The Tea Party claims to want to follow the Constitution. The document doesn't mention gay people or marriage, but it does place a lot of importance on equal rights and equal treatment under the law. Here are a few items from a quick internet search about whether the movement is, at least in part, bigoted and/or just doesn't understand how our government (as spelled out by our Constitution) works. There's LOTS more where these came from. If they don't want to be called racist, bigoted, or ignorant, they should stop acting like it, and start slapping down their members who do.

From a new survey by the University of Washington: "The data suggests that people who are Tea Party supporters have a higher probability"—25 percent, to be exact—"of being racially resentful than those who are not Tea Party supporters," says Christopher Parker, who directed the study. "The Tea Party is not just about politics and size of government. The data suggests it may also be about race."

From a New York Time/CBS poll:
"According to the New York Times and CBS, only about 16 percent of Tea Party activists support same-sex marriage. Most (52 percent) think that the problems of people of color get too much attention. Most (59 percent) think that Glenn Beck is a pretty righteous dude."

From Montana Tea Party leader Tim Ravndal's facebook page:
"Marriage is between a man and a woman period! By giving rights to those otherwise would be a violation of the constitution and my rights."
From one of his friends: "I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Call Wyoming for display instructions." Wyoming, you'll remember, was the scene where in 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and hung up in a field. Shepard died several days after he was found. Ravndal's responce: "Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?"

Freshman Tea Party GOP Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MI)compared same-sex marriage to polygamy, incest, marrying children, and even to a three-year old driving a car.

Michelle Bachman:
Both she and her husband, by all accounts her most trusted political adviser, believe that homosexuality can be cured. Speaking to a Christian radio station about gay teenagers last year, Marcus, who treats gay people in his counseling practice, said, "Barbarians need to be educated. They need to be disciplined, and just because someone feels this or thinks this, doesn't mean that we're supposed to go down that road."

In 2004, Bachmann gave a speech warning that gay marriage would lead to schoolchildren being indoctrinated into homosexuality. She wanted everyone to know, though, that she doesn't hate gay people. "Any of you who have members of your family in the lifestyle, we have a member of our family that is," she said. "This is not funny. It's a very sad life. It's part of Satan, I think, to say that this is gay."

An Ohio Tea Party listing of what has to be in place for a Republican to get their support:
1. The Right to Life is a Constitutional right, therefore innocent human beings should have legal protection from conception until natural death.
2. The regulation of Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere should be left to God and not government and I oppose all measures of Cap and Trade as well as the teaching of global warming theory in our schools.
3. Marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman, any other type of Union is not marriage.
4. Children should not be placed into foster homes where the parents are homosexual, bisexual, or transgender.
5. Parental consent should be required for sex education that teaches more than direct abstinence.
10. I oppose the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy of the military and believe that all same sex partners should be banned from combat duty in the military because of the propensity to transmit blood-borne diseases in the theatre of battle.
11. I support a law that will allow the people to place on a ballot all collective bargaining agreements of all government associations, unions, and guilds, for their expressed approval. Defeat of such an agreement would mean government workers would not be immune from the free market system.