Teabagging History

GSL is by no means a political magazine. I'm really not trying to start a political debate here. But, as an historian, it needs to be said...

The so-called "Teabaggers" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_movement] derive their name as if to be a 21st century edition of the protesters at the Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party]. They dress like 18th century "revolutionaries" and adopt slogans popular from the original protests. But there is an historical inaccuracy in this that needs to be pointed out.

In its simplest form, the 1773 protest was against a tax on the American colonists that was decided upon by a legislative body in which they had no representation or say. Parliament overrode the local, American legislative bodies and imposed the law.

Whether you agree with the stimulus packages, bailouts or health care bills, the fact remains that these decisions were arrived at by duly elected representatives of the American people. There really is no credible parallel between the two protests. To express displeasure with the decisions is one thing, but to bastardize our history to justify being a sore loser is another.

The problem is that these folks seem to be drawing "lessons" from history without really understanding the facts of that history. We should look to our past to advise our future - but the real past, not the simplistic, wishful interpretation that is being passed off for our history.