Tea Party revolution brewing

[Soldier4Christ]

Patriot rocker revives call to 'take America back'
Steve Vaus re-records anthem that got him blacklisted in 1992

Steve Vaus, whose patriotic anthem "We Must Take America Back" got him blacklisted by the recording industry 17 years ago, has re-recorded the song with updated lyrics for 2009 – and, this time, he believes, not even a radio station boycott can silence his haunting and inspirational track.

In 1992, Vaus signed a recording contract with RCA. The resulting CD was called "We Must Take America Back," and the title track instantly struck a chord with Americans starved for entertainment that spoke to them, touched their hearts and reinforced their core values.

"We must take America back," Vaus sang. "Put an end to the gangs and the drugs in the street and the fact that the bad guys most always go free. That is wrong. We need leaders who lead us, not stick us and bleed us and take all our money and send it abroad. We must take America back. We need prayer in schools and more things made in USA. It's the least we can do for the red, white and blue. We must take America back."

The song began climbing the charts. Many radio stations found it was the most requested song on their playlists once listeners heard it. Based on radio airplay, the song zoomed onto the Billboard 100 CHART – with a bullet, as they say. That is a national chart based on radio play.

Vaus' star seemed to be rising.

But, after a few complaints from some big-city radio stations about the conservative and patriotic nature of the song, the company decided, inexplicably and inconceivably, to pull the CD off the radio and out of stores – even with the song at number 56, still with a bullet, meaning it was moving up the charts faster than most other records.

"It took me a long time to get over having the rug pulled out from under me like that, but now, I think this song's time is finally here," said Vaus. "I can't believe it has been 17 years since I first recorded and released 'We Must Take America Back.' With updated lyrics, that speak to the issues on most Americans' minds across this great country, I believe it will be a rallying cry for everyone organizing tea parties, signing petitions and getting organized to preserve what's good about America. Thank goodness in this age of instant Internet downloads there's no record company or media consortium that can block it."

In the last several years, Vaus has enjoyed great success in the music industry, he just did it under another name. Recording as Buck Howdy he's had four best selling CDs of "family music," two of which brought Grammy nominations in 2007 and 2008. He toured extensively and appeared in concert with Billy Ray Cyrus, Kenny Loggins and many other superstars.

However, his first release, "We Must Take America Back" had an immeasurable cultural impact. It inspired WND Editor Joseph Farah's bestselling book, "Taking America Back." The book begins with a tribute to Vaus, with Farah saying he heard the song playing in his head as he wrote about what Americans can do in their everyday lives to restore freedom, justice and morality in the country.

"I still get chills when I hear the original timeless version of the song," said Farah. "But Vaus' reworked rendition speaks to the hearts and souls of Americans who are genuinely suffering today – suffering because their country, and everything good about it, is being taken away from them. This is truly a song for our times."

Here are the updated lyrics to the song:

    The American Dream has become a nightmare,
    Signs of the times are on cardboard on corners in town,
    Like a cancer that's silently spreading, there's an unspoken fear ... we're on our way down.

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there's not long
    We need leaders who lead us, not stick us and bleed us,
    Then ransom our future, and our children's – that's wrong
    We must take America back, as liberty weeps, our forefather’s spin in their graves
    Pray God will bless some way out of this mess, We must take America back.

    Lord knows they'll try to silence our voices
    They'll pretend to be patriots fighting for fairness for all
    They're not even fit to hold office
    What they believe doesn't fit, with freedom at all

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there’s not long
    We need leaders who lead us, not stick us and bleed us,
    Then ransom our future, and our children's – that's wrong
    We must take America back, as liberty weeps, our forefather’s spin in their graves
    Pray God will bless some way out of this mess, We must take America back.

    BRIDGE

    Fight for freedom, and the soul of the USA
    Right here right now, it’s Independence Day

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there's not long
    We need leaders who lead us, lift us and heed us
    Who stand for what's right, and stand up to what's wrong
    We must take America Back, now and forever, with God, in His rightful place
    Then He will bless, and protect the U.S.
    We must take America back

[nChrist]

Here are the updated lyrics to the song:

    The American Dream has become a nightmare,
    Signs of the times are on cardboard on corners in town,
    Like a cancer that's silently spreading, there's an unspoken fear ... we're on our way down.

