Lady Godiva and the Tea Party

I suppose that the present-day Tea Party faction of the Republican Party underreached when it came to symbolism.  When it came to that, the English did it far better.

In the legend, Lady Godiva felt sympathy for the people of Coventry when they were grievously and oppressively taxed by her husband.  She brought up the matter to him over and over again, but he obstinately refused to remit these taxes and give the people relief.  Finally, her husband got tired anough of his wife doing this, and declared that he would grant her request if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of Coventry. Lady Godiva took this at face value; and beforehand requested that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows out of goodness to her. 

She rode through the town, clothed only in her long hair. Everyone had closed their windows, out of respect for her ladyship's going this extra naked mile.  Just one person in the town, Tom the tailor, disobeyed her proclamation and became the eponym for a voyeur.  Tom was, according to the story, struck blind.

In the end, Godiva's husband keeps his word and abolishes the punitive taxes.  She is regarded as a heroine in legend for her deed.  Tom lived on in infamy.

Where is this going, a naked lady eventually honored by having a fine brand of chocolate named after her?

Well, it seems to me that those opponents of taxation might well adopt the Lady Godiva symbolism in lieu of the Tea Party mythology.  After all, too many Americans are not necessarily aware of the link between faux Indians throwing away tea off of ships into Boston Harbor and high taxes; but everyone can get the metaphor of taxes and your getting left bare nekkid!

Also, too many of the Tea Party people are seen as dowdy soreheads with no sense of humor, reprobates who find too much fault with everything.  Tossing the Tea, and adopting Lady Godiva as an alternative symbol would serve to give the movement some currency.

So my suggestion is that the antitax folks should get some of their more comely, long-haired members to ride through town, specifically some Coventry of choice, on horses to protest taxation!  This would serve several purposes:

1.  It would positively symbolize what effect oppressive taxation has.

2.  It would provide free entertainment for the ungodly.

3.  It would provide the morally upright with another opportunity to demonstrate their uprightedness by closing their windows and curtains so as to not offend their heroine.

4.  It might encourage the au naturel look, and give well-toned ladies with a socially acceptable occasion for giving into exhibitionistic tendencies in a setting other than South Beach.

5.  It would give the television media an opportunity for an easy story.

6.  It would allow any or all of three unsung Coventrys to make the news.  (Tea Party naked bareback riders have their choice of Coventrys in Connecticut, New York, or Rhode Island.)

7.  It might even encourage equestrian lessons, and aspiring nude females would be drawn to lessons on how to ride a horse!

So, if you're against taxes, giddy up!