On September 12, 2009 Americans met in Washington DC to show their concern, contempt and anger at the Federal Government's continued expansion of infringements on their rights. This event was known as the DC Tea Party.

It was a beautiful day with light clouds that threatened showers all day. Ruth and I drove several hours in from the Philly area and hitched a ride on the Metro to get to the location. The Metro turned out to be an excellent choice. We arrived late to the march event due to travel and missed the beginning festivities and the actual march. It turns out that the march had started early because there were too many people in Freedom Square. After assembling at Freedom Square, the patriots had marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capital Dome.

I believe the picture at right, showing the First Amendment, is from the Freedom Forum Newseum; a group that seems to be left-wing. The first Amendment is for all and it certainly stands on its own to this day, as Americans enacted their right to freedom and the "right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Of course it remains to be seen if the government will even pay attention to the people's grievances. So far all I've heard from our government is a sloughing off of millions of people as just some fringe group elements in the United States. They are sorely mistaken. For every American who showed up, there are many more back home with the same opinion.

(Our DC Tea Party Videos are going up as well)

The total number of Americans at this event were mixed, with reports of anywhere from 70,000 people by Liberal sites - and their attempts at making the event mediocre - to the 2 million people the foreign media reported. Most agree that the headcount was well over one million. Does it really matter what the exact numbers were? More than a million Americans came from all across the country. That is enough of a statement in itself and the numbers are simply a distraction at this point.

Speaking of those million Americans, it is important to note that they came of their own accord. Some organized locally in their communities to charter buses to take their group. Others took it upon themselves to get there on their own. In addition to the personal financial expenses these Americans incurred, they also gave a portion of their time here on Earth to show up. They took time away from friends or family to stand up for a change.

I read a few accounts of serious football fans giving up their seats at the game to show up and rally. A few I talked to while I was there said that those they knew were shocked that they would actually take action. I have found this to be true with my own family. While they hold views and opinions that mirror my own, they haven't actually made a commitment to act yet. Some straw has broken the camel's back, because the silent majority showed up in DC with a roar.

I was surrounded by the thousands of stragglers heading towards the Capital Dome. They were all courteous, many had signs. You never knew where someone had come from in America. I found people from California, Georgia, Tennessee. Others talked of those who had come from as far flung regions as Hawaii and Alaska.

Below is a collage image of those I walked with towards the Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue.

My spirit was just on a constant high throughout the day. I have been to a ton of rallies and this will probably be the largest grouping of people I will ever experience in my lifetime.

I felt quite at home with these people. They were courteous and it felt like I was among family. The media reports that I have seen on this event just don't do it justice.

I had to push through crowds of people around the Capitol in order to get pictures from different angles. It took us nearly 30 minutes to walk from one side of the Capitol to the other in a long single file line that moved a few steps and then stopped. It was like a massive concert with people all packed together. I certainly got my exercise.

Looking out at the reflecting pool (as can be seen in the panorama shots at the top) was simply incredible. The amount of people surrounding it and spreading out just can't even be shown with pictures from the ground. An aerial view would do it some justice, but then you would lose the humanness of the feeling that I got there.

There was one incredible moment when they did the Star Bangled Banner. The whole crowd sang and it was beyond words. The conclusion of it was breathtaking... mainly because I was screaming along with the rest of the crowd. Shouts of jubilation of which I have never heard all at once.

As with most rallies that occur, there are signs. This rally was no different and it showed the diverse concerns of the typical American. Many have made statements that the event was strictly "anti-Obama" and surely there were many, many signs that were anti-Obama, but to say that all there were simply concerned with Obama the man and not the policies is being disingenuous.

The signs consisted of those who opposed a number of issues: universal health care, bailouts, government infringement on individual rights, over-taxation of both businesses and individuals. Signs also targeted groups: opposing Democrats, opposing Republicans, opposing ACORN, opposing the Federal Reserve. I think the majority of those who attended opposed big government in general. As with big government comes big infringement. Not just on people's daily choices, but their life choices and the choices their children will have.

My favorite signs were those opposing illegal immigration.

Often times the left tries to paint patriotic Americans as hateful. They often cite the Obama/Hitler sign that you see to the right as proof of their accusations. Those who report such things are purposefully spreading misinformation in order to denigrate people who attend pro-America rallies. It doesn't take much more than a 12-year-old to visit the website of those who have created this sign. Upon doing so you will find out that they are a far-left wing organization.

Larouche has been showing up at Tea Parties across this country and they usually get noted by reporters as being part of the ralliers. In reality they are simply paid to be there to shock and get noticed so that reporters will add their little sign to their report to slant the rallies as purely anti-Obama. I did a full length report in August 2009 exposing the LaRouche Obama Hitler. yet they are still being cited.

Even media who you would think would be enthusiastic about such a rally were disappointing in their coverage. I already have stated that I was disgusted with Glenn Beck's coverage of events.

I'd just like to state for the record that just because people attended this event doesn't mean that they agree with those who organized it.

Personally I am not a fan of Dick Armey. First of all, he is pro-amnesty for illegal aliens. He also pulled a stunt that I find quite unforgivable. During his speech, towards the end, he had people chanting for America. Then he pulled a trick and started chanting "Freedom Works". People chanted it one time and then they realized the trick and stopped chanting. Freedom Works is Armey's organization, that did have a hand in putting together this event, but I found it disgusting that he would try to get people who are there for America and their rights to chant for his organization. I'm sure I am not alone in that disgust.

Exactly who are these people? They ran the spectrum from teens to the elderly, women and men, every ethnicity, every religious belief. There were defining characteristics among them and that was the belief in the individual and their rights under the Constitution. I wore a shirt that read "Going Galt!" on it, a reference to the book Atlas Shrugged. Not because I am a 100% believer in Ayn Rand's philosophy, but in the spirit of it; that the individual has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The number of comments I received from others on my shirt was abundant.

The opposition to those calling for individual rights would have you believe that these people are manipulated sheep. That the people who attended are conspiracy theory nuts. The pot could never call the kettle blacker. Because those stating such are the real sheep being led to the slaughter of believing that their life is meaningless and that they should devote their wealth, time, sweat, tears and bodies to the collective whole and never benefit from any of their efforts.

I saw elderly people walking miles, many of them having to take breaks because their bodies aren't holding up quite like they used to. This after having spent hours - and in some cases days - getting there. For America

I met a woman who flew out from California, a woman who probably doesn't have the extra money laying around to do so. All to come and stand with other Americans and demand an end to the current theft going on by our government and the cronies running it.

I met people from Georgia who had never been to a rally, but took this weekend to go all the way to Washington DC, standing for hours in hopes that something in this country gets done. In hopes that someone listens to them!

This was the true America. An America that has remained silent thinking that things would not go so far off kilter, that someone was watching out for them. An America that realized that this is not the case and that they have to take action.

And They Did

(there are many more images in the full entry. If you are reading this on the front page please click below to see them. Video coming soon)
(Our DC Tea Party Videos are going up)

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