Which begs the question: What is the ultimate goal of the protest (whatever it may be), worth?
The 'tea party' folk stand around, and hold up signs, then fizzle out. Productive protests are protests that push the limits, passively, just enough, that injury is inflicted on the passive protester(s) by the System (Government). Injury of passive protesters affects onlookers, and effects actions in response to seeing protesters beaten, pepper-sprayed, for doing nothing more than standing firm in their spot, and demanding 'change' take place. A bunch of sign-holding hillbillies ('tea party') standing around drinking coffee, and shooting the sh*t about so-called "Constitutional 'rights'" is a gathering, not a protest. The way the 'tea party' went about their so-called "protest" is half-hearted, weak, and deserved precisely what it achieved, NOTHING, but a fleeting time in Governance stonewalling, and pointing fingers - on the tax payers dime!