912 Rally in DC - An Event To Remember!

[Greg & Cari]

Greg and I and a friend of Greg’s flew to Washington DC on Friday, September 11, 2009. At the airport, Greg wearing his “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have” T-shirt, caused a bit of a stir. A few people whispered “he must be with the Tea Party.” While we were catching our ride into the city we met two lovely ladies from Arizona! They had flown in for the Tea Party. It was a lot of fun to talk with them. We also met another lady, her name was Denise. She voted for the President because she thought he was going to bring “change”. She said she had been watching MSNBC, CBS News, ABC News and CNN up until a month ago. She caught an episode of Glenn Beck and then began watching Fox News. She realized that much of what was reported on the other channels was White House Propaganda! When she heard about the rally in DC she was interested and at the last minute she booked a flight, flew to DC and was staying at a hotel alone. She was not part of a Tea Party group, she just was disappointed and angry at what has happened in the short time that BO has been president. I thought this was the greatest story I heard for our entire trip. Needless to say, she was there in support of the Tea Party and she was not turning back!
When we arrived at our hotel, I met another couple in the lobby. I asked them if they were part of the Tea Party, but they acted kind of like they did not like us and indicated they were not part of the Tea Party. I did not think much of it. Later that night, meeting up with several SWMI Patriots at the restaurant, this same couple approached me outside. She said she needed to know what exactly the Tea Party was. She said I had taken them by surprise when I asked if they were part of the Tea Party. So I explained what we believed in, gave them one our Patriot cards and told them to check us out. She hugged me and thanked me for the work that the Tea Party’s are doing saying that we all need to be doing that. A new Tea Party Convert? I think possibly yes! They were from Rochester, NY and said they would watch Fox News on Saturday and see what happened! I don’t know if we will hear from them again, but God Bless America where you can share your views and opinions without being hauled off to jail. Of course, I don’t know if that threat would stop me from talking to people!
The next morning, our hotel was abuzz with all the Tea Party Patriots preparing to make their way to the Freedom Plaza for the March later that day. It was so much fun talking with so many different people from all over the country! We were all together for one purpose. Those discussions and shared viewpoints in the hotel continued as we boarded the Metro to DC. We met many more Patriots. The Metro was packed with Patriots. It was so much fun! When we got off and began to make our way to the plaza I was in awe of the amount of people. By the time we arrived at the Freedom Plaza, there were so many people and it was spilling into the streets. The signs, the many dressed as patriots it was an incredible experience. That rally will remain with me as one of my fondest and proudest moments as an American Citizen.
The march from Freedom Plaza to the Capitol was incredible! It is so hard to put words the emotion of the day. To see thousands upon thousands (I don’t care what the media says, in the words of Rep. Joe Wilson “You Lie!”) there were so many people there it is hard to conceive of what the true number was! The thing that struck me the most was the kindness, the gentleness and even meekness of the people. We all shouted “USA” or they would do a verbal “wave” beginning at the Capitol and making its way up the streets of the marchers in a “roar” of support of being an American! When the music played “Proud to be an American” everyone sang at the top of their lungs! You could not even hear the music over the loudspeakers because everyone was so proud to sing that song! No one pushed, shoved or called names and when the rally was done and over there was absolutely no trash to be found on the grounds of the Capitol and the outlying areas. The police said there were no arrests and no major problems.
When we came home Sunday morning as we found our gate and were awaiting our plane, Greg again had on one of shirts that says “A nation of sheep begets a government of wolves.” Once again, this shirt caused quite a stir, but instead of whispers it was handshakes, back slaps, and knuckles as many of the Patriots that had attended the rally on Saturday were on the same flight heading home. We met people from Ohio, California, Kansas, Tennessee and Michigan. We had a mini-Tea Party right there at the gate while waiting for the plane. Some people were obviously irritated but others listened in. We did flinch or change what we were talking about because we were proud to be part of history! Who knows, we may have planted a few more seeds once people saw that we were “normal” not the “mobsters” and “Nazi’s” that we have been portrayed as!
What a great and wonderful nation we live in but the reason it is great and wonderful is because of the citizens who care enough to treat the country with the reverence and respect it deserves; Citizens who are not afraid to stand shoulder to shoulder with one another and say “No More”; Citizens who truly love their country and their freedoms and are willing to put their own lives on hold to fight a political machine that no longer cares for them! I am proud to be an American. I am also proud to be associated with such a wonderful group of Patriots. I looked through our pictures and was overcome with emotion as I considered that I may have passed any one of you in the grocery store, or on the road in my car and would have never had the chance to get to know you without the SWMI Patriots forming. I am forever grateful and consider it a true honor to name each of you as my friends.

