Richmond Tea Party‘s Fight With City Gains ’Unlikely Ally’….Occupy Richmond
- Posted on December 4, 2011 at 6:26pm by
Scott Baker
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You may have seen our earlier post on the Richmond Tea Party’s dispute with city officials. A dispute that centers on Tea Party group’s assertion that city is requiring them to reimburse the town coffers for expenses connected to past rallies…when the city does not seem to be requiring similar action by Occupy Richmond. Well, guess who is siding with the Tea Party? Occupy!
The Richmond Tea Party has found an unlikely ally in its fight against a City Hall tax audit: the Occupy movement.
Despite any ideological differences, Occupy Richmond has come out in support of the local chapter of the conservative Tea Party movement, which has accused city officials of a double standard in its dealings with the two movements.
“Occupy Richmond believes in absolute free speech, including the right to criticize the government without fear of retribution,” Occupy Richmond said in a statement posted Thursday on its website. “Given the duplicitous and violent manner in which the city government chose to raid our peaceful occupation, it would not surprise us if the recently announced city audit of the Richmond Tea Party were retaliation for their criticism of the mayor.”
“The Tea Party and Occupy movements disagree on many, many issues,” Occupy Richmond’s Thursday statement said. “This should not stop all Americans from proudly standing together against government abuses.”
The statement ultimately called on the city to drop the Tea Party audit and refund any money the group has paid to secure “free speech and assembly privileges.”
Richmond Tea Party spokeswoman Colleen Owens said on Friday that the group “never really had any kind of beef with the Occupy people.”
“I’m glad the Occupy group agrees with us,” she said. “We just think it’s very coincidental that they (the city) would issue audits, and we also believe that we filed everything that was required of us and never owed any taxes.”
While sitting in for Glenn Beck on his GBTV program last week I talked with key Richmond Tea Party leader Jonathan Wakefield and Less Government‘s Seton Motley about the dispute…and the differences between the Occupy movement and the Tea Party movement:
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Danielle_ORVA
Posted on December 7, 2011 at 12:48pmMy name is Danielle, and I am a member of Occupy Richmond.
I am posting here, because I am very happy that our press release is getting this sort of news coverage. I hope that we can create robust discussion that spans both ALL political ideologies – and I (speaking for myself, not the Occupy movement, or ORVA) believe that this sort of dialogue is one of the things that the government fears THE MOST.
I want to say that it is important that we give each other a chance.
I watched as the Tea Party was characterized by the mass media – we were told that TP members were racists, bigots, ignorant, etc… I watched, but I knew that it wasn’t true – because ascribing qualities to a huge group of people is generally difficult and often misleading. I’m sure everyone here also believed those characterizations to be untrue.
Now I watch as the Occupy movements are mischaracterized in a similar way. We are not ALL socialists – sure there are some people who are, but I, personally, believe those individuals to be misinformed, and hope to dialogue with them in order to explain to them why.
I am unemployed – but it’s because I am a second year Law Student and a mother. I am a Free-Market Libertarian.
I want to dispell ANY mistaken impressions that you may have about what this movement is about. I have done an interview on Richmond’s local conservative talk radio station explaining these very things.
Let’s drop the venom and change our country!
Report Post »objectivetruth
Posted on December 6, 2011 at 9:30amThey are having a meeting tonight.Southside community action center.Dec 6th at six pm
Report Post »Joshua7
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:39pmWell, it‘s nice to see some of them can actually think aren’t TOTAL zombies. I‘ll cross my fingures and hope that maybe they evolve a little and figure out that the government just can’t do everything they want it to. (But they’ll have to stop listening Bill Ayers and his kind before that happens and I doubt it will…)
Report Post »ltb
Posted on December 6, 2011 at 10:16amI’ve been to about 3 Tea Party events, including the one in DC, and I think the people from both groups do share a lot in common. I don’t agree with OWS’ tactics or entitlement mentality, but If both groups could get together on ending corruption in DC and Wall Street, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Report Post »The Sergeant Major
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 5:37pmNever normalize the actions of the enemy, OWS is a snake with two heads.
Report Post »boca_chica
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:59amThe City of richmond sounds like a Politbureau-are they that stupid that they don’t think rule-of-law and equal-protection-under-the-law do not apply anymore? Are the majority of in this city really that uneducated to vote for these people? I guess so.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 8:49amam part of the TEA PARTY and i have nothing in common with the FLEA PARTY
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:31amI’m a part of the Tea Party and I have a lot in common with the Occupy Protestors, even if I don’t subscribe to their ideology or approve of their solutions.
#1 They’re my fellow countrymen. We’re all in the same boat.
#2 Our problems are the same. The Federal Reserve Bank and the corrupt Congress, Senate, President, and Judicial Branch, and more immediately, the Police State that these entities fund and empower against the People, and by extension- the globalists who’re puppetting these criminals.
#3 Our remedy is the same. Abolish the Federal Reserve, drastically shrink the Police State that it funds and the criminal banks that it finances, and return to a constitutional form of government with sound currency. If neccessary, get the guns out.
Report Post »lillymckim
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:32amOk, lets make this simple … make those who Occupy Space pay up.
Report Post »TAXLORDCOMETH
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:46amThe key difference is this: Both Occupy and TEA agree the government is corrupt, unaccountable, and out of control, but Occupy, incredibily, turns around and demands Americans pay more tax dollars to said government, in the name of “paying their fair share”. There is no logic to their argument.
Report Post »911Patriot
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 8:40amDON’T be FOOLED. This is a ploy to try and find that ever-so-progressive “common ground.” There is NO COMMON GROUND with OWS and the TEA Party. This has Van Jones all over it. Do not lie with wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:23amThis is nothing more than damage control. And we’ll see the same from other occupy groups. Plan A has only earned them a negative response from the majority of the public so they’re switching to Plan B.
