Richmond Tea Party Gets Taxed While Occupiers Protest for Free
Here’s a story that serves as a great response to people who say there’s no difference between the Tea Party and Occupy movements. The Tea Party in Richmond, VA, got a business license, rally permits, and paid $10,000 for the privilege of exercising their First Amendment rights to speech and assembly. The Occupy Richmond mob, on the other hand, squatted on public property for days without jumping through any of the legal hoops that ensure the health and safety of a civilized society. When the Tea Party complained, the City of Richmond sent them an audit claiming the group failed to pay excise taxes for its events.
What hypocrisy! Lawbreakers are allowed to devalue public goods like parks while law-abiding citizens who follow the rules are sent an extra bill to pick up the tab. If local government officials aren’t careful they are going to teach all Americans that the rule of law only applies when you want it to. If that’s the governing philosophy going forward, it’s time to renegotiate the social contract.
H/T: Fox News
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