The Greenwich Tea Party

Yes, dear reader, we had our own version of the Boston Tea Party right here in Greenwich yesterday, some 236 years after the one in Boston Harbor. The only problem is that then our ancestors were protesting the taxes and economic policies of an overseas government. This time, we are stuck protesting the taxes and policies of our own government, the same one we allegedly elected after throwing off the trans-Atlantic yoke. Your scribe isn't sure the analogy works.

However, upwards of 100 people were there, mostly out-of-towners, since Greenwich was picked as the venue for the southwestern Connecticut party. First Selectman Peter Tesei graciously welcomed the throng to the steps of Town Hall (not his own personal choice for the gathering-place, but in the event everyone was well-behaved, even if the promised tea and cucumber sandwiches never arrived). State Rep Livvy Floren also bid them welcome, while BET member Leslie Tarkington looked on but held her peace.

Your scribe chatted with Scott Stewart, who had brought his own tea bag but no hot water to steep it in, and Peter Malkin, father-in-law of State AG Dick Blumenthal. Later, fellow-blogger Chris Fountain joined the crowd, and rumor has it he even spoke after your scribe became bored and left. Had Chris spoken earlier, the scribal boredom would no doubt have been more readily forestalled.

All in all, the Greenwich Tea Party was much less stimulating than its pre-Revolutionary predecessor. No one was dressed as an Indian (or whatever the PC term might be these days), and no tea was dumped into the fountain in front of Town Hall, probably for the very good reason that there isn't one. As tea parties go, it seemed a rather weak beverage, like trying to squeeze a third cup out of Scott's teabag. But at least the weather was pleasant, and so were most of the people your scribe encountered. Pity about those cucumber sandwiches, though.