There is no question that this movement has accomplished great things.

But, unfortunately, there are certain fractions of the effort that are damaging to the movement and dangerous for the potential successes ahead of us. Some of these individuals have stooped to ego driven power grabs and personal attacks against others.

People who know me well know that I try to be humble in my activism, and that I go out of my way to credit everyone who should be credited for hard work in the movement. Sadly, though, there are a handful of people who do not know me, who resort to insulting personal attacks based on completely false accusations.

The latest barrage is a conversation that apparently took place on Facebook. The names of the individuals were removed, so I can only assume the numbers in front of each paragraph are replacing what was at some point names. The conversation was sent to me in a private Facebook message.

#1 Eric Odom is sooooo off the ranch that he is now calling media outlets and telling them that HE and HE ONLY is the “leader” of the “Official Chicago Tea Party”… Eric Odom of Tennessee… Eric Odom of “Tea Parties have a bad image…” Now, he’s mad because he’s sooo protective of his territory and that their are actually people DOING things in Chicago and not just talking…

#2 doesn’t eric live here? i’ve attended a few rallies that he has organized, including a counter protest of an seiu rally downtown. why can’t we all just get along??? aren’t we all working toward the same goal?? i’m hearing too much in-fighting and i don’t like it.

#3 yes..please nip this in the bud …we need the focus to be on 2010 and beyond…

#4 I agree we all need to be focused on the main goal and not fighting with each other. There is to much at stake to not be focused on what’s important to all of us and that’s our freedom!

#1 He lives in Tennesse and here (he has an apartment and office)… He didn’t coordinate the counter protest, he attended it… I would have never said anything about him, if he hadn’t CALLED THE NEWSPAPERS AND SAY THAT WE ARE ILLEGITAMITE!!!! WHO THE HELL DOES THAT? Ask him where he was on 912 when every conservative was out there marching for … Read moreconstitutional freedom…? He was holding a seminar on HOW to be a protester!! And taking money!! I will not allow anyone to call the newspapers on our legitimacy… If he is sooo inclinced to be working in Chicago, what has he done since then? Please tell me… And I don’t care if he is doing other things, but to call the newspapers? Nooooo, he’s crossed the lines.

#1 You need to write to Eric and ask to him to back off — it hurts all of us… If he truly cares, he’d find something else valuable to do with his time.

#2 i definatly agree with you. i don’t blame you for saying something about eric for calling the newspapers. i know he has ruffled a lot of feathers. i know there have been some issues about some groups trying to raise money for certain candidates, but i don’t have a problem with that. we NEED to get true conservatives in the government. the pettiness and ego need to be put aside.

I’m going to confront each paragraph in this personal attack, but first I want to use this conversation to show folks why I’ve removed myself from the tea party realm of Chicago.

Many have asked why I stepped out of the Chicago Tea Party in late April. My answer is simple… I don’t have time or the desire to engage in constant “turf wars” and internal bickering. And that is exactly what the Chicago Tea Party groups have become all about.

And secondly, I attend and get involved in tea party activities all across the country. I try to go to as many as I possibly can, and this sometimes means I’m not at home when Chicago tea party events take place.

But this fact doesn’t stop the false accusations from flying. I remember a terrible message I got in late September. This individual personally attacked me, insulted me, and accused me of “skipping out” on the Chicago 9/12 event. But this individual didn’t seem interested in my response, which included a perfectly good explanation.

I was at the 9/12 event in Salt Lake City. And it was because I had a previous agreement to be there and I was a part of the group that organized that particular event.

This accusation was floated around via a chain email and I ended up getting several emails from friends asking if it was true. Asking if I had indeed stayed home on 9/12.

Sadly, my response to this individual never made it into the chain emails. The truth about 9/12 and my involvement was completely ignored by this particular person.

The Facebook Conversation

Getting back to the Facebook conversation… which I think perfectly represents some of the problems our movement needs to work out. And tea party activists need to go to people being accused for clarification before assuming the accusation is fact. Instead, many believe it as gospel and it causes strife within the movement that doesn’t need to exist.

