MEMBER LETTER: TEA PARTY MEMBERS ARE ORDINARY CITIZENS

Local 1245 received the following e-mail from Rhonda Waigand, a 24-year PG&E Clerical member. It is published with her permission.

I was surprised when reading the article by retired Electricians at the Garamendi event making fun of “tea partiers” (Retired IBEW Electricians Encounter Tea Partiers, posted April 8, 2010)

Apparently those electricians have bought into the corrupt media, and the lies of those who fear such an organization.

The majority of tea party members are ordinary, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens, many of whom are union members themselves.  Like any large group of people, such as a political party, there may be some radical members, far left or far right,  but the vast majority of tea party members have the following in common:  they believe in healthy strong family values, liberty for our country’s citizens, justice, fairness and above all, freedom.  I believe most of our IBEW union members have the same values.

It was ordinary citizens who created the need for unions, like IBEW, and it was that same caliber of people who organized the “tea party” movement in this country.  When we see our country leaning in a negative direction, reducing our freedoms, affecting our safety, disrespecting our culture and customs, controlling our “choices”, then all of us have a duty to stand up against those that want to weaken our country.  Because the author of the article obviously did no research himself to find the “truth” about the “tea party”, his perspective and opinion of those involved in the organization was distorted.   Part of the problem in this country today is many people don’t seek the truth.

Thank you.

Rhonda Waigand
Kern Division Gas Services Department