Is the city of Richmond auditioning for a role as Petty Tyrant in a period drama? Somebody like King George III, perhaps? It's starting to look that way now that officials have sent an audit letter to the Richmond Tea Party.
The letter comes not long after the Tea Party said the city ought to pay back $10,000 the group paid in fees so it could hold a few hours' worth of rallies downtown. Given that Occupy Richmond was able to use the same space for close to two weeks free of charge, the Tea Party argued, it was owed a refund. That's correct. The city should not apply different standards to different groups. (Indeed, the city actually subsidized the Occupiers to the tune of about $17,000 in portable toilets and trash removal.)
Instead of acknowledging the wrong, however, the city seems to be doubling down on it with an audit whose timing is, shall we say, highly convenient. Also: Tea Party members have asked for a meeting with Mayor Dwight Jones like the one he had with Occupy Richmonders. The mayor's office has not responded.
The Tea Party draws inspiration from the American Revolution. The Richmond group probably feels like standing in front of City Hall to read the Declaration of Independence "In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
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