Opinion by Joene DePlancke

Dearest Gladius,

I find your pseudonym a very interesting choice, a “short” sword, as this portrays much about you. Since you do not have the courage or integrity to use your God-given name, you are either short in stature or short in honor. You did not need to tell us that you are part of the 80% that vote Republican because that was clear to even the most casual observer. What is even clearer is the fact that you are part of the Republican Party that has helped bring this once great nation to the place it is today. I am sorry that you feel compelled to blame the TEA Parties in America and more specifically the TEA Party of Gilmer County for the shortcomings of the ‘set in stone’ Republican and Democrats in power today.

I find it somewhat amusing how you chose to pick words and issues out of the thin air and because you state them, that makes them true. You say “since 2009 many have asked ‘is the TEA party dangerous?” Many? I don’t think so. The only people concerned about the results being obtained by the various TEA parties across the country are the career politicians that are being voted out of office because the citizens in Gilmer County and across this great nation have awoken. And that awakening is something we will always be indebted to Obama for. The career politicians have been selling the American citizen a bill of goods for almost 40 years, one step, one law, one new tax at a time until Obama and his ego came along. He was so determined to finish shackling the American people that he tried to introduce numerous overwhelming changes all simultaneously causing TEA parties all across the nation to spring up.

The ideals and goals of the TEA Party have not changed. If you want to categorize members of the TEA Party as old, white, religious people, well, so be it. And it may have started out that way, but what you and others are afraid of is the fact that many, many young people and college campuses have joined local tea party organizations to take a stand against new taxes, unconstitutional laws and spending beyond our means. In this last election blacks overwhelmingly started seeing the light that Government overreach affects them just as much as whites. I am somewhat surprised that you are trying to make a race thing out of this.

And I love how you just make up the statement “Many of the TEA party advocate for a libertarian style philosophy to government.” Where in the world did you dream that up? But then I guess you had to state that in order to lead into your next phrase “at the same time ask for more government control.” When has any tea party asked for “more government control?” Then you say “yet oppose the blatant violation of the 14th Amendment to our Constitution, which are statewide bans on same-sex marriage.” I know this is a personal hot button for you, but now you are judge and jury?

You make a lot of very inflammatory and derogatory statements about two-faced stupidity, purposely ruffling feathers, and “pulling bullies from the muck of the earth to run for office.” Only someone hiding behind a fake name would stoop to such deceit. If you want to discuss any of these statements with facts and specifics, you are welcome to come to any tea party meeting and any member would be happy to discuss them. Only a true coward would resort to publishing such trash in an open letter online. And then to accuse the TEA party of having ‘socialistic’ tendencies because they use terms such as “protecting the family” “fighting terrorism” and “combating illegal immigration.” You call that socialistic? No wonder you don’t seem to be able to distinguish right from wrong or good from evil.

The more you wrote the angrier you seemed to get. You have an awful lot of hostility bottled up inside of you. I see that you haven’t gotten over the primary campaign yet. Maybe if some of the incumbent candidates had been more truthful with their supporters about what issues might come to light, the outcome might have been different. And if terms like “establishment” “RINO” and “moderate” have negative connotations, maybe it’s because the establishment, RINO’s and moderates have given people reason to feel that way, ya think?
And lastly, your lastly, the TEA PARTY will not discuss, they will not budge, they will not debate, nor allow debate”?????? What planet have you been living on? The TEA Party and especially the TEA Party of Gilmer County has been the ONLY entity that has fostered, encouraged, and held debates! If it wasn’t for the TEA Party of Gilmer County, there wouldn’t have been any debates, only some milk toast forums!
And, my lastly, it might be helpful if you stated exactly what article on FYN you are writing about. The only recent article I can find on FYN that dealt with the TEA Party dealt with trying to change the language in the ELOST Resolution before it goes on the ballot. The TEA Party deemed this to be important so that the citizens can be assured of what the money is spent on instead of trusting the current powers that be with making the best choices.

This change in the language (which the Board voted against anyway) was felt to be necessary to insure that the money is spent for the items the citizens spoke out for. Because if you will recall most of the citizens speaking regarding the needs for the 2015 ELOST wanted money spent on the aging bleachers, concession stands, the track and football fields. Yet the BOE had ample money left in the 2009 ELOST and could have already done those things since they were included in the last ELOST yet never done. So, if renovations to the athletic facilities are deemed important by the coaches, students, parents and teachers, and are truly needed, then why wasn’t the remaining $8M in the 2009 ELOST used for these athletic issues INSTEAD of using $5M of the money for a new bus barn and various storage buildings? Is that because the BOE felt the citizens would vote for athletic projects but might not vote for a bus barn and storage buildings?

The Tea Party’s monthly meeting is tonight, why don’t you come and discuss this?

Opinion by Joene DePlancke