Comparing The Tea Parties to Occupy Wall Street
There is a concerted effort by the liberal media and liberal politicians to compare the Tea Parties and Occupy Wall Street. Over the past several weeks there have been a number 
of articles and statements putting forward that premise.
On October 7th the Los Angeles Times asked the question, “Is Occupy Wall Street a tea party for Democrats”? Their conclusion in a phrase is that both groups represented the “fed-up”.
In the same vein we’re starting to see reports in Canada and Korea asking the same question or making the same comparison.
The Korea Times said that there is a huge difference between the two. ”The Tea Party movement is protest against abuse of political power and the increasing marginalization
and disrespect for truths, such as protection of life, liberty and property that define American freedom. Occupy Wall Street is about lust for political power, about defining what others should have, and redistributing and spending what belongs to someone else”.
On the other hand, Raymond J. Learsey in The Huffington Post comes down on the side of Occupy Wall Street. He actually said that the Tea Party Movement should try to understand the Occupy Wall Street protests. In essence, he said that the two are two sides of the same coin. Both are protesting big government and both are trying to change the current system.
Mr.Learsey may have a point but here’s the problem with that analysis. The Tea Parties are generally made up of working or retired Americans. Generally they are right of center politically. They have a program: limited government, lower taxes and a revived economy.
Occupy Wall Street protesters are polar opposites. They are generally young, unemployed and far left of center. In fact they can be described as the fringe of the fringe. Here is a sampling of the banners and placards that Mr. Learsey noted in Zucotti Park:
“If Voting Made a Difference It Would Have Already Made A Difference”
-”Work, Consume, Be Silent, Die — I Rely On Your Apathy”
-”The Empire Strikes Back”
-”We Are The Tired Poor Huddled Masses”
-”Corporate Greed is Un-American”
-”End Corporate Welfare”
-”Another Mother Against Greed”
-”Obama Let Wall Street F***k Yo Mama!
-”Why Bail Out Wall Street Than Sell Out Main Street”
These are the slogans of a movement that doesn’t have a goal or a purpose, other than the all-encompassing “Change the System”.
Michael Ford in The Huffington Post said, “The Tea Party did a magnificent job and now the Occupy Wall Street protests are percolating equally important activity. Both are non-violent and fueled by social media. Both make their targets uncomfortable. Both animate each other with their polar enthusiasms”. Mr Ford is the founding director of Xavier University’s Institute for Politics and the American Dream.
On a lighter note The Washington Post pointed out that the Tea Parties who have had such a huge impact on American political life gets no respect from the copy editors at the Associated Press who use lower case for tea parties or tea party. Meanwhile, the Occupy Wall Street a movement that has only well “occupied” several cities gets the Upper Case treatment. Go figure!
