Tax Day Tea Party

[Kat]

On April 15 there will be tea party gatherings all over the country.

see TaxDayTeaParty.com for more info

The Chicago Tax Day Tea Party event will be held

April 15, 2009

12:00pm - 2:00pm

Kluczynski Federal Building Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn

(please note that it has been moved from the Daley Center)

Michael and I are planning to go.

Kat

[jordanz]

Monterey, CA

montereycoteaparty.blogspot.com for more info....it's on April 15th from 5:00 p.m - 6:30 pm. in Monterey at Window On The Bay park located on Del Monte Ave....across from Lake El Estero....

[Selene]

Folks:

A nice symbolic touch to employ when lobbying legislatures or in street theatre protests such as these will be is to re-affix your American Flag, upside down for the tax protest.

First, re-attach your small/large American Flag upside down and display it. It will attract attention and if combined with some variant objectivist/Rand quote on taxation, you will get noticed and possibly by the media.

Anyone, who does attend, should either take digital pictures or video the event.

Adam

[SherryTX]

Dallas Tea Party Info:

http://dallasteaparty.org/

In front of Dallas City Hall, rallying from 5:30-9 pm on April 15th.

Husband, myself and 4 of the minions shall be in attendance!

=)

There are also several people from our local Objectivist group that plan on attending as well. Some are considering making signs or wearing t-shirts that say "Who is John Galt?"

My husband has a shirt that says "Warning: Thinking Individual" with a quote from Atlas Shrug on the back.

I am seriously considering having tshirts made for the girls that say "Obama: Stop Bankrupting My Generation!" However, I think it would be better to get them little "Who is John Galt" shirts, or something like that, since they still don't understand all the reasons we are attending, etc. The more I think of it, the more I feel a bit weird having my kids wear a political tshirt when they don't fully understand YET what it is all about.

[Chris Grieb]

Somebody has made a sign that says "Save Trees; Stop Printing Money!

Sherry; Your children might wear signs about not wanting to work for the Chinese Communists.

[Selene]

Sherry:

I totally agree with you on the kids t-shirts. Stick to your guns.

Try the small flags from a dollar store and use it as a project for the kids to re-attach them upside down - they are effective devices for these types of events.

It is the international symbol of distress and emergency.

Adam

[SherryTX]

Somebody has made a sign that says "Save Trees; Stop Printing Money!

Sherry; Your children might wear signs about not wanting to work for the Chinese Communists.

HAHAH!! I like that - my 9 year old was talking about making that save trees stop printing money several weeks ago. Something like save trees use gold, etc.

The second line...haha wow...that is a good one, but they have learned enough to get that yet.

=)

[SherryTX]

Sherry:

I totally agree with you on the kids t-shirts. Stick to your guns.

Try the small flags from a dollar store and use it as a project for the kids to re-attach them upside down - they are effective devices for these types of events.

It is the international symbol of distress and emergency.

Adam

I like this, and shall run it by the husband.

[Selene]

Sherry:

Were either you or your husband in the military?

Also, maintain your vigilance at the tea party as the is an unsubstantiated rumor that some paid demonstrators/infiltrators from Acorn, [oops I am sorry noble people's volunteers] are going to "create" a news story by being disruptive.

Again, "unsubstantiated].

I am either going to Newark and or the NY City event.

Adam

[Selene]

Sherry:

Anything in local Texas news on Marcus Luttrell's dog daisy being shot by some punks with a 357 magnum?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19173935/

Adam

[Kat]

Today is the Day. If you are in Chicago come on out to the Federal building at 230 S Dearborn at noon.

Over 1,000 people have RSVPed yes via the facebook page.

Gotta go make some signs. Hope all of you can make it to your local tea party.

We need to be heard.

Kat

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Well, Kat and I went to the Tea Party here in Chicago. It was cool.

Despite an envy-ridden CNN news report (Susan Roesgen actually said of the Tea Party demonstration, "I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti-government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing conservative network Fox") with appropriate mocking from Fox, what we saw was a group of 1,500-2,000 people peacefully and politely listening to some speeches. There was applause and cheers at moments, but nothing wild. On looking around from within the crowd, you could feel the competence and good vibes. Nobody was rabble-rousing and nobody was doing a hard sell.

These people, from the most elegant down to the most humble, looked like solid salt-of-the-earth folks who were there merely because they needed to make a gesture. But the impression I got was that each one had better things to do with his and her life and they were waiting patiently for the gesture to end so they could get back to producing.

There were lots of signs. Kat's sign said "Give me liberty, don't give me debt" on one side and "Going Galt" on another. My sign said, "Down with the Audacity of Debt" on both sides.

Several of the signs were quite clever. My favorite was a silhouette of a Minuteman with the phrase, "If the Founding Fathers were here, they would already be done."

