RUSH: It wasn’t long ago that we asked people to submit on our website Two If By Tea reasons why we should send a refrigerated semi fully loaded with tea to your community for the Fourth of July. What is it about your community that would warrant that giant truck of refrigerated tea rolling into your town? We had over 3,000 entries. And, ladies and gentlemen, it became clear that there was one choice that we could make, and that’s Joplin, Missouri. We are going into Joplin, Missouri. Two If By Tea’s giant semi will be rolling into Landreth Park sometime Monday late afternoon, evening to join with the citywide celebration.As an added bonus I have decided that I am going to go. I’m gonna be there. We’re gonna be part of the celebration, small part of it. They got two country bands, but I want to be part of this. I want to be in Joplin along with a lot of us from Two If By Tea. This really isn’t about the tea. We’re talking here about American exceptionalism. You ought to see some of the entries. Some of the entries we got were from people not in Joplin suggesting that we go to Joplin because of the tornado that literally wiped out two-thirds of the city. Literally wiped out two-thirds of Joplin, Missouri. And the people there have been working together as a community to rebuild. They haven’t been complaining; they haven’t been whining. They’ve been doing whatever they can on their own.There has been a lot of charitable outreach, but this is how Americans come together in the darkest hour for everyone, here and abroad, too. This is about all of us doing just a little bit to bring some smiles to faces that have been through a lot over the last few months. We’re going to go. I’m going to personally be there. Kathryn is going to go.
We are going to have a wonderful time on Monday night in Joplin, Missouri. We want to show the people of Joplin the stronger meaning of what it means to be American. They know. You people in Joplin should know that people all over the country submitting entries suggested you instead of their own communities. Not everybody, but it was a hands-down, easy choice.The Fourth of July is fitting to honor heroes among us, of course, including the military, and every day, common, ordinary, average people, the people who make this country work are doing their part to make the country work and to make it better. That’s what we’re all about at Two If By Tea, American pride, American unity. There were so many entries from Joplin and we may post some of them at the website so that you can see them, but they melted your heart, and they were just as touching as anything I’ve ever read.I also want to take this occasion to inform you that our sponsor at Two If By Tea is the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, and we have just this week made our first donation to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation thanks to those of you who have already purchased Two If By Tea.
We’re going to be making these donations monthly, throughout the course of the history of our little company here. And so it’s all coming together.I don’t know, folks, it’s very touching. I’m kind of at a loss for words, which is unusual for me because I’ve seen these entries. I’ve seen what people have said. I’ve seen the pictures of what happened to Joplin, and I’ve seen the promo material for what they’re doing at Landreth Park Monday night to keep that spirit of rebirth and rebuilding going on. I remember we got a couple calls from the Joplin rebuilding committee on this program and I asked, “What can people do?” You heard them on the program here, and they were not asking for handouts.They were basically just trying to explain to everybody else what they faced and what they were doing to help themselves.
The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate independence instead of dependence, and people in Joplin, Missouri are not at all relying on dependence. This is something that we’re looking forward to doing. I can’t wait.We’ve got a giant banner on either side of the trailer, just like that’s on the shrink wrap of the tea, with me as Rush Revere. Now, I am scheduled to speak somewhere around eight o’clock. There are two country bands, and I’m scheduled to speak, but don’t worry, I’m not gonna take up a whole lot of time. But I will be there on Monday night, and I hope as many of you in the area can make it as possible ’cause it’s gonna be a hoot. We’ll be there with all of our tea, refrigerated and chilled. It’s gonna be all the flavors, diet raspberry, regular, sugared raspberry, and then the standard sweet tea, both delicious, best tea you’ve ever tasted, can’t wait, Monday night, Landreth Park, Joplin, Missouri, El Rushbo, Two If By Tea. It doesn’t get any better than that.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I’m just poring through some of the entries here from Joplin that we had suggesting that Landreth Park in Joplin on the Fourth of July would be the place for our truckload of Two If By Tea to roll into, which is where we’re gonna go. I just announced it. Monday night we’ll be there. I will be there celebrating with everybody else in Joplin Independence Day. Landreth Park, by the way, they call their Fourth of July party Freedom Fest. They call it Freedom Fest, which is just ideal. So that’s where we’re gonna be with our giant truckload of Two If By Tea on Monday night.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Try this entry from Joplin, Missouri. I’m not gonna mention any names. Sometimes when I mention names people don’t like their privacy violated.Joplin, Missouri’s, most recent historical event was an EF5 tornado. Moments after the tornado ravaged the city of Joplin and surrounding areas on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011, our community set about doing what brave Americans do in times of catastrophe. The forces of nature destroyed human lives, 158, homes, 8,000, and livelihoods as well, but moments after the tornado exited the east side of Joplin leaving only 70% of our community standing, our recovery began.The Fourth of July will have extra significance to Joplin as we proudly celebrate our American way of life and the resolve of our community to support the self-reliant people who are rebuilding their homes, rebuilding their businesses and their lives. Only moments after the storm many volunteers have been in perpetual motion helping those who suffered losses. Someone questioned why so many people, famous, not so famous, have come from far and near to help. I believe Americans are compelled to offer assistance because, quote, “nothing feels as good as sacrificing to help others in need.” And that’s why I believe Joplin deserves to be rewarded with a truckload of Two If By Tea. Joplin will celebrate Independence Day in grand style this year, and we hope to relieve the stress and provide enjoyment for friends, families, and volunteers who are still here.
