The Author
UPDATE: Calls to action at bottom of post!
According to many in the mainstream media, the Tea Party Movement is losing influence. Never mind that the Tea Party Movement is now partnering with major news outlets for Presidential debates. Never mind that the Tea Party Movement drove most of the energy that lead to a shift in power in 2010. Never mind that there isn’t a single day that every major news outlet doesn’t mention the movement. While it’s clearly the most influential and energetic force in politics, the Tea Party Movement is apparently losing influence.
Go figure…
In the real world, though, the movement is not only working to win elections, it’s also working to defend major American companies that are under attack from the federal government. Take Gibson Guitars, for example. For those who missed it, Gibson was recently raided by the federal government over the type of wood used in guitars.
Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar Corp. held a press conference to explain the situation.
The Wall Street Journal expanded on the story.
Gibson Guitar Corp., a big user of ebony and other scarce woods, for years has allied itself with Greenpeace and other environmental groups to show it was serious about preserving forests.
That didn’t stop the Nashville-based company, whose guitars are used by such musicians as B.B. King and Angus Young of AC/DC, from running afoul of U.S. authorities over allegedly illegal imports of wood. Though no charges have been filed, Gibson factories have been raided twice, most recently last week, by federal agents who say ebony exported from India to Gibson was “fraudulently” labeled to conceal a contravention of Indian export law.
Henry Juszkiewicz, chief executive officer of the closely held company, said in an interview that a broker probably made a mistake in labeling the goods but that the sale was legal and approved by Indian authorities.
One has to wonder why a government that can’t even remove itself from the path to job creation can confiscate a million dollars worth of product from a private company over suspicion of wood imports. Not only did the government confiscate product and shut down production, the law in question also makes illegal the purchase, ownership and resale of Gibson guitars. Meaning, the implications of these are that if you own a Gibson guitar, you may be in violation of the law.
The Tea Party Movement will not stand for this. In fact, the Tea Party Movement is strongly standing AGAINST this gross abuse of power.
A nationwide coalition of Tea Party Movement organizations is coming together with plans of hosting a rally in support of Gibson guitars. The “We stand with Gibson” rally is scheduled for October 8th, in Nashville, TN. Speakers include Gibson President Henry Juszkiewicz, Representative Marsha Blackburn, and talk radio hosts Steve Gill, Phil Valentine and Mark Skoda.
The national coalition includes:
- Patriot Action Network
- Liberty News Network
- Grassfire Nation
- Tea Party Express
- Americans for Prosperity
- 9.12 Project of Tennessee
- Gibson County Patriots
- Wilson County Tea Party
- Tennessee Conservoliance
- Tennessee Tax Revolt
- Tennessee Tea Party
- MidSouth Tea Party
- Memphis Tea Party
- Chattanooga Tea Party
Others are likely to join in the coming days and weeks. Tea Party activists and encouraged to help spread the word and promote the event. Activists are asked to take one or more of the following steps to help spread the word.
- Visit the official “We stand with Gibson” website and leave supportive comments
- Contact your friends in and around Tennessee, and make sure they know about the event
- Consider purchasing an item from the Gibson store
- Share this link on Facebook (CLICK HERE)
- CLICK HERE to Tweet about this story
The Tea Party Movement stands strong with Gibson Guitars. We’re not losing influence and we’re not going away.
-Eric Odom
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As a HUGE bluegrass fan I am SO thankful that Gibson is being supported by so many great organizations. Keep up the fantastic work, Tennessee – protect, defend and secure!
Gibson is an iconic American brand. We have so few American crafted items we can proud of, why would the Obama administration want to send it out of the country?
ALL things AMERICAN must be DESTROYED! Do you want your little boy to dream of becoming an AMERICAN Astronaut someday? Then ARREST the ILLEGAL COMMUNIST TERRORIST that has INVADED OUR White House!!!
This is the strong arm of the Obama over reaching Federal Government. It scares the hell out of me for our freedom. This nothing more than a political hatchet job on a Tennessee Company.
The Fed has stooped to a new low … retaliating against Gibson Guitars by taking away hardwood legally purchased overseas? First, the Admin allows Immelt “0″ taxes & allows the Jobs Czar to send $2 billion in GE jobs to go to China from Minnesota. Now they’re trying to force Gibson to take their guitars overseas to produce! Will we start being raided over another wood product … toilet paper????
