Area tea party events support national march
Monday, September 14, 2009
More than 100 supporters of a national tea party group marched twice around the Okanogan County Fairgrounds on Saturday in support of a larger march in Washington, D.C., that drew nearly 100,000 participants.
The Okanogan County march was one of a number of events across the region by non-partisan tea party supporters linked to Patriot Day, the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
"We're not attached to any political party," said Marian McClanahan, an organizer of the Okanogan march. "We're just upset with how the government is going — the free-spending and lack of responsibility."
In Chelan, an estimated 60 supporters gathered in Riverwalk Park to hear state Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee, moderator Cliff Courtney of Stehekin and other speakers, said Mike Forney, who helped his wife Lee Vonne organize the event.
"We believe the majority of folks in this country are worried about our government spending without accountability," said Forney. "That's what brings us all together."
In the Wenatchee Valley, tea party activities revolved around the Republican information booth at the Chelan County Fair in Cashmere. Signs were posted and brochures distributed in support of the tea party goals, said Jerry Holm, a Chelan County Republican Party officer.
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francis (benny hill) says...
Too bad the republicans are making up outrages lies coming out of the south as the bases for these activities:( Bullies and violent anger, white people out of control,is what the world is seeing. watch the BBC...It makes you wonder?
September 14, 2009 at 3:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Norm (Norm Messer) says...
The "non-partisan" activities centered around the Republican information booth. Nice.
September 14, 2009 at 3:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Chuck (C. Ulysses Farley) says...
I think the media outlets in this country, both large and small alike, tend to gloss over the larger, underlying, issues that the "tea party" crowd are up in arms about. I've been to a couple of these rallys, and read much about larger ones in major metropolitan areas across the US and honestly cannot claim it to be either a Republican (though they'd like to co-opt the movement) nor a Democratic institution. Clearly, the majority of attendees are outraged at the total contempt being shown the US Constitution by members of BOTH parties. It's pro-property, pro-gun, anti-censorship, anti-"patriot act" public outrage, plain and simple. Or to put it into terms almost none of you can yet get your minds around, Penn Gillette had a point when he said that "the gun nuts are starting to think that the pot-heads are okay, and the pot-heads are starting to think that the gun nuts are okay." Or to put it more bluntly, these rallies appear to signify the start of a philosophical reconcilation between the ideologies of the NRA and the ACLU. So let the Republicans claim the movement for now--when they get the majority in 2010 and start cracking down heavily on free speech and "morality" issues, they'll no doubt face a similar wrath from the same crowd--just like the Dems did at the polls for supporting Clinton's "assault weapons" just over a decade ago. Given the popularity of Texas Senator Ron Paul due to his decidedly libertarian ideals, one can only hope that BOTH parties start leaning heavily in his direction, soon.
September 15, 2009 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )