Tea Baggers Targeting Free Speech

In a recent issue of Captain America ( issue #602 ) writer Ed Brubaker continues a storyline entitled "The Two Americas", and in it, there is a two page spread where Cap and The Falcon are watching a "Tea Party" anti-tax protest. And right on cue, the Tea Baggers are up in arms over the depiction of the protest - even though it's quite accurate.

Occasional contributor to RedState.com, Warner Todd Huston, was not pleased with this issue.

So, there you have it, America. Tea Party protesters just “hate the government,” they are racists, they are all white folks, they are angry, and they associate with secretive white supremacist groups that want to over throw the U.S. government.

Bet you didn’t know that when you were indulging your right as a citizen to protest your government that you were a dangerous white supremacist that wants to destroy the country, did you? Bet you didn’t realize that your reverence for the U.S. Constitution was a subversive thing to do, did you? And I’ll also bet that you never imagined that you’d scare the little blue panties off of Captain America!

Nice going Marvel Comics. Thanks for making patriotic Americans into your newest super villains.

It appears that enough noise has been made by the "grass roots" movement that they have somehow managed to convince Marvel comics ( the largest comic company in the country ) to remove the "offending" pages.

But what Huston is neglecting to tell his readership is that the Tea Baggers are primarily white, they have displayed racial animus, and there have been links to White Supremacists and other shady characters.

I'm just curious as to what the Tea Baggers threatened Marvel Comics with had they not altered the second print run of Captain America #602? These "grass roots" people sure do have some powerful interests behind them, don't they.

Here's an exit question for you - isn't this a direct slight on writer Ed Brubaker's free speech as well as Marvel Comics' right to run their business? After all, there wasn't any libelous speech in the issue, as there is plenty of proof to support the depiction within the comic. Then again, this little PR stunt by the Tea Baggers will likely spark a surge in purchases for Captain America #602 ( both the original and altered versions ) in comic shops across the country and on EBay. In that light, the reactionary stance of the Tea Baggers may just spark a mini-stimulus that will ultimately boost Marvel's profitability.

Good job guys.