Los Angeles Times: Tea Parties are 'Un-American'

Glenn Reynolds has posted rolling updates with pictures and links to tea party blogging from around the country. His latest update is here. But see his post yesterday as well, "READERS ARE SENDING PHOTOS," and the reactions at Memeorandum.

Some of the demonstrations have been massive. Recall that 15,000 attended yesterday's rallin in Tulare. Dallas also threw a huge tea party, with an estimated 5,000 people in attendance. See Nice Deb as well, "Kansas City 4th Of July Tea Party Pictures," and "Kansas City 4th Of July Tea Party Pictures, Part 2." Plus, This Ain't Hell features a nice roundup as well, "July 4th Tea Party News."

Outside some of the local new stations, there's little coverage of the events in the mainstream national dailies. As David Weigel noted earlier, "Tea Party Movement Loses Steam."

The Los Angeles Times did get a chance to attack everyday citizens as "un-American." These are people who took time away from their July 4th community and family events to protest the oppressive Obama administration in Washington. Columnist Chris Erskine spends most of his essay ridiculing local speakers as circus clowns, but he can't resist the radical smear:

It's not like Americans don't have cause for concern. The day before, the state of California began issuing IOUs. Suddenly, California seems one rusty tank from becoming a banana republic.

Thing is, we're all slicing the ham a little thinner these days -- Republicans and Democrats. Many of us, the ones who are working, don't know how long the job is going to last.

Folks without work have it far worse. They look at the calendar and wonder when . . . when will the phone ring? . . . when can I sleep through the night again without being eaten alive by worry?

Have you looked at a dollar bill lately? George Washington is weeping.

In such a climate, it strikes me as . . . well, almost un-American to be griping so vehemently about helping those less fortunate. Were this a war, we'd all dig a little deeper to buy guns and battleships.

It's not quite Janeane Garafolo (who no-showed at yesterday's Dallas tea party). But it's pretty disgusting in any case.

Tea party rallies "were planned for nearly 1,500 cities." Calling regular folks and activists "un-American" on Independence day is just plain bad form.

Check Instapundit for more. Also, Atlas Shrugs, "Tea Parties Nationwide! GO AMERICA!," Urban Grounds, "Austin Independence Tea Party Ruined by Politicians."