The history buffs and families at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia are being joined by a new breed of tourist, reports Amy Gardner in The Washington Post. The theme park has seen an "influx" of "angrier and more politically minded" visitors inspired by the Tea Party movement and to discuss the Founding Fathers' intentions in relation to, say, stimulus spending and federal regulation. Many ask the costumed actors for advice on how to overthrow a tyrannical government — only to be disappointed by responses more in keeping with the genteel manners of the 18th century than the "give 'em hell" rhetoric of Glenn Beck. Why are "loud, uninformed" Tea Partiers seeking counsel from a "man wearing a wig and dressed up as George Washington?" asks Jeff Neumann at Gawker. Surely it would be easier "checking out a book from the library" than "seeking answers from actors." But "period actors know their historical stuff forwards and backwards," says the Moonhowlings blog. We can only hope they teach their guests to "open their eyes to what happens when a nation can no longer find common ground." Watch a video report from The Washington Post here:
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