How far back did you say you want to go?

Essayist Terrence Heath notes the mantra of the Tea Party folks is to "take back our country." The obvious questions are: From whom? or perhaps To when?

If we want to take our country back to a particular time, when was that golden age? Most think it would be the 1950s, the last time straight white males were firmly in control and women, gays, and minorities knew their place.

But maybe it was the 1880s -- a time of minimal government intervention. You kept every penny you earned because there were no taxes (not that you had many pennies because of no minimum wage). You didn't have to get a license from the government to practice many professions (not that a doctor could do you much good anyway). No Social Security (too bad if you didn't save for old age). No regulatory agencies to be funded from the federal budget (no need to worry about retirement because your 7-day, 12-hour job in the mine usually killed you). At least slavery had been abolished by this time.

But some are even nostalgic for the 1780s. Except they don't remember their American Utopia was built on the backs of slaves.

Put it another way, their idea of a great America was fine for the straight white male. But not for anyone else. If a white male tells a black male how wonderful it would be to go back to the 1950s he's likely to get strange looks.

Which means they want to go back to a time when straight pale males had privileges and that depended on other people not having them.

Even if others did have them privilege isn't what it used to be -- a lot of jobs have been outsourced. Minorities get the blame but it was other straight pale males that implemented those policies.

So their country is gone. But they are welcome in our country -- the one that values diversity and equality and opportunity for all. Just leave the hate behind.