Is The Tea Party Movement Taking On A Damaging New Image

What Is Happening Inside The Tea Party Movement? by, Jack Swint - Publisher

The Tea Party is a political movement in the United States that has sponsored locally- and nationally-coordinated protests since 2009. Its platform is explicitly populist. And, is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian. It endorses reduced government spending, lower taxes, reduction of the national debt, federal budget deficit, and adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. Definition By, Wikipedia

In a time when the national Tea Party seemed to have been at its height; it now appears that the movement to take back control of our current governments overspending, over taxing, over budgeted and overrated politicians is losing momentum. In fact, some people are now questioning the true agenda of the tea party ideals. Why is that?

Recently, the NAACP and others are accusing the Tea Party movement of promoting and supporting hate groups. At the same time, national, state and local parties appear to be projecting a radical new image of a mocked up looking militant named “General Starburst,” (pictured above) who claims to have once been an “undercover agent” and “spy,” against the Tea Party. He makes reference to how he reported directly to Obama. Tea Party websites air links to at least 5 video's where Starburst mimics his actions to what some might mistake as a NAZI German Commander.

Who Is This New Face Of The Tea Party

Until recently, 67 year old Jerry A Pizet (pictured to the left) was a virtually unknown businessman living in Escondido, California. Owner-co founder of a Phoenix AZ based corporation known as Database Systems Corp. What’s most interesting is that one function of his company provides emergency alert services and systems to not only first responders and other emergency personnel, but also US and International corporations that could be considered within the scope of homeland security.

A few of their high profile customers include the American Red Cross, US governments Geological Survey, U. S. Postal Service, United States Dept of Agriculture, Danish Ministry of Defense, General Electric Company, Johns Hopkins University, Kuwait Oil Company, Microsoft Corporation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, N.J. Dept. of Human Services, N.J. Dept. of Treasury, Orange County Transportation Auth, Savannah Electric & Power, Southern Pacific, Telecom Australia, Tennessee Valley Authority and the list goes on and on.

What most people didn't know is that he is also a well known and embraced member of the tea party movement. He is known as “General Starburst,” (pictured above) who claims he was “commissioned by the tea party movement” to be their spokesperson. According to Pizets character, his political ideals changed as he infiltrated the national tea party for the government, and he then switched sides and joined up with the tea party movement.

His ideals, portrayed through General Starbursts 12 point plan to retake America, are eagerly accepted and shown on hundreds of tea party websites across the entire country. Which seems to mean it is accepted as a group based belief or philosophy.

His message? “Let’s Take Back America.” Which does sound like the agenda of the party movement. But, as you watch and listen to these U-Tube video’s, its quick to see that General Starburst may have a more personal message that he candy-coats with comical satire. According to one psychologist that we showed these video’s to, says this man has an underlying, if not subliminal message that he is preaching to thousands of veiwers. “This image of a fictitious character, who claims to be a self ordained battlefield commissioned general for the tea party, is radically attacking the government. And, the contents and graphics within his video’s, is borderline on being delusional.”

Within the video’s theme of “America Declares War,” Pizet uses a script that projects a belief that the Obama administration is… “Arrogant, broken, communistic, corrupt, dishonest, dysfunctional, obamanation, outmoded, overbearing, scary, stupid, tyrannical, unprincipled.” And, that Obama health care is a “Cesspool of corruption, payoffs, paybacks, kickbacks, extortion, blackmail, side deals, and unconstitutional.”

In one part, Pizet states in writing that Obama and Nancy Pelosi are more of an enemy to the US than Hitler or the 9-11 attacks.

Some of the visual settings depict Pizet (as Gen Starburst) in front of an audience in a high rise building, in what could be construed as being in New Yorks twin tower area. Another, he is sitting on a beach surrounded by different bottles of alcohol. With no explanation, Pizet repeatedly interjects several 747 airplanes flying erratically in and out of the scenes with the words “Tea Parties America.” In one scene, a 747 plane crashes and explodes.

Accusations Of Hate Groups Within The Tea Party

Over the past year, the Tea party has come under fire for also allegedly promoting and voicing a philosophy supporting hate groups. Several members we spoke to say that is not true. But, it is possible that certain hate groups are using tea party functions to recruit people for their own causes.

According to reports we obtained, at least one seven state study conducted from the University of Washington found that Tea Party movement supporters within those states were "more likely to be racially resentful" than the population as a whole, even when controlling for partisanship and ideology. Of white poll respondents who strongly approve of the Tea Party, only 35% believe that blacks are hard-working, compared to 55% of those strongly opposed to the Tea Party, and 40% of all respondents.

However, analysis done by ABC News' Polling Unit found that views on race "are not significant predictors of support for the Tea Party movement" because they are typical of whites who are very conservative.

