Tax Day Rally Pagans

 Pagan+Politics  43 Responses »
Apr 212010
 

Although any mention of the Tea Party causes considerable resentment from some Pagans, it’s an important topic to cover.   From what I have seen, more Pagans are joining the Tea Party or groups that affiliate with the Tea Party in the past 6 months or so.  Within the Tea Party, Pagans are starting to be noticed as powerful voices adept at working with non-hierarchical groups such as the Tea Party Patriots.  I now know at least 37 Pagans who are part of the Tea Party movement with more starting to take a closer look at joining in.  There are 6 Pagans who are in leadership positions (although they would define it as organizing, assisting, or facilitating) within the movement.  Most have said they feel they can make an impact within these groups and are “out of the broom closet” with no problems.

I asked all 37 if they were attending the Tax Day Rally held on April 15th and if they were, if they would be willing to give a brief write-up of their experience.   I also put out a call for counter-demonstrators and infiltrators. Many Tea Party Pagans I talked to said they were either unable to attend the rally or didn’t want to be public about their involvement with the Tea Party.  Even with using an alias they were concerned that fellow Pagans would be able to find out who they were and give them a hard time.

They have said they are willing to answer questions that are asked in the comments section, either directly or by emailing me the answer.

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Catherine lives in Washington and has attended several Tea Party rallies.

Oak lives in Illinois and is a facilitator in his local Tea Party Patriot group.

Allison lives in Georgia and is part of Kick Them All Out, a group that works with Tea Party and Tea Party affiliated groups.

GreenWitch lives in Kansas with her partner.

HarkenTheGods lives in New York and agreed to attend a rally just to see what it was about.

Rob lives in California and attended his first Tea Party rally as a protester.

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Catherine – I ended up at two rallies on Tax Day. The first was in Olympia, and the second, Seattle, WA.

My eldest son (age 12) was with me all through the rallies. Both of us were in the crowd, carrying a US and Gadsden flags. The crowds were very peaceful, as they’ve been at every rally we’ve attended. People are polite, laughing, talking, getting in touch with others who share a like mind and networking for future activities. I’ve yet to see any racist/sexist/or homophobic signs or attitudes among TeaPartiers, and every rally I’ve been to I’ve seen minorities welcomed with open arms. It’s also worth noting that the cultural mix at the TeaParties is pretty much the same as what I encounter in my day to day activities.

I encountered one counter-protester in Olympia, who yelled at me for being a pro-war conservative. I responded that I was a Libertarian and I’d opposed Bush’s war-mongering as loudly as I now opposed Obama continuing these same policies. When I asked her if she opposed Obama’s war policies she walked away and refused to answer. I know there were 2 or 3 other counter-protesters there, but I didn’t have any interaction with them.

There were approximately 30 counter-protesters in Seattle, and one infiltrator that I saw who tried to enter the crowd with a sign referring to himself as a TeaBagger, and with quotes on his sign from a man recently arrested for some rather vile threats against Patty Murray. He was surrounded pretty rapidly by TeaParty members who let him know, politely, that he was not welcome and that the sentiments on his sign were not those expressed by Teaparty members. At one point he was surrounded by five or six signs pointing to him saying Infiltrator, and Agent Provocateur.

I didn’t have any Pagan friends attending, but again, the mix of people I knew is pretty consistent with my everyday life.

I would be willing to answer questions that people have regarding the TeaParties and my experience as long as the choose to be polite and are actually interested in debate. I see no sense in pointless name-calling and don’t waste my time with people whose only interest is spreading hate.

Oak – It was a very busy time trying to make sure everything went well for the rally. I was so busy before, during, and after that I didn’t see much.

We had a good turn-out, several hundred people. A high number since we were out in the suburbs and not one of the big rallies. We were careful in policing people. There are always wackos that show up at any political event and we are sick of them being displayed as prime examples of who and what we are. That is such bullshit. We heard reports that people would try to infiltrate the rallies and pose as Tea Partiers and hold up racist signs but I didn’t see anything like that. Perhaps at the big rally in Chicago that was a problem, but not where I was. We had one joker with a sign that was just wrong, so we told him to throw the sign away or leave. He was pissed, but I didn’t care.

I was busy enough that I didn’t get to hear much of what the speakers were saying. The speakers like to think they matter for the rally, but they don’t. They are a prop. What really matters is creating a good ritual experience.   It’s a community building ritual so the focus needs to be on the ritual elements. Grouping together to establish a connection to one another and sharing energy. Building the energy up and then guiding it to a positive release so it can work our Will in the world. I understand this. This is just another way that being Pagan gives me a leg up on working within any political group, but the Tea Party in particular. I’ve begun talking to other Tea Party facilitators about this and they’ve been extremely interested. They are going to try to replicate what our rally did in other cities.

