Tea Party in Portland, OR: Creepy

[nate895]

I got back earlier tonight from the tea party in Portland. My family and I left early because it was quite creepy when they started chanting "One heart, one mind, one voice." Sounded like something that could have come out of a Communist rally. There was plenty of other things that I found rather objectionable, and many stuff that was downright creepy. There was one speaker that was flat-out good, and that was the head of the Oregon Appleseed Project, which even though it appealed to the whole crowd and didn't attack any neocon projects that are in vogue with many of the less educated conservatives, was still good in that it didn't praise them like some other speakers.

Were the tea parties anything like this where you guys live?

[torchbearer]

The chants of USA! USA! were pre-planned.... the setup was done by the local GOP parish committee... and it was a pageant.
But, of course, i took advantage of the assembly to expose the puppetmasters.
You should have done the same.

[Dripping Rain]

"One heart, one mind, one voice."

this crap scares the living sh*t out of me. 1984

[Dripping Rain]

But, of course, i took advantage of the assembly to expose the puppetmasters.
You should have done the same.

+1000000000
torchie FTW

[JeNNiF00F00]

this crap scares the living sh*t out of me. 1984

ditto.

[acptulsa]

We sang God Bless America. The blogger who runs aftertheteaparty.com got the crowd chanting a bit. Nothing creepy here.

[nayjevin]

I got back earlier tonight from the tea party in Portland. My family and I left early because it was quite creepy when they started chanting "One heart, one mind, one voice." Sounded like something that could have come out of a Communist rally. There was plenty of other things that I found rather objectionable, and many stuff that was downright creepy. There was one speaker that was flat-out good, and that was the head of the Oregon Appleseed Project, which even though it appealed to the whole crowd and didn't attack any neocon projects that are in vogue with many of the less educated conservatives, was still good in that it didn't praise them like some other speakers.

Were the tea parties anything like this where you guys live?

i heard various 'collectivist' leanings, even among true supporters -- but individual by individual, moment by moment, I spoke my piece. I got some press and at least 1 new CFL signup!

[slacker921]

the "USA, USA, USA" chants creeped me out because I know those are the same folks who cheered for more Bush, more War on Terror, and more Patriot Act...... finding yourself in a crowd of them chanting is a scary thing.

[Elwar]

I'm surprised that they allow conservatives in Portland Oregon.

Isn't Oregon the state where it's against the law to pump your own gas?

[Cowlesy]

Yeah there were tons of "USA. USA. USA." chants and "WE ARE AMERICA. WE ARE AMERICA" to which I countered, "WE ARE NOT ZOMBIES. WE ARE NOT ZOMBIES."

[brandon]

I'm surprised that they allow conservatives in Portland Oregon.

Isn't Oregon the state where it's against the law to pump your own gas?

I don't know about Oregon, but it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey.

I always found it funny that I am a trained electrical engineer, but the state of Jersey thinks it would be safer to have some immigrant with an IQ of 85 pump my gas for me than for me to do it myself.

[acptulsa]

I don't know about Oregon, but it's illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey.

I always found it funny that I am a trained electrical engineer, but the state of Jersey thinks it would be safer to have some immigrant with an IQ of 85 pump my gas for me than for me to do it myself.

Both. Last time I was in Oregon, some guy from Ohio was raising holy hell about it. I told him I was from Oklahoma and that we also didn't have people blowing themselves up daily trying to perform this simple task, and basically said 'when in Rome...'

We wound up having a good laugh about it. The pump attendants were busy trying to decide whether to defend their goofy little law or thank me for calming the Ohio gentleman down. They basically wound up doing both.

What they did not do was charge me as much less as I pay in a self-serve state...

[MsDoodahs]

Yeah there were tons of "USA. USA. USA." chants and "WE ARE AMERICA. WE ARE AMERICA" to which I countered, "WE ARE NOT ZOMBIES. WE ARE NOT ZOMBIES."

YAY!

Their chants reminded me of that ridiculous video with demi moore saying she wants to be a slave to obama.

<shudder>

[TastyWheat]

Both times we did the pledge of allegiance (we did it twice for some odd reason), it seemed like people were putting a lot of emphasis on the "under God" bit.