I am wondering why there have been no criminal charges file by the House of representatives. Isn’t commiting felony’s sufficient grounds for impeachment?
I support Gibson Guitar and liberty and justice for all.
Impeachment should have happened immediately with Obama’s obvious anti-American words and actions (the change), but until we have more tea party candidates in Congress impeachment is impossible and won’t happen.
Has anyone noticed Obama’s new political ad? I saw it for the first time today. The background is a furling flag of red, white and blue. I guess this administration thinks we have been selfishly preoccupied and a nation of sheep too stupid to notice the middle eastern bright yellow damask he often uses as a background. It appears they are using their bag of tricks and are counting on us having short memories so we can easily be deceived again.
Obviously right now anyway the majority of the American people are stupid sheep. Most of us have noticed the fancy handed deceptions and we are working diligently against the plans the progressives and elitists have for all of us to keep “them” in the lap of luxury.
As we have seen the poor are the very ones who are suffering the most. History tells us that is always the case. The very ones who support progressives–42% of our population are the ones who are suffering the most. The very ones who are promised the freebies–the pie in the sky that never is quite obtainable.
They are counting on uneducated, ignorant and uninformed again. Don’t believe the lies and deceptions. They are pitting one group against another. They support thug style Union inspired protests while bashing good and decent Americans.
If we don’t find out who the true tea party candidates are and “support” them in any way we can, in four more years this administration will have “changed” our country into a progressive (Marxist) nightmare and we won’t have a Constitution (God given inalienable rights) or a choice.
I’m praying we return to the Christian roots in which our founding fathers established this amazing nation. Believers–Join me (Mt 18:19)
We stand with Gibson!!
keep up the good fight
I think Gibson should make a special issue “Tea Party Guitar” of limited quantity made of rare woods to protest this federally circus and abuse of power. Of course I won’t buy one because Obama shut down the Gulf and I have been laid off along with several thousands of other folks who worked in the Gulf.
– Harlan
Interesting, I had to substitute the word “rare woods” for e-b-o-n-y because the system reject the word. Since when is e-b-o-n-y a dirty or inappropriate word?
I didn’t realize the word police were hard at work at libertynews.com. Sad.
Now it is illegal for American companies to produce American products (among the very best musical instrments available) on American soil, with American workers? Why doesn’t our Congress get busy and do its job? This administration consistently breaks the laws and harms our citizens, businesses and inernational relationships. They need to be arrested- not left running amock in our nation’s capital.
This is just plain wrong! Here we have a great, iconic company that employs many American workers and sells quality American-made products. This is how American business should work. And yet, the government wants to essentially put them out of business, causing the the loss of jobs for their many employees, potentially damaging the local economy, and costing the company millions of dollars! Not only that, but it takes a great product from the consumer and potentially makes criminals of many thousands of Gibson owners! Are they going to come for my husband’s and daughter’s guitars?!
This is just heavy-handed, illegal government interference at it worst! As is happening far to frequently under this administration! Don’t forget they’re also trying to prevent Boeing from building its new plant where they want! (also causing job loss)
Gibson, you have the support of myself and family!
I’ve played Gibsons for a few decades. Down to one electric guitar; a 1991 Gibson Les Paul Standard. It’s a great instrument that I’ve recorded with and played live with for 20 years. This legendary company is a perfect example of premium American craftsmanship. They keep the bar high and set the standard for guitar makers around the world to try to match.
The company has been harassed by makers of cheap knock offs for years and now they are being harassed by politics. That is enough of that! What’s next? Return of the stamp act? A new tea tax?
We stand with Gibson Guitar and it is a dirty shame his company has been shut down and he has not been charged for any wrong doing ! ! This company has been in business for many years furnishing guitars to the best of players! This is a disgrace and Obama needs to be held accountable for this farce and unjust act !!!! This puts over l200 people out of work and yet Obama is running around the country preaching we need jobs – - jobs – this President has a huge problem – he needs to be FIRED cause he can’t seem to take on the responsibility of his office !!!!!!!!