Allison – This rally gave me hope! I’m so pumped! In past rallies we have been pushed to the side a bit since our message is, “No matter who they are or what Party they belong to – VOTE THEM OUT!” I’m not sure what has changed, but many more people wanted to talk to us and get information from us.

At the rally, each group got to have a small table off to the side where you could put your information and have a staffer there to answer questions. In the past, we would only have one person staff the table and they would be bored stiff. I was planning on walking around the rally and listening to the speakers when our table staffer called me on my cell. She needed me to return to the table because so many people were there to talk to us! I spent the rest of the rally at the table. For the most part, people were receptive to our message or at least willing to be open to it.

So many people signed up to be on the mailing list that we more than doubled our database. What a day!

GreenWitch – What was the rally like? Let me tell you a story.

When I and my partner arrived at the demonstration we got out our signs (Libertarian Lesbians) and began our long walk to where the rally was held. We were talking about the upcoming Pagan festivals that we would be attending this summer. They are the highlight of our summer, but we need to find a better way to beat the heat. My partner squeezed my hand and said, “Isn’t that Pagan X walking over there? With that small group?” I looked and waved and called out a greeting. I was surprised she was attending a Tea Party rally, but we had been to many anti-war/civil rights protests together so perhaps she was here to protest President Obama’s continuation of Bush’s appalling policies. We walked towards each other and then looked at each others signs.

I won’t say what was on her sign, but it was incredibly offensive. It was opposite of everything she and I believe. She was shocked that I was there to be part of the Tea Party demonstration. She thought I was there, like her, to infiltrate or oppose the Tea Party. Shock turned to anger when I refused to leave the rally and said that I would let the officials at the rally know that her group was planning to be deceptive with their signs.

She got back in her car and left. After telling me that I am a traitor to Paganism and that we are no longer friends. Our tent would no longer be welcome in her group at the summer festivals.  I felt the same way as when I came out to some of my straight friends after college.  Cut off, dirty, worthless.

My partner and I attended the rally and nothing really stood out to me and I couldn’t pay attention. My heart was too heavy.

What I do remember is that the rally was rather bland compared to the emotionally charged anti-war protests I have attended for years. I didn’t feel uncomfortable, it wasn’t angry, or even impassioned.

I support the main message of the Tea Party. I think our political Parties have grown arrogant and don’t listen to us. I feel that frustration. I don’t support the Healthcare Bill. I’m worried that it will take money, time, and attention away from fixing Medicare. I want a single payer system for everybody and feel the Bill was giant step back in entrenching the insurance industry more firmly in power. I believe our government, no matter who is in power, is seeking to control more and more of our lives. That’s what power does. I am totally opposed to the government giving money to businesses to bail them out. What about all the people who need help? I used to be a firm supporter of the Democratic Party. Not anymore. They are just as in bed with Big Business as the Republicans. I just wish the Tea Party would ROAR and exude a fiery passion instead of the mild and scattered response they display.

HarkenTheGods – I wasn’t too excited about attending this Tea Party shit. I’ve been laughing at them and poking fun at them. Face it, they are easy targets. But, I do have some integrity, so I checked them out for myself.

They are still funny. Still easy targets.

But they aren’t racists and most of them aren’t nutcases. What they are is a mishmash. You got anti-tax people. People who want all the bums thrown out. Fair tax, flat tax, and no tax. People who are ok with the amount of taxes, but think the government spends it on the wrong stuff. Don’t like the bail-outs. Don’t like the Healthcare bill. Want more spending on education. Less corruption. Legalize pot.

What I got, is the groups that are in this thing, don’t really agree on much. They agree that the government is fucking things up, incompetent, corrupt, and doesn’t give a shit what any of us think. The two things that everyone I talked to agreed on was that the national debt was out of control and that the bail-outs under Bush and Obama were wrong.

The people were friendly. New York gets a bad rap for being assholes, but that isn’t true. Families were at the rally and there were a few minorities in the crowd and stage. No one was angry or violent or any more of a freak then you see on the street. I didn’t see or hear anything extreme or threatening. You hear these same conversations at the bar and at the diner. After going to their little party, I can’t see how people get so upset about them. Like most protesters, they are ignorant and a joke, but not boogieman dangerous.

Rob – I went to protest the Tea Party Tax Day Rally because I think the group is foolish and dangerous. We all know that fiscally conservative is code for throwing those in need to the wolves of Big Business.

I’d say there were over a hundred counter-protesters there. We chanted so loud that the people in the back of their rally couldn’t hear their speakers. Good. No one should hear that lying, hateful garbage. People who go to these rallies are either unbalance or deceived. The only reason they are protesting is because there is a black man in office. The. Only. Reason. Everything else is an excuse. Every Pagan out there should be shouting these racist fuckers down. You can’t be a Pagan and be a part of this group. Anyone who says differently is messed up in the head or is a closet Christian ready to don the white hood.

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As always, if you are a Pagan and are part of the Tea Party movement, let me know.  Many of you are finding me on FaceBook and Twitter.

