Texas Tea

There were signs posted in the first floor lobby of the building where I work that read:

SICK OF THE BAILOUTS???

JOIN US AT THE "DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS TAX DAY TEA PARTY!!"

So, here's the thing.

The Boston Tea Party was a historically important event because it was in protest of "taxation without representation." Not only do we have representation now - we vote for elected officials who then legislate (presumably) based on the values and convictions that they initially campaigned on, and we know what they're about (again, presumably) before they get into a position where they can influence policy - but the reason tea was thrown into the bay as opposed to anything else was because drinking tea was part of the social culture of pre-Revolutionary War America. It was a big deal to throw crates full of tea into the water - wasting tea for almost any reason was sacrilege.

But now? In 2009?

Who cares?

My quarrel is not with people protesting. I say good for them. My quarrel is with the unoriginality of it all. Do something relevant, people. Make your own mark in history. This is just boring.

And if you don't believe me, I submit to you Joe Strummer's take on all of this, who was far more political (and awesome) than I. He said it first and said it best.

I'm So Bored With The U.S.A. -...