To the Editor:

Millions of Americans have attended “tea parties” and will continue to do so for the same reasons colonists participated in the first tea party.

From 1764 to 1773 taxes on sugar, coffee, wine, all printed matter, glass, paints, paper, and finally tea, along with the infamous Boston Massacre, when British soldiers killed five civilians, set the stage for the Boston Tea Party Dec. 16, 1773.

Taxes without representation and the heavy-handed tactics of an oppressive government were the catalysts for the boarding of the East India ships and the dumping of cargos of tea into the harbor. Crews and ships were not harmed. The tea party showed the contempt colonists had for taxes.

The brave and brilliant men who penned the Declaration of Independence would shudder if they could see how their dream is turning into a nightmare. One cannot read that document outlining government excesses and abuses and not see a parallel between then and now.

The list of government corruption by our leaders the past century is long and damning. Our once mighty and wealthy country is reeling from the results of political pandering that has trampled on the rights of the people.

We not only have the right but the duty to question those in government. Our Constitution and form of government were intended to serve the people and not for the people to serve the government. We live in a republic, not a democracy.

Being distrustful of those who have broken the trust so many times is only natural. One can only wonder how long citizens will endure the erosion of our rights that have been guaranteed by the blood of patriots these many years.

Dave Traylor

John Day