Posted 12:30 am Sunday, May 03, 2009
Call To Action Rally Draws Hundreds
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
Patriotic music played as hundreds of citizens gathered Saturday morning on the square in downtown Tyler for a Grassroots America-We the People Freedom Rally.
Staff Writer
Patriotic music played as hundreds of citizens gathered Saturday morning on the square in downtown Tyler for a Grassroots America-We the People Freedom Rally.
Attendees expressed frustration with the federal government and how money is being spent.
Some carried American flags while others held signs with phrases such as "No more taxes or bailouts," "Taxation without representation," and "If 10 percent was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for government."
George Stephenson, a founder of Grassroots America-We the People, estimated 500 citizens would attend the rally.
The purpose of the event was "to tell citizens what they can do to become effective grassroots activists," said JoAnn Fleming, We the People the Precinct Recruitment and Organization Committee chairwoman.
Organizers have called the rally a response to the question, "What happens after the Tea Party?"
Attendees heard from various speakers, including Peggy Venable, Texas state director for Americans for Prosperity; David Guenthner, director of media and government relations for Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Rebecca Forest, Immigration Reform Committee chairwoman and co-founder.
Toward the beginning of the rally, attendees heard a rendition of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," saw the Sons of the American Revolution post colors and heard remarks from Stephenson.
Stephenson told attendees the rally is not about Republicans or Democrats, but rather unifying concerned conservative citizens who are worried about out-of-control government spending.
"We must take back our country, and by the grace of God, we will take back our country," he said.
Local realtor Jason Wright encouraged attendees to be knowledgeable about the Constitution and other issues.
"We are to go out and proclaim what (God) has given us, but we must be knowledgeable," Wright said.
Kristi Evans, with We the People, told attendees about opportunities they have to attend constitutional seminars or be part of a precinct neighborhood study group.
"It is my hope (that the) rally will inspire you to take action personally," she said.
Venable talked about President Barack Obama's cap-and-trade energy proposal, saying the proposal probably would double electric bills.
She said low-income or no-income citizens will then complain about their electricity doubling, and others will end up paying for it.
Forest addressed the crowd regarding illegal immigration legislation.
She talked about legislation introduced in Texas that she said would reduce the illegal immigrant population in Texas and punish employers for hiring illegal immigrants.
"We are not against reasonable, diverse, legal immigration," Forest noted later.
Guenthner described the Texas Public Policy Foundation as a "nonprofit, free-market research institute that does independent policy research on issues affecting Texas."
Before he spoke, he said he planned to talk about how people can use new technologies that are available to get information to others.
"People are getting their information in different ways than they used to," Guenthner said, adding that he is trying to help people understand tools are easier to use and less expensive to use than people think.
As attendees heard from speakers Saturday morning, they made their own comments about the government.
"I like small government ... I think the Constitution drives us. As long as we are driven by the Constitution, we should adhere to it," Tyler resident Clyde Elliott said.
He said he wanted to come to the event to see where other people's thought process was as far as the Constitution.
Vonda Mecham said she came because she wanted to be a part of the support for certain issues.
"I feel like as we come together as one voice, maybe someone will hear what we want. (I) feel (our) freedoms are gradually being taken away (by the government)," she said.
As for Matthew Whitt said he has always been big on economic issues and monetary policy.
"If we don't have economic freedom, then we have nothing," Whitt said. "I believe we need to have shackles on the government and keep it grounded."
