Supposedly, there was a meeting at the West Chester Tea Party at the St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church on September 5^th, where accused vitriolic hatred toward the Jewish people was expressed in antisemitic rhetoric, and it was a news story that gained much attention. And it was members of the “Republican Party” who tipped off the Cincinnati Jewish Community Relations Council, pressing them to denounce the West Chester Tea Party for its actions. Apparently, there was a guest at that September 5^th meeting where topics about the Jewish people’s role in the world came up. This Jewish organization wanted to attach that discussion to a form of controlled speech that we see as such a strategy of the political left, where they determine what parameters of debate anybody is allowed to have. Anyone who dares to step outside those boundaries will then be attacked publicly, such as what is being attempted by the West Chester Tea Party. And if that was all it was, we could perhaps overlook it. However, I have a long affiliation with the West Chester Tea Party and Tea Party groups in general, and of course, as Paul Harvey used to say, “there’s the rest of the story.” This isn’t about hate speech being expressed over a controversial speaker. But I would say this is all about the West Chester Tea Party coming out and not endorsing Lynda O’Conner for the Lakota school board and ensuring people knew about it. I wrote an article that has been seen by many thousands of people on August 27^th, 2023, establishing that the West Chester Tea Party would not endorse Lynda for her next run for the school board. So just a few days later, at this September 5^th meeting, supporters of Lynda were looking for something to attempt to water down that lack of endorsement because Lynda has been affiliated with the West Chester Tea Party for over a decade. And the Tea Party just didn’t become an anti-semantic group a few weeks ago.

How do I know all that? Well, because I know all the people involved and how it works. I know how phone calls are made and the favors from the media are granted. I understand that the West Chester Tea Party is an open, free-speech-oriented group and that the caricature created by an institutionalized religious group does not reflect who they are. Many tempers have flared in the background over their lack of endorsement. I’ve heard many of them myself and I just let it ride out. I can understand Lynda’s feelings being hurt, but she has brand damage that she did to herself. So getting mad at the West Chester Tea Party isn’t a rational expression of justice, but that has been the byproduct of their emphatic refusal to not endorse her. We keep hearing about how small the West Chester Tea Party is, yet so many people are concerned about what they say and when they say it as if they are rationalizing to themselves its importance in the community. But I like the Tea Party people quite a lot and know how they work, and they are as far from a hate group as you can get. But I do know they hate one thing I share with them. If hate is the correct expression, which I think it is, we all hate corruption, and this kind of story is dripping wet with just the sort of corruption that has targeted RINOs in the Republican Party, and that is the real essence of this story.

I write many articles, many of which are about religion.  Some of them, the West Chester Tea Party, has spread around their network, which is undoubtedly part of the criticism toward them by these institutionalized groups.  I’ve even specifically addressed the Jewish issue as conspiracy theorists think of it because it’s a natural part of modern politics.  I love the Jewish people and have said so many times.  Jesus was Jewish.  We wouldn’t have a Bible if not for the Jewish people.  I even recently wrote an article about why we should all participate in Jewish rituals such as eating unleavened bread.  Any criticism that was expressed falls under the general failures of institutionalism, which is a much larger issue.  And, of course, those who seek refuge in institutionalism to hide their levels of corruption are at the heart of the matter here, and the perpetrators of injustice are playing a dangerous game that is falling apart in this second decade of this new century.  The political game of controlled free speech.  To censor people based on what they say and do, as if institutionalism could control people’s thoughts through the act of peer acceptance.  This isn’t a new game; it’s an outdated one.  And the 2010s want their political games back.  Because in the increasing MAGA movement where President Trump continues to be the leader of the Republican Party, these games are exactly why there is a severe hatred of RINOs representing people in politics.  That is precisely why the West Chester Tea Party made sure to distance themselves from their long affiliation with Lynda O’Conner once they found out she was running again, because of the many mistakes she has made that they couldn’t endorse. 

We no longer live in a world where people care what the newspapers say or the television media in a city.  This idea of ruling over others with hurt feelings is what created the mess we are in presently, and what has given politics a bad name.  So, any hope that this story would destroy the West Chester Tea Party, by the established RINOs who want their party back, will only blow up in their faces.  The hope was to force anybody to crush free speech to stay within the parameters of institutionalized controls, which is expected of the West Chester Tea Party, to apologize, and condemn members with opinions.  Then, they minimize their message so that the RINO faction of the Republican Party can gain back some respect that they have lost.  Because of these games, the West Chester Tea Party is still around and a vital force that works in the background, especially for Central Committee members.  Party politics is never going back to what it used to be.  People are not happy with it.  And they certainly don’t appreciate being used by political figures to get elected, then to have those elected representatives turn away from the freedom movement, and align themselves with institutionalized politics.  And that is the merit of this entire West Chester Tea Party issue.  They have nothing to apologize for.  I think they will gain members with this news media coverage.  But more than anything, they will gain respect for their position against Lynda O’Conner and other political figures who have turned away from the Tea Party ways and hope to wipe their guilt away as Judas did after taking money to sell out Jesus.  When the responsibility doesn’t go away from the reflection in the mirror, getting rid of the mirror is all too tempting.  But the reflection comes in many forms, not just the bathroom mirror or a news media that is already a poor reflection of actuality. 

Rich Hoffman