When I indicated to fellow Pittsburghers my intention to participate in the local tax-day Tea Party I received two common responses: "Good for you. Maybe I'll join you." And "That won't be well attended. How many people around here make more than $250,000 a year? There's nothing to protest.
"Despite the persistent rain, Pittsburgh's Tea Party was well- attended.
Protesters came to express a variety of concerns. The core issues are out-of-control spending, burgeoning government, an unreasonable tax code and borrowing against the future of our children. Individually, we've listened to conservative radio and tv and visited conservative web sites. These are informative, critically valuable electronic links. But they are anonymous and solitary by nature. According to some estimates, up to one million people gathered at Tea Parties in hundreds of locations across America.
Let's note the dignified nature of these protests. Perhaps a million participants were without exception responsible, peaceful and proud demonstrators. "Right Wing Extremists?" We beg your pardon. Pittsburgh's was an invigorating gathering. It was an exercise of our rights of free speech and assembly, which protect our traditions of self-expression, leadership and debate. These are vital characteristics of a functioning Democracy.
The significance of the gathering was underscored by its non- elitist composition and by its organic genesis. Your neighbor was there. Her husband too. He brought his cousin. His cousin brought her little girl. People exchanged thoughts about Constitutional rights, states rights, the concern that these economic hard times are being used opportunistically, national security, capitalism, a country with an unequalled place in history.
You didn't have to make upwards of 250k to be there and you weren't greedy or politically or socially incorrect if you were there.
This felt like a historic moment. The sort of moment that introduces a movement.
By Christopher "Hollywood" Cochran
By Christopher "Hollywood" Cochran
