On Thursday I was interviewed on the Thom Hartmann Program concerning my involvement with the Coffee Party. I had done two other interviews with him in early 2010 when I was a Tea Party activist and they asked me to keep in touch, so I’ve emailed them a couple times to let them know I was still active and working towards bringing people together.
After my first blog debuted at Coffee Party USA, I sent them another email to show them the progress I have made, not only in bringing people together but within myself as well. Thursday morning at around 9 AM my phone rang and it was Thom’s producer asking if I could do the show at 12:00 noon. I accepted the invitation and would have spent the next three hours preparing, but it was my daughter’s 10th birthday and we were out running errands and getting things ready for her party. I didn’t make it back home until about 15 minutes before the interview.
I was definitely nervous as the show began. I just didn’t want to sound redundant and repeat myself by giving the same answers (I ended up doing that a time or too anyway). At one point in the show, Thom asked if I was a Tea Party right winger who was now a Coffee Party left winger. I wasn’t sure how to answer that on the spot, because I don’t fit into either box. Two possible responses come to mind. I could have focused on what went wrong with the Tea Party, and why, or I could have focused on my own journey and what I feel we need to do to fix our country regardless of what label you give it. I went with the latter and I think Thom was pretty happy with that because the next thing he said was pretty much where I was going with it.
Overall, I think I did okay, I could have been a little more confident and wish I’d had just a little more time to explain a few things. If I had known we were nearing the end of the interview, I wouldn’t have mentioned religion at all. But I just wanted to expand that when I mention Christianity in my writing that I’m doing so as an introduction to myself, and taking a stand against those who get the media attention and grossly misrepresent my faith through their hypocrisy. In addition anytime that you hear or see me request "prayers," I am doing so regardless of religious beliefs and I don’t want to exclude atheists either. Maybe I could have used the remaining time a little more wisely.
When I was describing my political "evolution" and the books I’ve read, I would have like to have mentioned the 9500 Liberty documentary that really helped change my views on immigration reform, and was another factor in my personal growth. I wish I would have gone into more detail about Coffee Party 2.0 and the network of information activists we are building, and how "Whiskey With My Coffee" is a perfect example of giving ordinary people the tools to not only make their voices heard, but to take solid and effective organized action. I would have liked a few more minutes to briefly discuss the book The Boston Tea Party by George RT Hewes, the person who actually coined the phrase "The Tea Party." Lastly, I would have liked to discuss the Revenue Act of 1932 and the tax rates that created the largest middle class in the world….but maybe next time if I get another shot.
Read Shane’s 2nd blog with Coffee Party USA.
Organize with Shane by joining Whiskey With My Coffee.
Join Shane’s Facebook group.