I would like to extend a sincere “thank you” to everyone who agreed to do a small write-up of their experience at the Tax Day rally.  Likewise, I would like to thank all of you who read this blog.  Your willingness to listen to other perspectives and points of view, and engage in civil discourse, are what I consider one of the Pagan community’s greatest virtues.

 Posted by cara at 9:42 am  Tagged with: , ,

Politics, Pagans, and Power.

 Pagan+Politics, politics  49 Responses »
Feb 142010
 

First, I present this requisite disclaimer. 

Although I have been identified as a member of the United States Army (and still proud to be so) any comments made in this forum under my name represent the thoughts, musings, and political diatribes of Daniel Allen Maine alone.  I do not speak for the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, or the Government of the United States in any fashion.  My opinions do not represent policy of any of the afore mentioned Agencies.  Anyone seeking policy statements from said agencies are asked to seek out the Public Affairs Office of the military post nearest their location.

Next, I would like to thank Jason Pitzl-Waters for the invitation to present my meanderings to this audience.  I hope to be worthy the trust you have shown me.  I have read the postings of my fellows that have been presented as of this writing and find myself in good company.  I believe I will be challenged by the conversations we will have in the future.  To each of the authors of these pages, PROST!

Power! Human beings and political parties alike seek to amass power.  Some wish to have enough power to control their own lives.  Some seek power to control the world.  Wherever human beings come together and try to accomplish anything they play politics, establish a pecking order, or competing factions, all positioning for control, for power.

I have been a political hack.  I worked grass roots politics in Seattle, attending caucus meetings, special elections, and political conventions.  In that arena, the principles are understood.  People are positioning, helping people they agree with, earning IOU’s to be called on in the future, or working to defeat someone they disagree with. It is pure.  There is no deceit, at least in motive, nor are there hard feelings, until there is deceit in deed. I was out as a pagan while working in Republican politics.  I was received with surprise and curiosity, but welcomed and put to work.

As I began moving about in the pagan community in Seattle, I kept my political proclivities to myself.  My coven mates knew, but I wanted to be known for who I was as a pagan before I was known for my party affiliation.  When I came out to the community at large that I was a Republican, I was not surprised.  The reaction was mixed, of course.  There was acceptance, but there was also shock, rejection, and mistrust.  I found it humorous that I had received more acceptance from a party accused of exclusion than I had from a community that prided itself on acceptance.

As I watched the interaction within the community and listened to the conversations being discussed in public, I came to the conclusion that the Polytheistic Community at large had a bi polar disorder.  In one moment, the vast majority would decry the evils of politics, how it was a base and degrading, a pursuit for the uncouth.  In the next moment, I would see politics being practiced with a fervor unmatched in the most heated of national campaigns.  The infighting was enough to push one of the more successful leaders and groups, Pete Pathfinder and the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, to separate themselves from the at large community.

I watched as pagans came together to attempt to plan events.  A bylaw of the organization decreed that no decision would be acted upon without consensus.  This bylaw empowered one person to hijack any planning.  Nothing got done unless it happened the one person’s way.  It could be done by anyone with the patience to hold out until the others came around to do things their way just to get anything done.  This person understood power, I disagree with the person’s use of it, it prevented a lot of good work being done, but the person understood.  That organization no long exists in Seattle.

Pagans need to be involved in politics, eventually it must happen.  Without our participation in the political arena, our status as equal under the law will continue to be chipped away.  California already treats pagan chaplains who work the prison system differently from those of the majority faiths.  The courts will only sustain our position for a while.  If we cannot stand for ourselves, become a force that cannot be ignored, we will become marginalized.  We do not even need to win, although that would be a blessing.  We must, however, back a viable candidate, a reasonable initiative, something that shows we are capable of putting up a winnable fight. 

Pagans must first get past themselves.  In my line of work we call it “embracing the suck”.  To do this we must stop arguing about how we are all so different and start finding the ways we are the same.  Highlighting the differences to find our identity will only keep us divided and marginalized, giving those who would keep us down the opportunity to do so.  We must accept politics as necessary.  You cannot succeed at something you abhor. 

I wish Cara were right when she said that “most people and political Parties want the same outcome; a happy, healthy, open and caring populace.”  Most people and political parties want to gain power for their use as they see fit.  Cara’s statement is only accurate if it benefits those attempting to wield power.  A disaffected, disgruntled populace is often far more useful for wresting or wielding control.  It can keep your people energized and your opponents’ people demoralized.  It isn’t the way things should be, it is the way things are.  Wishful thinking doesn’t work in politics.  Ask John McCain’s campaign staff.

Thus ends my first salvo in this my field of dreams.  I invite your opinions, your arguments, and perhaps your agreement.  The road ahead should be interesting.

Dan

 Posted by Daniel Maine at 11:43 pm  Tagged with: , ,
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