Well, I'm back from the Orange County Tax Day Tea Party, held at Plaza of the Flags, at the Santa Ana Civic Center.
The Orange County Register has a report, "Activists Blast Government at Anti-Tax Protests."
Here's a few photos:
This is the best crowd shot I could get. The Register piece says "hundreds" of protester attended the event, but I'm betting the number was closer to a couple of thousand:
This is Andrew Breitbart and his father-in-law, Hollywood actor Orson Bean. Breitbart headlined the list of speakers. He railed against the liberal press (the "Democratic Media Industrial Complex"), and suggested that most of tonight's network news coverage would focus on Janet Napolitano's DHS report that puts nearly half of the American electorate on "a waiting list for far right-wing domestic terrorism":
Jim Gilchrist, the Minuteman founder, was cruising around the rally:
And here's yours truly, Americaneocon. My youngest son colored the sign last night, and my oldest son took the picture:
I'll post more photos later, as well as more details on the event.
Thanks Donald. You confirmed my suspicions. The crowd is mostly white and middle aged. Oh wait, this is Orange County! What a surprise!
ReplyDeleteWhite, middle-aged, fake uprising.
ReplyDelete"grass-roots" allright.
Where's fat-ass Rush Limbaugh and village idiots, Coulter and Hannity?
@CS: Get bent!
ReplyDeleteBarely made the Lafayette Park outing, but it was bigger than the February one. Is 04Jul next?
looks like a good time, and, obviously, if it would've been what the other side was expecting, there would've been violence.
ReplyDeleteWay to go doc! Screw the collectivist mentality of the left.
ReplyDeleteThe MSM wasn't too interested, maybe because no one was advocating baby-killing or some other "right" not found in the Constitution.
Hey Donald, please make sure you report on the f*ckwits in Texas who want to secede.
ReplyDeleteI will gladly show them the door. What a difference that would make!
I could not make the LV one. It was across town and there was not a snowball's chance I could make it in 14 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI can guarantee you that the number of people in the top picture goes beyond the "hundreds." There are a minimum of 1000 there. My little hometown turned out about 80. That may not sound like much, but it was more than I expected by more than double. We had perfect weather and a perfect crowd. As one of the main speakers, I got solid support from everyone there when I asked them to each get 10 other people to write a letter, e-mail, or call their representatives in regards to this current budget battle. the "silent majority" has awakened and we dare not let it go back to sleep. This is NOT a one-time deal. It is a battle till victory, and that victory will be a return to fiscal sanity! Keep up the fight.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that this was a far larger event than the media expected, else they would have had reporters to cover the various events. The snide remarks from the left confirm the "Tea Party's" were a success.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to see that the folks on the left think that the constitutional right to protest is their exclusive domain. Also, this is reflected in such unconstitutional ventures such as the so-called "Fairness Doctrine," which discriminates against a class of people.
One other issue that came to light: the protester, of which 29% were Democrats, noted Obama and his party have some huge disagreements.
Looks like a GREAT turnout! Many of the gatherings attracted thousands. Wish I could have gone to one. How exciting that you got to go!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Looks great! We had about 3000+ here in AZ
ReplyDeleteTo those who say it was, "white, middle-aged" I would ask you, "why do you think it's only whites then that were willing to show up? What does that say about the pluralistic society in which we live that only one segment cares enough about their freedoms to stand up? To show up? To give their time?
Are you implying then that your specific ethnicity, whatever it is, admits that they just want a handout rather than a hand?
Without Consent - means you're stealing it!
Looks like it was a super gathering. Under reporting of the numbers in attendance around the US seems common. Even Vancouver got into the act of saying the attendance was low. Some of us counted heads and then challenged our local news outlets.
ReplyDeleteYou're right,
ReplyDeleteMIddle-aged white folks are some how genenetically predisposed to "pulling themselves up from their own bootstraps", the rest of em' just want hand outs.
Someone, quick, we need a cure for this pervasive white-middle-aged superiority complex syndrome? (Isolated mostly amongst right-wing nut jobs)
Great turnout. Too bad some look pass the significant number of minorities and all age groups that attend the Tea parties. Typical leftist drivel and lies.
ReplyDeleteTim must stay up all all hours of the night so he can be the first leftist to make a fool of himself. Actually it is kind of funny and indeed sad.
If it wasn't so successful you would not have the mindless Obamanuts trying to throw cold water on it. Every comment they make is just one more indication of how well it went and how much they truly fear anyone who does not grovel at the feet of the left. All they have is their name calling so feel a little pity for them. Thinking and rational debate is so above their heads as to be unattainable or expected.
