Have the Tea Parties Outlived Their Usefulness?

I have to take issue with some of the talk that I occasionally hear from fellow conservatives and area leaders that “the time for Tea Parties is past.”

The idea behind this line of thinking is that rallies and protests, in themselves, do not really bring about change. I get that. What these people fail to realize is that we don’t have to choose between demonstrating and being an activist. It is all important. Their point is well taken, because many people think that attending a rally every few months makes them a real difference maker, when in reality, they have done very little.

But Tea Parties do have their purposes. In fact, I would argue that they are one of the most important things that we can do.

1. Tea Parties provide the absolute best opportunity for recruitment. It would be naive to believe that all like-minded conservatives are already active in the political realm. Many are still stuck in the rut of believing that November voting is our only course of action. Tea Parties provide a way for those individuals to find groups in their community that are aligned with their political philosophy and that they can work with in future activism.
2. We are making progress toward restoring our great Republic every single day, but there will be setbacks along the way. For example, many Americans were discouraged when the President and Congress decided to snub their noses and completely ignore the will of the people by ramming through the unconstitutional Health Control legislation. Being around hundreds and even thousands of other patriots reminds us that we are not alone, and though we may lose battles, the war for liberty is far from over.
3. Tea Parties are a great way to network with other like-minded people in our communities. There is something special about being surrounded by hundreds of patriots with common principles and common goals.
4. Tea Parties provide motivation for those who do not yet have the drive to get seriously involved. It is impossible to attend a rally of freedom-loving Americans without being inspired to do more to protect that freedom.

This said, Tea Parties and rallies are only the beginning of our responsibility as citizens. As stated earlier, rallies alone accomplish very little, but they act as a springboard for many other types of activism.

I personally do not need any motivation to be engaged. An occasional glance at the current events in Washington, D.C. would be enough to cause me to remain active. Some people, however, need to be motivated on occasion to keep going, and rallies are perfect for that.

So if anyone believes that Tea Parties are an end, they are wrong. The Tea Parties are only the beginning. I will be speaking on this subject at the Tax Day Tea Party in Washington, Missouri. If we are going to win, we must all become activists.

Activism can range from writing letters to the editor to standing on street corners with your flag held high, from passing out campaign literature to starting your own blog. We cannot do everything, but are all going to have to do more.

So come to the Tea Party on April 15th, meet some fellow patriots, then get to work. November will be here before we know it. We have to act now. If you haven’t decided on the best candidates in your local races yet, then that is the first step. Campaigning is something that most Americans know very little about. Winning in 2010 will require that we give more than we ever have before–more energy, more time, more money. Are you prepared for that?

Crossposted at RestoringPrinciples.com and FranklinCountyPatriots.org