"Tea party speaker: I want to hang Patty Murray" (with video)

KOMO4News, with video (01:54):

ASOTIN, Wash. -- They say it's all about traditional values and pushing back against the government.

And there were some strong words spoken on Saturday at the Take Back America Rally hosted by the Lewis and Clark Tea Party Patriots.

"How many of you have watched the movie 'Lonesome Dove?'" asked one speaker from the podium. "What happened to Jake when he ran with the wrong crowd? He got hung. And that's what I want to do with (Sen.) Patty Murray."

In the days after the speech, Democrats have rushed to Murray's defense, claiming the speakers' words amount to hate speech.

"She (Murray) understands that people are, you know, anxious. The unemployment is high, the economy is not going well," Dwight Pelz of the state Democratic party. "There's a lot of anxiety out there, but that doesn't justify hatred, and doesn't justify threats of violence."

The senator's office had no comments on the issue.

Approximately 500 people gathered for the rally at the Asotin County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

"We are getting people together to try to tell the government that we don't like what's going on," said Doug Schurman, the group's co-chairman. "We don't like their spending. We don't like their unaccountability, and we want it to change."

Schurman said the group is trying to get more people involved in the movement to "save our nation."

Speaker Phil Teasley echoed the sentiment, stating more Americans need to step up and be heard.

"We have sat around for so long and the mess we are in is because we are so complacent," he said. "So the better educated we are, the better educated the people can make a decision on the politicians."

In addressing the crowd about state sovereignty and education, Teasley said federal agendas are pushing out state curriculum.

"I want to get the parents involved with their kids," he said. "I want them to meet their teachers. I want them to get involved with the PTA, if they want to. I want them to run for school board because if you know what your kids are being taught, then it's so much easier to find things ... coming in that we don't want."

The next tea party event is scheduled to be held on April 11 at the Lewiston Community Center.

Howie P.S.: Traditional media like to define the tea-baggers as "populists." They should reconsider expanding their descriptions. MSNBC's First Read picked up the story late Wednesday. According to The Google, so far local media (other than KOMO) are looking the other way.