Don't Tread On Me Flag at Providence Tea Party
Well this past tax day many states all across the nation had tea party symbol of the original Boston Tea Party of 1773. Just like the original Tea Party these tea parties actually had little to do specifically with tea. With the one major exception being that they did actually dump a large amount of tea into Boston Harbor in 1773. The main protest was of taxation without direct representation. Accordingly, we today have this same problem with our federal government they tax us, but we have very little direct representation.
The people are saying the answer is less spending and more restraint, while the government is trying to spend its way out of a spending problem. Around the nation there were more than 750 Tea Parties, I imagine at least in all 50 states. There were certainly ones in Providence and Boston along with many others in Chicago, Hartford, Washington, East Hampton, at the Alamo, and elsewhere.
Some interesting things that were specifically mentioned at the Providence Tea Party is one what you do echoes in eternity (meaning that you actions in this life will determine your legacy for all time, and it you are a believer in God then you will realize the reality that there is also a judgment and rewards or punishment for what we do in this lifetime).
Two, the organization of the Providence tea party was initiated by one person in a not particularly powerful position.
Crowd at Rhode Island State House
Lastly, there was mention of Gaspee street which runs just behind the capital building in Providence, and the burning of the Gaspee (along with Gaspee day celebrations in Warwick), which was done in respond to oppressive taxes, and is actually considered by some to be the true first blood of the American Revolutionary War (Although, it was virtually forgotten and overshadowed by many other events preceding the revolutionary war such as the Boston Tea Party).
There were a few things that struck me about this protest. One is that I am actually paying lower taxes now because of Obama’s policies, although the difference is really negligible. Although, I highly suspect if such damage had not been done to the economy by this overspending mess then I probably would had been in a position to pay more taxes.
Second , based on the first is that what many folks are actually protesting I think is not the current tax burden, per se, but our incredible debt burden as a nation and our national standing in the world (except for one of the speaker who mentioned he had just cut out a check for something like $45,000 in taxes (I didn’t feel too sorry for him, because if his taxes are more than my income then I he is likely do pretty well). However, I wonder for the good of this nation whether he would perhaps make better use of that money by creating jobs or perhaps donating more money to those who really need it.
Now they of course want to cut back on tax breaks for charitable giving, which will put even more control in the government’s hands to determine for us what charities are worthy and which are not. That really upsets me, as I firmly believe people who are generous should be helped to continue their generosity and have discretion to give where they see fit.
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Tags: boston tea party, gaspee, hms gaspee, protest, revolution, tax, tea party