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there's not long
    We need leaders who lead us, not stick us and bleed us,
    Then ransom our future, and our children's – that's wrong
    We must take America back, as liberty weeps, our forefather’s spin in their graves
    Pray God will bless some way out of this mess, We must take America back.

    Lord knows they'll try to silence our voices
    They'll pretend to be patriots fighting for fairness for all
    They're not even fit to hold office
    What they believe doesn't fit, with freedom at all

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there’s not long
    We need leaders who lead us, not stick us and bleed us,
    Then ransom our future, and our children's – that's wrong
    We must take America back, as liberty weeps, our forefather’s spin in their graves
    Pray God will bless some way out of this mess, We must take America back.

    BRIDGE

    Fight for freedom, and the soul of the USA
    Right here right now, it’s Independence Day

    We must take America back, Main Street to Wall Street, cities and states
    Washington D.C., before it's too late, there's not long
    We need leaders who lead us, lift us and heed us
    Who stand for what's right, and stand up to what's wrong
    We must take America Back, now and forever, with God, in His rightful place
    Then He will bless, and protect the U.S.
    We must take America back

__________________

YES WE MUST!

AND

YES WE CAN!

[Soldier4Christ]

YouTube star summoned to White House?
Promises radio talk show first interview afterwards

The man who created two phenomenally successful "We The People" YouTube videos urging Americans to stand up against Congress and reclaim their republic now – or perhaps lose it forever – reportedly has been summoned to the White House by President Obama to discuss the subject matter of the short films.

Bob Basso, who posts videos under the name funbobbasso on YouTube, has created videos in which he portrays Thomas Paine, author of the "Common Sense" pamphlet that made the case for independence during the American Revolution.

Basso, whose website offers his services as a motivational speaker, uses the YouTube presentations to condemn "non-representing representatives" and warns, "Only when they feel the almighty wrath of 'We The People' marching in the streets from California to New York shouting 'We're mad as hell and we want our country back' will they get the message they work for you."

He was scheduled this week to appear on the the "Jerry Doyle Show" when he told the radio host that Obama had personally invited him to meet in the White House "to discuss the disturbing nature of the videos."

According to a spokesman for Doyle's show, at the time when Basso was supposed to be calling in for the show, he was unavailable. Basso reached the show several hours later, explaining he had been flooded by media calls and literally was unable to call out.

The result, the spokesman said, was that Basso promised to provide Doyle with the first exclusive interview after he meets with Obama, provided the invitation still stands after the meeting was leaked to the press.

The spokesman said information about the meeting has not been made public, and show producers are waiting to see what develops. A WND message left for Basso was not immediately returned.

The Doyle show reaches about 3 million listeners each week, according to Talkers Magazine, and is the fastest growing show in Talk Radio Network Enterprises' history with more than 240 stations.

In his second video, which has been seen more than 1.1 million times, Basso challenges people to let Congress know their displeasure by sending tea bags.

He criticizes Congress for approving the "largest spending bill in history without reading it" and criticizes American citizens, because "you did nothing."

He raises the issue of billions of dollars for benefits for illegal aliens, the exportation of U.S. jobs overseas and others.

"If your self-serving Congress were a business they'd all be in jail now," he said.

"Wake up, America. While you were playing with the toys of your consumer wealth, you lost much more than your bloated economy of living beyond your means. You lost your representative democracy. Your servants have become your masters. Taxation without representation is tyranny," he said.

In that piece he warns of the problem of supporting the rest of the world while America needs to be rebuilt.

Referring to "progressives," he said, "We had another word in 1776. We called them traitors."

Basso is the author of the best-selling book "This Job Should Be Fun" along with 10 other books, including "Lighten Up Corporate America!"

A former award winning news director for NBC TV and visiting professor at UCLA, Basso has a Ph.D in communications.

Doyle's distinctive repertoire includes former Wall Street insider, TV star and jet pilot. He has starred in many made-for-TV movies, but is best known as the character Michael Garibaldi on the Emmy winning Sci-fi television series "Babylon 5," which ran for five years.

[nChrist]

Pastor Roger Said:

YouTube star summoned to White House?
Promises radio talk show first interview afterwards

The man who created two phenomenally successful "We The People" YouTube videos urging Americans to stand up against Congress and reclaim their republic now – or perhaps lose it forever – reportedly has been summoned to the White House by President Obama to discuss the subject matter of the short films.

