I was just wondering why we are not fighting back...we seem to

[movonne]

be watching whats going on with these tea baggers but I don't see a lot of progressives out at there at these events yelling and screaming at them...calling them out...our we afraid of them...that is just what they want with their guns visiable...I feel we are losing our country to these nut cases...

[emulatorloo]

1. For one thing, TV doesn't like to show Progressives. Only teabaggers.

There have been some counter-demonstrations etc.

There seems to be some real need on the part of cablenews to act as if the teabaggers are mainstream and represent the views of "most Americans."

[HuckleB]

2. I don't know.

I like the rope-a-dope approach. We stick to good, on-the-ground campaign tactics, developing real relationships with people. Then we campaign en masse come summer, and into the fall. The tea partiers are going to be dwindling by then, just from basic exhaustion and boredom.

[Gman2]

3. While I too wouold like to work my way thru their crowd, lynching aint far away.

Average Jeo, doesnt like their shrill tone. Their sky is always falling. They have no ideas. As newt said, they need to have positive ideas. Unfrtunately, their ideas are Newts same retreads. With a side order of civil war.

[HillbillyBob]

5. You are correct ever face down a lynch mob by your self

I have and I was scared (and likely stupid) I would not go near them unless I was armed with a loaded mini sub machine.

Facing them en masse is about the only answer, and you know it will get violent these people are on the edge and are looking for an excuse to open up, I would not bet those guns are really unloaded.

[Gman2]

12. Why yes, several times. A few, I beat them all down.

I dont do victim well. So, best I am not surrounded by baggers. If one so much as touched me, he would be put to sleep..

[movonne]

6. I also wonder why our government is letting this go on and not

stopping the likes of limpballs, and faux news stir up this kind of hate..it is time that something is done about it before there is real trouble...

[Gman2]

13. It is a game of unconstitutional chicken. They want to scream commie control.

[arcadian]

4. I'm going to the gun rally

With my Soviet flag and a big sign saying "Go ahead! Shoot me you cowards!" with a bullseye.

[dana_b]

23. you are not

please say you're not. All it takes is one slightly unstable person...

[socialist_n_TN]

7. Yeah it's time to take it to the streets....................

We used to be pretty good at making noise. IF the counterdemonstrations were big enough, the MSM could NOT ignore it.

We need some experienced organizers to step up and advise us on what to do and where to do it. I'm sure there are some here on DU.

[Gman2]

14. Yeah? what are we protesting? Dumbasses?

[socialist_n_TN]

17. Well, yeah..........................

When it comes to anti Teahadist rallies that would be EXACTLY what we were protesting. What did the post upthread say? Moron Rally ahead? KKK Rally ahead, etc. My opinion would be to try and out protest the Teahadists.

[Gman2]

22. You dont protest personalities. you protest policies. Lets protest wall street, or ?

[socialist_n_TN]

28. Sorry, I think that you DO have to .........................

protest, or at least COUNTER, personalities. If for no other reason than to show that the Teahadists aren't the only ones with an opinion.

BTW, I have no problem protesting Wall Street too. They're scumsucking dirtbags. But you have to go to NYC to have an effective Wall Street protest. Teabaggers are all over.

[Gman2]

30. That would be PUNKING US. They act insane, and you are jealous.

Just because they get airtime to speak in tongues, does not mean you should ravage the temple whores. On air anyway.

[defendandprotect]

8. Everything Dems do seems to be about caving in, not fighting back . . .

We've had lots of opportunities for Dems to bring out member for rallies, etal --

for MEDICARE FOR ALL, etc.

Where's Dem "End the war" rallies?

Where are even the threads commenting on the wars still going on 9 years now --

and Dems responsible for financing the last 4 years !!!

Where are those threads???

And, look at the threads on Justice Stevens . . . always lead with "surrender" --

"get a GOP candidate"!!

Are right wing trolls running these threads or are Democrats?

Let's go Dems!!???

[doc03]

9. I was thinking that myself I would like join some

sane people in an anti-teabagger rally. I got some ideas for signs like cross burning ahead, KKK rally ahead or how about moron rally. I wonder if the movement is kind of fizzling out, I have noticed a couple houses I pass every day that had Enough signs or Silent No More signs have removed them.

[LoZoccolo]

10. What would you like to accomplish by "yelling and screaming at them? n/t

[laughingliberal]

11. I think it's a question that deserves some exploration

'Fighting back' seems to require some passion for an organizing principle. I believe our side is lackluster in passion now as we see lackluster solutions presented by our side. Before we can even begin to organize and demand regulation of financial markets, we have 'New Democrats' like Melissa Bean loopholing the bill for the industry. Then we see it going to the Senate (where barely acceptable legislation goes to either die or be dressed up further for the corporate interests). It's pretty hard to get people riled up, passionate, and ready to fight back on a platform of, "we're not as bad as those other guys," which seems to be the message for 'our side' these days. The populist anger at Wall Street has been hard to marshal into activism from the left when we have our own party playing footsies with those interests and the Goldman Sachs crowd running our economic team.