[cthulhufan]

this crap scares the living sh*t out of me. 1984

Agreed. WTF.

[Original_Intent]

Both. Last time I was in Oregon, some guy from Ohio was raising holy hell about it. I told him I was from Oklahoma and that we also didn't have people blowing themselves up daily trying to perform this simple task, and basically said 'when in Rome...'

We wound up having a good laugh about it. The pump attendants were busy trying to decide whether to defend their goofy little law or thank me for calming the Ohio gentleman down. They basically wound up doing both.

What they did not do was charge me as much less as I pay in a self-serve state...

There are places where it is illegal to pump your own gas??

Wow, I live a sheltered life.

[angelatc]

I got back earlier tonight from the tea party in Portland. My family and I left early because it was quite creepy when they started chanting "One heart, one mind, one voice." Sounded like something that could have come out of a Communist rally. There was plenty of other things that I found rather objectionable, and many stuff that was downright creepy. There was one speaker that was flat-out good, and that was the head of the Oregon Appleseed Project, which even though it appealed to the whole crowd and didn't attack any neocon projects that are in vogue with many of the less educated conservatives, was still good in that it didn't praise them like some other speakers.

Were the tea parties anything like this where you guys live?

Our big chant was "Send her home!" in reference to the Canadian governor's devastating policies.

[ghengis86]

There are places where it is illegal to pump your own gas??

Wow, I live a sheltered life.

news to me too. so is it some union thing or safety 'for the children' b.s. or what?

[JP2010]

The only chants at the tea party I was at was "Downsize DC! Not a penny more!"

It ended up being the front page title to the first story in the paper today, "Not a penny more!"

[acptulsa]

The only chants at the tea party I was at was "Downsize DC! Not a penny more!"

It ended up being the front page title to the first story in the paper today, "Not a penny more!"

Wow. Wish we could all get such great coverage!!

[anaconda]

The chants of USA! USA! were pre-planned.... the setup was done by the local GOP parish committee... and it was a pageant.
But, of course, i took advantage of the assembly to expose the puppetmasters.
You should have done the same.

What was your technique or method? Just curious.

Also, a question: Isn't this type of thing dangerous for the puppet masters? They want and need monstrous spending, too. And the police state. Do they really want to throw gasoline on the brush fire of the rising freedom movement? I am having a little trouble understanding the motivation for alleged "astroturf."

[angelatc]

news to me too. so is it some union thing or safety 'for the children' b.s. or what?

When I was a kid,AKAIK it was illegal everywhere to pump yourown gas. Then for a while there were full serve and self-serve pumps.

I like full serve even if it's more expensive. I wish the market would have sustained both models.

[axiomata]

Think of how many jobs would be created if we mandated nationally that people couldn't pump their own gas!

[RevolutionSD]

We sang God Bless America. The blogger who runs aftertheteaparty.com got the crowd chanting a bit. Nothing creepy here.

That song is creepy.

[pcosmar]

Also, a question: Isn't this type of thing dangerous for the puppet masters? They want and need monstrous spending, too. And the police state. Do they really want to throw gasoline on the brush fire of the rising freedom movement? I am having a little trouble understanding the motivation for alleged "astroturf."

Yes, they want to throw gasoline and they are handing out matches.

I have said before that we will see tanks on the streets of the U.S. this year. I still expect it.
They want to incite some of the radical elements to react, and they don't care who or how. They want an event that they can use to eliminate the last vestiges of the Constitution.
They want to promote conflict. :(

[nate895]

Oregon is the most socialist state in the country. Everything is mandated there. Luckily they don't have a sales tax, so I get that benefit as a Washington resident.

At least at the event, we got some people who were sympathetic to the Campaign for Liberty and Ron Paul but weren't quite supporters yet.

[Mesogen]

I think you forgot about Vermont.

I've never been to Vermont, but I here it's pretty and green.

Oregon is absofuckinglutely beautiful. It's so damned nice. I wish I lived there, but if there are all these weird laws, I don't know. But IIRC, there is no state sales tax. So the price you see is the price you pay.

[nate895]

I think you forgot about Vermont.

I've never been to Vermont, but I here it's pretty and green.