I'm almost sure that I've seen at least one of these short films and one news interview. If he remains true to form and goes, I would think he will bring some good American History material with him as gifts for the President. This would be the type of materials that need to be PUT BACK IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

[Soldier4Christ]

Both of those videos can be seen embedded into the above article at WorldNetDaily.

[nChrist]

Both of those videos can be seen embedded into the above article at WorldNetDaily.

Thanks Brother!

I love going to WND to browse and read, but I'm behind on lot's of things right now. I will go and see it, hopefully this afternoon. The only thing I've really been able to keep up with recently is my personal Bible Study, and that must come first. I honestly feel this is the best medicine for everyone in this difficult days, especially Christians. We must have the strength, encouragement, and assurance of GOD'S WORD and keep it uppermost in our minds as we watch all the terrible things going on around us. We must stay strong in CHRIST to do what GOD wants us to do with our friends and families. After all, things would be much harder if we laid down and gave up. I honestly don't believe that we're going to be here that much longer, so what we do NOW may be helping people long after we're HOME to GLORY. What we are watching now is just the symptoms of a much larger and more deadly disease that will be here soon. GOD'S WORD tells us this disease will plunge the entire world into misery and horror. THAT TIME IS GROWING NEAR!

As Christians, we have an easy time compared to what the Christians of the Tribulation Period will face. We can all pray for each other now quite freely, and the Christians of the coming AGE will need to learn how to pray. Just think - they will be babes in CHRIST facing death or the mark of the beast. GOD has given us thousands of years to study HIS WORD, so mankind doesn't have any excuses. However, this in no way reduces the burden and care of Christians today. JUST the OPPOSITE:  Christians do care and record numbers are going to their deaths in the NAME and FOR CHRIST. May GOD give us all the strength and guidance to DO HIS WILL until the last moment!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 5:18-20 NASB  18  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,  19  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  20  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

[Soldier4Christ]

Tax Day party count nearing 2,000 U.S. cities

While WND has been tracking 400 individual tea parties across the nation, the American Family Association has announced its count is nearing 1,600 – for Tax Day alone.

The AFA, planned to coordinate 1,000 Taxed Enough Already, or TEA, parties to be held at 12 p.m. on April 15 in front of city halls across the nation.

But the group is pleasantly surprised as is stands to double that goal before Tax Day is here.

"Our goal was to have a TEA party in 1,500 cities. We are nearly 100 cities above our goal and still growing," said Donald E. Wildmon, AFA chairman.

The AFA sponsored TEA parties are in addition to hundreds of parties planned by other groups. Taxpayers are also organizing tea parties for Independence Day and various Saturdays so people with conflicting work schedules may attend.

Meanwhile, a Google Maps list shows several locations of citizen tea parties – so many that the United States is nearly hidden behind a sea of blue markers. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112875499027114938790.0004647d9f61bab744fd4&ll=38.272689,-96.679687&spn=27.495109,57.128906&z=4&source=embed

Wildmon said the protests are essential because the government's reckless spending is burdening America with insurmountable debt.




"The runaway spending by President Obama and Congress will have a definite negative effect on our families," he said. "We are leaving a debt of trillions of dollars to be paid by our grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

The organization launched a Tea Party Day website so volunteer organizers may register their protests with AFA. The website also provides a list of other protests across the nation that are not organized by AFA.

Michael DePrimo, special counsel to AFA President Tim Wildmon, told WND that AFA has been inundated with e-mails from citizens who want to attend or organize tea parties in their own cities.

"We're trying to get people to attend these and we're also encouraging others if there is no tea party in their community to start their own," he said. "All we're trying to do is really generate activity to try to try to get people to attend these rallies to really send a message to Washington."

The group encourages tea party attendees to bring a cell phone and call the president, 202-456-1414, and Congress, 202-224-3121, while attending the rallies.

While many mainstream media outlets have provided little to no coverage of the nation's numerous tea parties so far, DePrimo said the growing movement is proof that Americans no longer need them to launch a widespread revolution.

"I think the media does whatever the media choose to do," he said. "We're all aware that the media have a liberal bias. I suppose if it's big enough, they will report on it. If they think it really may spur some change in Washington that the media elites don't want, they may ignore the story altogether."

De Primo continued, "The good news is that with the Internet, Facebook, texting and with all the ways we can communicate today, we don't necessarily need the mainstream media anymore. The message can get out without them."

