The march and rally in DC and around the country Saturday 9/12/09 had many asking just who the protestors are and what do they want?
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Short answer: they’re Americans. Simple as that. Concerned citizens, willing to use their own time and money to make their voices heard.This has a long history which dates back to the Peasants' Revolt in England in 1381 through various other uprisings across the pond leading to the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773.
One reporter summed it up; Griff Jenkins from the Fox Network travelled with the Tea Party Express from Sacramento to D.C. visiting numerous cities and towns and said that after witnessing people across the country it is the America that Washington forgot” and an ‘absolute grass roots movement and it’s an uprising; we are witnessing the beginning of a new political movement”. He went on to say “it is, as best I can tell, (that) they are a part of America rising up to reclaim itself from a government run amok; an overreaching government’.
Most interviewed had never protested or been to a demonstration before either for or against anything. The observation is that they are a collection of ordinary Americans who want both political parties to stop with the corruption, stop the out of control spending and just listen to them.
The mainstream media invariably label the demonstrators as ‘conservatives’. That term has many definitions and is interpreted by individuals and groups alike. A great percentage of people that showed up Saturday have a strong libertarian streak (something Congressman Ron Paul of Texas harnessed in the Republican primaries and beyond – the Ron Paul Revolution still continues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YqJICwtRTs).
The yellow Gadsden flags were out in force probably summing up the overall message from the crowds “Don’t Tread on Me”. 
Many invoked the Founding Fathers and their principles with Thomas Jefferson the favorite from whom they cited. Many parents used the day and the lead up to it as a civics lesson for their children urging them to read up on history and find apt quotes with which they agreed.
Many invoked the Founding Fathers and their principles with Thomas Jefferson the favorite from whom they cited. Many parents used the day and the lead up to it as a civics lesson for their children urging them to read up on history and find apt quotes with which they agreed.These were then transposed into the thousands of handmade signs which people held up for hours.
Signs, signs everywhere a sign. Those lyrics from almost 40 years ago have been apt at these rallies and town halls. In fact, some say that, apart from meeting people and expressing their views, they most thoroughly enjoy reading the signs. Creativity is not dead as the slideshow indicates.
There is a lot of humor and jest; so much for the angry mob. Most signs and t-shirts were not Anti-Obama in a personal sense though it would be disingenuous to suggest there was not a small element of people who were not in the tank for Obama and refused to drink the Kool Aid. Of course this is no different to folk who refused to acknowledge that George W. Bush was a legitimate President since the 2000 election.
By far, the majority who have been showing up to town halls and tea parties and getting involved online and in their local districts are not overly partisan. They worry about the direction the country is taking and the ever expanding increase in the federal government.
One attendee held up a simple sign – black lettering on white – Ephesians 6:12-
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
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Comments
This article doesn't even attempt to explain what the protesters want. Horrible writing.
To Matt: Perhaps you shouls have started at Part 1 of the article and kept reading before you made such a rediculous comment.
Are the 'up to 2 million' people invisible or just very, very small?
To Matt: You must not have read the column. Among other things, Karyn writes, "they are a part of America rising up to reclaim itself from a government run amok; an overreaching government." You must be a liberal (socialist).
The people at these tea party events are the poor loosers who failed to take advantage of the things made available to them by the government they love to hate. Why should you be trusted with something that you hate vehemently.
We are taken advantage of by the goverment when they want to give it all away and no one has to work for it. we the people are the goverment.
ron paul started this and now the wrong people are following him.....yesterday was a joke, i dont care for obama and his policies but the guy IS NOT HITLER OR STALIN if u really thing that then i suggest u leave the country ASAP.....and yes his health plan is not what i want to see at all but signs like bury obama health care plan with kennedy (not the exact words) is disrespectful, dont get me wrong im all for freedom of speech but that was just the wrong way to make a point....and glen beck please go away....ron paul was around for awhile beut stupid people who r on the bandwagon now is the reason he didnt get in all u bandwagoners were to busy thiking mccain and palin were gonna save us.....and now u idiots will ruin it again
ron paul started this and now the wrong people are following him.....yesterday was a joke, i dont care for obama and his policies but the guy IS NOT HITLER OR STALIN if u really thing that then i suggest u leave the country ASAP.....and yes his health plan is not what i want to see at all but signs like bury obama health care plan with kennedy (not the exact words) is disrespectful, dont get me wrong im all for freedom of speech but that was just the wrong way to make a point....and glen beck please go away....ron paul was around for awhile beut stupid people who r on the bandwagon now is the reason he didnt get in all u bandwagoners were to busy thiking mccain and palin were gonna save us.....and now u idiots will ruin it again
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