An organization named the Tennessee Tea Party is no more. It was established by a husband and wife team from Springfield shortly after the tax day protests in 2009 that drew thousands of protesters to the state capitol. The founders say they now realize the tea party isn’t the way to advance their conservative Christian views.
In a letter to members, Tami Kilmarx says – quote – “some of you may feel that the tea party movement has no place to include God and religion in it…that’s perfectly acceptable,” she writes, “but not for many of us.”
Kilmarx says running the organization has been “grand and at times agonizing.”
Just last month the Tennessee Tea Party drew negative attention by making a derogatory comment about retiring Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, who is openly gay. Kilmarx apologized for the Twitter post that called Frank a pervert, while saying “inwardly I may agree with the commentary.”
The Kilmarx’s newest endeavors include several Christian organizations, one called Black Robe Regiment. Its website declares the country is in a “spiritual battle that has manifest itself in the political realm.”
A handful of active tea party organizations remain in Tennessee, including the recently established Nashville Tea Party.
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