just what's in that tea?

i know that i'm supposed to be on hiatus, but events of the past few days are too disturbing to let pass by without reflection.

this is a big weekend of change in the district of columbia. spring has sprung - cherry blossom buds and the number of tour buses have popped over night. right now 10s of thousands of people are marching demanding immigration reform. and in a few short hours, the united states house of representatives will vote to equalize health care in this country. it is this last event that has brought about the most disturbing incidents.

i understand that health care reform is a divisive issue. and i get that people on both side feel passionate about their positions. what i don't understand is why a debate about fixing health care would lead some groups to start using racial and homophobic epithets, and even spit, to make their point more strongly.

many news outlets are widely reporting that the tea party rally at the capitol got a little out of hand yesterday. in trying to make the point that congress should not pass the current health care "overhaul" bill, some tea partyer's got down and dirty spitting on emanuel cleaver, calling barney frank a "faggot," and members of the congressional black caucus "n****rs."

really?!@?!@? how can one even be expected to engage in civil discourse with people like this? they're not even comparing apples to oranges or day to night - it's like half the group is talking about bowling balls and while the protesters talk about squirrels.