Sunday, July 05, 2009
Gettysburg Tea Party, July 4, 2009
Hundreds attend TEA Party in Gettysburg
From staff reports York Daily Record
Singing patriotic songs and chanting "USA," more than 200 people crowded the sidewalk in front of the Adams County courthouse in Gettysburg on Saturday to protest high taxes and President Barack Obama's fiscal policies.
The TEA Party -- TEA standing for "Taxed Enough Already" -- was part of a national event coordinated by the conservative American Family Association. The parties are meant to send a message to government leaders that people are tired of runaway debt, local organizer Susan Williams said.
Protesters listened to speeches for about an hour as they took up most of the sidewalk, occasionally spilling into the street. Police asked a few to return to the sidewalk for safety.
Most of those in attendance carried American flags or signs, the most prevalent of which was the Revolutionary War slogan "Don't tread on me."
Other signs read, "No socialist America" or "Honk if I'm paying your mortgage," among others.
After the speeches and singing "God Bless America," the crowd marched north to Lincoln Square and snaked its way around the crossroads.
Traffic -- already busy because of the holiday weekend that coincides with the annual Battle of Gettysburg re-enactments -- was tied up as demonstrators stretched across several roads leading to the square.
Police helped to stop traffic, and a few motorists were seen arguing with some demonstrators. There were many honks from vehicles, but it was hard to tell if the drivers were in support of the event or mad at the traffic jam.
The demonstrators filled the square for about 20 minutes before the event ended back where it began, where voter registration tables were set up and people mingled.
There were thousands of TEA Parties planned across the country for Saturday, according to the American Family Association's Web site for the event, www.teapartyday.com.
According to the group's Web site, the American Family Association represents and stands for traditional family values and exists to motivate and equip citizens to reform the culture to reflect the Biblical truth on which it was founded.
From staff reports York Daily Record
Singing patriotic songs and chanting "USA," more than 200 people crowded the sidewalk in front of the Adams County courthouse in Gettysburg on Saturday to protest high taxes and President Barack Obama's fiscal policies.
The TEA Party -- TEA standing for "Taxed Enough Already" -- was part of a national event coordinated by the conservative American Family Association. The parties are meant to send a message to government leaders that people are tired of runaway debt, local organizer Susan Williams said.
Protesters listened to speeches for about an hour as they took up most of the sidewalk, occasionally spilling into the street. Police asked a few to return to the sidewalk for safety.
Most of those in attendance carried American flags or signs, the most prevalent of which was the Revolutionary War slogan "Don't tread on me."
Other signs read, "No socialist America" or "Honk if I'm paying your mortgage," among others.
After the speeches and singing "God Bless America," the crowd marched north to Lincoln Square and snaked its way around the crossroads.
Traffic -- already busy because of the holiday weekend that coincides with the annual Battle of Gettysburg re-enactments -- was tied up as demonstrators stretched across several roads leading to the square.
Police helped to stop traffic, and a few motorists were seen arguing with some demonstrators. There were many honks from vehicles, but it was hard to tell if the drivers were in support of the event or mad at the traffic jam.
The demonstrators filled the square for about 20 minutes before the event ended back where it began, where voter registration tables were set up and people mingled.
There were thousands of TEA Parties planned across the country for Saturday, according to the American Family Association's Web site for the event, www.teapartyday.com.
According to the group's Web site, the American Family Association represents and stands for traditional family values and exists to motivate and equip citizens to reform the culture to reflect the Biblical truth on which it was founded.
# posted by Resica @ 4:23 PM 
