I joined the Tea Party in my locality when it began because I sincerely believed in its simple, but extremely powerful and direct message:

Low Taxes
Limited, Constitutional Government
Individual liberty

and nothing else. The Tea Party was not to be a political “Party” with positions on every subject under the sun. It would only be involved in its particular concerns, so as not to dilute its message.

Then what is this nonsense regarding certain Tea Party groups espousing substantial anti-immigration rhetoric?

How can someone espousing limited government, individual liberty, and rule of law be FOR crony capital government-imposed restrictions on businesses hiring who they want?

And with that, a large reason for such a high number of “illegal” immigrants is because the government has created arbitrary, low quotas which limit the amount of foreign-born workers allowed — though many sectors of our economy demand more.

The current Tea Party was galvanized by the original (Boston) Tea Party and share a same disdain over high and unjust taxation. But the original “tea partiers” would be turning over in their graves by being associated with the current Tea Party’s anti immigration stance!

Our colonists came to America for a variety of reasons ranging from freedom of religion to economic opportunity and wealth. They sought hope, prosperity, and freedom. They were the original immigrants.

America is a unique country because men, women, and children from other countries all want to come here. Unless you have a relationship to a US citizen or a permanent resident, the only way to be able to come here is through a job by being a skilled laborer or professional. This is a good thing.

We are getting the creme de la creme from other countries — and we want to say no to them? Here we have people who work and are motivated enough to uproot and better themselves by living in another country. That is the best kind of ethic we need to continue to nourish and aspire to America, the way we always have.

As for those who flee here from oppression: if their only crime is that they seek a better life, decent housing, food, and hygiene and they risk life and limb to come here, how can we turn that spirit away?

The current Tea Party would do well to remember that this country has survived and thrived precisely because of immigration; first, from the original colonists and second, from the wave of people who came here mainly during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

You are here because of an immigrant who believed in America. For the Tea Party to be closed-minded and protectionist on the issue of immigration flies in the face of the original Tea Partiers who inspired them.