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 7:52amIn a nutshell (IMHO): the tea party wants to REFORM (ie get the corruption out of) the gov‘t and RESTORE the Constitution to it’s place as supreme law of the land.
Report Post »The ows wants a REVOLUTION (social, economic, etc.) to destroy the Republic and REPLACE it with a Euro-style socialist state, which as we can see doesn’t work. The ows are trying to co-opt the tea party message.
The Voice of Libertarian Reason
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 8:24amHas everyone missed it?
“The statement ultimately called on the city to drop the Tea Party audit and refund any money…”
This is a standard CYA move by the Occupoopers. If the Tea Party is refunded the fees they paid for police, permits, portopotties, etc then the Occupoopers will not have to pay either. If the fees are not refunded the Occupoopers will owe hundreds of thousands of dollars, millions in some cities, for the police over time, trash removal, electricity (Boston has given them power!), ….
Nothing more than trying to skip the bill.
Want to talk about fair share? How about you pay ANY amount of taxes, and let my fair share pay for something usefull. Like roads, bridges, firemen, and police. Instead of paying for you to camp out in the middle of cities, and crap in coffee cans.
Report Post »TxSon
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:25amI think Voice got it exactly right. The Occupiers know that under equal treatment under the law, if the Tea Party is held accountable for fees and expenses, they may also have to pay their fees and expenses for occupying cities all over the country.
Let the audit go forward. Let the Tea Party prove its case but also force the Occupiers to pay their freight too (then defend themselves in an audit).
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 5:09pmEven if you ignore the fee to “rent” the park, there is the tent issue. Every camper who ever camps in a federal or state park who has to pay a fee to park in said park, should insist they are “occupying” the park, and therefore entitled to put up a tent for free. Otherwise, they should charge every person who puts a tent up. Some parks even limit the number of people in a tent, so you don’t pay one fee and 12 people camp there.
Report Post »abear
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 7:13amReally? If the occupy movement was really in support of the Richmond Tea Party, wouldn’t they just abide by the same laws the Tea Party does? Did they pay their fee? Porta Potties? Security?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 6:42am.
Report Post »Well as long as they take a bath and don’t spread fleas, I guess it will be OK. But ya’ll are on a short leash…..
usmc1063
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 6:14amIt is good that they sided with the Tea Party on this issue. In some sense they are seeing what bigger government means in the form of tyranny. But I for one am not ready to except the glad hand . Progressive at times have Chameleon like tendencies even though they have the ability to change ideals but they are the same old Chameleon underneath. If they are so adamant about change they need to focus their efforts on what is really the root of the trouble in our Nation. That is simply bigger and more powerful government. Free speech has always been the cause of many pronounced issues in our country. But when you take away Free Speech everyone looses. That is what this Adminstration and the progressive movement is about. If they want to address issues they need to understand that the free market system is not to blame. It’s simply the interference of bigger government that limits our abilities as a people and a Nation. Once they understand that true freedom is the ability to shape one’s own fate instead of equality through hand outs and legislation. Remember the playing field is level at birth it is up to the individual to make a to succeed.
Report Post »M24
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 7:39amWell Said , THERE IS NO SECURITY ON THIS EARTH THERE IS ONLY OPPOTUNITY SEMPER FI
Report Post »kunman
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 6:03amWith the passage of Senate Bill 1867 by a 93 to 7 vote, which nullifies the Bill of Rights, this issue is pretty much a muted topic for America at this point. For once, I would stand with this President if he vetoed this Bill.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 2:23amWell I have to say I am shocked. The Mayor really did step
Report Post »in it on this though.He was so blatant and out there with his
predudice and then to retaliate with the audit was a crock. I
really wish the Tea Party would sue the City. Not quiet sure
how I feel about Occupy standing up for Tea Party. Ordinarily
it would be a good thing but we have to be so careful with the
Backers of the Occupy it makes me skeptical.
grayling646
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 1:41amCould it be that the occupiers are trying to gain some legitimacy by defending the Tea Party…..or maybe they’re just trying to get out of paying for the use of the property?
Report Post »Marci
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 1:59amI’m going with your last statement Grayling…they know they’ll have to pay if the Tea Party succeeds in their fight, and it is very likely they will succeed.
Report Post »Jayms
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 12:30amNotice how Occupy says “The Tea Party should be reimbursed,“ and NOT ”We‘ll pay our fair share to show we aren’t getting preferential treatment.”
Report Post »E-ROCK 1791
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 12:30amThis isn’t good.
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 4:30amI agree……
Report Post »VanguardKnight
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:23pmCo-opt…
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:20pm“Occupy Richmond believes in absolute free speech, including the right to criticize the government without fear of retribution,” Occupy Richmond said in a statement posted Thursday on its website. “Given the duplicitous and violent manner in which the city government chose to raid our peaceful occupation, it would not surprise us if the recently announced city audit of the Richmond Tea Party were retaliation for their criticism of the mayor.”
********
Report Post »Best statement – yet. The person or persons behind this statement – are Clever and Wise!
V-MAN MACE
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:32amIt just makes sense. Those our our fellow countrymen. Perhaps they’re waking up…
Report Post »The Eleventh Doctor
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:15pmWatch the other hand….
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 11:21pmI did have that in the back of my mind…..
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 12:17amELEVENTH DOCTOR, I agree. The OWS are in bed with the progressives. It is allot like the sudden fair and balanced mainstream media, or the surprise Christian statements spewing out of Obama’s mouth. Or the statement he made about supporting Israel. We can not fall for it but unfortunately many people will.
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