The so called silent majority stood up on Tax Day.  They took time off of work or closed up their shops or got up off their couches.  They made signs expressing beliefs and frustrations, donned their best patriotic gear and drove down to Independence Point to join a huge crowd of cohorts for a Tax Day Tea Party.

Organizers of the event were hoping for 500 people. Instead, security professionals working the CdA Tea Party estimated the crowd at 1,300 - 1,500 and people kept arriving during the entire two hour program.

The sun was shining as I wound through the crowd asking folks one important question:  “Have you ever been to a protest?”  The answer was consistently, “No, I’ve never felt the need!”  But there they were; they felt strongly enough about the activities of our Federal Government to get up and take action.

These typically content Americans are mad. Their anger did not just start with the new administration, spending in our nation’s capitol has gone unabated for some time.  But now these average citizens see Washington DC pledging taxpayer money to bail out enormously unsuccessful businesses. Congress continues to load earmarks onto massive stimulus bills without making the time to even read the legislation. And the new administration is posturing to nationalize large segments of the banking and business sectors, and to takeover healthcare and energy production as well.  All with an invoice stamped: “Payment Due from U. S. Taxpayers”. 

The Tea Party signs yelled messages like:  “No More Bailouts!”, “Give me Liberty, Not Debt”, “Socialism is fun, until you run out of other people’s Money”, “You are Not Entitled”, “Liberty is all the Stimulus we Need”, and hundreds more.  I was amazed at the variety and creativity of the aforementioned Silent Majority. They were anything but silent!  And all were enjoying the chance to revel in their common bond.  

The speakers were terrific. The program started with patriotic music, followed by 10 year old Brock Browning, who passionately and perfectly recited Patrick Henry’s entire 1775 speech, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”, with nary a sheaf of notes nor tele-prompter in sight. The crowd went wild.

Ron Nilson brought his immense energy and emotion to the microphone.  He confessed his deep and enduring love for America but said “Bigger government doesn’t mean better government, it just means we pay more money!”    And Brent Reagan gave a rousing defense of our personal inalienable rights, given by our creator and protected by the Constitution.

It was an empowering day.  When well over a thousand local area people, who have never stepped out of line to talk back to the government, gather to say, “Enough is enough!”, it is a day to remember.  This was just the first step.  The group committed themselves to a continuing effort in taking back the reigns of government, shrinking the tax burden and protecting individual and state’s rights.

If you missed the experience, don’t be dismayed.  You can get a taste of the action by watching a short You Tube Video of the CdA Tea Party.  Just go to www.OpenCdA.com to find the link. The sights and sounds are wonderful; it’s freedom.  It’s what our fore fathers established and what generations of proud Amercians have given their lives to defend. Now it’s our turn to stand up and protect those freedoms for our children and grandchildren. The quiet majority has awoken!