A giant sip of Two If By Tea would be welcomed by all.This is just a sample. Here’s another.The American people come together in a time of need. It’s happened in a way that will move you to tears here in Joplin. There are American flags flying at half-mast, in many cases on top of the rubble to remind us that we are Americans and we help others.And in the midst of all this they are continuing with their traditional Fourth of July celebration. I saw a little bit of the banner ad that they have running in the area promoting all the activities that are going on. A bunch of country music bands will be there, fireworks, the whole traditional thing, and we’re just honored to be a part of it. We’re thrilled to be there with our giant truckload of Two If By Tea Monday night in Joplin, Missouri.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Here’s another entry that was got from Joplin: “Dear Rush: Our town is an old mining town. We are on ‘The Mother Road,’ Route 66. We took on Bonnie and Clyde. We are a place of hometown values. If you drove around the sites damaged today, you couldn’t go two steps without seeing a makeshift flagpole with an American flag waving beautifully in the wind. We embody the real hope and change the other side only thinks they are becoming. We may be a small town, but we’re mighty in number, and it doesn’t take a tornado to prove the American spirit that’s always been among us. Thank you for the chance to do something for the people who are too filled with humility to do it for themselves. Thanks, and God bless.”
Another one: “The people in the heartland are the hardest workers in the world. When the tornado hit Joplin, they wasted no time jumping in and taking care of whatever needed to be done. They didn’t whine, they didn’t wait, they didn’t wonder why no one came,” and, you know, folks, that’s true. We all saw the pictures out of Joplin and we were just stunned at the devastation — the satellite pictures before and after — and there wasn’t a lot of whining, even from the two people from the Rebuild Committee who happened to call the program here. Nobody was whining, and there wasn’t any looting, and there wasn’t any begging, and there wasn’t any “Where’s FEMA?”
Of course Obama took a week to go there. (impression) “Uh, wuh — whatever it takes, we’ll be there for you.” He was over in Europe and he eventually flew over. That didn’t matter. They weren’t asking for anything. They didn’t whine, they didn’t wait, they didn’t wonder why no one came. “The strange thing is people came anyway,” says this entry. “People just like ’em. People that are always willing to help a neighbor. There have been dozens, hundreds of stories of divine intervention that ultimately saved people all over Joplin. There are houses here where only one wall remained and that was where someone sought shelter, or where someone ran from one house to another because it ‘didn’t feel right’ and survived while the original house had been destroyed.
“There are flags all over town stuck into dead trees, crumpled cars, vacant lots that had been home to families. Support has poured in from coast to coast. We’ve been working to clean up for over a month now, and by the time July 4th arrives it will be six weeks. The city has promised an unforgettable celebration. People are here from miles around to help and they’ll be here on the Fourth to join in on our celebration which will be especially enjoyable with your tea here.” Another one: “Joplin reflects the strength of this great country. Even when facing adversity, we will persevere and be stronger and better than ever. In the midst of the darkest times through the endlessly hard work, perseverance and everlasting echoes of ‘We can, we will;’ we’re rebuilding and looking forward to a brighter future. Not an effort to be done alone but rather an effort of our neighbors, Americans from coast to coast.