I saw "Who is John Galt?" and other Objectivist phrases a few times. We did not approach these people. The feeling wasn't a collective kind of thing where you promote one cause over all others. This was an anti-big-government rally.

Kat and I stayed for about an hour and a half, but the sound system was not very good and it got tiring trying to understand the speeches.

As we left, walking back to the car, we were carrying the signs under our arms (they were pretty big). We got stopped by several people asking if the protest was still going on, how many people were there, etc. They made it clear that they couldn't go because they were busy with their productive activities, but their hearts were there. This was a very good indication that more people are watching than appears. Come voting time, whoever runs on a Tea-Party platform will have a solid grass-roots constituency ready-made.

The amazing thing about this demonstration is its spread and variety of groups turning out. According to what I saw on CNN's interview with the Americans for Prosperity spokesman, Tim Philips, there were about 800-1,000 Tea Parties across the nation. Although he was interviewed and AFP did some organizing, not one group stood out as the main organizer. People came because they wanted to, not because they were recruited. This is a grass-roots movement in the exact meaning of the word.

I do not like demonstrations and these kinds of things, but I felt honored to be a part of this. Also, as an added bonus, the fierce glow of pride and sheer goodness in Kat's eyes at the event brought a real tug to my heart.

Michael

[galtgulch]

Well, Kat and I went to the Tea Party here in Chicago. It was cool.

Despite an envy-ridden CNN news report (Susan Roesgen actually said of the Tea Party demonstration, "I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti-government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing conservative network Fox") with appropriate mocking from Fox, what we saw was a group of 1,500-2,000 people peacefully and politely listening to some speeches. There was applause and cheers at moments, but nothing wild. On looking around from within the crowd, you could feel the competence and good vibes. Nobody was rabble-rousing and nobody was doing a hard sell.

These people, from the most elegant down to the most humble, looked like solid salt-of-the-earth folks who were there merely because they needed to make a gesture. But the impression I got was that each one had better things to do with his and her life and they were waiting patiently for the gesture to end so they could get back to producing.

There were lots of signs. Kat's sign said "Give me liberty, don't give me debt" on one side and "Going Galt" on another. My sign said, "Down with the Audacity of Debt" on both sides.

Several of the signs were quite clever. My favorite was a silhouette of a Minuteman with the phrase, "If the Founding Fathers were here, they would already be done."

I saw "Who is John Galt?" and other Objectivist phrases a few times. We did not approach these people. The feeling wasn't a collective kind of thing where you promote one cause over all others. This was an anti-big-government rally.

Kat and I stayed for about an hour and a half, but the sound system was not very good and it got tiring trying to understand the speeches.

As we left, walking back to the car, we were carrying the signs under our arms (they were pretty big). We got stopped by several people asking if the protest was still going on, how many people were there, etc. They made it clear that they couldn't go because they were busy with their productive activities, but their hearts were there. This was a very good indication that more people are watching than appears. Come voting time, whoever runs on a Tea-Party platform will have a solid grass-roots constituency ready-made.

The amazing thing about this demonstration is its spread and variety of groups turning out. According to what I saw on CNN's interview with the Americans for Prosperity spokesman, Tim Philips, there were about 800-1,000 Tea Parties across the nation. Although he was interviewed and AFP did some organizing, not one group stood out as the main organizer. People came because they wanted to, not because they were recruited. This is a grass-roots movement in the exact meaning of the word.

I do not like demonstrations and these kinds of things, but I felt honored to be a part of this. Also, as an added bonus, the fierce glow of pride and sheer goodness in Kat's eyes at the event brought a real tug to my heart.

Michael

Michael,

I appreciate your post because I worked a long day and was nowhere near the Tea Party in Boston or Worcester.

The Campaign For Liberty membership did show a healthy uptick I expect the result of C4L folks handing out flyers at the Tea Parties.

15Apr 7PM 144829, 10PM 144909, 11PM 145017; 17 Apr 7AM 145998; 21Apr 147774 and growing

I agree that there is a growing constituency for any candidate who walks the walk and talks the talk.

As a little show of my appreciation although I expect you may have seen this already because it has been all over the networks news shows today here is a link for you to enjoy:

http://tinyurl.com/crjujq

On one of the news shows they interviewed a bartender at a karaoki place where Susan Boyle sings often and for years. She had no doubt that Susan Boyle would make an impression. And she surely did! Not opera but still moving.

gulch

Edited April 21, 2009 by galtgulch

[Alfonso Jones]

Michael -

I'm happy to read your report of the Chicago Tea Party. Thus far, it sounds as if the protests were very peaceful.

Interestingly, here's the take in the lead AP story on my http://www.excite.com (headline mentions "thousands of protestors nationwide"):

Whipped up by conservative commentators and bloggers, tens of thousands of protesters staged "tea parties" around the country Wednesday to tap into the collective angst stirred up by a bad economy, government spending and bailouts. The rallies were directed at President Barack Obama's new administration on a symbolic day: the deadline to file income taxes. Protesters even threw what appeared to be a box of tea bags toward the White House, causing a brief lockdown at the compound.