Let’s look at each paragraph in this message.

#1 Eric Odom is sooooo off the ranch that he is now calling media outlets and telling them that HE and HE ONLY is the “leader” of the “Official Chicago Tea Party”… Eric Odom of Tennessee… Eric Odom of “Tea Parties have a bad image…” Now, he’s mad because he’s sooo protective of his territory and that their are actually people DOING things in Chicago and not just talking…

What an incredibly offensive paragraph. And this is just the start. First, I have no clue what this person is talking about with regards to me calling the media. I haven’t contacted any media outlet within the last four weeks that I know of. I do occasionally initiate conversations with David Weigel of the Washington Independent, but mainly because I know him personally and he was involved in covering the NY23 race.

Granted, several media outlets have called me, but I never once tried to claim that I am the “leader” of the official Chicago Tea Party. In fact, I don’t even claim that at all.

I have mentioned that I was the Chicago tea party organizer for the February 27th and April 15th tea parties, and I do so because that is 100% fact. Should I not being saying this? Was I not the organizer for the two events?

It is also fact that I am currently NOT the Chicago Tea Party organizer. I do not claim to be, nor do I wish to be.

The second false statement in this paragraph is that I live in Tennessee. This is news to me. Last night, Steven Foley, Michael Johns and I took the Brown line from my neighborhood to North Ave and went to the Second City show in the Lincoln Park area… you know… IN CHICAGO.

My business partner Ken Marrero lives in Nashville and that is where our business is based. The last time I was in Nashville was back in September, and that was for a whopping three days. It should also be noted that I was there to speak at a TEA PARTY!

I live in Chicago, love Chicago, love the Bears, can’t wait for Cubs Season, and dread the winter ahead. There’s your facts.

The last sentence of the paragraph is just absurd. As I mentioned, I do not claim to be the Chicago tea party “leader,” nor do I want to be. How is that protective of territory?

#1 He lives in Tennesse and here (he has an apartment and office)… He didn’t coordinate the counter protest, he attended it… I would have never said anything about him, if he hadn’t CALLED THE NEWSPAPERS AND SAY THAT WE ARE ILLEGITAMITE!!!! WHO THE HELL DOES THAT? Ask him where he was on 912 when every conservative was out there marching for … Read moreconstitutional freedom…? He was holding a seminar on HOW to be a protester!! And taking money!! I will not allow anyone to call the newspapers on our legitimacy… If he is sooo inclinced to be working in Chicago, what has he done since then? Please tell me… And I don’t care if he is doing other things, but to call the newspapers? Nooooo, he’s crossed the lines.

Do I even need to comment on the above paragraph? Well, there is one part that confuses me… I didn’t organize the counter protest? That’s strange. I certainly recall putting that together, but maybe I’m just thinking of a different event.

#1 You need to write to Eric and ask to him to back off — it hurts all of us… If he truly cares, he’d find something else valuable to do with his time.

Unfortunately, I’m now stuck having to spend my time writing a post like this to defend myself against blatant personal attacks that are based on total assumption and false accusations.

Bottom Line

If anyone reading this knows of someone at a newspaper who I can call to make a statement to, please let me know. Or if you would like to send the media a statement from me… send them this.

“I am not the current Chicago tea party leader and I do not claim to be. I am not able to attend every Chicago function because I try and help out in parts of the country where local activists are not at war with each other. I live in Chicago and love this city. My business partner is located in Nashville.” -Eric Odom

Does that sum it up?

And as a final note, the irony in the message sent to me is astounding. The conversation sounds like it was initiated by someone who is ego driven and hell bent on protecting his/her territory/turf. The very thing I’m being accused of.

This is exactly the kind of problem that can hurt a movement like ours. And it’s the kind of problem we should shun, rebuke, and stay away from.

Which is exactly why I no longer try and organize Chicago tea party events.

