Posted on 09/01/2009 7:25:01 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi
It was a far cry from a march on the nation's Capitol, but the rally staged Saturday by the Williamsport Tea Party at Brandon Park clearly sent out a message that more than a few people are upset with their government.
Speaker after speaker coming to the microphone on this overcast and humid late morning managed to resonate with the crowd of some 2,800 people as they urged them to take back their country from leaders who are "taking them down the wrong path."
Specific political topics such as national health care, socialism and uncontrolled spending came up for no small share of criticism from the speakers, and the mention of some political figures, including President Barack Obama and Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, drew some of the loudest jeers.
But the biggest overall message was a call for throwing out all the leaders - Republican and Democrats - who sit in Congress, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and other high positions in the federal government.
Taking back the country
Former NBC news director and motion picture and TV actor Bob Basso addressed the audience as Thomas Paine, urging them to take back their country.
"You are not alone," he said. "You are part of the greatest grassroots movement in the country. I have seen it."
Basso, noting the past nine months have been the "journey of a lifetime" with him addressing 1.3 million people at Tea Parties and other events across America, said the leaders in Washington must be held accountable.
He warned members of Congress to begin cleaning out their desks as the worst of times in America will bring about the best of times with people unifying in a common cause - just as occurred after Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11, 2001.
"Are you ready to join the Second American Revolution?" he asked.
Renouncing political correctness
Basso said it's time to renounce political correctness, embrace English as the nation's official language, and for everyone to put aside ethnicities and identify as Americans.
He urged everyone to demand for a balanced U.S. budget, fair taxation and term limits for elected officials.
"In the next election cycle, get rid of every one of them," he said.
Basso, in a mock staging of the Boston Tea Party, later tossed boxes and bags of phoney tea from the Market Street Bridge, as a crowd of followers who had marched the several blocks from the park cheered him on.
Ed Shaffer, a founding member of the Williamsport Tea Party, echoed some of Basso's comments, but also called for stopping government bailouts of bankrupt companies, for campaign reform and for policing the nation's borders.
Jerry Shoemaker, owner of North Central Garage Doors, reminded everyone that their Congressional leaders are responsible for what's going wrong in America.
"Why can't 300 million people replace 545 individuals?" he asked.
Jim Babka, of downsizedc.org, said a national debt of $3 trillion can't possibly be constitutional.
'Politicians ... are the problem'
He called for Congress to balance its books the way most Americans do and to take more time in considering legislation.
"All politicians on Capitol Hill are the problem," he said.
He said it's important not to get lost in "random acts of liberty," such as Saturday's event, but to push on.
"We want an Army so large that Congress can't afford to ignore us," he said.
Among those attending the event was Wayne Simpler of Montoursville, who was carrying a sign bearing the words, "Atlas Is Shrugging."
Simpler acknowledged the sign was in reference to the novel, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, a philosopher who believed greed is a virtue.
"My reason for being here is we are heading in the opposite direction of what was intended," he said.
Keith Eck, a founder of the Williamsport Tea Party, said the event was being dedicated to children and grandchildren who will stand to inherit the nation in coming years.
Whipping the crowd into a patriotic fervor were renditions of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America."
The audience also recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Williamsport’s population is 30K. I know a lot of folks came from all over, but it’s a great turnout nonetheless.
Williamsport - great town, that’s where the hotel was that we stayed in when we got married a couple of years ago.
Basso, who has spoken at many Tea Parties since this spring said it was one of the best turnouts he has seen for a community of this size.
What a great turnout.We use to have a place near there years ago.The men still go hunting in those neck of the woods.
About 40,000 people, so far, are registered to participate in the National Tea Party March on DC on 9/12. I wonder if we who will be attending will get any attention from the national media, besides FoxNews.
We stayed there.We got up to the trailer and a blizzard was coming in so we stayed in Williamsport:)
AWESOME! Thanks for the videos I’ll pass them on.
And see you in Washington on September 11.
bttt
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