Measuring a person’s right to express themselves is constitutionally guaranteed, but one thinking quite radically may cite some minor flaws. 

In the wake of one of the worst recessions our domestic economy has ever experienced, one might expect the inevitable — a grassroots political rally that uprises middle and urban America to protest somewhat unpopular decisions by the federal government. But in one of the rarest cases, this essential Democratic concept seems to partially damage the political system with its string of complications. 

Held across the country, the April 15 Tax Day Tea Parties aroused thousands into what was described as a rally against government spending. But instead, the rally visibly barreled into a anti-Obama slugfest. Bluntly, this is not successful any way you look at it. Opposition to the President isn’t anything that should be discouraged, but when put into the context of this situation, in isn’t exactly healthy. 

President Barack Obama was the successor and inheritor of eight years of politics that close to the entire country decided to change in the form of the 2008 Presidential Election. Speaking in a visibly loud tone, Candidate Obama stressed the fact that the American economy needed to change its ways. Although it was not popular, he stressed tightening the grip on the private sector, and yes, spending on bills which he, Congress, and a majority of the American people supported. 

And now, not after these bills were passed — but after they have gone into effect, must a fraction of the American taxpayers revolt. Essentially, these tea parties single-handedly disprove the small glimmer of hope that America has to work together. 

Enter the press.

Because of these parties, the press has had a field day not only covering the widespread events, but how their political colleagues covered it. On both suspected sides of the Main Steam Media, punches were thrown. MSNBC’s liberal Keith Olbermann invited political activist Janeane Garofalo, who not only condemned the rally, but focused her attack on the people attending, suggesting they did not understand the history lesson that came with the posters they were holding, rather attending to push their supposed message of racism forward into national TV.

Moving on to the conservative media, Garofalo blasted Fox News for their continued coverage and “impli[ed] support” of the rallies.  The conservative Bill O Reilly of Fox News fought back, defending himself and Fox, citing progress in the rallies toward better decisions on Capitol Hill and in the White House.

Although my support of the Garofalo does not take me as far as to say the attending people were racist, there was an obvious partisan support of the rallies from Fox, and at the same time an opposition from MNSBC. 

But what concerns me the most is not the length of the coverage or the punches thrown after, but the simple fact that the American people have contradicted themselves. Millions of people, Black and White, Republican and Democratic, punched their respective ballots for Barack Obama on November 4, 2008, and now it seems that many of these same people are rallying against what they in part originally supported. 

– pacer521