A Multitude Of Insignificance

Photo Courtesy Of SleeplessByTheSea

Perhaps it should be a surprise at all that the mainstream media is even mentioning yesterday's huge protest in D.C. by the Tea Party Express, but the manner in which they're characterizing the march is no surprise.

Two different headlines tell the story:

Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government - New York Times

Up to two million march to US Capitol to protest against Obama's spending in 'tea-party' demonstration - UK's Daily Mail

Thousands, or two million? Since our friends across the ocean have no political stake in all of this, I will take their word for it. I am also relying on people who were actually there and part of that massive crowd and who heard from park police on the scene that the unofficial estimate was closer to two million than "tens of thousands", as the Times, NPR, and the AP would have us believe.

How strange that these outlets would try to deceive the readers. Stranger still is the Times' complaint that "as they sang verse after verse of patriotic hymns like 'God Bless America,' sharp words of profane and political criticism were aimed at Mr. Obama and Congress." Profanity? At an angry rally? Good Heavens, no! While I have no specific example, I muse that this is the same newspaper that would cover a violent liberal protest, in which a police car is burned, and characterize the event as "anger at George Bush boiling over".

The most stunning reaction, however, comes from the vegetative state of Congressional Democrats, who have decided to dismiss the mood of the people altogether. According to the Washington Post,

"The White House declined to comment on the demonstration, but Democrats said the rally and other protests in recent months represent a small minority of voters and will not slow Obama's proposals."

Such contempt certainly is not endearing to a constituency that holds the pink slips sure to be distributed in 2010. What is most puzzling is why the Republicans have not seized upon this movement, as they are equal targets of voter ire next year. It seems that both sides of the aisle are determined to help us set the record for most freshman representatives in a single year.

We shall see then just how insignificant we really are. That is, of course, provided that ACORN is not counting the ballots.

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