Again kudos Donald and to all who took part.
Great coverage! I was there too, check out my pics from the event.
ReplyDeletehttp://infidelsarecool.com/2009/04/15/pics-from-the-santa-ana-tea-party/
Great event! Great coverage.
ReplyDeleteAmericans from all walks of life turned out in the middle of the day to exercise thier rights of assembly and free speech. It was a great day to be an American.
I read the following poem at this and another So Cal Tea Party yesterday. (Feel free to copy as long as you include my name and my web site.)
In the home of the brave and the land of the free
Across our great nation from sea to shining sea
There's something that' stirring, a movement's at hand
As the rustling of tea bag's are heard 'cross the land
The people are talking of hope and of change
And all that we have to give up in exchange
Are all of the things to which we hold dear
So these teabags are symbols for what must be made clear
"The Great Experiment" that's America is not failing or wrong
Though many today are sure singing that song
Its not that its broken, it has worked just great
And my friends this is just what we are here to debate
A limited government is what our forefathers planned
With citizen legislators who'd travel the land
And meet to insure a few simple principles were kept
But sadly it seems, things have changed while we slept
So now instead of protecting our liberties and rights
Securing our borders and resolving our fights
Our governments decided in this New World Order Day
To redistribute our wealth and decide who should pay
They're bailing out businesses too big to fail
And spending so much and on such a huge scale
Creating a debt that our children must bear
With a "tax the rich" cry that all know is unfair
The deficits rising so fast we can't count
As the bills and the budgets and the promises mount
In less than 3 months, the debt to be paid
Has grown to the point that we now feel betrayed
The 545 folks we've entrusted
Are playing a game that leaves us disgusted
Between favors they're granting and elite goodies they're thrown
Make it look like the whole gangs run by Michael Corleone
With congress' approval rate lower than low
We continue to watch wondering how low it will go
And yet its we who continue to give them our consent
With an incumbency rate of over 90%
Now they're punishing progress and rewarding the few
Who didn't keep up and who failed to construe
A commitment to living the life that you choose
Does not mean a hand out or any sort of excuse
Its time to stand up and declare, no more
As much as they'd like to, we're going to be hard to ignore!
For the powers in the people, well its supposed to be
As a great roar's heard across this nation: Don't Tread on Me!
Our founders wouldn't have it, as they took to the street
And dumped the tea in the harbor and feared not for defeat
If ever there was a time to look to history and be stirred
In the tradition of our fathers, its time to stand up and be heard
That this land that we love and of which we're so proud
The reason we're standing here today in this crowd
Must return to the principles and correct the mistake
That we can never no matter spend more than we make!
That the fruits of our labors are ours to keep
That like any harvest, you sow what you reap
You get what you give, a little or a lot
That our laws are for everyone, elected or not
That the strength of our land is the strength of our choice
We expect to be heard as we speak with one voice
That our government be returned, from where it was once before
And be a government of the people, by the people and for the people, once more!
Tina Ann www.personalverses.com
I was there and the best sign was carried by a short American black women and it said get this- " FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE LIFE I AM AFFRAID FOR MY COUNTRY" it was great.
ReplyDeleteBob,
ReplyDeleteIMHO, that may be the best sign at any tea party so far.
That was great!
-Dave
Rick, the snide remarks are not coming from people on the left. They are coming from the ignorant slobs who are too lazy to do any research, to find the truth about what is happening to our country. Even though the Tea Party, which started out as a grassroots organization, has been hijacked by the Sarah Palin Republicans, it still stands for ideas that are far outside the left/right paradigm of political thinking that so much of the electorate is mired in.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people always pretend to more knowledge than they possess?
CS, Tim, Anonymous, why even post here? Take the time to learn-- or have someone spoon-feed you-- about the true conservative movement. I'm talking about the one which says the Constitution is the law of the land. Yeah, this country was founded on the Constitution, and if you want to continue seeing the likes of Bush and Obama wiping their asses with it, stay in your TV-induced sleep. But if you see a glimmer of truth in the Tea Party's message, WAKE UP!! This is not a Republican/Democrat issue; can't you see that? It always "coincidentally" comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils, doesn't it? The two parties are only 2 factions of the same party. Don't you think they both love to see all this left-right bickering? It keeps them in power! One cycle sees the Democrats with more power; the next sees the angry Republicans surge. Meanwhile Congress keeps giving itself more and more power, taking away more and more of YOUR rights, and careening the country down the same road to enslavement.
Why, oh why do you think Congress ALWAYS exempts itself from the laws it passes on the rest of us?
Learn the real truth, and set yourselves free.