As it is, generally, the more ideological members of either party who are prepared to 'fight,' it is necessary to give them something to fight for and not just something to fight against. As we've seen many of our own party's elected officials playing the same sorts of games with Wall Street, it's hard to work up much passion. We have no one or no policy around which to organize. What would be our message? "Pass the Almost Reform Bill NOW!" See, how that is not too inspiring? The marginalization of the left by the party leaders has effectively silenced the voices you would, reasonably, expect to be the fighting back.

I would also point out that I posted this article here, yesterday, about the unions organizing a march on Wall Street and it got little attention. The unions are the last force from the left who have the resources to start movements of this sort and we see many here who are just as opposed to unions as the Republicans. The article estimates there will be 10,000 marching. I would think we could drum up 10X that. Here's the article. Perhaps some would like to join in and get some other groups involved:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8119389

[ClassWarrior]

15. Why are you "wondering?" Why aren't you making it happen? Why do you expect someone else...

...to put in the effort to make your wish come true?

Maybe that attitude is the very reason why we don't do all sorts of things that we should be doing...

:shrug:

NGU.

[socialist_n_TN]

16. OK, BUT I remember from the 60s...................

that rallies take organization which implies organizers. I, personally, don't have that kind of experience, BUT I KNOW SOME ON HERE DO.

The effort I could put out would be to hear from an organizer about what's supposed to happen and where and get on the horn and call a few friends and family to get there. But it's got to start with some experienced people.

[walldude]

18. Go out and yell at the tea baggers?? Why?

What's the point? They aren't protesting anything that's actually real. Obama is not a Nazi, HCR is not the first step to socialism (not even fucking close) and they are getting tax cuts. What am I going to do yell at them that they are all crazy? Pick a fight with one? No thanks, I think I can find better uses for my time..

[socialist_n_TN]

19. The biggest reason to do something like this......................

is to have an effect on the MOR who apparently are buying the Teahadist bullshit. Knowing the squishy middlers, they're probably buying the BS because they haven't seen anything or anybody AGAINST it.

[walldude]

21. The only people buying their bullshit is them...

No "MOR" is buying that Obama is the reincarnation of Hitler. Or that he's not an American citizen.

And frankly there is something about protesting "for the government" that irks me. If I were going to protest it would be against the Wars, or for Equal Rights for Gays, or against Offshore Drilling or nuclear power or maybe even the newly legalized Death Squads we are planning to unleash.

[socialist_n_TN]

27. Well, according to the polls....................

The middle SEEMS to be buying into (to one degree or another) what the Teabaggers are selling. That's the thing that most people don't understand about the political middle in this country. They don't HAVE convictions. They side with who they think is most popular. And since they don't hear or see anybody protesting these idiots, they (the middle) are thinking, "Well nobody's arguing with them with any passion, I guess they must be right.

[HughMoran]

20. I think they're shooting their wad a bit early

In the fall when the economy is (hopefully) picking up some, these astroprotests will be as meaningless as last summers 'anti-HCR' hatefests. Anger without purpose dissipates.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. you can't beat hate with more hate

[Stinky The Clown]

25. There's no rec or unrec buttons to be pushed.

That's what our side seems good at. Not engaging. Just anonymously voting for threads.

[patrice]

26. Some of us ARE making an effort:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8127027

[BzaDem]

29. It's because Democrats are in power, while Republicans aren't.

Just look at DU. You have people who didn't want the healthcare bill to pass, people who thought the Cap+Trade bill in the house wasn't good enough and shouldn't pass, people who complain about everything Obama does. Does that sound like a group of people that is going to go out and counter-protest the right?

Unfortunately, it takes actual Republicans in power for reality to hit them smack in the head so they wake up and see the difference. Only then will there be liberal protests on that scale.

[madchick44]

31. We are cool like the Prez.

Timing is everything. We will be out there when it really matters. Teabag fatigue will be setting soon..as soon as those unemployment checks stop.

[FrenchieCat]

32. We just like to sit around and talk about teabaggers on the Internet......

But if we actually had to do *something* like write letters to the media
or call or boycott, we couldn't, cause we'd be too busy on the Internet talking about
Teabaggers.

We are no better than what some of us call our elected Democratic officials.
Yes, some call them wimps, and I say, so are we. Not only wimps, but lazy ones
at that. :(

[Better Believe It]

33. We're not demonstrating much. That would not be approved in Washington

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

hell even told my tale here for the Teabager express.

The cliff's version... most tea bag attendees are not these nutsos foaming at the mouth, ready to go a-kill a lib'rul or two. In fact, we had one tell the ones getting on our face to shut up since it was OUR RIGHT to be there, you know freedom of speech and all that. At the end we even said our goodbyes and very polite ways.

Now there are a few who are well... out there. And them are the ones that the TV will show. You tell me why?

But been there, done that, got the T-Shirt my darling, we Billionaires for Wealthcare are kind of busy my dear.