by Victoria Jackson
As you can see from this photograph, I can't quite reach Sarah Palin. This is a group shot of Sarah with my fellow Tea Party Express-ers in Boston. I'm on the left in the back row next to a man holding up an Anti-AARP bumper sticker. Palin is in the center in the red leather jacket.
Happy mayhem surrounds Sarah Palin. Pushing, snapping, hugging. I couldn't get near her if I tried, so I just stood in the back watching the circus. At one point, I couldn't resist, while she was signing Ron Rivoli's guitar, I reached out my arm through the crowd and touched her red jacket with my finger!
I spent one week on the Tea Party Express' three week bus tour across the country. In each city from Searchlight to Sioux St. Marie to Washington D.C., this great group of patriots and I were received by throngs of loving, passionate Americans who share our concern about the TYRANNY that has hijacked our government. It's amazing how many different creative, original ways FREEDOM can be expressed. The signs were hilarious and righteous. Lots of smiling, singing and photographs.
There were a few protestors on the outskirts of our rallies, but I only saw one up close. In Albany, NY standing next to a statue of George Washington was an angry, black woman holding a sign that said, "Yes, We Can." She looked very angry. The media was on her like flies. They got shots of our Tea Party crowd with her in the foreground. I was asked to pose next to her for a group shot. I kept glancing at her face. It takes a lot of energy to keep a frown that long. Finally, I asked her, "Why are you so angry?" She whipped her head around, her eyes on fire with hate, and snarled, "Don't talk to me, Whitey." I slowly walked away wondering why she was so mad at me.
I suspect she doesn't like white people.
I used to think that black people didn't like me because of the slavery thing a hundred years ago. But, I just learned from Lloyd Marcus' book "Confessions of a Black Conservative" that blacks are taught since the day they are born that 'Whitey is keeping them down.' No wonder why she hates me. She doesn't know it is a Liberal lie.
In Lloyd Marcus' book he talks about growing up in the "projects." He says that his family moved into a brand new building that within two years was filthy and dangerous. Lloyd says, "All I kept hearing from the majority of adults was that everything was the "white man's fault." Even at the tender age of nine, I sarcastically thought to myself "How can we stop these evil white people from sneaking in here at night, peeing in the stairwell, leaving broken wine bottles on the ground, smashing the light bulbs, and attacking people."
He explains that the "liberal cradle-to-grave government dependency programs kill incentive and ultimately hurt people. Meanwhile, Conservatism is branded as mean and heartless. What is ultimately heartless is an ideology that enslaves people in a system that rewards sloth and discourages achievement."
Lloyd continues to explain that he has "witnessed the devastating effect of liberalism in his own family." He writes, "My forty-something drug addicted cousin is a serial "impregnator" with several out of wedlock children. And yet, he enjoys a new townhouse, food stamps, free health care and methadone all funded by working taxpayers. In essence, the government is enabling and funding my cousin's irresponsible life-style."
On the Tea Party Express Bus, there was an NBC reporter filming us for a Dateline Tea Party story. We were weary and stinky from days on the road. Richie the young, handsome reporter asked us to discuss the racism charges brought against the Tea Party movement. I mumbled that I wouldn't waste my breath replying to that ridiculous distraction from the real issues; fiscal responsibility, smaller government, and the other one I keep forgetting...oh yeah, lower taxes. Lower taxes enables small business to thrive, thus saving the economy. The Progressives are just worried that the November election is going to be a Conservative Victory. Racism...pretty lame if you ask me. My teenage daughter is on the front of the bus flirting with David, a black teenager. His black father William is sitting near me sleeping. Reporter Richie keeps bringing up the race thing, for over an hour. Finally, I explode, "The President is a Racist!" The "police acted stupidly" comment Obama made about the Crowley-Gates affair was the most racist thing I have heard in a long time. And shame on the President for purposefully stirring up racial conflict! And, encouraging 'at-risk' youths to disrespect the police officers who are risking their lives to protect them!It popped out of O's mouth at the end of a Health Care speech when he was off TelePrompter! Oops! Jeremiah Wright training leaking out! I immediately realized I'd given the NBC guy the fodder he was after. I had been caught in a tired moment and I didn't even have my make up on. Well... Obama is a racist, but I don't want to be involved in childish tit for tat whining.
I just want my country to be FREE.
When Richie the reporter switched buses, I went back to meandering on the past days' events. After giving short speeches and singing my uke songs in each city, I was getting better at it. Politics is all new to me, remember. Boston and D.C. would be the final stops. After I had touched Sarah's jacket with my finger, I had gone back to watching her talk to her fans when suddenly Sarah had turned around and our eyes met. She did a double take and said, "Oh! I love you!" She hugged me and then she said, "Thanks for all you're doing. I want your autograph!"
For the rest of the day I was speechless with a dumb grin on my face...
...Except when I had to give my speech. I channeled Sarah and it went well.
This is my speech as it appeared in Washington, D.C. the next day, April 15, 2010. An awesome crowd. And...
I met Sarah Palin.
