Traveling via charter buses across the country, the Tea Party Express made a stop on the lawns before the Capitol building in Salt Lake on Tuesday, Mar. 30.
For those who missed it, Salt Lake will be hit again on Apr. 15, at the Federal Building, 10:00 a.m. on the south lawn of The Capitol at noon. In case of rain or snow, the meeting place will be in the Capitol building rotunda. Of course, as most flyers and Tea Partiers boast, come rain, snow or shine, they’ll be there to spread the message. March 30, they came in strong winds that dislodged hats, scattered papers and made “Don’t Tread on Me” banners and people’s “Obama Care Kills” signs flutter and wave.
Among the speakers were Utah GOP Senate candidate Cherilyn Eagar, radio show host Mark Williams and Amy Kremer the grassroots and coalitions director for the Tea Party.
“They are taking this country down a horrific path,” Williams told crowd, a motley bunch including teachers, parents, families with children all ages, veterans, retired citizens a few students.
“Socialism, progressivism, whatever you want to call it, invariably results in hundreds of millions of dead, innocent bodies,” Williams continued.
While many believe the team behind the tours an the people who attend them are racist, extreme, anti-American, anti-Semitic and fascist among many stigmas, there were people of all races and ages, united on the Capitol’s lawn. As declared on the official website, TeaPartyPatriots.org, the Tea Party Express, “Is a non-partisan, non-profit social welfare organization dedicated to furthering the common good and general welfare of the people of the United States…by educating the public and promoting the principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets.” Kremer said another goal is getting conservatives, not Republicans, into office.
When asked by one of the speaker’s, the crowd even identified themselves with raised hands or cheers as Republican, Conservative but also Democratic, Libertarian and independent.
Along with speakers were different musical performers of different genres, including a country band that sang “I Need a Bail-Out” and a Conservative rap group called Polatik, with lyrics including, “Limited government is our only solution, our only foundation should be our Constitution.”
There was also a raffle by the end of the rally for books, CDs and other items from featured authors and performers offered to all Party goers.
A variety of entertainment was offered with the educational speeches, however, Kremer admitted the biggest issue the Tea Party is still facing is trying to get the youth, specifically young college students involved and interested.
“That is one of our biggest challenges,” Kremer said.
With daughter in college, Kremer has received first hand testimony from the very age group she’s fighting for admit they just aren’t interested in politics. It’s not a priority in their busy social life, which is why one getting college students interested in politics is one of the biggest challenges Kremer and Tea Partiers face.
Already, for most colleges, universities and collegiate institutes, “liberal ideologies are indoctrinated” into what is taught and how they are taught.
Before elections last year, it was viewed as “cool” to vote for Obama.
Making it “cool to be Conservative,” having youth really be interested, become engaged and become active is a priority, Kremer stressed.
By not just taking all that you hear for truth, not “reading lips” but doing the researching yourself is important. Voting on principals and values and not according to the letter, the R or D next to someone’s name on a ballot is crucial.
Take Health Care. Kremer says, “You are not going to see the benefits until 2014… [but] you’re still paying the taxes for it…it’s not free.” The same goes for education, she said. The privatization of student loans was one aspect slipped into the bill that has now become law.
“They’re controlled by government,” Kremer said.
While Kremer stresses knowing the issue and staying informed and educated, especially among the youth and young collegians, it is this group that seems so hard to motivate.
“You (students and youth) are in debt and you don’t even know it,” Kremer said.
Though one of the seemingly inherent frailties of this younger generation seems to be apathy toward what goes on in the political world, it affects everyday life and every American citizen trying to live that life.
“This is your future,” Kremer said, “You should share the same liberties I grew up and your parents grew up with.”
Kremer admitted “the real strength” of the Tea Party movements is in the grassroots, on the local level. Digitizing the message and spreading the world electronically, where so much youth now resides, either YouTubing or Facebooking, is where the Tea Partiers are aiming at, currently. And, speaking of online videos, as Kremer said, in all the 1,000 of videos you can find on the web, “not one depicts what allegedly happened” concerning the hate crimes in D.C. committed by Tea Party goers.
Finding out the information for yourself helps ensure knowing what’s really happening and how ugly bias can morph issues.
Now, even after reading this article, I, like Kremer, encourage all students to dig up the facts for yourself and rely on your own independent research before running with all that you read or watch on TV.
You can follow the party online and find local groups and chapters to start raising your voice and contributing to the political movement that’s already a huge landmark in history. It’s happening now, in our lifetimes. In 20 years, do you want to say you just watched the news about what was going on during the intense, political struggles of 2010? Or do you want to say that you were there and you made sure others knew that? You didn’t simply take all you heard or read as fact, but made your own informed decisions, voted smart and raised your voice and fought for your right?
There’s a lot to find online, on both sides of current issues and on groups you can join to start getting active.
April 15 at the Federal Building, 10:00 a.m. on the south lawn of The Capitol at noon, the Tea Party will be stopping by.
Featured speakers include Governor Gary Herbert, Utah State Senator Margaret Dayton and U.S. Senate candidates Tim Bridgewater, Merril Cook, Cherilyn Eagar and Mike Lee.
As always, Tea Party goers are invited to bring friends, family and clever, family-friendly signs.
Visit the official site, TeaPartyPatriots.org or Google Tea Party or any of the information stated for more information.