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Eric Dahlberg and the Tea Party
We haven’t written much about the race for the 3rd Middlesex Senate seat currently held by Democrat Susan Fargo, but a fascinating episode involving Republican challenger (and Chelmsford Selectman) Eric Dahlberg, the Tea Party, and a group called MassResistance has prompted me to pay more attention. This coming Sunday, the Tea Party had a rally scheduled on Lexington Green. Dahlberg, the other Republican candidate Sandi Martinez, and many others were to speak. Dahlberg suddenly canceled his appearance at the rally when he learned that Brian Camenker, president of MassResistance, an organization identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a “hate group” was going to also speak at the rally. According to Wicked Local Lexington, here’s how Dahlberg explained his decision:
“Some consider MassResistance a hate group,” Dahlberg said. “I don’t want to be within a mile of an event that gives someone like that a stage.” . . . Dahlberg said he supported what he considered the main objectives of the Tea Party movement: lowering taxes, streamlining government and advocating for personal responsibility. . . “As far as I can tell, MassResistance has absolutely nothing to do with any of that,” Dahlberg said. “Of course, I support freedom of speech. But I am exercising my freedom of speech by deciding not to appear.” . . . Dahlberg said he would spend the time going door-to-door to meet voters instead.
Apparently other scheduled speakers followed Dahlberg’s lead and canceled their acceptances, so now the rally has been canceled by its organizers.
I suppose some-most-all? Tea Party enthusiasts will be peeved at Dahlberg for messing up their rally, but I think all the rest will see him as acting decisively in a dignified, straight-forward way whether they agreed with his decision or not.
Boycott! Nicely done, Mr. Dalberg.
There is a right to free speech. There is a right to vote……with your feet.
The SPLC calling a group “haters” is like the NAACP calling the Tea Party “racists”. Mr Dahlberg should see through this. It is a Far Left tactic to silence any true conservative voices. For him to accept SPLC’s rules makes him complicit in forwarding their radical agenda. I challenge Dahlberg to point to one “hateful” thing MassResistance has done. Is it “hateful” to support parents’ rights in the schools concerning sex ed, homosexuality, and transgenderism? Is it “hateful” to support one man-one woman marriage? Is it “hateful” to be outraged that the Mass. “Commission on Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Youth” is supporting GLBT clubs in the schools, which send children to the “Youth Pride” event and BAGLY’s prom (where “Mr Boston Leather” was openly recruiting kids into sadomasochism in 2009)? Is it “hateful” to oppose abortion? Is it “hateful” to support a strict reading of our state and federal constitutions? Dahlberg should be ashamed of himself. He could not name a single “hateful” position MassResistance has taken. The event should have gone forward.
Manny,
My daughter has participated in many events that support the gay & lesbian teen community. She has yet to catch “teh gay.”
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw, “I’m straight, not narrow.”
I congratulate Mr. Dahlberg.
Here’s one.
SPECIAL MASSRESISTANCE REPORT:
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Good for Mr. Dahlberg in distancing himself from this movement.
I think one has only to look at the reaction in the LGBT community after Proposition 8 was passed, or after Maine voters passed overturned the decision to allow gay marriage, to realize just how hateful it is to support “one man-one woman marriage.”
I also think that one has only to look at the federal trial concerning Prop. 8 to realize that there are exactly zero compelling reasons for opposing gay marriage; the defense had to have provided the weakest case ever witnessed in such a prominent trial.
Good for Eric Dahlberg for not supporting this hate group.
I think it is important to note that many candidates pulled out of attending when it was revealed that this “pretend” Tea party rally was merely an attempt by candidates to gain some publicity. Bravo to all who refused to be part of it. And congratulations to the organizer for realizing they had made a mistake in inviting Camenker and canceling the event all together.
The Tea party movement supports limited government, free markets, free speech, individual liberty and personal responsibility. Nothing about sexual preference in there at all.
Dahlberg has a problem which has not yet surfaced. He violated the Hatch Act, and when he got caught, he resigned from his job with the Commonwealth. Also, other legal issues he needs to explain.