Tea Parties and Tax Day
Here’s my commentary on this year’s tax protests. Four ideas, for what they’re worth.
First, to the people that named the “teabagging” protest. Urban Dictionary and Wikipedia are your friends, use them. The point of a protest is to change minds. It’s hard to do that when people are laughing at you for being clueless.
Second, if you’re going to hold a tax protest here are some points: Make it clear what you’re protesting. I’m having a hard time figuring out what the teabaggers want to change. And protest something that needs changing: Obama’s already lowered taxes on most of us. Last, don’t use public parks and public facilities to protest in. It’s hypocritical as they’re paid for and maintained by taxes. (And a side observation. Secession didn’t work very well the last time the country tried it. Are you really sure you want to put that forward?)
Third to Fox News, Glen Beck, Limbaugh, and fellow travellers: If you have to make it up it’s not called news. It’s called fiction or perhaps fantasy. See Wikidictionary. News, aka “journalism”, is reporting facts that can be confirmed by something external to you. Just because another of your friends also said it doesn’t make it true either. Facts. Not opinions. For example, saying “fair and balanced” doesn’t make it so. I can say that water is dry all day, but water still will be wet.
Fourth, to some American citizens. There’s a difference between news and commentary. Know the difference and protect yourself. The first is reporting fact. It has the usual “who, what, when, and how” and can be verified. The second is someone’s opinion. And in many cases today it can be shown to be unverifiable. Too much of so-called “news” today is actually commentary.