Did the Tea Party Movement Start in Liberal Seattle?
By NW Digest Team at May 22nd, 2009.
How did the nationwide Tea Parties seemingly come from nowhere? Could a small but vocal group of small government advocates in Seattle have sparked hundreds of thousands of people across the nation to take their grievances public on Tax Day?
The answers to those questions may surprise you. While the widely cited impetus may be the Rick Santelli on CNBC (click for video) outburst at the Chicago Stock Exchange, it was in the heart of liberal Seattle where the very first protest took place, nearly two months before the April 15 rallies were even contemplated.
Washington organizers, therefore, was sure to take special offense at accusations that the Tea Party Movement was just a concoction of Fox News and groups like Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks and Newt Gingrich’s American Solutions.
In fact, the preponderance of evidence points to a genuine citizen-fueled movement, with its origins right here in our own backyard. Of course, coverage of that fact has been inadequate. Former Seattle Times columnist, Michelle Malkin, outlines the definitive history of the movement, including its Seattle roots, in a post at her site.
You can read more about two of the local Seattle organizers who helped kick off the wave of Tea Party rallies at their respective websites: “Liberty Belle” and “Steve Beren.” There you will also find details about their motivations and activities over the past few months.
And if you’re curious as to what the next steps for the Tea Party might be, check out a new group set to launch later this month: American Liberty Alliance.
Tags: Congress, Democrats, featured, Republicans, Tea Party Movement
NW Digest Team
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