Posted on 11/03/2009 4:48:23 PM PST by flamberge
I just got back from the Tea Party Demonstration at Fort Collins, Colorado. The major topic of the event was opposition to the Health Care Bill which is under imminent consideration by the Senate.
I estimated the peak crowd size at 900-1100 people. One of the organizers said she was very pleased with the size and duration of the turnout.
The crowd was civilized and appreciative toward the speakers. There were plenty of home-made signs and flags among the participants and an organized sale of campaign buttons, T-shirts, and other paraphernalia did a modest business.
“Joe the Plumber” spoke on the topic of our current political leaders “they are liars and thieves” he said, “but it is not their fault, that’s just what they do – it’s their nature”. Paraphrasing his comments, he indicated that it is our fault that we have the politicians that we do, and it is our responsibility to change them by electing new people to office on a regular basis.
These comments seem to puzzle many in the crowd, but he got loud applause anyway.
Another speaker brought up the “Audit-the-Fed” legislation and asked for support to revive this bill. It seemed off-topic and got a weak response.
The most intense crowd reaction was enthusiastic cheering for the singers, who seemed very good at working their audience.
There were 25 counter-demonstrators discreetly positioned at the far north end of the park, carrying signs in support of the Health Care Plan. At a signal from their captain they moved along the edge of the crowd and positioned themselves at the south end of the park, apparently trying to get in better view of cameras that covered the event.
One of the counter-demonstrators – a short stocky man in bare legs and a shirt emblazoned with an American flag - mingled aggressively with Tea Party crowd and kept challenging older people to argument about Medicare benefits. They ignored him.
Two of the counter-demonstrators were very tall strong men who looked like professional bodyguards. They were quiet and attentive to the crowd during the repositioning and seemed relaxed afterwards.
The counter-demonstrators also included 3 or four people who systematically took pictures of individuals in the crowd with high-quality cameras. It reminded me of student demonstrations in days long past when undercover police took such pictures.
We were in the south end of the park near the speakers. When the main speakers started speaking the counter protesters were yelling things like get rid of firemen too and what about social security we need rid of it.
My husband turned around and walked up real close and started taking pictures of them. I pointed at them and yelled as loud as I could Union Thugs! Union Thugs! You are Union thugs aren’t you? One of them (they were body guard types) kind of smiled sheepishly and shrugged. The minute we took their pictures, they quieted down and we didn’t hear another word except that they were trying to get people to argue with them about health care but very few took the bait.
They didn’t like being outed but who else would wear an Obama hat and sweat shirt?
It was a good time, and thursday they are going to picket Marxist Markey at 123 College Ave. She is our pelosi look alike wanna be that got elected in a very conservative area.
Here are a few photos my buddies and I took.
Also, the local paper, who missed reporting on our last rally (the reporter told me it's because they were never informed in advance), did attend this time, and published a story on it here with a photo of Tea Partiers doing a line dance.
Got my sign signed by Joe!
Great report. I'm sure I saw you but I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you or any of the other FReepers.
I will add some of my pictures and comments to your thread.
Thanks for posting this!
Tea Party Express Rolls Into Fort Collins
Make sure to click the link to watch the video!
I was interviewed, but it wasn't included in the report... I guess I was a little too harsh mentioning how many of us aren't happy that Obama is apologizing for this great Country!
I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you CardCarringingMember.VastRightWC.
Hope to next time.
Thank you to you and your husband for outing those thugs!
A great crowd on a beautiful, sunny, Colorado day!
A San Diego man who goes by "HUSTUSA" which stands for"Help Us Save The USA."
A little later I will post about my experience on the Tea Party Express bus, and a little about the performers.
BTW, we've probably met, whether here or the Denver area Tea Parties or other N. Colo. Tea Parties, but just didn't realize it.
Perhaps Freepers can figure out some way to find each other in these crowds by using some coded signal..... hey, how about a secret handshake? :-)
Heh heh! They seemed to like the idea
Perhaps Freepers can figure out some way to find each other in these crowds by using some coded signal..... hey, how about a secret handshake? :-)
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we could wear our Screen Name on a name tag. The only people with name tags would be Freepers.
That’s a great idea! ;-)
“I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we could wear our Screen Name on a name tag. The only people with name tags would be Freepers.”
We Florida Freepers get together on our state FR Forum and spread the news to other Florida Freepers about events, candidates running, and also meet-ups and Freeps! If going to an event in our state, we always try to have a FR table at the event and then Freepers join up there. Whenever we have a FR table, we always have folks come up and say they visit FR often but have not joined. Then of course we visit and encourage them to join FR and tell them about our Florida Chapter. If the event is a Freep or larger rally we spread the word on our forum as to where to meet-up.
Another great idea is to get yourself a FreeRepublic.com T-Shirt and/or FR hat to wear to events! You can visit the link below and order them from a fellow Freeper in Nevada!
Look on the left for “Freep stuff”. :)
http://www.0cents.com./
I wish Freepers in EVERY state would register on their state forum and get to know each other. It is a great place to get information pertaining to your state out to others and plan to join together at events. Also a great place to spread information about candidates running and joining forces with other grassroots groups in your state to really make a difference in upcoming elections! Best part, is getting to know and meet other Freepers in your state!
Fantastic suggestions, seekthetruth...thanks so much for sharing those with us.
I’ll have to try and work on that.
Oh yeah? Pay some button manufacturer $1 per letter to inscribe our screen names? Well, I can see why you might go for that!
:-) Har! Just kidding.
Maybe if we wear two different sock colors. Or different shoes. Or have "FR" tattooed on our left pinkies. Or hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic backwards.
Or we could just get organized, so that we know when other Freepers are going to be there, and arrange how we're going to meet beforehand.
Whoops! Sorry! I used the "organized" word. I momentarily forgot that we're conservatives.
Even a tshirt would be better than nothing.
It was great to see you again, that made my day!
Heading out to Abilene
Hey Freepers that are in CO-04. Would like your take on the challengers so far for Marxist Markey’s seat.
I feel so strongly about this race that I want to start early working for the best candidate, trouble is between Diggs Brown and Tom Lucero I can’t choose. They seem equally great.
There are three challengers that I know of - Cory Gardner, Diggs Brown and Tom Lucero but someone has also mentioned the Weld Co DA Ken Buck but is he a democrat that is going to challenger her or a Republican? Cory Gardner is 1. an attorney and 2. Worked on a liberal democrat’s campaign. Hmm then he said he was raised a democrat well - can tigers change their stripes?
I just hope that this doesn’t become a contenteous primary where they eat each other up and have to put each other back together while Betsy sits poised and above the frey.
I don’t know why I dislike her so much.
I think it is because she is so liberal and ran as a moderate (lie number 1) and has voted liberal leftist party line while giving her constiuents a couple of little bones and having the audacity to brag about them. she is a Pelosi look alike and I think wanna be.
Then the way she handled the Town hall meetings, and the way the Reporter Herald coddles her that really angered me.
Then there was her letter explaining her vote on cap and trade which was the talking points put out by the PR firm they hired to help them get it passed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.