Oregon is absofuckinglutely beautiful. It's so damned nice. I wish I lived there, but if there are all these weird laws, I don't know. But IIRC, there is no state sales tax. So the price you see is the price you pay.

Good for you, I hate living in the NW. I am leaving as soon as I can.

[polomertz]

They did the USA USA chants here too - I was about ready to barf at that point. The huge number of End the Fed / Audit the Fed signs made it all better though.

[Objectivist]

I got back earlier tonight from the tea party in Portland. My family and I left early because it was quite creepy when they started chanting "One heart, one mind, one voice." Sounded like something that could have come out of a Communist rally. There was plenty of other things that I found rather objectionable, and many stuff that was downright creepy. There was one speaker that was flat-out good, and that was the head of the Oregon Appleseed Project, which even though it appealed to the whole crowd and didn't attack any neocon projects that are in vogue with many of the less educated conservatives, was still good in that it didn't praise them like some other speakers.

Were the tea parties anything like this where you guys live?

When I read the header I was thinking, "they eat too many apples." Then I read the post....hahahahhaha

[VOICE from THE RESISTANCE]

Yes, they want to throw gasoline and they are handing out matches.

I have said before that we will see tanks on the streets of the U.S. this year. I still expect it.
They want to incite some of the radical elements to react, and they don't care who or how. They want an event that they can use to eliminate the last vestiges of the Constitution.
They want to promote conflict. :(


Will there be await for radical elements to react? I mean the Department of Homeland Security are already declaring that Conservatives should be on a watchlist and be reported. What happens if becomes "necessary to create"?

[anaconda]

Yes, they want to throw gasoline and they are handing out matches.

I have said before that we will see tanks on the streets of the U.S. this year. I still expect it.
They want to incite some of the radical elements to react, and they don't care who or how. They want an event that they can use to eliminate the last vestiges of the Constitution.
They want to promote conflict. :(

Wow. Your theory is clear cut and scary. The problem I see with this approach is much like the one with Missouri recently. Profiling "right wingers" just won't hold up in court nor will it hold up to the RNC party hack Congress that needs their votes. They won't get those votes if they are all in jail as convicted felons. Looking out a bit further, I don't think the American citizens will tolerate any lengthy period of martial law. But I suppose the sleaze balls could bring in tanks to "support" local police without a martial law declaration.

[silverhawks]

I got back earlier tonight from the tea party in Portland. My family and I left early because it was quite creepy when they started chanting "One heart, one mind, one voice."

:eek:

I've got to ask: in what context were they chanting that? Doesn't seem to be the sort of thing you'd expect to hear at a tax protest...that actually reminds me of a LOT of New Age religions, usually centred around (surprise surprise) "global consciousness".

[Indy4Chng]

Think of how many jobs would be created if we mandated nationally that people couldn't pump their own gas!

I live in Portland, OR and I believe that is exactly why they keep the law last time it was up for discussion (I think I remember the governor almost using that quote exactly). BTW having to pump your own gas is awful some 16 years who doesn't give a flying fuck about your car takes about 10 minutes to get over to your car slams the nossel and scraps your car. As for the other comments Portland isn't really that much different then any of the other west coast cities, so people are being overally dramatic. I only made it to about the first 20 minutes of the protest, but it didn't seem that bad there were a few pro-Liberty/Ron Paul signs. I was disappointed to hear Victoria Taff (the local neocon radio host be the lead speaker).

[AmericasNewTeaParty]

Here in Sacramento the chants and messages were for the most part right on. Most of them centered around "Throw them out" and "Vote them out." One of our local US congressmen got up to speak to the crowd about lowering taxes, and as he stepped to the podium and the crowd got quiet, I took the opportunity to scream "why did you vote for a 90% tax on Americans" to which he looked at me, a few people in the crowd cheered and clapped, and he proceeded to make his "taxes suck" speach as if nothing had happened.

I definitely feel like the events got hijacked, because of the Fox News cheer leading I feel the message was diminished and it allowed the message to be marginalized. I planned a Tea Party on April 1st(only about 75 people) and it was on message. Unfortunately these were all over the place, and the message given was "wah wah wah we pay the govt too much" when it should have been focused on the bailouts, wasteful spending, and the rewarding of bad behavior.