When you’re traveling this holiday season, you can enjoy free WiFi at 47 participating airports and on every Virgin America flight. Just bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected to family and friends for free while you travel now through January 15, 2010.

The airports included are listed here. Information about the free inflight service on Virgin Atlantic (I don’t know anyone who actually flies on VA…) can be found here.

They even have a nifty photo contest running for the event.

In the past, Google has joked about the service, even poking fun at it on April Fools day.

Of course, Google has always made hints at the possible service, and has strongly supported an open and free wireless broadband internet service.

Google has even provided 100% free broadband access to the entire city of Mountain View, the place the company calls home.

Is nationwide Google Internet on the horizon?

-Eric Odom

And this individual should feel even more lucky considering the fact that it was the one and ONLY job created in his/her congressional district!

Speaking of congressional districts… I wonder if Illinois is the only state with a 00 district? Who represents IL-00 and is it an open seat for 2010?

Inquiring minds want to know.

I’ve been a Cubs fan for sometime now, well before I actually moved to Chicago. But I only just started following the Bears last season.

In short, being a Chicago sports fan provides a perfect blend of exhilaration and rage. I mean, there is nothing like a July night game at Wrigley Field. And you can find Bears fan in every city in the country.

But what a baffling experience. We had two rock solid teams this year in the Cubs and Bears. Both teams were stacked so well that the entire sports world expected great things this season. Yet, both teams did nothing short of embarrass Chicago fans.

They say we have a curse here in Chicago, and with the passing of each game I inch closer to accepting that notion.

As all Chicago sports fans are so used to saying… maybe next year.

As mentioned in my previous post, I believe that a third party fight is good long term strategy, but it cannot be our short term goal. In my opinion, if it is the short term goal… we lose.

Several friends and people who I admire in the movement have suggested that we need to force the GOP to come to us. The reality is… this will never happen. The GOP establishment has no interest in becoming a movement minded Party. It has no interest in embracing our ideas and mentality.

So if the strategy is to force the GOP to come our way… we will lose.

This is something I’ve pondered for quite some time. In my letter to the GOP earlier this year, I even laid out what I thought at the time was necessary to get me back into the party.

I sent that letter to every state chair in the country. Can you guess how many responses I got?

I’ll give you a hint… it’s less than one.

My point here is that the establishment is not going to change on its own. And we don’t have the votes to beat two establishments.

I’m not suggesting we embrace the Republican Party as it currently functions, but I am suggesting we’re going to have to stop acting as if we’ll never have anything to do with the vessel itself again. And we’re going to have to accept the fact that Democrats would love nothing more than to see our movement split the opposing vote, giving them their only chance at survival in 2010.

-Eric Odom

Let’s face it. The passage of Pelosicare last weekend was the equivalent to the modern day “Stamp Act.” You see, when the stamp act was put in to action back in 1765, the folks began realizing that their government was asserting significant authority over their lives, even though the people had not found the action permissible.

We the people will accept certain levels of authority to exist, but only to the extent we deem acceptable and only as long as we have the ultimate control over the outcome.

What Nancy Pelosi and her Democrat thugs did to us last weekend is exactly what the King of England did back in 1765. Democrats ignored the will of the people and passed a dangerous bill that threatens the freedom and liberty we cherish.

Let’s be clear. Democrats are responsible for this gross abuse of power. Democrats crafted the legislation, ignored our will, and jammed it through with applause and cheers.

As a libertarian who voted for Bob Barr in 2008, I find it very difficult to state this in a public manner, but I will now be joining the Republican Party. Not because I trust Republicans or believe the existing establishment properly represents me. Not because I think the Republican Party has brought upon us the full protection of our individual rights and liberties.

No, it’s because I believe the Democrats are literally trying to destroy the free-market fabric of this country. And I believe that if we spend even another week working towards a third party for 2010 and 2012, we commit ourselves to certain doom.

I’m in no way advocating that we as a movement stand behind the existing Republican establishment. I am, rather, suggesting that we become the establishment.