Accusations of racism and racial motivations among Tea Party protesters have been made from early on. Various politicians, political commentators and columnists have expressed concern about racism in the Tea Party movement and in its opposition to the health care reform bill. The White House, however, has made efforts to downplay the accusations, and said that Obama does not believe he is being criticized because of his race.

A report published in the Fall of 2010 by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights and backed by the NAACP has found what it says are efforts by white nationalist groups and militias to link themselves to the tea party movement. White nationalists have attempted to recruit new members at Tea Party events. Steve Smith, Pennsylvania Party Chairman of the white nationalist American Third Position Party, has called Tea Party events "fertile ground for our activists.”

But, three black Tea Party protesters who were interviewed by the Washington Times, said that they have not experienced or witnessed any racial hostility. Charlene Freedman from New Jersey, who had attended four different Tea Party protests, including the health care protest on March 20, 2010, said "I didn't see color. They didn't see my color. We're just American citizens, and we're here to say, 'Keep America free.' I’ve heard nothing about racism ... nothing at all."

Polls have examined Tea Party supporters' views on race and racial politics. The University of Washington poll of registered voters in Washington State found that 74% of Tea Party supporters agreed with the statement "While equal opportunity for blacks and minorities to succeed is important, it's not really the government's job to guarantee it," while a CBS/New York Times poll found that 25% think that the administration favors blacks over whites, compared with just 11% of the general public.

Birth Of The National Tea Party Movement

According to Wikipedia, the birth of the National Tea Party began on or about February 19, 2009, in a broadcast from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, CNBC Business News editor Rick Santelli criticized the government plan to refinance mortgages, which had just been announced the day before. He said that those plans were "promoting bad behavior" by, "subsidizing losers' mortgages." He suggested holding a tea party for traders to gather and dump the derivatives in the Chicago River on July 1. A number of the floor traders around him cheered on his proposal, to the amusement of the hosts in the studio. Santelli's "rant" became a viral video after being featured on the Drudge Report.

In response to Santelli, websites such as ChicagoTeaParty.com (registered in August 2008 by Chicago radio producer Zack Christenson) were live within 12 hours. About 10 hours after Santelli's remarks, reTeaParty.com was bought to coordinate Tea Parties scheduled for Independence Day and, as of March 4, was reported to be receiving 11,000 visitors a day.

According to The New Yorker writer Ben McGrath and New York Times reporter Kate Zernike, this is where the movement was first inspired to coalesce under the collective banner of "Tea Party". By the next day, guests on Fox News had already begun to mention this new "Tea Party."

As reported by The Huffington Post, a Facebook page was developed on February 20, 2009 calling for Tea Party protests across the country. Soon, the "Nationwide Chicago Tea Party" protest was coordinated across over 40 different cities for February 27, 2009, thus establishing the first national modern Tea Party protest. The movement has been supported nationally by at least 12 prominent individuals and their associated organizations.

Polls found that just 7% of Tea Party supporters approve of how the American president Barack Obama is doing his job compared to 50% (as of April 2010) of the general public, and that roughly 77% of supporters had voted for Obama's Republican opponent, John McCain in 2008.

In closing

The National Tea Party, along with state and city chapters are either allowing their true colors to emerge, or are not paying attention to what is actually taking place within the rank and file.

Allowing the promotion of a self proclaimed general who claims the party commissioned him to become an image portraying the beliefs and ideals of all parties across the board is scary at the least. Jerry Pizet, aka General Starburst, is using video entertainment to voice a cynical message to not only tea party members, but to John Doe America too. Bottom line, it’s a bizarre platform that calls on more than just core values of the tea party movement. One source for this story said this image is nothing more than a "home grown terrorist."

What’s more alarming is that Pizet, who has these anti-government feelings and beliefs is actually a businessman who has direct links to homeland security operations as a company who sells emergency response systems to US and foreign governments. US telecommunication corporations and also US utility companies. It’s not paranoia that raises this question, its reality to the potential problems that could arise if civil unrest ever occurred.

The Tea Parties image as being associated and promoting hate groups within their organization appears to not be based on anything more than opinions and studies. But, image speaks volumes and will always be open to scrutiny for a large multi-faceted organization based on taking back control of the government and making changes for everyday Americans.

But, the parties image as being a radical "hater" of the US and democracy that is currently being portrayed in these video's posted on hundreds of tea party websites, is something that needs to be closely looked at by all members because it projects the feelings portrayed as those of everyone.

End Of Story...

Links

Database Systems Inc

Database Emergency Systems

Link To General Starburst Videos (One of approx 233 video links on tea party websites)
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Jack Swint - Publisher
WV News
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
(304) 319-4011
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