If you thought the battle over health care reform is going to be over soon, think again.
This week, we've seen the true face of the Tea Party.
Take a look:
Help us push back against the outrageous behavior of the Tea Party protesters this week. Sign our petition calling on the GOP to apologize for the hateful behavior of their Tea Party supporters, and help us fight back against the Tea Party's petition drive to repeal health reform.
As health care reform legislation moved toward passage this week, the Tea Party's mask slipped. We recognized the face of a persistent rage and bigotry that has haunted our country for decades. The face of the Tea Party is the face of a demonstrator spitting, shouting words "nigger," "wetback," "faggot," and "Death to the communists!"
This toxic rage was put in its place years ago by the calm courage of men John Lewis, and the calm courage of people like John Lewis are in the process of doing so again. But one of the lessons we have to learn from this week's events is that we face a persistent, virulent opponent in the sentiment that drives the core of the Tea Party, and we have to be vigilant and persistent in combating it.
The Tea Party is already pushing a petition to repeal the health reform bill. They're aiming to get 100,000 signatures, and they're already at more than 70,000 in just 24 hours. People who still think it's acceptable in 2010 to shout racial slurs in broad daylight are nothing if not persistent, and this petition drive shows it. We can't let this or any attempt to roll back hard-won gains for all Americans go unanswered.
We've put together a petition calling out the GOP for encouraging, baiting, and pandering to the most extreme and hateful elements of the Tea Party. After egging them on for months, after seeking to benefit from the reactionaries at the fringe of American political life, after legitimizing their violent rhetoric, the Republican Party can't claim innocence when their extremist supporters cross the line. The Tea Party got more than 70,000 in 24 hours, but we've got more than 20,000 in just two hours. We need to keep it going to show the Tea Party we won't back down, and we won't let them or the Republicans hide behind the mask of fake patriotism anymore.
We don't have the luxury of letting up now that the votes have been taken. What's been won could be lost again if we lose focus. Please sign our petition today.