Ann Coulter, in contrasting the "Tea Party Movement" and
the "Occupy Wall Street" protests of October 2011 writes:
First of all, the Boston Tea Party was nothing like tattooed,
body–pierced, sunken-chested 19-year-olds getting in fights with the
police for fun. Paul Revere's nighttime raid was intended exclusively
to protest a new British tea tax. (The Wall Street protesters would be
more likely to fight for a new tax than against one.)
Revere made sure to replace a broken lock on one of the ships and
severely punished a participant who stole some of the tea for his
private use. Samuel Adams defended the raid by saying that all other
methods of recourse -- say, voting -- were unavailable.
Our revolution -- the only revolution that led to greater freedom
since at least 1688 -- was not the act of a mob.
As specific and limited as it was, however, even the Boston Tea
Party was too mob-like to spark anything other than retaliatory
British measures. Indeed, it set back the cause of American
independence by dispiriting both American and British supporters, such
as Edmund Burke.
George Washington disapproved of the destruction of the tea.
Benjamin Franklin demanded that the India Tea Co. be reimbursed for
it.
Considered an embarrassment by many of our founding fathers, the
Boston Tea Party was not celebrated for another 50 years.
It would be three long years after the Boston Tea Party when our
founding fathers engaged in their truly revolutionary act: The signing
of the Declaration of Independence.
In that document, our Christian forebears set forth in blindingly
clear terms their complaints with British rule, their earlier attempts
at resolution, and an appeal to the
Supreme Judge of the world for independence from the crown.
The rebel armies defending that declaration were not a disorganized
mob, chanting slogans for the press and defacing public property.
Even the Minutemen, whose first scuffle with the British began the
war, were a real army with ranks, subordination, coordination, drills
and supplies. There is not a single mention in the historical record
of Minutemen playing hacky-sack, burning candles assembled in
"peace and love," or sitting in drum circles.
A British lieutenant-general who fought the Minutemen observed,
"Whoever looks upon them as an irregular mob will find himself
very much mistaken."
By contrast, the directionless losers protesting "Wall
Street" -- Obama's largest donor group -- pose for the cameras
while uttering random liberal clichés lacking any reason or
coherence.