I wonder whether a story on a pro-big government assembly would read:

"Whipped up by the New York TImes, the Huffington Post and other liberal blogs and commentators, tens of thousands staged "hope parties" around the country Wednesday to tap into the collective angst stirred up by some Americans noting that European governments are typically more intrusive into the economy than the American. One protestor said "Their governnent is bigger than ours, and that makes us feel inadequate!!" Others were heard to cry out "Save us, Chavez-Obama!" and "Give me tyranny, or give me death!"

Bill P

[Ed Hudgins]

[Also posted on the TAS "Going Galt" thread. Thanks to all who stood up for freedom today!]

Me speaking at the Tea Party in Washington, D.C. in front of Treasury and the White House. It was pouring down raining and cold and yet there were at least 1,000, probably more people there. These went on across the country.

Reduced: 64% of original size [ 799 x 599 ] - Click to view full image

[Selene]

Gulch:

Thank you!! I just got in from a seminar and had not seen it. Also, I am not sure if you saw my post on Ron Paul and the letters of marquis as a way of handling the Muslim Pirates.

This was beautiful and spectacular - thanks again.

As a little show of my appreciation although I expect you may have seen this already because it has been all over the networks news shows today here is a link for you to enjoy:

http://tinyurl.com/crjujq

On one of the news shows they interviewed a bartender at a karioky place where Susan Boyle sings often and for years. She had no doubt that Susan Boyle would make an impression. And she surely did! Not opera but still moving.

gulch

Adam

[SherryTX]

Sherry:

Were either you or your husband in the military?

Also, maintain your vigilance at the tea party as the is an unsubstantiated rumor that some paid demonstrators/infiltrators from Acorn, [oops I am sorry noble people's volunteers] are going to "create" a news story by being disruptive.

Again, "unsubstantiated].

I am either going to Newark and or the NY City event.

Adam

Sorry I didn't see this sooner.

Neither of us were. Travis had a brother that was a Marine, would died when he was 19 (car accident, unrelated to his service), and wanted to join, but decided not to because it would have been to hard on his mom after his brother died.

There were a group of about 10 ACORN folks there early on. I didn't seem them, but a friend we met up with told me about it. He said they didn't stay long, and apparantly were not able to bait anyone, as he implied they were trying to do. It was totally peaceful and very uplifting.

Only two of our girls made it with us. My 11 year old was sick, so the 13 year old volunteered to stay home with her since my son would be back from his class later. My 11 year old was really upset - she was so excited about it. My 13 year old was glad to stay home - despite all our discussions, I guess I wasn't clear, because she thought it was going to be an actual tea party with snacks and such. Not sure why the others got it and she didn't- but just a reminder that I need to be more clear when talking to the minions!

Olivia (7) and Rebecca (9) made there own signs, and I made a couple. I didn't have a chance to get any flags after all, nor the t-shirts. However, my husband printed up a couple hundred fliers for the CRC group here in Dallas and we handed those out, and I believe others were handing out ARI and TAS fliers. Donovan had a HUGE sign that said "John Galt Lives!" on one side and had the logo for CRC on the other.

There were a LOT of people that had Atlas and John Galt signs - people that didn't belong to any local Objectivist related club that I am involved. The speakers mentioned the book several times through out the night.

It was an extremely positive experience, and I am really glad at least two of our kids could make it with us. Here are the signs we had:

Olivia's : drew a picture and had "Obama stop making me pay for your mistakes"

Rebecca's: A picture of Hamtaro with a old judge's wig on saying "Start Listening to the constitution" - they both made these in the van on the way to the protest hahah. So spelling was exact, but they were their words, not anyone else's so I that warmed my heart.

The three other signs that the girls alternated holding were:

"Who is John Galt? USA needs him NOW!"

"Government is bankrupt.

Only FREEDOM can bail us out."

"Obama: Stop bankrupting my generation!"

Several of my friends from CRC and NTOS were there - it was just great!

=)

[SherryTX]

Sherry:

Anything in local Texas news on Marcus Luttrell's dog daisy being shot by some punks with a 357 magnum?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19173935/

Adam

I haven't seen anything on this - but I will look.

[Ross Barlow]

Well, I’ll be goddamned. It seems that the spirit of liberty is still alive and kicking in the good old USA. Good news to hear. I give homage to all of you who attended your local events. Let us hope that it becomes a regular event. It is one wholesome all-American message.

I now live in Thailand – where we’ve been having our own exciting demonstrations (more on that later on another thread) – so I am 9,000 miles from my old American hometown and not able to attend. I was there in spirit.

