By: Christine Morabito, Gr. Boston Tea Party – January, 2012
The New Year brings a host of new challenges for the Tea Party in Massachusetts and for me personally. It is with a mixture of humility and pride that I have accepted a 2-year position as president of the Greater Boston Tea Party.
What a tremendous honor it is to succeed Christen Varley, who has tirelessly dedicated the past 3 years to promoting the Tea Party message – simply, clearly and eloquently. Christen has been a mentor, an inspiration and a friend to me as I struggled to “come out” as a conservative and encourage others to proudly do the same.
I am both thrilled and relieved that Christen has agreed to serve as secretary, meaning she will remain an integral part of this important grass-roots organization. She is credited with making the Greater Boston Tea Party the go-to organization for information about candidates, legislation and public policy.
Stark contrasts exist between me and my predecessor. I consider myself a loner, and will have to part ways with my comfort zone, becoming less of a private citizen and more of a public one. This will, no doubt, leave me exposed to attacks from our political foes on the spectacularly intolerant left. But, my strong belief in the Tea Party principles fills me with the confidence to stretch beyond what I ever thought possible.
My biggest contribution to the movement thus far has been as a writer. However, writing is a secluded endeavor, which involves spending copious amounts of time alone, with only a pen, paper and the voices in my head. I have had the luxury of time — time to think till it hurts, time to make more coffee and time to consult my thesaurus in order to create the perfect combination of nouns, verbs and adjectives to make my point. As a newly elected spokesperson, I will be expected, at a moment’s notice, to speak unrehearsed, at times into a camera or microphone. The prospect is daunting, but I am up for the challenge.
That said, this is not about me. I am simply a figurehead; someone to articulate a consistent message. I will have a tremendous organization behind me, filled with passionate and committed activists. I would like to think that the Tea Party is not about egos, power struggles or who gets the glory (if you can call it glory). It’s about inspiring people to get off the couch and help save our republic, before it’s demolished beyond all recognition.
The Greater Boston Tea Party will continue to collaborate with Tea Parties and liberty groups across Massachusetts, unifying for a common goal: to change the one-party system on Beacon Hill and beyond. With that accomplished, we have a greater chance for the representation we deserve and our forefathers fought for.
When we can clearly articulate the principles of limited government, free speech, free markets, individual liberty and personal responsibility – values sorely lacking in today’s society – we will motivate others to join us.
We will right our country in 2012 by demonstrating that big government rarely delivers what it promises; that it is better to lift up those at the bottom than to tear down those at the top; that people, not government bureaucrats know what is best for themselves, their families and their communities; that we are more free when we take responsibility for our choices and our futures; that there is inherent dignity in work and that no one owes us a living, a mortgage or a college tuition.
For those of you still unsure about the Tea Party, I ask you to give us a second look. Even if you despise politics or have no interest in it, you need to know what your legislators are up to – both good and bad – and how they are spending your hard earned money. Because when they waste your tax dollars or use it on things you are opposed to — and then ask for more – they’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do. The Tea Party will ask the questions and provide you with the answers.
I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support since the announcement of my new position. So when the progressives inevitably discover their new Tea Party target and pounce on me like a puma, I know hundreds of people will come to my aid. That makes it all worth it.