I’m getting tired of hearing folks say that the Occupiers are the same as the Tea Partiers. It was spouted on the radio this morning from the mouth of caller who claimed she was a state university student.
I was heading to a Tea Party demonstration from noon to 3.
The shopping center where we hold our parties asked, as we usually are, to park at the far-end of the shopping center’s parking lot so we wouldn’t interfere with business.
I stopped off at Dunkin’ Donuts and bought two–dozen assorted. I placed my contribution along side of the three boxes that were already there: four pizza pies, two large bags of bagels, and an urn of coffee. Under the table were two cartons of pint-sized plastic bottles of water.
There were at least a dozen cops assigned but to protect us in case any of the local hecklers got out of hand. Those cops left early because there were so many Tea Partiers dressed in military uniforms in our group of about 300 people.
Several Partiers waved American flags of all sizes. One carried an Israeli flag. And of course there were the usual signs.
At exactly 1 pm, a marine in uniform held a bull horn to his mouth and began reciting, “I pledge allegiance…”
By the fourth word, every person present stood at attention and joined him. This was followed by stirring speeches filled with everything from new statistics to prayers. About 90 minutes, later, a beautiful woman with a wonderful voice took the bull horn to sing God Bless America. Just as the assemblage joined in the opening pledge, everybody sang the closing song with her. When the harmony ended, everyone present bent over to pick up coffee cups, stirrers, napkins, paper plates, pizza crusts, and even cigarette butts.
Not surprisingly, I didn’t see a single hypodermic needle when we were done cleaning up.
In fact, thanks to the large black trash bags that were passed around, in less than five minutes the parking lot was cleaner than it was when we got there.
At no time during this rally did I smell pot, nor was anyone misbehaving. There were no tents, tarps or drums. The Tea Partiers respected the law and each other.
There was no destruction of property.
Nobody butted heads with the cops.
Nobody was arrested.
There was no spitting on Old Glory.
Not one young females was assaulted.
Not one retailer lost a nickel’s worth of business.
Not one person urinated in the street.
Not one thing was thrown at a cop.
The original intent of the Occupy Wall Street protests were about people’s anger over those responsible for manipulating Wall Street, the mortgage fiasco, and the foreclosure debacle.
But the movement was hijacked by thugs, druggies, agitators, predators and some very unbalanced individuals.
The Tea Party is still composed of ladies and gentlemen who act like ladies and gentlemen, and we are sure what the Tea Party wants. I am StanGershbein@Bellsouth.net asking you to prove to me that the same is true of these “Occupiers.”
Stanley Gershbein's column appears every Monday on BrooklynDaily.com.