As Erick Erickson and so many others have rightfully pointed out… we have the numbers. We have the people, we have the passion, and we have the organization. What we don’t have is unity.

I know many of us in the movement have different goals. Some are to weaken the two party stronghold. This is understandable and a good long term goal.

But look, if we screw around and let dangerous Democrats walk all over us in 2010 and 2012, we’ll never again get the opportunity to do ANYTHING as free Americans.

Love or hate the Republican Party… it’s our only vessel in the short term. We either unify through it and make a stand strong enough to stop this madness in government, or we fracture over third party efforts and meet uncertain political demise.

This choice is ours to make. I’m making my choice now.

-Eric Odom

Regarding the New York 23 race, Allahpundit has this to say.

But look. As gratifying as it would be to see Hoffman win, the guy didn’t become a conservative grassroots cause celebre because people are dying to see Doug Hoffman in Congress.

Having just spent a week in NY23, and having published emails to more than 100,000 free market activists over the past ten days, I can say with a level of certainty that AP just doesn’t get it.

Doug Hoffman is a “twofer”. Yes, as AP mentions, it’s an opportunity for the movement to make a statement to the GOP and the beltway establishment. But Hoffman also finally provides us with a true conservative candidate to rally behind.

I spoke with Hoffman last week. I interviewed him and I went to several of his events. Doug Hoffman is the real deal. He’s not a career politician, he openly supports things such as the flat tax, and he isn’t at all afraid to specifically address his personal positions on policy, both social and fiscal.

I also spoke with many voters, activists, tea party folks, 9/12 members and Republicans. They were ALL excited about the candidacy of Doug Hoffman.

Look, I donated to Doug Hoffman. I support Doug Hoffman. Not just because to do so is a slap in the face for the machine, but because I would sincerely appreciate being represented by him.

Does Allahpundit have a better person in mind to go to Washington? Does he not think Doug Hoffman will properly represent NY23?

Inquiring minds wanna know.

I had originally intended on using my own blog here to cover the action, but we decided to go ahead and launch a part of 73wire.com to provide a better spot for the content.

Yesterday, the brand new blog had 7,147 unique visits and 18947 pageviews. Our RSS feed was accessed 471 times throughout the day. How could this be?

Most likely it’s because we broke the story about the NRCC sending ground troops into the 23rd district of New York, followed by a breaking story about the NRCC yanking its assets out of the district.

Granted, major news networks see far more than 7,000 visits in a day, but think of the money they spend! And why were they not able to figure out or report on the NRCC story?

On Tuesday, I ran into a reporter for local channel 7 news outside of Dede Scozzafava’s campaign office in Watertown. I asked her what she thought of the fact that Scozzafava’s office was stacked full of NRCC folks. Her response was something along the lines of “We’re reporters so we don’t have an opinion on that sort of thing.”

OK, I understand that. And that’s actually a good thing. But if you’re a reporter, would you not have wanted to go back in to the office you just came out of and ask the question?

Big media reporters don’t ask those questions. Bloggers do.

And that is exactly why just three blogs… 73wire’s Campaign Trail, The Other McCain and TCOT Report have dominated coverage outside of the candidate talking points.

I would also note that NY23 should be a lesson for bloggers on the right. We have to get bloggers on the ground… plain and simple. You can make phone calls, text your contacts, etc, but that never produces the results of face to face interaction.

Robert Stacy McCain, Ali Akbar, Steve Foley and I have all been in the district this week and we’ve been able to uncover a ton of news. We’ve live streamed and tweeted debates, we sent out pictures and newsletters, and we’ve broken investigative stories.

This is what blogging is all about. And, in my opinion, this is why big government owned media is dying.

-Eric Odom

Watch this video to listen to the clip.

Newt seems to be stating that he supports more of the same in order to get real change. The more he preaches this message, the more he distances himself from the true liberty movement.

In my opinion, of course.

-Eric Odom

2 Peas in a Liberal Pod

What does she mean?