Tea Enthusiasts Upset With Tea Party Movement For Co-opting Their Drink

by Frances Martel | 1:11 pm, March 18th, 2010

» 8 comments

The Tea Party movement has prompted its share of outrage and confusion with Americans from all walks of life, but now it’s their namesakes that are complaining their reputation has been tarnished by tea parties of the political variety. Somewhere along the road paved with falsified birth certificates and hand-written signs, people apparently never considered how adopting the beverage would affect the tea industry and those who subscribe to tea party culture — “the kind where you mind your manners and consider proper brewing temperatures.” It’s not good.

The Associated Press is reporting that the tea drinking community has been negatively impacted by the rise of the Tea Party movement, which has made it increasingly difficult to find relevant information on the drink through search engines, and explain that their hobby is apolitical in nature. World Tea Expo President George Jage told the AP that, while he is happy to see people become passionate about politics, “for our industry, it has been very damaging in an overshadowing type of way.”

Tea activists in particular feel that their cause– literally the promotion of tea consumption– has suffered now that it has been branded a political pastime. Some are even upset that tea has become a metaphor for indignation when they associate it with peace and harmony:

“I do everything in my power to promote the benefits and power of drinking specialty tea. With all the media attention that the tea party [movement] gets, it’s shifted that focus,” said Beth Johnston, owner of Teas Etc. in West Palm Beach, Fla. She’s staying neutral on the politics, but she has definite opinions about tea. “Tea is soothing and it’s restorative and it’s healing and that’s really the polar opposite of the energy of the movement, regardless of whether you agree or disagree.”

It’s a bit late to save the tea industry from the shadow of the small government, lower tax crowd, but at least it serves as a warning for what may come: if this “coffee party” movement gains any traction, Starbucks is in for some major business complications.

[Photo via]

AP, boston tea party, inadvertent politization, tea bags, tea industry, Tea Party, Tea Party Movement

http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

These tea activists are clearly straight-up racists, and frankly I’m worried about the potential violence their words may provoke.
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

The other night, I could hear a character talking about a “tea party” on some video my (young) kids were watching in the other room and I have to admit that I perked-up to listen, whether they had flipped to the news or something else that should be monitored.

Good post.
rmbltmbl

I have the same problem with the term liberal. Look at that etymology. Frankly, if your business is suffering from your customer’s ability to differentiate drinking tea from the Tea Party Movement.. wait, is that what they are trying to say? Are they saying their customers and potential customers cannot understand this? Why am I not to believe this is free publicity and they themselves are liberal progressives upset about more than tea?
marcus.lewis

rmbltmbl: If you want to believe in conspiracy theories that is your Right to do so.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Alicia-Maravilhao/1433058919 Alicia Maravilhao

Really, the ongoing reports about the Tea Party movement fall under the figurative category of ‘No Such Thing as Bad Publicity’ for Teas Etc, tea rooms, and the like. I’m sorry Beth Johnston is distressed.

The racist accusation is an NBC meme and is baseless (not sure why they took that tack). There are quite a few minorities in the photos of the crowds, and they have a friendly, inclusive attitude toward people who are courteous to them.

Overall, it’s good that the public is taking a strong interest in government. After all, we have a democratic republic, and it works best when people are engaged. The engagement of our president’s supporters was inspiring and positive during the campaign. Those who disagree with some of the president’s policies or causes are good people too.

So I think the purveyors of tea and coffee can benefit while we all have ‘a cuppa’ between debates. :-)
rmbltmbl

It seems I inspire people to recognize liberty! Thanks Marcus and I hope you know it comes from God! But I fail to see where I am asking anything unreasonable.. and telling is that you label me as a conspiracy theorist immediately, while I simply ask people to consider alternative motivations for people in an AP story complaining about the Tea Party.. cause they sell tea.
Nachi

“Manners”? “Culture”? Surely you jest . Non-existent with such semi-mortal slobs.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-Callan/100000200979966 Joe Callan

So long as there’s no Hot Cocoa Party, I’m good.

But if Tea drinkers are seriously upset, I have a plan. They should start a “Beer Party”. In retaliation for the Tea Partiers making “tea” synonymous with “raving idiot,” their Beer Party platform could be based in torture and baby-eating.