Tuesday, March 30, 2010

I went to that "other" kind of tea party last night

Last night I was invited to a Tea Party in Penn Yan by my old neighbor Sandy. From what I have read, I found that I agreed with much of what the Tea Party folks espoused, so I went to see for myself.
Mostly the talk was of a rally scheduled for Tax Day. The sign out front said Tea Party (Taxed Enough Already) It was emphasized that the Tea Party was for PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL taking back of our government. The folks who threaten lives and preach hate are not who this movement is for or what they are about.

There was also talk of The 912 Project. Something Glenn Beck came up with. That is 9 Principles and 12 Values. They are as follows:


9 Principles

1.America Is Good.
2.I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.
3.I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington
4.The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson
5.If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson
6.I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson
7.I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington
8.It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington
9.The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

The 12 Values
* Honesty
* Reverence
* Hope
* Thrift
* Humility
* Charity
* Sincerity
* Moderation
* Hard Work
* Courage
* Personal Responsibility
* Gratitude


It's as simple as that.

Why don't you check it out for yourself?

2 comments:

Diane said...

You do the most interesting things!

Kerri said...

Good for you! I couldn't agree more with these principles and values. Sensible people indeed, and that's what we need!