WHO PAID FOR THIS BILLBOARD BY ASHEVILLETEAPARTY.COM, FRANZI?
Protest billboard * Photo on blog of Michele Malkin

TIT FOR TAT FOR TIT:
Erika Conrad Franzi tells Asheville tea-party protesters 'stick to talking points,' HOWEVER Daily Kos tells how to manipulate protesters' message, BUT Citizen-Times publishes Franzi's commentary

Conservatives Call Nationwide Tax Protest 'Amazing Success' AND Who is Really Behind the Franzi Message in Asheville?
 
*NOBODY LIKES TO PAY TAXES, and protesters brought their signs and exercised their right to express themselves in Downtown Asheville and across the nation on April 15, 2009 | According to ultra-conservative SurgeUSA.org, approximately 250,000 citizens in roughly 700 cities across the nation had "amazing success" on tax day in protesting the overspending by government: Click Here> | On April 15th, Fox News rabble-rouser Glen Beck stirred the pot of protest live on air on a stage set up in front of the Alamo in Texas, congratulating the audience of several hundred protesters for turning out in the miserable TX heat to protest unfair American taxes. He said that the crowd was not just Republican, but made up of Democrats, too. | IN ASHEVILLE, protesters held their banners high yesterday at a grassroots early-evening rally in front of Asheville City Hall. The day before, Ashevillian Mike Zollo voiced a similar refrain to Glen Beck's commentary. Identifying himself as a person who "supports Blue Dog congressmen," Zolla said the local tax protest was an event not for liberals or conservatives. "I'm an independent," he had told DowntownAsheville.com. | While DowntownAsheville.com had received several unofficial news releases of the event, nobody took credit for its organization; no "official" details of who organized the event in Asheville were available, nor any people for the media to contact. | However, at 9:35 a.m., April 15, 2009, a person identifying him/herself as ERIKA CONRAD FRANZI emailed DowntownAsheville.com with a Facebook message designed to help craft local protesters' righteous anger, as follows:

It's Tea Time!
We're almost there! Looks like we're going to have good weather, but rain or shine, IT'S TEA TIME! Just a few final hour reminders --

Posters:
Stick to non-partisan messages that express our message clearly. Our protest is against pork, high tax rates, massive national debt, devaluation of our currency, and bailouts. Both parties have a share in the blame. Do not bring signs with posts or pickets in them. These are prohibited by the City for safety reasons.

Media:
To repeat: I urge you to avail yourself of the points outlined on the handout you will receive at the Tea Party and, if you must speak to the media, keep your comments streamlined and brief. It is very easy to get drawn into a situation in which your words can be used to misrepresent you or the entire movement. The best policy for avoiding embarrassment is to limit your exposure and stick strictly to the talking points. Unity on our message is of utmost importance. Certain elements of the media would like nothing more than to make a mockery of our movement or, even better, allow a few folks with axes to grind to hijack the movement. Do not talk partisan politics with the media. Period. If anyone has any questions or concerns about this, please contact me directly.

And don't doubt that there are those who would discredit us. Make sure you know who you're talking to. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/14/719961/-Planning-Fun-with-Teabaggers

See you at the Party, Patriots!
Erika

 In related commentary, Michelle Malkin's blog ran an article apparently written by Erika Franzi, entitled "The View from Asheville": Click Here> 

It appears that Erika Franzi is the principle crafter of the tea party message in Asheville.
In fact, Erika Franzi may well be the author of several more articles on other blogs, such as a writer who goes by JANEQREPUBLICAN on AshevilleTeaParty.com. Franzi's letter caught the eye of the Asheville Citizen-Times, which published her letter: Click Here> | Franzi indicated she was the Asheville Tea Party Organizer, but given the expense of the graphics and the billboard, one wonders who paid for the billboard. Was it homemaker, mother of 4 Erika Franzi? Or might it be the Republican Party? Inquiring minds should want to know.

SPEAK UP OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR HAND-WRITTEN SIGNS
DowntownAsheville.com wonders if there are any other Asheville tea-baggers, other than Erika Conrad Franzi and JaneQRepublican, who can articulate their outrage of porky taxes in writing. If so, Click Here>

JENNY BOWEN'S PHOTOS OF ASHEVILLE'S TAX PROTEST
To get an idea of the "amazing success" of the Asheville tea party tax protest, Jenny Bowen snapped a few good ones in front of the Buncombe County Courthouse and Asheville City Hall: Click Here>

HUMOROUS (TEA) PARTY QUESTIONS

*WILL ASHEVILLE TEA-BAGGERS join the Congo Line? | Specifically, will YOU join the CollegeHumor.com CONGO LINE? | "It's a congo line. Go with it." - Click Here> 

*FOR MORE PRESSING QUESTIONS to keep you laughing today | Otherwise you'd be crying over yesterday -- given leaders of the Tea Party include Glen Beck (honest, no kidding, in front of the Alamo yesterday leading a crowd of tea-baggers live nationwide on FOX News. Forget that image and go loco here: Click Here>

*THESE TEMPEST-IN-A-TEAPOT QUESTIONS ARE HUMOROUSLY BROUGHT TO YOU, SERIOUSLY, by MaverickParty.com | Don't be such a meow, Click Here>