March 14th 2021 Newsletter
Or so some would have you think. For some reason the county conventions have been treated to some interesting conspiracy theories including that STP (Sooner Tea Party) Co Founder Al Gerhart is somehow controlling state politics by sitting in dark smoke filled rooms conspiring with others in secret meetings. Who these “others” are seems to cleverly omitted from the tales but supporters of Shane “ Shame” Jemison who is the RINO running for state vice chair , the supporters of radical abolitionist Christine Leeviraphan who is running for state chair, and Charles Ortega who is the RINO running for state chair seem to think that spreading rumors of a secret organization controlling other candidates will help them beat back the Trump supporters and continue RINO control of the GOP.
And you know, I have heard fools like Porter Davis slobber while wide eyed about the Illuminati for years without spending the time to even look into the conspiracy. I mean these people were clearly deranged, hardly credible enough to spend time on the matter. But hey, I was bored today and decided to check into this Illuminati thing.
The term Illuminati was a name give to a Bavarian group that started around the time of our Declaration of Independence. Their goal was to reform German society by opposing superstition, abuses of state power, the influence of religion in public life, and a tactic called obscurantism which is when a group or political organization spreads ignorance and obstructs the education of the masses in an effort to control the population. Literally obscuring the truth by spreading ignorance.
It wasn't long before this group and the Freemasons were outlawed by the German state of Bavaria and with the help of the Catholic Church. Conservatives and the priests vilified the secret groups and blamed them for the French revolution. Keep in mind that prior to the revolution most of the states of Europe were ran by a monarchy, democracy or a Republic were radical and dangerous ideas to those in power.
Since the 1800's the term Illuminati has been used to cast allegations against real or imagined organizations that conspire to rule the world and control political leaders, planting spies and puppet masters in government, in corporations, in religious organizations, and the media of course. The plan is to establish a New World Order by lurking in the shadows, pulling the strings that control politicians, making plans like Jade Helm which was supposed to round up and detain American citizens during the years of the Obama administration. Using Wal Marts as detention centers no less....
The word Illuminati is the plural of a Latin word for “the enlightened” and I suppose STP and its followers are enlightened on politics. And we are guilty of opposing the abuse of state power, we oppose religious bigots that are attempting to force religious litmus tests upon candidates, and yes we do oppose those that are attempting to obscure their true nature and continue controlling the GOP. But we are hardly a secret organization, indeed we write a weekly newsletter that encourages people to get involved in politics and even become delegates to the GOP conventions.
STP has always avoided meetings as they are generally a waste of everyone's time unless it is for training. The leadership has always been akin to an Apache Indian War Party, someone steps up with an idea, others get behind the idea and make it happen. One week A and B are not allies on a project but next month an issue comes along where both will happily work together on an issue. The Tea Party was never a centrally controlled organization, never a chorus, more of a cacophony of voices, a thousand voices with a thousand opinions but once one issue resonates it became an unstoppable force on that one issue.
STP works with people that some would refuse to believe the idea that the two parties cooperated were they to discover the collaboration. Politics makes strange bedfellows, once the T. Russell Hunters and the abolitionists started viciously attacking Churches, Pro Life leaders, and RINO legislative leaders all sorts of possibilities had opened up. And a strange thing happens, the other side realizes that STP can be a handy thing to have around and to support even if on occasion they bloody your group's nose on an issue.
The abolitionists and the RINOs and even some old school Republicans are more than a little worried that new leadership will take control of the GOP. But politics is the art of the possible, nothing could be done that didn't have wide support, the funding of the Party alone would be impossible otherwise. The old school Republicans ought to be honored for what they did turning around the Party and winning a super majority in the legislature and statewide offices but the time is past for growing numbers and it is time to force the politicians to follow the Party values, to follow Oklahoma values, and that means change in leadership.
So the crazies and the RINOs might be right about STP opposing the spread of ignorance and disinformation. They know that the truth is a powerful thing and it can only be stopped with lies, slander, and treachery. But the reality is that the truth cannot be stopped, only delayed, and as the old Chinese saying goes:
“There are three things that can never be hidden for long; the moon, the sun, and the truth.”
But this flurry of disinformation got us to thinking so we started contacting people that know what STP does and what it stands for and we will be printing their letters over the next few weeks. How are we viewed by supporters and even past targets of our attention? If you want to share a story of how you view the Sooner Tea Party feel free to let us know at soonerteaparty@gmail.com and we will publish what you write. The next story should be a few letters to the editor that already came in. Some talked about Bennett, some talked about STP.
