The Tea Party movement is known to be a haven for those who are disaffected with both political parties and the party line, and who want their voices to be heard.  The mainstream media has made great efforts to silence those voices, painting the Tea Partiers as cranks, bigots, and racists.

There is a “democratic forum” at the website Tea Party Nation, which bills itself as part of the Tea Party movement and facilitates Tea Party conventions.

I posted a blog there, advocating an “even handed” U.S. policy toward Israel as a means to achieve a just and lasting peace.  I made the case that blanket support of all Israeli actions and positions is not reasonable, and that certain neoconservative writers are being unfair when they claim that “America has now abandoned Israel.”

When I returned the following day, I saw that a dozen or so interesting responses had been posted, the comments were evenly divided pro and con, and none were objectionable or racist.  The following day, I was banned from the website.

Apparently, there are hidden rules at Tea Party Nation governing discussion and debate on an “open forum.”  First, I received a two-line message from a commenter who identified himself as Vern Shotwell.  He declared, “You are anti-Semitic and also presumed to be a pacifist.”  Within an hour, I was unable to return to the site, and another message informed me I was no longer a member of Tea Party Nation.  I immediately responded to Mr. Shotwell, objecting to his use of defamation with such a highly charged, false, and reckless accusation.  I insisted that Tea Party Nation either demonstrate specifically where anything in my post was racist, anti-Jewish, or antisemitic, or else retract the charge.  No one has responded, and I remain exiled.

The Tea Parties have always claimed to be conservative in outlook.  They insist they not affiliated with any political faction and remain nonpartisan, supporting the best candidates—Democratic, Republican, or Independent.  The Tea Party supporters’ central message is small government and fiscal responsibility—views with which I sympathize.  There has never been any mandate of ideological purity on foreign-policy issues.

One week before my excommunication, Tea Party Nation carried cries of outrage at statements by the NAACP charging Tea Partiers with racism.  Perhaps they should remember the old adage about people who live in glass houses.