St. Charles’ first tea party draws energized crowd who ‘want their country back’
They have gone and done it now. Federal government policy has angered the mothers and grandmothers of the U.S.
While there are plenty of determined men in the ranks of the dissatisfied, the driving force of St. Charles’ first tea party was the women.
The organizers are a loosely collected group of concerned citizens, some affiliated with an official group, some who aren’t. There’s a smattering of Republicans, but the organizing committee doesn’t even have an official name. Most are women and they’re all conservatives.
They got together to stage a rally of patriots and a rally of patriots they got. The stage was the pavilion at Frontier Park in St. Charles. Set to begin at 5 p.m. Oct. 2, people began to gather at 3 p.m. By 4 p.m., they were streaming through the gates in earnest for the pre-rally which was essentially a large outdoor conversation with patriotic music playing in the background.
Since the second Tea Party got the movement rolling in St. Louis on April 15, rallies, protests, counter-protests and more tea parties have been springing up with increasing regularity, attracting larger and larger numbers all across the U.S.
Everyone knows the rules by now: Be peaceful, respectful and don’t litter. But the animated conversations exchanged during the pre-rally reveal why citizens are spontaneously coming together – even in staid St. Charles.
“We’re not going to stop until we get our country back,” is the most often-repeated phrase.
Back from what? Those attending offer a list, including increasing unemployment, an ever-weakening dollar, loss of gun ownership rights, big government getting bigger, skyrocketing national debt and the fear of equally soaring taxes.
The current debate over government-run healthcare ranks high on the list but no more than government intrusion into schools and business. The threat of a public option was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
The signs, banners, posters, lapel buttons, stickers and T-shirts tell the story.
It’s not all criticism. There’s plenty of helpful advice: “Get back to the Constitution,” “Keep free markets free,” “Get back to God” and “Term Limits” are popular themes. “Throw the bums out” is gaining in popularity too.
Speaker Catherine Bleish of the Liberty Restoration Project is a 24-year old Mizzou graduate. Bleish reminded her enthusiastic audience that Missouri is a sovereign state, protected by the 10th Amendment of the Constitution empowering states and limiting the power of the federal government.
While frequently interrupted by spontaneous applause, Bleish said, “Missouri is a free and independent state subject only to the U.S. Constitution, not one party’s political ideology.”
Others on the program included: Steve Voss, Kevin Jackson, who is the author of “The Big Black Lie,” Greg and Jamie Hitt, Stephanie Ruback, RN and Dr. Bob Onder.
One of the event hosts, Joe Brazil, encouraged the crowd to “Let your voices be heard” listing grievances which prompted energetic cheers to his demands to control government spending, restore individual responsibility and individual reward, individual freedom and liberty and “Keep America American,” which got the most boisterous response.
Brazil said too many elected officials, both Republican and Democratic, get to Washington, D.C., and fail to represent their constituents, serving instead the interests of the big campaign contributors. This allegation received another cheer.
Keough, a veteran military doctor, led the Pledge of Allegiance and gave an invocation worthy of a Baptist preacher. As one who had served from D-day to V-day, Keough exhorted the audience to reconnect with God and fearlessly prepare to “fight and regain this nation.”