But I did access my old hick home-county’s online newspaper, and it covered the events there. Apparently my old hometown of Sugar Grove, Warren County, PA (pop, c. 650) had a Tax Day Tea Party in the town park, and it was organized by a 15-year-old girl from my old high school. You gotta love the radicalism of youth. I’m not sure how many attended, but it made the local news. My old county’s county seat of Warren (pop, c. 1,100) had a similar event that drew over a hundred people at the county courthouse. This is gun-owner country, populated by people who just want to be left alone. I can see them attending every year from now on.

All of this reminds me of a song: “1040 Blues” by Robert Cray Band, off his album “Shame + a Sin.” (Lyrics below.) To add extra significance to this song and its performance, Robert Cray is an Afro-American, an actually living black Blues singer and a master of Blues guitar. (Our resident Blues guru, Robert Campbell, may want to chime in here.) My theory on why Cray does not slavishly follow American left-liberal ideology on taxes is that he probably has had economic success through his very fine Blues recordings and performances, and he probably got ambushed by the taxmen. He sings with feeling, "I hate taxes."

"1040 Blues" by Robert Cray Band.

“Worried, you betcha ya'

Discouraged I don't know.

Every time I see a 1040,

Out of my pocket it goes.

“Ow! I hate taxes.

“I work hard for my money.

Every April you take it all away.

Don't you know I work hard for my money every day, people.

You take it all away from me.

“Ow! Owwww! I hate taxes.

Taxes gonna break my back I swear.

Don't you know I pay a lot more than my share?.

I hate taxes.

Taxes gonna break my back I swear.

“Can't have any fun anymore.

Gotta make plans for everything now.

Gotta plan for every thing I do, people.

Can't go out and have a real good time.

Now I've gotta worry about everything

That my little money can buy.

“Ohhhh! OWWWWW! I hate taxes.

Taxes gonna break my back I swear.

Don't you know I paid a lot more than my share

“You know I've thinkin' about movin' somewhere else,

But I can't because I love America too much,

Especially California.

Yeah I guess I'm gonna have to pay these taxes

If I'm gonna live here.

Ohhh!”

[from the album “Shame and a Sin,” Robert Cray Band]

-Ross Barlow.

[Selene]

Tea Party Time In Minnesota

Posted: 15 Apr 2009 09:16 PM PDT

I attended the tea party at Minnesota's State Capitol in St. Paul tonight. It was a fun event, partly because it was our most beautiful evening of the spring. The crowd was impressive. I'm no judge of crowd size, but it was announced at 8,000-10,000. That might be a little high, but is probably in the ballpark. The crowd was more fun-loving than rowdy, and the speakers, for the most part, more academic than rabble-rousing. But, hey: it's Minnesota.

I made this movie that sums up the event pretty well, I think. The video is embeddable, so if you want to put it up on your site, go ahead:

Tea Party Time In Minnesota http://us.mc320.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welcome?...,&.jsrand=4

It was a beautiful evening and a successful event. Are the tea parties the start of something big? We'll see. But one thing we know for sure is that they are making the establishment very nervous.

UPDATE: We got some great photos of other tea parties from readers, but it's gotten a little late, and I'll put some of those up tomorrow.

Edited April 17, 2009 by Selene

[Backlighting]

During the Glenn Beck program (Fox) yesterday they were showing the crowd at one of the tea parties.

A large poster with just the portrait of AR was visible.

[SherryTX]

During the Glenn Beck program (Fox) yesterday they were showing the crowd at one of the tea parties.

A large poster with just the portrait of AR was visible.

A few minutes into this video of one speaker in Dallas, you can see a large black sign that says on one side "John Galt Lives" and on the other side has the CRC logo.

My buddy Donovan is holding it up (you can see him at some point, he has on a blue shirt).

The big yellow "Atlas will Shrug" sign is held by another friend of mine.

[Selene]

Yep! at about 11:00 o'clock.

Thank you very much Sherry, this will totally refute my 2nd cousin in Chicago, smart young man, worked and voted for O'Biwan and he had a ticket and went to the speech at the Chicago Park.

I respect his passion and complimented him on the victory.

So now he knows that I am involved in the liberty movement. This will help me refute his posturing yesterday.

[SherryTX]

Here are two more videos that people may be interested in:

http://www.capmag.com/news.asp?ID=1830

His short speech at the Tea Party on April 1th

http://www.capmag.com/news.asp?ID=1831

His interview with CapMag after his speech.

Good stuff. He does a good job explaining the meaning of the Tea Parties, and how it isn't just the taxes we need to fight, but also the government programs.

Well worth watching!

[Chris Grieb]

Sherry; You and your family take my breath away. Keep up the good work.

I wanted to add that the young woman's speech was very good. I liked the part about having a swimming pool in her backyard.

Edited April 18, 2009 by Chris Grieb