Non-Americans ask, "What is this tea party?"

Question from a non-American on reddit.com:

I keep hearing and seeing posts about this tea party? Must be a gringo thing.

When is it?? Who is it?? And do I want to be there?

A couple of the answers from that thread:

The "tea party" is a corporate-backed astroturf political "movement" that began right around the time a lot of European-descended "white" Americans realized that there wasn't anything they could do to prevent an African-descended "black" Senator from being elected President of the United States.

A group of almost entirely white, upper-middle-class, Republican men are incensed that there is a "black" man in the White House working in a room that isn't the kitchen.

So, they've taken to the streets to protest policies that they would undoubtedly support if it were a "white" Republican enacting them.

and

"It's the last great hope for America. And really, since you're a foreigner, we shouldn't tell you because it's American made and not for export!

Besides, you couldn't understand anyway because you don't know what it's like to have freedoms (like when I was a kid, why can't we go back to those times?) and we can't translate into your boogabooga language."

H/T Cheryl