. A thousand like-minded folks who are not organized, all going their own direction in an attempt to advance a cause will not have a fraction of the success that a thousand like minded folks ORGANIZED and all focusing their efforts will have.
You cannot be so disenchanted with organizations that you relegate yourself to ONLY bit(hing on the internet. Bit(hing on the internet is fine, but it has to be coupled with some kind of organizing.
I think the grass-roots tea party groups are the best demonstration of freedom minded organizing we've seen in my lifetime. If corporate financed/founded groups like AFP want to associate with the tea party movement, that is fine. Just don't let them over-run them steal the message. The grass roots tea party groups need to keep AFP in line. Not the other way around.
Carry On