 "Photo: Chronicle graphic")
Looking on the brighter side of things, a new organization called Coffee Party USA offers a more productive equivalent to the well know Tea Party gatherings.
What I like about the Coffee Party, as opposed to the Tea Party, is their outlook on government.
Neither organization claims to be a political party, but rather groups of citizens driven by their specific political views.
Instead of seeing the government as an evil entity, ever trying to strip away your freedoms, the Coffee Party “recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans.”
Coffee Party USA has one main objective – preserving democracy – and as far as I’m concerned, that’s the most American thing you can do.
Their mission statement says, “Our Founding Fathers and Mothers gave us an enduring gift – Democracy – and we must use it to meet the challenges that we face as a nation.”
You may be wondering what the difference between the two organizations are? Or why the Coffee Party didn’t just join the Tea Party protest?
First off, The Coffee Party does not want to be seen as an opponent to the Tea Party. In fact, they agree on many issues, such as fiscal responsibility and dissatisfaction with congress. However, where the two parties differ is their approach to solving these problems.
The Tea Parties are keen on the blame game and faintly clever signs.
Ironically, many of these people were the same to call protesters “un-American” during the last administration.
The Coffee Party, on the other hand, is devoted to a call to action in a more progressive way.
"Standing out here in the rain on a Monday is not going to get bills passed," Maryland resident Jessica Sharp said. "But calling your legislators and writing your letter to the editor and things like that are."
In additional to why the Coffee Party caught my eye was they claimed to be 100 percent grassroots.
The Tea Party claimed to be 100 percent grassroots and they may well have started off as that, but as soon as FOX News caught on and all their pundits starting calling the shots, it’s hard to believe that there’s no agenda that’s been formulated.
The Coffee Party website claims that the organization has “No lobbyists here, No pundits, and no hyper-partisan strategists calling the shots in this movement. We are a spontaneous and collective expression of our desire to forge a culture of civic engagement that is solution-oriented, not blame-oriented.”
Now the only question is, will they hold to that?
That to me is the most important factor to hear from a group dedicated to government reform, because I’m not exactly a huge fan of lobbyists.
The Coffee Party is encouraging its supporters to hold meetings, nationwide, on Saturday, March 13. These meetings will be a chance for individuals to voice their opinions and work together with those on the left and right to find real ways in which we can productively make changes.
As of when this article was written, the closest designated gathering point is in Los Angeles. If you would like to attend one of these gatherings, visit the organizations website, coffeepartyusa.com. Not only will their website help you find the closest meeting point, it will also offer you a wealth of information on the organization and their mission.
It’s simple, the current political system is not working and we need a major revision. It’s time for Americans to speak up and let the government know we’re not out for blood, but we do demand change.
The Chronicle Editorial Staff has seen to the editing of this piece to retain its accuracy. Reflected above is the edited version of this article.
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