From Tea to Coffee to Democracy 2.0 — My Story

[donheld]

So how did all of this get started for me? Honestly, I got pissed off.

I lost my job right in the beginning of the economic collapse because of an unscrupulous corporate buyout and restructuring. We lost our home about 6 months later and had to sell off everything and move in with family.

There is nothing harder for a man than losing everything and not being able to provide for his wife and child. It's devastating actually, and my wife and I had some rough times due to the financial hardship, instability and my new political delusions of grandeur. I believed that if I screamed loud enough, somebody would hear me and it would make a real difference.

My first venture into political activism was to join the Tea Party movement but, after devoting massive amounts of my time, I realized I disagreed with the divisive message and direction some of the leaders were promoting. What I learned from my time with the Tea Party is that I would rather reach out across the political spectrum and focus on issues and dialogue that unify the country, rather than focusing on things that divide us.

I am not ashamed of my time with the Tea Party. All I really did was speak from the heart and stand up for what I thought was right. Admittedly, at times, I was consumed by emotions of anger and true, heartfelt sadness. Sometimes, it clouded my better judgment and made it more difficult to remain humble. Yes, from time to time I gave in to kneejerk reactions, emotions and my own hypocrisies too. I'm just like you, I'm human.

More http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/brooks-backstory

[murielm99]

1. You should cross post this in the Illinois forum.

We have an active coffee party member there.