A Polite Tea Party, or, I Believe in Civility and Manners

You are cordially invited to a Real Polite Tea Party / Tweetup

To take place on Sunday, May the second, from two o’clock to five o’clock in the afternoon

Gather at Bella Boutique on Spenard Road (with overflow if necessary in Sugarspoon Alaska next door)

Dress code: fancy summer tea party (inasmuch as it pleases you). Dresses, hats, summer suits, your finest shoes, pinkies up.

No cost is involved, but this event is BYOT: Bring Your Own Teacup. And bring some pocket change for a small charitable donation to a politically neutral charity doing good (and sustainable) work in the developing world, where our tea comes from. Also consider a small purchase from our kind host, Bella Boutique.

This event is a friendly gathering open to people of all political beliefs, provided they agree to be supremely polite and civil to one another and enjoy the company of peers all afternoon. Talking politics or religion at a party is of course extremely rude, and you know your grandmother would not tolerate it; therefore it will be frowned upon.

This gathering is dedicated to the proposition that manners matter, and that with them people of widely varying political beliefs can be civil to one another, enjoy each other’s company, and coexist within a democratic nation despite their differences. It is also dedicated to the wearing of pretty dresses and dessert.

Tea Party members, Republicans, Moderates, Democrats, Communists, and Anarchists are all invited to come politely celebrate the privilege of being free to hold our own beliefs and uphold our duty to coexist without violence or hatred. Coexistence is of course made easier with the aid of truffles, finger sandwiches, a short moratorium on talking politics at a party, and tea.

Please RSVP via Facebook or the @AlaskaTweets website. This is open to the public, and if lots and lots show up, we will overflow happily and peaceably into Sugarspoon next door.

This event is informally put together/inspired by some folks in the Anchorage Twitter community, though it’s open to the public. See @alaskatweets for more details.

(If you’re out of the Anchorage area, consider holding a Polite Tea Party of your own! Sometimes the ultimate political protest is apolitical. Nobody ever changed anyone else’s mind about an issue with picket signs and slurs, only with civil discourse. And more than I believe in any other political idea, I believe in civil discourse. And I believe that right now it’s endangered.)

We do need some volunteer assistance in Anchorage to make this party happen. Please comment if you’re able to assist with any of the following things. Break out the china and silver you’ve been dying to use:

* A few compact folding chairs and wooden TV trays
* Linens and cutlery (no paper or plastic would be lovely if possible)
* Teapots and tea, and hot pots or small electric burners to heat water
* Home-baked tea party goodies: scones, finger sandwiches, truffles, cookies
* Tea fixings: sugar cubes, sweeteners, cream, and containers for tea service
* Setup/cleanup help
* Collecting charity donations & ensuring the donation is made

Please comment here or at the Facebook invitation to assist!

Written by: Marian Call