One of my favorite pictures today. Kids make the world more interesting, don't they?
It's raining, which is gonna make this an interesting photo shoot. Keep in mind that I am balancing a backpack, an umbrella I don't want to poke anyone with and a camera I'm desperately trying to keep dry. But so are lots of other people. Upon arriving at Lafayette Park - site of the Washington DC Tea Party, what I found was a bunch of really pleasant people dedicated to the traditional ideal of American freedom. Note this gentleman is carrying a book on the Constitution.
Lafayette Park is directly across from the White House. It is not an open space like the Mall, but a working park, which made for some awkward maneuvering. I am skirting around the crowd here, trying to get a sense of where the stage is. It's hard to even figure out the direction of the crowd with all the umbrellas - and the sound was further muffled by the rain.
The tulips in bloom - glorious color! Lafayette's statue in the background.
What was really cool was the authentically grassroots nature of the Tea Party movement. Unlike union-sponsored or leftist group (think ACORN) sponsored or Democrat or Republican political campaigns of any persuasion, there was not a single mass-produced sign in evidence. Instead of mindless, meaningless slogans like "Change" or "Hope" the protesters - dedicated enough to show up in the rain - thought up their own messages and made their own signs. American individualism in contrast to simplistic mind control.
Nothing special here - just want to give you an idea what it was like walking through a crowd of umbrellas - trying to cut a swath wide enough for my own.
Then again, some people had more to worry about than just making way for their umbrella. Her father, maybe?
Once in a while, there'd be a break in umbrellas and a face would appear :)
The Gadsden flag is making a comeback. Read all about it at http://www.gadsden.info (great idea for a school project).
Coming home, I turned on the radio and heard that CNN et al had tried desperately to paint these protests as hateful and invalid because there weren't enough "people of color." I've never heard protests invalidated because they were all black. I found the crowd here good-natured and polite, clearly first-timers at protesting. I'm actually an old hand at protests - as a former radical leftist who organized and marched in many a DC antiwar protest in the 60s and 70s). These people certainly seem to have their heads on a lot better than my cohorts and I did back then.
Like the sweatshirt: In it, not of it.
See what I mean about the individual brainstorming that went into the signs? We all took pictures of the signs - they need to be recorded.
The rally started at 12:00. Because I was reading on the Metro, I missed my stop and didn't get there until 12:30. It was raining - not hard, but not light. This is the ground around 1:00.
Note the tea bags.
I so admired the families I saw. And know there would have been many, many more but for the rain - which made it a more difficult call. Which was more important? As a mother dedicated to my early radical leftist ideals, I took my first daughter-Samantha Sunshine - to every protest/march/rampage in DC from 1968-1972, when we moved to San Francisco. Okay, so I was wrong *wry smile* - but I still believe political activism is a good lesson to pass on to your kids. I know Samantha was planning to take her six children to the Tea Party in Winchester. VA today. So she wised up at an early age and is conservative through and through. But I like to think God was able to use the early lessons in political activism after all.
You gotta love this one!
This one, too.
This is a FOX news set up. They were very much present. I saw AP also.
Still raining. So in addition to balancing backpack, camera, and umbrella, gotta work a little harder at avoiding puddles.
First time I've seen the brooms and not sure what they mean. Sweep the bums out?
I am of the opinion that this has never been resolved - because it can't be. Seems a birth certificate is a pretty easy document to produce. I've had to produce them for each of our first seven children to get their driver's licenses.
Piper for President - remember? http://mommylife.net/archives/2008/09/piper_palin_for.html
Check out the Young America Foundation at http://www.yaf.org. My sons Josh and Zach went to several of their events. You might want to send your kids there too, to learn how to defend conservatism.
I liked this alliterative summary of Leftist hypocrisy. These are all things that have bothered me too, but I like this pithy approach.
Lafayette Park is named for Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, who was a friend of America for many decades. You can find his history here: http://www.marquisdelafayette.net/ - Did I say how much I love Washington, DC, where I spent a number of my growing up years?
Lafayette Square is directly north of the White House.
These boots must come in handy for events like this :)
This mom had made the most of the occasion by truly educating her sons on the issues. These boys were making statements to the press. They've clearly got a future! But what about that SPY hat in the background?
Check out this checklist!
Lots of symbols going on here. Note the rattlesnake (symbol originated with Benjamin Franklin and incorporated into the Gadsden - Don't Tread on Me - flag) wrapped around the flagstaff. And the cube of tea - maybe like those thrown into the Boston Harbor in protest of Britain's excessive taxes in 1773. Be sure to teach your children the origins of this Tea Party movement, which has only just begun.
Again - lots of symbols - note the Cabbage Patch ball and chain - and the pig nose.
The boots I wish I was wearing, rather than my Avias, which were by now soaking wet.
The Economist interviewing.
The Economist interviewees.
More under-umbrellas interviews.
This woman fled Romania to come to the United States 21 years ago. She came to the Tea Party by herself because - like many in her situation, she is deeply concerned that the direction of the US is mimicking the failed system she fled.
The highlight of the DC Tea Party was Laura Ingraham speaking. Afterwards, as she was leaving she stopped to give Fox News an interview and a crowd of umbrellas gathered. Believe me, trying to squeeze to the front - hindered by a backpack and trying desperately not to poke or drip on anyone with my umbrella made me realize what a handicap being polite is :) This shot was the result of my holding my camera at arms length between two people in front of me - and shooting in faith. So the angle's a little off, doesn't Laura look beautiful?
And she wears a Five-Way medal just like I do! Write me for tips on where to find them :) Maybe we'll start a trend.
