Cosmopolitan Conservative: Tea Partying, Chattanooga Style

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Editor's Note: This is a guest post by the Cosmopolitan Conservative, a Chattanooga blogger. For more on the history and rationale behind the Tea Party movement, please read What's the Deal With the Tea Parties? on the CosmoCon's blog.

On an overcast and chilly Wednesday afternoon, more than 1,000 people converged at Ross's Landing to join the Tea Party movement sweeping the nation. Were these people concerned that they may have joined an “astroturfed” event? Doubtful. Were they stereotypical right-wing Evangelicals, toting Bible verses and yielding pro-gun signs? A few (Libertarian Jesus was my favorite). Were they seasoned conservative activists who never miss a chance to stick it to the Left—those crazy pro-lifers that Homeland Security is now carefully monitoring? Probably, I was there after all. However, the overwhelming number of people had never protested a day in their lives. For many, this was the first rally that they had ever attended.

I spent most of the rally wandering around the crowd, talking to people and asking why they were there. The range of ages surprised me. This was not a crowd of angry, old men or fat cats afraid of losing their wealth. Families with very young children, teenagers, young women, Boomers and senior citizens filled the crowd. These were people who were angry at the government’s lack of restraint and free-spending. They weren’t political operatives hell-bent on destroying President Obama but residents of Chattanooga and northern Georgia who are fearful for their children’s futures and desperate to keep their hard-earned dollars in their own pocketbooks. Theresa Place, a sixtyish Chattanooga native, was there with her friends, who were also in their 60s and 70s. None of them had ever attended a protest or rally and proudly exclaimed that they were tired of being part of the Silent Majority. Theresa, the spokeswoman for the group, was angry and showed up at the Tea Party to express it, “We’re tired of out-of-control spending and a change towards socialism. Hard-working people are suffering. Spending is what got us into this, so we’re going to spend, tax and borrow in to the new millennium to fix it?” Her friend, who wished to remain anonymous, was also frustrated and angry with the government,“I’m 74 years-old, and I’ve never protested a day in my life. I’m madder than ‘you know what.’” Another protester, Jeremy Johns was taking advantage of his right to assembly for the first time.“This is my first protest. There have been many issues over the years that have upset me, but this is the first time that I’ve protested.” Holly Long, an Ooltewah resident, showed up with her young children all sporting shirts expressing how much debt they were already in thanks to Uncle Sam: “We want them to be a part of this. Something that hasn’t happened for 300 years. I’m fed up. I’m tired of how expensive my children’s futures are going to be.” Diedre Hall and her kids, Hunter and Allie, and friend Mike Henry stayed up the night before the Tax Party making signs. One held by her young daughter exclaimed “Right-wing extremist” with an arrow pointing down. Another read, “I’m spending less. Government should too.” Diedre explained, “We’re protesting the taxes that are coming down the pike that will put our children in debt.” “We’re the silent majority, who never turn up,” joined Henry. “This our first protest. This is a free country, and I’m tired of being run over.” Organized by Mark West and Bryan Haddock, the party featured representatives from the Fair Tax movement, and local conservative electeds Rhonda Thurman, Hamilton County School Board, Matthew Bryant, recently-elected chair of the Hamilton County Republicans, and Robin Smith, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, spoke at the rally. Bryant read a collection of quotes from conservative leaders talking about taxes and fiscal policy and encouraged the crowed to respond, “We’ve had enough.” He continued, “We’re not all from one party or another today. There are probably a number of political parties represented here. We can join together and say, “We’ve had enough! We’re protesting against all politicians today.” Mark West took a seven minute break during the rally to encourage people to call their elected officials and register their complaints. While walking through the crowd, one woman was overheard calling Senator Saxby Chambliss and saying, “I’m very disappointed in you.” It seems not all the venom was aimed towards Democrats. Later, West urged protesters to look around and meet the people surrounding them. “Over the last few weeks, we’ve been told that we’re alone. That no one would go to a Tea Party. We’ve been called the fringe, nutjobs, extremists and even terrorists. Look around you. Are you alone? Do you see nutjobs or extremists?” Henry’s father also took a few minutes to speak, “Many children not even born yet are in debt. The minute that they’re born, they’re in debt $36,000.” He then referenced the TARP bill and exclaimed,“If it’s not worth taking the time to read. It’s not worth passing into law.” Over the course of three hours, more than 1,000 people expressed a clear message: They’re tired of the government expanding its own power and spending their tax dollars. They weren’t wealthy Republicans or high-power lobbyists, but average Chattanoogans who have worked hard in their careers and want to provide a solid future for their children and grandchildren. They didn’t show up on a chilly April afternoon to protect their greed, but turned out from fear and anger that the national debt will cripple the average taxpayer out of achieving the American dream.