[Scott Arnett]

"The advertisement is the most truthful part of a newspaper." Thomas Jefferson
There is nothing new under the sun.
I spoke with the security at the Capital Lawn and they told me they expected 50,000. One told me they had no idea it would be as big as it was. Are they really that inept?
What a great depiction by Greg and Cari! It truly was a humbling experience to meet that many people who felt compelled to stand up and give their time, energy, and resources to be in Washington to have their voices heard. It's so sad to have the awareness that yours and your children's future will not be the same as we were brought up to respect and admire. America,.. the symbol of Freedom, the Beacon to the world, being reduced to the Communist perception of Capitalism and free speech.
I have new hope and belief that this perception will not endure!
It's something that I feel was a true privilege to be a part of.
The first salvo has been launched! We will prevail with persistence and education.

[Sherry Williams]

Wow, How great to have been a part of history first hand. No matter what the media portrays us to be, the actions of so many gathered peacefully to demonstrate and no arrests?? NONE?? That alone speaks volumes to the spirit of the Tea Party Movement. I saw on Drudge Report 2 million in Washington, and the press secretary Gibbs sayes they knew nothing about the event prior to 9/12.....REALLY? So much for national security if they can't even see what is happening right before their eyes. Oh, but maybe they just want folks to think they don't know, or that it is of little consequence what the American people that employ them say. Glad to know you made it home safely, and wish I could have marched along side you, but we were with you in spirit and said a prayer that their be no violence. Thank you God.

[Anthony Dugal]

Perhaps all those who attended should write a letter to their newspaper, telling of their wonderful experience, the significance of this event? As the "state-run media" never seems to give us a fair shake, letters to the editor will give others a first-hand account of this grand event, why we went, what we hope to accomplish...

The AP story, which ran in hundreds of newspapers, said, "many said they paid their own way" to Washington. What does this mean? The implication is that many, perhaps most, didn't pay their own way? I don't know anyone who had an insurance company or a political party fund their trip--despite such accusations by politicians and liberal journalists. Most media reported "tens of thousands" attended...but we know there were hundreds of thousands, at a minimum. We must do all we can to overcome the liberal bias of most media, who have tried to marginalize us and our efforts.

[Anthony Dugal]

Cari,

Bravo! for sharing your experiences. I'll share my experience--in photos--soon. (still working on them, sorting, narrowing the choice from 500 I shot...to the "best" 150 or 200, to be posted on our site). It was an incredible experience.

It wasn't the grand monuments in our nation's capitol, or even the huge crowd of several hundred thousand that got to me. What I will treasure are the like-mined people I met, spoke with, in Washington (and even while on the road, there and back...at every gas & food stop we met others heading to, coming home from, the rally). Even citizens who were not going to the rally, but saw our shirts, gave us support.

When in the huge crowd, one had not choice but to relate to others on an individual basis, and share stories with each other. Some I only spoke with for a few seconds; others marched alongside me, stood next to me--for hours--during the speeches. I don't remember their names--only where they came from...and why they came to this event. There are many, many others (like me) who treasure our freedoms, and want to preserve liberty for future generations.