WND has also launched its own tea party forum so citizens may exchange ideas, information and announcements about the "revolution." After reviewing various website protest listings and e-mails from many readers, WND found 400 tea parties scheduled for upcoming months and compiled one of the most complete lists on the Internet.

An updated list and more links to other activities can be seen at:

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=93779

[nChrist]

One would hope that our so-called government gets the message soon. The powers that be are really a criminal gang of usurpers that most of our representatives haven't STOOD UP TO YET. If they don't soon, they all need to be OUT OF OFFICE and CHARGED with all applicable CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS!

There are already a significant number of CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS that need to be prosecuted to the limit - regardless of how high they are in government. "How high in government" means nothing since the highest is still a servant of the people required to obey THE RULE OF LAW AND CONSTITUTION! They don't know it yet, but many are going to PRISON!

[Soldier4Christ]

More to prove that the extremists to be concerned about are to the right.   



ACORN engages in destructive activity against tea parties!

South Carolina is the setting for an incident that proves ACORN--Barack Obama's corrupt front group--will not only attempt to disrupt the Tea Parties across the nation today but has already engaged in destructive activity aimed at intimidation.

It was widely reported 2 weeks ago among conservative news sources and bloggers that ACORN was planning to disrupt the peaceful protests on April 15 by concerned citizens against runaway government spending and high taxes.  But the group denied the claim, and Leftwing activists immediately jumped to ACORN's defense, stating that Tea Party attendees were displaying 'paranoia.'

Now it can be confirmed that ACORN and other Leftwing groups will attempt to thwart, disrupt, and embarrass the Tea Party gatherings today across America.

A new colleague here at Examiner, Bob D. Caterino of Greenville Crime Examiner in Greenville, South Carolina, writes that ACORN attempted to stop a pre-Tea Party gathering at a local restaurant.  Greenville's Tea Party will take place on April 17 rather than April 15, but the sponsoring group is having a pre-Tea Party rally on April 15 at Chief's Wings and Firewater.

As Caterino reports, ACORN sprang into action once they found out about the gathering:

    A.C.O.R.N. sent members over to Chiefs, to ask them to cancel the Pre-Tea party.  Chiefs manager and owner told them he would not because as far as he knows this is still a free country.  The ACORN members then went into the bathrooms at Chief’s and started to tear down flyers about the tea party that were hanging on the walls.  Some members went as far as to smear ‘human feces” on the walls before they left that establishment.

     

    ACORN is on a mission to infiltrate the tea parties all across the land to start fights and make the others who attend all look disorganized and troublesome. To go at great lengths to see to it, Obama has a clear and free pass is a bit extreme, but this is how an organization like ACORN rolls.  Obama had no comment when he was asked about the community group accused of election fixing.  Obama helped organize ACORN, and a no answer is not necessarily a not guilty answer.

So now we have the truth of the matter from someone at the local level who knows firsthand of the subversive nature of ACORN.

Why does this matter?  It matters because after all of these years of protests by Leftwing extremists the average citizens in the heartland are now utilizing a Constitutional right that nobody questioned until the protests were against the Left.  It matters because the Left continually lies about it's activities, claiming its innocence while engaging in destructive behavior.  It matters because the anti-Tea Party movement is obviously afraid of the outrage of average citizens toward the unfair practices of their government--a government which they now view as raging out of control.

And finally, it matters because Barack Obama and his Department of Homeland Security appointees consider those who participate in Tea Party protests to be 'potential terrorists like Timothy McVeigh.'

What an unmitigated outrage for ordinary citizens to be caricatured in this fashion!

This type of government oppression of the people cannot be left unanswered.  And today, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, will send a clear answer to Washington and the Leftwing radicals who support this government--leave us the hell alone!

[nChrist]

Hundreds of THOUSANDS have sent a message, and they're still sending a message as I type this. I'm listening to the message that is being sent, and I like it.

It's really just ONE of MANY messages that needs to be sent, BUT IT'S A GREAT START! There is a bigger message that is also being sent:  WE HAVE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM - AND WE'RE KEEPING THEM!! If the "wannabe" DICTATORS have a brain cell in their heads, THEY WILL UNDERSTAND AND HEED THE MESSAGE! If not, we've been there before and rose to the occasion! We are not a people to enslave, and NO TYRANT has a chance in the attempt!

