POLITICS: tea party.

I've run across "tea party" as it relates to politics several times recently, so again, in the spirit of shining light, I will summarize what I've learned, and where there isn't sufficient information, I will extrapolate and conjecture, but will keep this to a minimum as much as possible, where necessary, if possible, unless it needs to be more.

So apparently the Tea Party was a big deal in the Edwardian, Victorian, and Gilded eras, but is not such a great deal currently, although there has been a slight up-shift of interest in some parts of the country. Essentially the tea party is a formal, ritualized gathering of people, often in the afternoon, and people drink tea together. Often they are dressed nicely, and have pretty place settings. I think it sounds awesome, so I would definitely include myself as someone interested in a tea party.

As it relates to politics, I've been able to discover almost nothing, but from what I can conjecture, the Tea Party is a big event where a lot of people come together, often in top hats and lace, and drink beverages* and amicably discuss political differences.

*tea?

I don't know if it's strictly tea, or if you can request coffee. I am not a Party attendee yet, so I don't know for sure.

Also, there is, of course, the 1773 Boston Tea Party, which was a very different kind of tea party; a tea party in which the Sons of Liberty got all dressed up and dumped a shipload of British tea into the harbor. I believe it was Boston Harbor, but I will have to verify with sources. I do not know where the Daughters were, but I hope there were women involved too. It was in protest of unfair and unjust laws imposed upon the colonists by England.

The event was a catalyst for change, in this case the American Revolution, an historical event that is sometimes found in textbooks. The Boston Tea Party, was, of course - if you are American - a joyous and celebrated event to commemorate the rising up of a people in opposition to unjust laws and a tyrannical government. It may be written up differently in British texts, I don't know. I also don't know how the French write about this, as they were our allies, and a great reason to celebrate the long and close relationship we have with them in upholding principles of liberty and freedom. Vive le France!

Anyway, the only info I really have about the Tea Party is a) the old Boston one (see above) and b) the current big event simply called "The Tea Party" that I have little information about, and is a bit underground, which is why I'm having to fill in some missing information gaps, and this event is apparently one (this is, I admit, educated extrapolation on my part) in which politicians dress up in grand and beautiful attire and get together for an afternoon of beverages and fruitful dialogue about ways to better the country.

I haven't been to this, but - even as an a-partisan - I think this is pretty awesome how people with big differences can still get together and discuss relevant issues with panache and amicability. At least that's my conjecture about the Tea Party; I haven't actually Wikipidia-ed it to see if there's disambiguated references I should be aware of, or spoken to Julian Assange, but if I find out differently I will let you know, for sure, when I can, hopefully.

Until then...have a wonderful day, and don't be afraid to be the person who takes coffee to the Tea Party. Or even root beer, or Kool-Aid. I would certainly think a tea party - or the Tea Party, if you should make it to the big one - would be welcoming of those willing to rock the boat, in the spirit of '73.

Thanks again, France, we don't always remember to say thank you. Also, good fries.

As always, your public servant providing partial analysis and commentary on contemporary issues of relevance to us a nation,

Joseph Long

*eighty- to ninety-five percent