LISBON - More than 500 people braved a steady drizzle and chilly temperatures to attend Wednesday's Tea Party protest, one of hundreds of such events held across the country.
The 90-minute event featured four speakers who spoke of the need for Americans to discard their apathy and become actively involved in how their government is being run before it is too late.
"Wow, I didn't think it would be this big," said local Tea Party organizer Robert "Duke" Bennett of Wellsville, as he surveyed the crowd of men and women, young and old. "It's time for Washington to hear our voice."
The Tea Party idea is a grassroots movement that has spread to every state, organized by Americans unhappy with the country's direction, starting last fall but especially since President Obama took office three months ago. The movement has picked up speed over the six weeks, thanks in part to conservative talk radio hosts and the Internet.
The speakers touched on public anger over a number of issues, such as policies and programs they believe give the federal government more control over their personal decisions, and economic policies that bail out businesses whose actions contributed to the recession and reckless spending bills that have nearly tripled the budget deficit.
"We are here as Americans. This is about America and the direction that we're heading, and we're not happy with that. This is about government spending and escalating debt that our children will inherit and their children, and that's unacceptable," said Dr. Ted Hill of East Liverpool, who served as master of ceremonies.
"This is about government destroying the sovereignty of America and drawing us into a global government. This is about government taking over everything, from private corporations to our private lives," Hill added.
The featured speaker was Tim Ginter of East Liverpool, a Republican who ran for Congress in 2006 and the state senate in 2008.
"We are the people ... whose forefathers rebelled against excessive levels of taxation," he said, a reference to the Boston Tea Party in 1773, where American colonialists upset with the British tax on imported tea boarded a British ship dressed as Indians and dumped the tea overboard.
"We are people who are sensible enough to recognize that history proves over and over again that excessive taxation hinders productivity, does not encourage productivity, and leads to economic disaster for nations. We protest a government that recently passed the most irresponsible, fiscally insane spending bill our nation has even seen," Ginter said.
"I don't know about you, but we are the people still proud of our nation. Although we know we have stumbled from time to time in our history, we are the people weary of our leaders apologizing for America to other nations, nations who owe their very liberty to the thousands of our brave young men and women who were willing to give their last full measure of devotion, many of whom are still buried on their soil," he told the cheering crowd.
President Obama recently apologized to European leaders for American "arrogance."
The common theme was how elected officials are increasingly ignoring the Constitution and the need to return to the principles upon which the nation was founded, such as limited government and individual and economic liberty.
"We are tired of seeing the Constitution and the principles and liberties incorporated therein systematically destroyed and ignorantly interpreted by those who see it as a work in progress that can be changed at will," Ginter said.
Another speaker was Richard Saphore of Lisbon, a major in the Ohio National Guard, whose travels have taken him to other countries.
"This is the best country in the world, and it's not arrogance. It's pride in who we are and what we've built," he said.
Saphore served a year in Iraq during the pre-surge period when the insurgency was at its peak, and this was also the time when the Iraqis risked death to vote on their proposed constitution. Saphore said we should draw inspiration from their courage, and the military must remain until their freedom is secured.
While in Iraq, Saphore's unit participated in the formation of a police force. During recruitment day, a suicide bomber infiltrated their ranks, killing 30 police recruits and several American soldiers.
"It was a horrible day," recalled Saphore, who became choked up at the memory and was temporarily unable to continue.
The crowd began to applaud, and someone shouted, "Take your time."
Saphore regained his composure and resumed his story.
"After everything that happened and everything was cleared out, the Iraqi (recruits) just got back in line to serve their country," he said, drawing a parallel with the Tea Party.
"If we don't fight for this country, and I'm talking about a peaceful, political fight, if we don't fight for our country, it's going to turn into something we don't like," Saphore said.
He urged everyone to read the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, especially children.
"It's our responsibility as Americans to know what our government is supposed to do when they're working for us," Saphore said.
Also speaking Wednesday was Steve Curtis of the Ohio chapter of Americans for Fair Taxation, which promotes replacing the income tax with a "fair tax," or national sales tax, except on necessities.
Tea Party participants are aware opponents and the news media will attempt to portray them as anti-government extremists or worse, and Ginter alluded to that.
"I heard this morning that Homeland Security has been alerted today to watch out for extremists ... and if by extremist they mean radical, and if by radical they define that in the same sense as those we think of in the past - such as the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, who pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor - then I am honored today to be considered a radical and extremist," he said.
The speakers and the crowd were respectful and did not engage in name-calling or make any disparaging remarks about officials. In fact, no elected officials were mentioned by name or position.
Afterward, approximately 497 people signed a scroll-like document made to resemble the Declaration of Independence.
Bennett said their next challenge is to keep the Tea Party moving forward, and those in attendance were asked to provide information on how they can be contacted. He will encourage them to write and call their elected representatives and keep it up. Other public events also may be scheduled.
"They'll eventually have to pay attention to us," Bennett said.