[Soldier4Christ]

Coast-to-coast tea parties
put lawmakers on notice
Taxpayers descend upon politicians
in numbers far beyond expectations

Americans took to the streets to protest wasteful government spending today – with estimated crowd sizes of 5,000 to 15,000 in Atlanta, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Olympia, Wash., Lansing, Mich., Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., and Sacramento.

At the California Capitol, a sea of red, white and blue U.S. flags waved above a large crowd that surrounded the building and spilled into city streets. Visitors arrived in yellow school buses from surrounding cities.

Sacramento tea party organizer Mark Meckler scanned the scene from behind a platform before the event.

"It's unreal. It's beyond my imagination," Meckler told WND with a dazed look. "I can't imagine anything better than this."

Some protesters shouted at the Capitol building with megaphones: "Hey, tell Gov. Schwarzenegger to come out here!"

"We are leading a revolution, and this is the first day of that revolution," Meckler said. "Politicians will no longer be able to divide our nation. They are taking our money, and we aren't going to stand here and take it anymore."

With booming enthusiasm, the crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance and began wildly chanting, "USA, USA, USA!"

Their voices could be heard from blocks away as the California legislature remained in session and lawmakers dared not venture outside.

Local businessmen, families with small children, military veterans and elderly men and women carried handmade signs with a variety of creative messages.

After speaking with WND, Meckler climbed the stage and asked the crowd, "How many of you have never been to a protest before?"

The crowd erupted in cheers as thousands of tea partiers raised their hands.

"Our politicians think that you don't pay enough taxes," Meckler said. "As we stand outside, the California legislature is in session."

The crowd let out a thunderous "boo."

"We've had it!" Meckler shouted. "We're tired of being punished by politicians!"

They cheered wildly and drowned out Meckler's voice, chanting, "Vote them out!"

Guests included Michael Reagan, Rep. Tom McClintock, singer Lloyd Marcus and Fox News' Neil Cavuto.

"In the 27 years since I came to this building, I have never seen a protest this large," McClintock said. "The silent majority is no longer silent."

He continued, "Some time along the way, we lost our country. Don't you think it's time to take it back?"

The crowd applauded with excitement.

Air Force reservist Sgt. Kevin Steele told WND he returned from his second tour in Iraq two weeks ago.

"I think this is just wonderful to see," he said. "I'm disappointed to see how much things have deteriorated since I left."

Asked for his thoughts on the Department of Homeland Security report warning against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" and specifically singling out returning war veterans as particular threats, Steele said he was baffled and felt a deep sense of betrayal.

"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I'm the guy they're watching now? Give me a break!"

He continued, "You can send me over there and put a weapon in my hands, and now you worry about me? It's disappointing and disheartening."

California Highway Patrol officers, sheriffs and horse-mounted city police surrounded the event on all sides. There were no noticeable arrests or acts of violence at the tea party.

One Highway Patrolman told WND there were more than 5,000 people at the event.

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., 1,000 people huddled beneath umbrellas in Lafayette Park across from the White House. The crowd consisted of a broad variety of protesters of different ages, nationalities and political parties.

When the crowd was asked, several Democrats indicated that they were present as part of the protest. Many parents brought their children along, who were also carrying signs and chanting.

Speakers at the D.C. event included talk-show host Laura Ingraham, Alan Keyes and Grover Norquist.

The rally combined with another Washington, D.C., party after Secret Service members revoked a permit to meet outside the U.S. Department of Treasury.

One tea partier, Rusty Carrier, allowed all employees at his Culpepper, Va., farm to take the day off and attend the protest. Carrier said he felt the pains of high taxation and the government's reckless spending.

"I don't travel to D.C. very often because I can't do it," he told WND. "Unlike the government, I don't spend money I don't have.

In Tennessee, an overwhelming crowd of 10,000 people met on the Legislative Plaza, spilling into sidewalks and up the hill toward the Capitol building, Americans for Tax Reform reported. Cars circled the area, honking horns.

In Rochester, N.Y., 1,000 tea partiers marched on the county administration building and city hall.

Approximately 4,000 people crowded Fountain Square in Cincinnati, while 8,000 gathered in Madison, Wis., 5,000 surrounded the Oklahoma Capitol and 4,000 attended the Chicago party. Even Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state, brought 1,000 protesters to its Capitol.