“Our small town of 45,000 people has had more than 45,000 neighbors come to lend a hand in the same way that this great country rose to the top: Americans helping Americans, “we are the people.” I’m proud of Joplin, I’m proud to be from Joplin, I’m proud of America, I’m proud to be an American; I’m looking forward to Two If By Tea being part of our celebration.” This warms our hearts here. So this something we are actually honored to be part of, and we will be there. “The American people come together in time of need, and that has happened in a way that will move to you tears when you see it, Rush, here in Joplin. There are American flags flying at half-mast — in many cases on top of the rubble — to remind us that we are Americans and we help others.” So look out, Joplin. We’re coming. We’ll be there to join you on Monday night at Landreth Park, and we’re bringing some tea as just a little side light — a semi of Two If by Tea.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, let me address something that I’m getting in the e-mail here. This is going to sound self-serving, and I don’t mean it to be. Really, I beg you. You know, there are naysayers everywhere. So I’m getting some e-mails. “Okay, so you think you’re doing a great thing by taking in your truckload of tea. Rush, don’t you understand there are going to be vendors who earn their living with their concession stands, and here you are going in giving away tea?” Do you think we didn’t think about that? There’s not one… (interruption) What, Snerdley? (interruption) No, no, Snerdley. (interruption) Snerdley, back off in there. Back down in there. There are naysayers everywhere, and they’re looking for any little thing they can to ploy some kind of a negative to this.
You can just hear them (sniveling), “Don’t you understand, you’re just going in there and you’re gonna give away your tea, and for everything you give away, that’s a concessionaire that’s losing out?” No, no. I’m not gonna get into details, folks, but I want you to trust me: That is not going to happen. Not one concessionaire is gonna lose anything because we are going in with a truckload of tea. We’re going in to add to this. We are happy to be a contributing part of what is already a huge Fourth of July celebration. It’s gonna be big. Folks, it’s a miniature Rush to Excellence Tour stop for us. (interruption) (laughing) He’s going nuts in there! He’s going nuts in there! He says, “Everything you do, people have to find a negative with it.” Also, as I have mentioned from the start of the Two If By Tea, our sponsor is the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.
And we are bound by certain legalities in how we can describe our relationship with tea sales and the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. I’m just gonna tell you that our first donation — and these will happen frequently — from the sale of Two If By Tea to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation is a hundred thousand dollars. Everything’s cool. We’re going in there to join everybody else and just have a fine, grand old time — celebrate America, celebrate self-reliance, celebrate the greatness that is this country — with the kind of people who make this country work. This is not to slight any of the other people from any other parts of the country who sent entries. We were just overwhelmed with entries from Joplin and from outside of Joplin who suggested that it would be a great place for us to go. Look, for everybody that shows up at this at Landreth Park, I guarantee, it’s gonna be a win-win no matter how you slice it.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I’m gonna tell you something else is gonna happen at Landreth Park in Joplin on Monday night: We’re gonna grow the Republican Party. It’s a Fourth of July celebration. We have the Harvard survey from yesterday: Fourth of July parades breed Republicans. Young kids at Fourth of July parties tend to end up being Republican. Fourth of July celebrations do not have any patriotic impact on Democrats. This is from a Harvard survey. We had it yesterday. Now, you Democrats, you can try to throw cold water all you want on what we’re doing Monday night in Joplin, but I just want to remind you what’s actually happening Monday night in Joplin, Missouri. Not only the continuing rebirth of a great community, and not only the joining of people coming together for a singular purpose (well, actually multipurpose) but we’re also growing the conservative movement. (maniacal laughter) Try that!
END TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: And we are bound by certain legalities in how we can describe our relationship with tea sales and the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. I’m just gonna tell you that our first donation — and these will happen frequently — from the sale of Two If By Tea to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation is a hundred thousand dollars. Everything’s cool. We’re going in there to join everybody else and just have a fine, grand old time — celebrate America, celebrate self-reliance, celebrate the greatness that is this country — with the kind of people who make this country work. This is not to slight any of the other people from any other parts of the country who sent entries. We were just overwhelmed with entries from Joplin and from outside of Joplin who suggested that it would be a great place for us to go. Look, for everybody that shows up at this at Landreth Park, I guarantee, it’s gonna be a win-win no matter how you slice it.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I’m gonna tell you something else is gonna happen at Landreth Park in Joplin on Monday night: We’re gonna grow the Republican Party. It’s a Fourth of July celebration. We have the Harvard survey from yesterday: Fourth of July parades breed Republicans. Young kids at Fourth of July parties tend to end up being Republican. Fourth of July celebrations do not have any patriotic impact on Democrats. This is from a Harvard survey. We had it yesterday. Now, you Democrats, you can try to throw cold water all you want on what we’re doing Monday night in Joplin, but I just want to remind you what’s actually happening Monday night in Joplin, Missouri. Not only the continuing rebirth of a great community, and not only the joining of people coming together for a singular purpose (well, actually multipurpose) but we’re also growing the conservative movement. (maniacal laughter) Try that!
END TRANSCRIPT