(Tea for Thomas J)
I had to work yesterday evening so I sent Mike downtown with a camera and some signs to meet our friends Heath and Amanda for the second Cleveland Tea Party.
(Heath & Amanda)
I was happy to see that the turn out was much larger than the first Tea Party even though the weather looked about the same.
(the movement grows!)
More than 2000 people came out in the gloom and the drizzle to send a message to their government...
(a summary)
There were creative signs...
(oink! no more pork!)
...and simple signs...
(a librarian, perhaps?)
...and protest babes...
(hot chicks want lower taxes too)
...but it seemed that everyone agreed on one thing...
(Gadsden flags were everywhere!)
The event began with the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem and despite the large crowd, everyone was friendly and polite. Not quite the frightening right-wing extremist radicals the media's been warning you about...
And hey - they're already planning on more Tea Parties for the 4th of July. Will you be there?
________________________
p.s. Mike kept me updated via cellphone and during one call said, "The most bizarre thing just happened. I was walking down the street, heard someone call my name, and when I turned around, I didn't know who it was - a complete stranger!""Huh?" I said, not understanding.
"It was one of your blog readers. I got recognized!"
(I think that's just about the coolest thing ever, but Mike seemed a little freaked out about his newfound fame. Heh.)
16 comments:
Is that Mike wearing a cowboy hat?
Man, is that Garand WORKING!
That was me, unless it happened more than once. He was actually the first person I saw when I crossed the street onto the mall which was kinda weird because I wondered if you guys would be down there. I just look scary.
I hope he didn't mention how I butchered your name.
For the definition of irony, see the inscription on the public auditorium just across the street. I didn't think to take a picture of it but laughed when I read it and thought of the protest taking place in its shadow.
Maybe I'll get to meet the much-funnier-than -Tam gun totin' librarian next time. I felt kind of bad I didn't get to talk to Mike and see what he thought of it towards the end. I was a little disappointed and a few of the younger folks I talked to were too.
Thanks for posting the photos and going. If everyone just does what they can do, like this, it will be enough. Nobody needs go to extremes, just keep the pressure on.
Extremists there in Cleveland!? OMG!
:)
You might have read this already, but i thought I should probably tip you off on this. Homeland defense apparently labeled returning vets as "right wing extremists."
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=73214196591&h=JVSXw&u=RHNge&ref=nf
Because clearly, the right wing conservative extremists are the ones to worry about, they're the ones who already have and presently are causing violence, not the islamic extremists.
-Dan
A great turnout in Denton TX on the courthouse square. 900-1000 people with some really good signs. I suppose DHS has all our name on a watch list now.
Fred
I hope he didn't mention how I butchered your name.So how DO you butcher Breda, anyway?
I was watching FoxNews' Hannity & Beck shows last night and the one really GREAT picket sign I saw was one where Obama's face was superimposed onto Steve Urkel's body, including the dorky glasses with the caption: "Did I do that?"
Protest babes, maybe I should have gone yesterday!
The one in Cincinnati had about 1500-2000 people by the time I left to go back to work. I ahd talked to a coupl of friends of mine that were there who were carrying concealed. I found out later, one of their friends there got harrassed by a Cincy cop for carrying.
[...] Tea time here and there [...]
Uncle posted my favorite sign.
http://www.saysuncle.com/2009/04/15/tea-party-2/
Thanks for the update!
WV- relygun :-)
Teabaggers like yourselves are just pawns of the very elite that have benefited from the largest shift of wealth from the middle class to the rich that our country has ever seen. Where was this outrage over the past eight years? So now that our resources are being used on us [infrastructure, health care, and renewable energy (big clue there as to why the sudden interest in "grassroots protest")] instead of world domination, you take to the streets? Aren't you curious why FOX promotes your protests, yet left the millions that protested the Iraq war off the TV screens? If not, that is part of the real problem.
The "librarian" holding the "Read Atlas Shrugged" sign is actually the executive director of the Ohio Objectivist Society (and a software developer). I'll grant he does look like one, though. :)
Check out our summary of the Cleveland/Canton tea parties from the Ohio Objectivist Society - we were there handing out free copies of Atlas Shrugged and holding signs saying, "Atlas Will Shrug", "Who is John Galt?", etc.
http://reality.ohio.newintellectuals.org/?p=304"In all, we handed out over 20 copies of Atlas Shrugged, over 40 copies of our booklet, and dozens of business cards. We got on a couple radio shows, one local TV news segment, and were interviewed by a small local newspaper, all to spread our name. And it's working - the emails are already pouring in, with people interested in future meetups, book reviews, etc."
@ crustytusty, long e like in beret.
OK Buck, since you're so generous with other peoples money you can no doubt afford to pay for MY health care out of pocket. Maybe throw some cash to fix up my infrastructure too, I have some bad pipes that need fixed.
I'll even call up fox and tell them what a wonderful story it would make. Someone who no doubt froths at the mouth at the mere mention of fox helping his fellow man with HIS money.
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