Washington state police estimated crowds of 5,000 in Olympia while 2,500 marched the streets of Boise, Idaho and 1,500 rallied in Austin, Texas. In Lansing, Mich., throngs were measured at 7,000, while 3,000 gathered in Hartford, Conn., and 2,000 Floridians in Jacksonville poured wagons of tea into the St. Johns River.

An additional 1,000 people packed into Market Square in Pittsburgh, Pa., while some 3,000 gathered in Des Moines, Iowa, and 1,500 gathered in Louisville, Ky. There are reports of 7,000 at the North Houston tea party and 5,000 in Phoenix, Ariz., while organizers announced that 8,000 people showed up at the tea party in St. Louis, Mo., and an additional 8,000 tea partiers rallied in Kansas City. An estimated 7,500 packed the Central Valley tea party in California.

The Atlanta event may have been among the largest tea parties, in part because of the presence of conservative talk show host Sean Hannity, who broadcast live from the Georgia Capitol and estimated crowd size at 15,000. Also, as many as 15,000 crowded around the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, as nationally syndicated talk show host Glenn Beck aired his television show there.

Across the nation, thousands of tea partiers sang the national anthem, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and chanted while waving U.S. flags and displaying homemade signs.

[nChrist]

I watched it on Fox News. I would have loved to go to the one in Oklahoma City, and I just don't have the health for something like that.

The MESSAGE has been heard, even though the LEFT media with a tiny "m" didn't provide nearly the coverage that it deserved. In fact, the LEFT media down-played it at the best and dismissed it as a few loons. CONTRARY - there were hundreds of thousands of average, ordinary, law-abiding people who pay all the bills. They weren't right-wing radicals and neither are we. As Christians, we obviously have different morals than the world, but that doesn't make us radical in any way. We used to be called the "Silent Majority", and we've been SILENT too long. In fact, we were wrong in being SILENT. I wasn't SILENT on everything, but I wasn't LOUD enough. I do wish that I could go back and do things over, but NONE of us can. I'll just have to bear part of the BLAME for some of the things my children and grandchildren are putting up with now. Some of the things I'm thinking about are UGLY, OBSCENE, IMMORAL, FILTHY, and DANGEROUS! All I can do now is ask for forgiveness on everything I failed to do and things I didn't pay nearly as much attention to as I should have.

Brother, I'm not going to let myself off the hook by saying these days may be ushering in the Tribulation Period. Regardless, I failed and didn't do enough, and I'm ashamed of myself. I grew up knowing and being taught that parents do much and sacrifice much for their children and grandchildren. The hope and prayer was that things would be better and more moral for the next generation coming up. Instead, we got the opposite. I started this paragraph by saying "I'm not going to let myself off the hook", and I'm not.

I'll just say that I know the demonstrations were real and genuine by decent people who sent a message in a most peaceful way. If there were any truly DANGEROUS people demonstrating, it might have been some of the older grandmothers in the crowd. LET'S GET REAL:  those grandmothers had RESPECT - NOT FEAR! On the other side of the coin, let's not underestimate what those grandmothers and grandfathers would do to protect their children and grandchildren. They've already sacrificed much so their children could have better. NOW, many of them have had their retirements, pensions, and means of surviving stolen from them - AND they can't help their children and grandchildren in the ways that they wanted to. It's all horribly sad, and it boils down to CORRUPT AND CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT. BY THE WAY, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING RADICAL ABOUT SPEAKING THE TRUTH!

[Soldier4Christ]

T-party rally tally:
1 million nationally
'The Obama administration
has awakened a sleeping giant'

An estimated 1 million Americans participated in at least 1,000 tea parties, according to reports by organizers tabulating the nationwide numbers, with documented protests held in 50 states.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform told WND, "The Obama administration has awakened a sleeping giant."

Tax Day Tea Party national event coordinator Amy Kremer told WND she has confirmed that more than 850 parties took place. She has at least 100 more reports in her e-mail inbox that have not been posted.

Asked how many people attended the events, she responded, "I would estimate it at over 1 million. I'm waiting on more numbers to come in from organizers right now. I can tell you it is absolutely over 750,000 right now."

The largest protests occurred in Atlanta, Ga., with 15,000 participants. As many as 10,000 protesters participating in Sacramento, Calif., and Overland Park, Kan., according to data compiled by Americans for Tax Reform on more than 207 tea parties.

Americans for Tax Reform has established an Internet page on the group's website where organizers of tea parties can submit attendance estimates to be included in the running tally.

