Romans celebrate Independence Day with second Tea Party
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Naomi Hamby, 8, gets her face painted with the beginnings of a patriotic flower by Gina Parr at the Independence Day Tea Party held at Opi's Waterfront Grill in Rome Saturday. (Kevin Myrick/RN-T)
Emily Matson of Rome leads the crowd at the tea party tax protest in the Star Spangled Banner Saturday morning. (Lindy Dugger Cordell, RN-T.com)
Bill Byars of Rome (left) holds a Gadsden flag as his son Matthew Byars holds an American flag during the tax protest tea party held outside Opi's Waterfront Grill in downtown Rome Saturday morning. The Gadsden flag, which was named after and designed by American Revolutionary War general Christopher Gadsden, depicts a coiled rattle snake ready a strike. The diamondback rattler became a popular symbol of the American colonies and their independence movement starting in the 1750s with an editorial cartoon drawn by Benjamin Franklin. (Lindy Dugger Cordell, RN-T.com)
Dozens of people chose to watch the tea party from the shade of the Forum parking deck instead of joining others in the sun late Saturday morning. (Lindy Dugger Cordell, RN-T.com)
Dixie Milam (left center), Kenneth Hancock (center) and his wife Phyllis Hancock listen to music while waiting for the tea party tax protest rally to begin at Opi's Waterfront Grill Saturday morning. (Lindy Dugger Cordell, RN-T.com)
This Tea Party is the second in Rome during the past months. An estimated 300 people attended the rally, which included speeches, face painting and raffle prizes.
Organizer Layla Shipman said she hoped the rally would bring people together to push for change.
“I wouldn’t take the time to plan something like this if I didn’t think it was going to make a difference,” she said.
A crowd had gathered in front of Opi’s 15 minutes before the rally was to begin to hear speakers Virginia Galloway from the Atlanta Tea Party Organization and Americans for Prosperity; Mel Funk, owner of Opi’s Waterfront Grille representing small business; Jonathan Krohn, 14-year-old author of “Defining Conservatism;” and Sherri Reece from the Atlanta Tea Party Organization.
Krohn, who has a forthcoming second edition of his book due in January, said the conservative movement in the U.S. is in need of some help.
“All this stuff going on in America today will encourage more people to get involved though,” Krohn said.
He said he expects Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who announced Friday she would resign from office later this month, to run for another office in Alaska in 2010.
What happens during next year’s congressional elections is important, he said.
“There are two houses of Congress at stake and it will be the predecessor to the 2012 (presidential) election. We need to get past 2010 before we can think about the 2012 elections.”
Jason Bowen said he came out because current federal government spending policies are wrong for America.
“I came out because of needless spending honestly,” he said. “I see these huge figures, and all I see is the government throwing money at a problem that doesn’t need it.”
Eddie Atkins came out too because of what he felt was a lack in good spending policies.
“The government sent me $250 this year, and I don’t need it,” he said. “I want them to give it to people who really need it, because I don’t. And everyone I’ve talked to tell me they feel the same way.”
If your proclaimed fiscal convictions can only be voiced when one of your own is safely out of office and one of the "enemy" is in it, you cannot be taken seriously. Your timing alone gives you away.
It would have been nice if the author of this piece had taken more time to write a balanced article and included a few more details:
How did the turn-out in Rome today compare to the last rally?
Was there any more to the rally than a book-signing (and selling) opportunity for hack authors and right-wing agitators?
What spending, specifically, does Jason Bowen feel is "needless"? What would demonstrate "government throwing money at a problem that doesn’t need it."?
A suggestion for Eddie Atkins: If you don't need the $250 you got from the government, then either send it back and tell them "thanks, but no thanks" or donate the money to a charity that you support. Many other people who got that money really did need it.