That's me!!! [The next photo is my sister & mom with our signs] I had the great honor to attend a TEA PARTY in Pleasanton, CA. I've been meaning to blog about it, but just haven't been able to sit down to do so until today. It's been hard to put into words the feelings I've been carrying around with me since Wednesday. Honestly. I've never been more proud to be an American. The experience was absolutely heart-warming and enriching. I cannot tell you how great it was to see so many people come out and stand up for what they believe in. We also were lucky enough to have gorgeous weather - just the icing on the cake. I've been listening practically non-stop to Rush, Sean, Brian, Mark, etc. since then. And frankly their sentiments echo my own. AND they are way more eloquent than I could ever be. So if you want to know how I'm feeling - spend some time listening in! :)
There were people from all walks of life in attendance: Old, young, male, female, families, single people, black, white, asian, hispanic - you name it! We had some great speakers: Brian Sussman from KSFO, Tom Del Beccaro from Political Vanguard.com, and Mayor Abram Wilson from San Ramon [a black man by the way - do you hear that Ms. Garofalo?!!] to name a few. I loved how the Mayor repeatedly affirmed in his speech that elected official work for US [you and me] - it's not the other way around. We had lovely patriotic music. There were only a few police officers hanging around to make sure that nothing got out of hand. Although I'm sure they were expecting trouble from any ANTI-Tea Party protesters [and there were only a few] - NOT from us? The entire afternoon was dignified and peaceful.
One of the greatest highlights for me was when people were going out to the sidewalk in between speakers and holding out their signs for the public to react to. There was a lot of traffic since we were in a park next to the Post Office and it was Tax Day! Well the honks that people were getting were fantastic!! I've never heard so many honks. Seriously! Truly awesome. See, there is this busy corner of Redwood Road and Castro Valley Blvd. (in Castro Valley near where I live) where practically every week there are protestors with signs up about impeaching Bush - well not anymore - and against the War, etc. And while they might get a few honks - they NEVER get the kind of reception that I witnessed yesterday. I told my sister and my mom that we'd have to take our signs and go and stand on that same corner to see the reaction we'd get?!
This experience has truly uplifted my spirits. People are ready to stand up for their country and demand to be heard. People are pulling together to remind government that they work for us. People are remembering what they learned about our Founding Fathers and what they went through to create this great Nation.
BUT THEN THIS HAPPENED! Consider me irate, annoyed, and frankly PISSED OFF this afternoon [still high on the inside I guess!] I just watched that awful clip with Janeane Garofalo and Keith Olbermann. I couldn't believe the venom and lies coming out of her mouth. Have you seen this crap? I have never been called a racist so many times in my life as I have in the past 3 months.
I ask the question again, "So if you didn't like any of our other Presidents [all of them white] does that make YOU a racist?!"
Come on people - haven't we moved past this issue?
I think it was Mark Levin yesterday who said [in response to mainstream media commentaries on the Parties], that, "...the wars against slavery and segregation have been fought and won..." And he's right! They have been. They were won. We're now in a war for our freedom.
*sigh* I'm so ticked at the awful news coverage that the Tea Parties have gotten. Completely skewed to the left and not impartial at all. Sure there were going to be some signs that were negative towards the President. HELLO?! Are the liberals going to say that in any one of their many many protests signs were NOT disparaging towards Bush or other Presidents? SERIOUSLY?? Give me a break. I've been telling everyone I can about my personal experience with the Tea Party in the hopes that they won't buy into the crap that they see on the TV.
But I guess that in the scheme of things we don't have as much right to protest as the left wingers. Right? That's what they are telling us. From what I can gather most events were similar to mine - there were permits that had to be gotten and they were peaceable. We didn't have streets shut down in order to have our voices heard or throw trash or other paraphernalia to get our points across. Nope. We just exercised our right to Free Assembly [but it wasn't free mind you] and held up our signs. Sure I can see what the media and left wingers are so mad about.... OOPS MORE OF US SHOWED UP THAN YOU THOUGHT WOULD RIGHT?! Jackasses. That's right - we're awake now, bitches. How do ya like them apples?
Man..I'm just so MAD. But even more importantly, I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed that the media is painting this very special event as only a Republican event. What happened to journalism? Just when did the press turn into such pandering, weak-minded, fearful, and catering robots? Seriously. WHEN did that happen?! It's horrific. What is surging right now in this country is a real movement - an American movement. An American re-awakening as you will. This movement respects the very simple and explicit laws and articles of the Constitution. And that's EVERYONE's issue. And the media should be reporting on THAT. They should be celebrating Americans waking up and going back to their roots.
And don't even get me started on the Janet #2 debacle. Seriously. Target people like me as threats to our nation - not Islamic Radicals, Terrorists abroad or at home, or hell even Iran or North Korea. No no no..I'm much more of a threat. Pfft....what an idiot.