Michael DePrimo, special counsel to American Family Association President Tim Wildmon, told WND that AFA's tea party website, Tea Party Day, had 2,031 confirmations that tea parties were to be held in as many cities.

"Since yesterday, we have had 394 cities give us reports, many with photographs, about the tea parties that were held," he said. "We have not been able to get all the information up. We expect more to come in as the days go by."

Glenn Beck reported yesterday on his Fox News program that official estimates of the participation in the Tea Party held in San Antonio, Texas, reached as many as 20,000 people.

The Glenn Beck show broadcast on Fox News live on April 15, from the Tea Party held at the Alamo in San Antonio.

"The establishment in Washington, D.C., is terrified," Norquist said. "There were no such demonstrations four months into the administrations of Democratic presidents Carter or Clinton."

Norquist told WND that the Obama administration was taken by surprise by the nationwide protests because the administration had calculated increased government spending was supposed to be the popular part of President Obama's economic stimulus plan.

Instead, Norquist said, the tea parties held in every state on Wednesday proved Americans nationwide are demonstrating in anger and disappointment against Obama administration plans for massive deficit spending.

"Imagine what happens when President Obama, House Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid begin to pay for their 'spend-fest' with higher taxes and inflation," Norquist said.

Kremer said the mainstream media have completely neglected their duty to accurately report on this nationwide movement.

"It's amazing that the mainstream media is reporting it the way that they are," she said. "It's just crazy. It's basically just going to come down to us. We're now reporting it ourselves because they are not reporting it accurately."

Many say the mainstream media attempted either to ignore the protests altogether or characterized tea partiers as disgruntled Republicans unable to accept that "they lost" the 2008 presidential campaign or as "rich taxpayers" unwilling to pay their fair burden of taxes.

However, Kremer said she is constantly receiving reports from organizers about the movement's resounding success.

"I think it was an absolute success," she said. "We want to send a message to them: We hired them; we can fire them. They work for us. They seem to have forgotten that."

She continued, "If it means we have to go after every incumbent in office from now until 2012, we will do that. But the American people are tired of sitting by, and they are starting to step forward and take notice."

[Soldier4Christ]

Motivated tea partiers ask, 'What's next?'
It's not over yet! 25 upcoming protests scheduled for 16 states

As many as 1 million Americans showed up at nationwide tea parties on Tax Day – and reports are still pouring in – but what's the next step for the movement?

Peaceful protests

The vast majority of protests were organized and respectful. Even with so many people in attendance, WND found reports of only one arrest.

A protester in Northville Township, Mich., stood in the middle of traffic, stopping cars with a sign that said, "We want our country back U.S.!"

She was arrested and put into a squad car by Northville Township police.

In Lafayette, Ind., officials with the state's environmental agency threatened protesters with fines if they followed through with their plans to dump tea bags into the Wabash River.

Spokeswoman Amber Finkelstein told USA Today the tea would hurt aquatic life by depleting the water of oxygen. She said the act would be a fineable offense, and that the agency would not allow the protest because the river would not meet minimum water quality standards.

Nonetheless, protesters rallied and enthusiastically dumped a large box of tea bags from a bridge into the Wabash River.

Karen England, executive director of the Capitol Resource Institute, reported that police discarded U.S. flags when citizens attempted to enter the California Capitol building in Sacramento.

"We could not believe that they would prohibit the American flag in the Capitol," England said. "I am still not clear why this is prohibited. The guard at the door originally cited safety concerns, but after consulting with his superiors the rationale became a general prohibition on signs and banners."

In Washington D.C., a plan to unload 1 million tea bags in Lafayette Square was reportedly disrupted when organizers were told they lacked the proper permit. Protesters were also evicted from the Treasury Department when Secret Service officials said they did not have permission to rally there.

One protester tossed a box of tea over the fence onto the White House lawn, so Secret Service evacuated the area temporarily and sent a robot to examine what they believed to be a suspicious package.

But with just a few disruptions, organizers say the event was a resounding success.

What's next?

Now many people are asking, "What's next?"

Tax Day Tea Party national event coordinator Amy Kremer told WND, "People are pumped up, and they're ready to move on. They all want to know what the next step is. That was the first step; it was a baby step."

Kremer said organizers didn't expect Tax Day miracles, but they believe more and more people will get involved and awaken the government to its spending addiction.

