Posted on 07/05/2009 12:01:02 PM PDT by Libloather
Hundreds protest taxes
Keyes urges residents upset about government's path to spill some TEA at party
By Craig Peters
Last Modified: Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 1:02 a.m.
Several hundred people filed into Boiling Springs Community Park Saturday for a Fourth of July TEA Party and picnic.
Michael Brady, one of the event's lead organizers, took the stage in period attire of founding father Thomas Paine. Brady told attendees the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party movement across the country is a "protest against the overreaching of our government."
"I'm not calling anyone to arms … yet," Brady said.
He received cheers when he said the crowd will "not go quietly into the darkened night of socialism."
Alan Keyes, a former ambassador to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations during the Reagan administration, delivered the keynote address. Before taking the stage, Keyes told the Herald-Journal that America is being "plunged into the world of socialism" and urged residents to become involved in politics on a personal level.
"No more couch potato citizens, as I call them," Keyes said. "A lot of Americans have forgotten that politics isn't what politicians do. It's what citizens do."
Keyes, a candidate for president in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2008, said the choices of residents are being controlled by political parties, money and the media. The Maryland resident said he enjoyed driving to Spartanburg County Friday. Keyes said he listens to music and talk radio, the Bible on CD, especially the Psalms, and sometimes likes silence during trips.
Spartanburg County Councilwoman Jane Hall said she enjoyed meeting Keyes. She said she was pleased to see a turnout that she estimated between 600 and 800 people.
Hall said Keyes' appearance showed he cares about the common citizen, and she wants to extend that approach toward her constituents.
Keyes said when selecting leaders, people should "look around and see who's working for the things you believe in."
He said neither major political party has clean hands in regard to current situations, but many attendees displayed shirts and signs and expressed vocal opposition to President Barack Obama's administration.
One sign read "Someone tell Obama's teller prompter this is not Europe, say no to socialism."
Jim Blackstone, a Spartanburg resident of about 10 years, used a telescoping pole to hoist a two-sided sign. One sign read "Marxist Socialism is not the answer" and the other read "No public money for private failure." Wearing an NRA hat and an American flag-pattern shirt, Blackstone pulled from his pocket a flier that read "Zelaya today, Obama tomorrow" -- a reference to ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya.
When asked whether he wanted Obama overthrown, Blackstone said he would like to see the president impeached because, "No. 1, he hasn't shown us a birth certificate. No. 2, (for) mismanagement and abuse of the office."
Lori Garrett of Boiling Springs said she attended the TEA party because she is "truly fearful of the direction our country is heading." She said overspending, cap-and-trade and health care plans of the administration have her worried.
"The majority of the people who have policies are either satisfied or extremely satisfied," Garrett said. "A minority of the people are not satisfied."
Blackstone said he hopes the TEA parties will lead to actions.
"I hope it's going to be more than a bunch of people holding signs and waiving flags," he said. "There are a lot of people that feel powerless. We don't know what to do to change what's going on."
this is how we will take our country back.
God Bless America
Great pics!! BTTT !!
We were going to be there, but with a serial killer running around our town, we decided to stay home. Looks like a great turnout.
Sorry the quality isn't the greatest. They're my first attempt at taking pictures with my cell phone.
What state from the Boiling Springs TEA Party?
Impressive! We (the real people) need to be relentless...
They are great and thanks for sharing.
We had a death in the family and couldn’t attend our local Rochester NY event.
Looks like South Carolina.
Oh gosh! Just thanks for the effort...the pics are great. It is wonderful to see the actual pictures of the tea parties from around our nation....I LOVE OUR NATION! I cannot ABIDE what horrific people are laying upon us...pelosi, reid, uhbama, and ALL of uhbama’s dirty, dirty appointess (rahm, and you know the rest, the cabal, so filthy it makes the skin crawl!)
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