Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: On the Destruction of Property to Affect Change: [View all]ieoeja
(9,748 posts)18. Sons of Liberty were protesting the East Indies Tea Company?
It's the tea! They hate the tea! Stay away from the tea!
FYI: for the record the Boston Tea Party was not a protest. In response to the tea boycott, the British government told the Massachussettes Bay Colony that the colonial government would have to purchase the tea. The Sons of Liberty reasoned, "they can't make the colony purchase what does not exist," so set out to destroy the tea.
In the meantime across the pond colonial lawyers successfully fought the purchase requirement. The British court ruled that the government could not make the colony purchase the tea. When word of the "Tea Party" reached Britian, the exact same judge ruled that the colony was unaccountable for the safety of the ship while in their harbor. The colony was ordered to pay for the lost tea.
The Tea Party caused the very thing it was intended to prevent. It completely and totally backfired.
But it was remembered as an iconic protest that helped spark a revolution. The Sons of Liberty may have been stupid, but they were also lucky.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
48 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
It was a powerful act of non-violence, which seems to be getting a bad name these days. (nt)
stone space
Apr 2015
#5
Nobody paid attention to the Baltimore protests until they started breaking stuff.
Cheese Sandwich
Apr 2015
#3
Even if I were to completely disagree with all or any particular thing you say,
Hissyspit
Apr 2015
#6
Hell, the NeoCons themselves embrace a philosophy of 'creative destruction,' but only
KingCharlemagne
Apr 2015
#40
No people who suffered under long time oppression ever succeeded in gaining rights without
sabrina 1
Apr 2015
#10
Who owned all the property the US 'looted' when they staged a massive riot in Iraq?
sabrina 1
Apr 2015
#12
I wasn't aware the United States Government had killed anyone in Baltimore...
brooklynite
Apr 2015
#13
I said the US staged a riot, which they seem to be condemning in Baltimore, in several other
sabrina 1
Apr 2015
#15
So, you support the people that destroyed that elder assisted living facility under comstruction?
Adrahil
Apr 2015
#21
Dude. You have obviously have access to the internet. So there's no excuse for this. nt
Romulox
Apr 2015
#39
So was the Armory at Harper's Ferry. I wonder how many of those condemning
KingCharlemagne
Apr 2015
#41
When you stop to think about it, this whole fucking country was built on
KingCharlemagne
Apr 2015
#42