Voice of a rebel

Re “Tea Party protests steeped in insanity,” Opinion, April 15

People like Marc Cooper can’t seem to get their arms around what the Tea Parties were about. He says the Colonists rebelled against injustice, but he can’t understand why people rebel today. I guess he assumes that bailing out failed private companies and incurring a multitrillion-dollar bill that we will pay off for generations is not an injustice. It is definitely an injustice to my grandchildren, who will likely have a lower standard of living because of it.

The American people are fed up with our government assuming that it is its right to spend the taxpayer’s money in any way it deems important. That is what the Tea Parties are about.

Cooper also thinks the Tea Parties are a Republican activity. He is wrong. Of the seven organizers of the Van Nuys Tea Party, of which I was one, only three were Republicans.

Gary Aminoff

Studio City

I do not understand what the “Teabaggers” were protesting.

My understanding is that the Boston Tea Party was protesting taxation without representation. The last time I checked, we all have the right to vote in this country. I don’t think that idea really makes sense.

Or maybe they were protesting higher taxes -- but Obama has given a tax break to 95% of all Americans, so it can’t be that.

This “movement” makes me laugh. Who can take it seriously when their analogy does not even make sense?

Stephanie Winnard

West Hills

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I am a pro-life conservative who believes in the 2nd Amendment. Within the last week, my government has apparently labeled me a terrorist, and now Cooper has declared me insane.

I participated in the Tea Party protests.

The Boston Tea Party was indeed a protest against taxation without representation. In his zeal to blame everything on former President George W. Bush, Cooper has missed the point entirely.

My protest isn’t about Bush or President Obama. The current government spending, which will have to be paid back by generations of as-yet-unborn Americans, is the most blatant example of taxation without representation I can think of.

Tom Thompson

Perris

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Re “A ‘tea party’ tempest,” April 16

In your effort to pigeonhole Wednesday’s Tea Parties as Democrat vs. Republican, you, along with the majority of the mainstream media, are missing the main point. The real problem we are facing in this nation is not party driven -- it is that the current system is not working and no longer represents the people.

We now have the means, through technology, for every citizen to represent his or her wishes. It is time to eliminate all politicians and the old-boy-school of doing business throughout this country. The savings would put us in budget surplus faster than you can say, “Yes we can.”

That would be real change. It’s time for everyone to take responsibility and stop thinking that government or politicians are going to solve anything.

Taxes (just the tip of the iceberg) are revolting. Why aren’t you?

Treb Heining

Newport Beach

For all of you who protested Wednesday and demanded “no taxes,” I say fine.

You won’t mind when you no longer have schools, fire protection, police, the military or border protection.

You will be able to protect yourselves, our borders will be open to the entire world (including to terrorists and drug lords), criminals will rule our cities, our children will be uneducated and unable to compete, and if your house catches fire or you have a heart attack, you’ll be on your own, baby!

Apparently you’ll not be accepting Social Security or Medicare either. It’s really interesting that many of these protests took place in public parks -- paid for by taxes.

Cathy R. DeWalt

Rancho Belago

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Wednesday’s protest had nothing to do with taxes. It had nothing to do with anything except Republicans being Republicans.

This is what they do. They started opposing Obama from the moment he took office.

Stuart Lubin

Los Angeles