Tea-Publican Tyranny – Confederates in The Attic

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The adopted flag of anti-government "Patriot" groups – militias and other extremist organizations that see the federal government as their enemy, New SPLC Report: "Rage on The Right" — has been given equal status to Old Glory in a bill passed by both chambers of the Arizona legislature. Why not the "Stars and Bars" of the Confederacy? Let's be honest about your intentions here. Bill gives tea party's favorite flag same protection as Old Glory in Arizona:

A bill approved by the House and Senate [SB 1326] would preclude HOAs or condominium associations from barring residents from flying the Gadsden flag. The move, if approved by Gov. Jan Brewer, would give the black-on-yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake the same protected status as the U.S. flag, the flags of any branch of the military, the state flag, the POW-MIA flag and the flag of any Indian nation.

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Rep. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, rejected that characterization.

“The Gadsden flag is the first American flag,” he said. “And that’s what we’re celebrating.”

Gowan said this has nothing to do with politics.

“The tea party may use the flag,” he said. “But it is a United States flag.”

Let's be clear: coopting symbols from American history to mainstream radical extremism is what these far-right extremists organizations do. That is why they call themselves the "Patriot" movement, and the "Tea Party," and assert the Gadsden flag is "just" a United States flag. It was at one time in our history. It is now the symbol of anti-government radical extremists in rebellion against the United States government. Context matters.

At least Sen. Ron Gould is honest about his motivations, unlike the dissembling Rep. David Gowan:

Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said both are right. He said there is a historic basis for honoring the flag.

But Gould, who sports a decal of the same flag on his legislative laptop computer, said it represents more than that in 2011.

“It’s a symbol of rebellion,” he said. “I’m rebelling against the state and federal government about wasteful spending.”

Thank you for your honesty. "Gould voted against the legislation, but not because of what the flag represents. He said those who buy houses where there are homeowner associations have agreed to live by the terms of the restrictions."

On the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War on Tuesday, the Rachel Maddow Show examined the "Birthers, Birchers and Secessionists" who have hijacked the Republican Party for their far-right radical extremism. The portion of this segment that examins the Tea-Publican secessionists running for governor in the state of Texas made my blood boil.

Remember when "conservatives" wanted a flag burning amendment to the U.S. Constitution to criminalize desecrating the U.S. flag? And their favorite taunt that liberals like to "blame America first" for everything? And how they demonstrated their "patriotism" for wars by chanting "USA! USA! USA!"? Not so much anymore. The United States government is now their enemy.

Listen to these Tea-Publican candidates for governor in Texas (around the 6:50 mark) express their vitrioloc hatred for Old Glory and the United States government, and threaten a bloody civil war of secession – to cheers from Tea-Publicans.

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I suspect that there are Tea-Publican members of the Arizona legislature and their supporters who share the views expressed by these Tea-Publican candidates for governor in Texas, but their comments occur away from reporters who might report their outrageous comments in the media.

It is a crime to incite rebellion, insurrection or sedition against the United States government:

United States Code: Title 18,2383. Rebellion or insurrection:

Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

United States Code: Title 18,2384. Seditious conspiracy:

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

United States Code: Title 18,2385. Advocating overthrow of Government:

Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or

Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or

Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

As used in this section, the terms “organizes” and “organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes, and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons.

The Tea-Publican candidates for governor of Texas above should have been prosecuted under the law to make an example of them, but they were not. Instead, we simply dismiss such rants as "crazy talk" from "unstable" people. But the poison the far-right is preaching is infecting the minds of many others and is spreading like a malignant cancer through our society. We should not be aiding and abetting this crime against the United States. We should not be giving aid and comfort to treason.