"It's just like an alcoholic or drug addict," she said. "Before they can ever get help and get well, they have to admit there's a problem. Right now, our government is on this tax-and-spend binge at our children's and grandchildren's expense, and they just keep spending and spending and spending. Before we can ever find solutions, we have to admit there's a problem."

Kremer said the main goal of the protests was to have citizens' voices heard, to force elected officials to be accountable and to hold their feet to the fire.

"Earlier this year, when they were voting on the second stimulus, we melted their phone lines," she said. "We burned down their e-mail accounts. We faxed. We did everything we could, and they didn't listen to their constituents. They continue to vote the way they want."

She said politicians are in their own bubble in Washington, D.C., and haven't listened to the voices of the people.

"We hired them; we can fire them," Kremer said. "If that means we have to go after every incumbent in office from now until 2012, we will do that. But the American people are tired of sitting by, and they are starting to step forward and take notice."

The American Majority, a non-profit political training institute "committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market," is prepared to replace those politicians with new American leaders. It launched its "After the Tea Party" plan to keep the revolution going and train people to run for office.

"There are events in history that impact the direction a nation takes," wrote Ned Ryun, president of American Majority. "This could be one of those moments."

He is calling for "implementers of freedom and limited government" to channel their passion into a long-term approach and run for public office or become more effective activists.

"If people are really fed-up with the current elected leadership of this country, then they should think about becoming the next generation of leadership," he wrote.

Ready for the next round?

Meanwhile, Michael DiPrimo, special counsel to American Family Association President Tim Wildmon, told WND the AFA has already started making plans for more tea parties on May 30 and July 4 on its National Tea Party Day website.

The organization called for new tea party plans today and has already signed up four organizers for three U.S. cities.

"Our goal is simply to keep the grassroots organizations mobilized," he said. "We want to keep people pumped up and excited, and we want them to continue to knock on the door of Congress and the White House."

DiPrimo continued, "We don't want people to think of it as a one-time event and then have it fall by the wayside. Every time you look in your wallet, think that 40 percent of what's in there goes to the government in taxes."   

WND has been hosting its own tea party forum so citizens can exchange ideas, information and announcements about the "revolution." WND readers have been sending information on upcoming tea parties, including the following 25 protests scheduled in 16 states:

California

Los Angeles – Saturday, July 4, from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Santa Monica Pier

Florida

Inverness – Saturday, April 18 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the old historical courthouse, One Courthouse Square

Georgia

Atlanta – Saturday, July 4, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the capitol building located at 206 Washington St.

Illinois

Chicago – From Saturday, July 4, at 7 p.m. to Sunday, July 5, at 5 a.m. at Belmont Harbor on Lake Shore Drive

Indiana

Fort Wayne – Saturday, April 18 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. downtown at Courthouse Square on Main Street

Mishawaka – Saturday, April 18, 10:30 a.m., in Beutter Park, call 574-257-1415

Massachusetts

Boston – Saturday, July 4, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Griffin Harbor on Congress Street Bridge

Mississippi

Jackson – Saturday, May 16, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.on the steps of the capitol building

Montana

Billings – Saturday, July 4, location to be announced

New York

Buffalo – Saturday, April 18, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 199 Deleware Ave

New York – Saturday, July 4, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at South Street Seaport and Pier 17

Pennsylvania

Bucks County – Saturday, April 18, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at General Greene Pavilion

Philadelphia – Saturday, April 18, at 10 a.m. on Market Street across from Independence Mall

Philadelphia – Saturday, July 4, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Independence Mall

Tennessee

Jackson – Friday, April 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Liberty Garden, people should bring tailgate items such as grills, food, tea

Texas

Austin – Saturday, July 4, time and location to be announced

Dallas – Saturday, July 4, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Victory Park

Fort Worth – Saturday, July 4 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cowtown Bar & Grill

Kerr County – Friday, April 24, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Guadalupe River at Louise Hays Park pavillion, speakers, barbecue, please feel free to bring children

Midland – Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m., Vietnam memorial at Midland International Airport, local and state politicians will be present with "open mic" time for citizen

Waco – Saturday, July 4, time and location to be announced

Virginia

Annandale – Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mason District Park, 6621 Columbia Pike

Washington

Vancouver – Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Clark County Courthouse lawn

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. – Saturday, July 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Upper Senate Park adjacent to Capitol building on north side

Wyoming

Cheyenne – July 4, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the state capitol building

[nChrist]

YEAH!!