Around the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the U.S. government created a deck of playing cards showing “Iraq’s Most Wanted.” They were meant to “provide a reminder of key Iraqi personnel of interest,” who would eventually be captured or killed. Saddam Hussein, for example, was the military’s top target, and therefore given the Ace of Spades designation. Using these cards as “inspiration,” the Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots are now selling a deck with federal lawmakers on the cards:
Despite the fact that the decks are modeled on the Iraq playing cards, members of the Tea Party group are insisting that they’re not encouraging violence against the officials:
The group is also encouraging customers to use the cards to let the politicians know their dissatisfaction. On its website, the group encourages buyers to locate the “dirty politician’s mailing address,” sign the card with permanent marker and “Mail it to him as a reminder that, on Election Day, you will be calling his bluff (Suggestion : you may want to refrain from writing your return address on the envelope).”
[Shenandoah Tea Party Patriots member and Geary said the suggestion at the end was his idea just so those who mail them would not fear any type of retribution, and it is not about any type of threat. He added that while developing the cards, he was cognizant that some could interpret the connection to the Iraqi cards as the group trying to incite negative actions or having overtly heated undertones.
“Even when coming up with the name, we didn’t want it to be an incendiary title that might promote violence, cause trouble or be misleading in any way,” he said. “By calling it ‘Most Wanted’ it just shows we want (the politicians to be) kicked out of office.”
So far, the group has reportedly sold more than 1,000 decks of cards. Members distributed them at a recent townhall meeting with Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), who “said although he did not closely examine the cards, they do not seem out of bounds.” The deck is composed mostly of Democrats, although there are some Republicans, including Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA), Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE), and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who is the Ace of Spades.