[original post 8/13/2010]
Congratulations, Tea Partiers! You know you’ve become a genuine threat to the Progressive movement when they start making t-shirts about you.
The Agenda Project has launched “F*ck Tea”, an anti-Tea Party campaign that aims to “dismiss the tea party and promote the progressive cause.” Check out their nifty little video promoting their positive cause:
As Agenda Project founder Erica Payne explained to Politico’s Ben Smith:
“We will be launching new products in the next several months to help people all over the country F*ck Tea. Products like a Glenn Beck Bowl Buddy (Beck B Scrubbin) and others are perfect holiday gifts or just a great way to say, ‘I love you and our country’ to your spouse, friend or family.”
The website features a variety of t-shirts and mugs imprinted with the slogan “F*uck tea,” and Ms. Payne infers there will be more to come in the future. It also splashes a host of unsourced “Tea Party Facts” across the left side of the page, in an attempt to demean and minimize those who belong to or support the Tea Party movement, and imply that those who don’t are somehow of superior intellect based solely upon said “facts.” Meanwhile, the site dotingly highlights the word “progress” as “a movement toward a goal; advancement; growth; development; continuous improvement,” calling it “The Real American Party.” Frankly, I see nothing “real” about this or about any of the progressive people involved in it.
Now, I’ll admit, I’m one conservative constitutionalist who embraces the “F” word as part of my regular vocabulary, as much of a shock as that may be to leftists who may have already stereotyped me otherwise. But I was not aware that the word had become synonymous with positive development and improvement. (What a relief!) If brandishing the “F” word across my chest and gallivanting in public is a sign of intellect and the new symbol of the party of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, then I’m more than happy to save my $22.50, thanks. (Besides, if one’s cause were so important that such a word absolutely had to be used, the Libertarian in me wonders, why not just spell it out?) Also somewhat amusing about the entire venture is that the very people railing against the tea parties and against capitalism are shelling out over $20 a shirt for someone’s concocted-idea-turned-business-venture. It’s the very Capitalist tale that so many of the progressive left heartily opposes.
Liberty Chick 