Images Of Tea Parties Far And Wide

Here’s a sampling of some photos and comments I received from readers who attended Tea Parties on April 15th in their neighborhoods. Thank you everyone for your submissions.

From Gary Marbut Missoula, Montana:

From Richard Paradis in Augusta, Maine:

Appears there were a couple hundred people there – at one time. We were there for a little more than an hour and the crowd grew only slightly but lots came and went. I suspect maybe 4 hundred people attended. In Augusta Maine that is like a million.

Also, Professor Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit has pictures from various protests around the nation.

It was nice to see fellow central Mainers at such a meeting. The atmosphere was warm and many commented that they were so happy to see and talk to people who shared their view of the world. In socialist Maine they thought they were all alone. Not so.

Saw a spiffy looking fellow there with his 5th Group Special Forces insignia sewed onto his jacket. Looks like he could still get it done.

The parking lot at the State Office Building was filled with the cars of Socialist legislators. All the cars were of foreign make and the ‘up your nose’ bumper stickers from the last election announcing that they were Obama folks. And, these same folks got the state in a billion dollar financial mess with only half bailed-out by stimulus money and tax increases.

Next budget will be a real doozie with at least a billion dollar shortfall with only taxes to make the account balanced.

From Marshall Sage, Boise, Idaho:

My wife, Holly, and I arrived at Julia Davis Park shortly after 11 AM to find some 3-400 people gathered to hear “Ben Franklin” and other speakers. Also available was “Tea Party” registration and symbolic signing of the Declaration of Independence. At 11:30 AM the crowd, which had grown to over 1,000 was invited to walk along the Greenbelt to the band shell at Julia Davis Park. About a 15 minute walk. A light rain had begun to fall and the crowd had grown to approximately 2,000 at the band shell. More speakers and then the crowd marched down Capital Blvd. about 8-9 blocks to Capital Park. The size of the crowd kept growing and covered at least 3/4 of the route. We were met by another 1-2,000+ already at the park. In spite of the rain and cold winds the crowd was orderly, polite, and no trash or abandoned signs were observed as evidence that the crowd had ever been at any of the locations. In spite of the weather and some audio problems at capital Park which took almost 30 minutes to resolve, there was almost no one observed leaving Capital Park until the end (except the media).

Rep. Lenore Barrett gave an inspiring speech, as well as Reps. Harwood, Thayne, and Hart. Dr. Rex Rammell was allowed to announce his candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District to replace the big government incumbent, Mike Simpson. Rammell passionately proclaimed himself to be a champion of the 2nd and 10th Amendments.

The consensus of all I spoke with was that this rally must be the beginning of a movement to take our state and federal governments back to the values and rules originally intended by the US Constitution. Hopefully this is just the beginning of that process.

Dr. Rex Rammell

Rep. Lenore Barrett gave an inspiring speech. Rep. Barrett received some of her biggest aplause when she defended the 2nd Amendment and 10th Amendment when she said it “was time for the federal government to come and get their damned wolves”.

She was quoted as saying, “I was surprised and gratified at the turnout. I truly believe this is the start we have prayed for these many years. Thank you for being a Patriot! I look forward to seeing the pictures.”

Tom Remington