Racine Tea Party Event

From the Racine Journal-Times:

An estimated 3,200 tea party supporters spread their message in Racine on Saturday with flags, shirts and homemade signs.

The messages read: "Don't tread on me," "No laws should have more words than the American Constitution," and "I came to see U.S. citizen rights in action."

Another sign said "Having Others Pay for Everything," with a picture of President Barack Obama and the word HOPE.

The large crowd gathered Saturday at Pershing Park for the Racine Tea Party September 11th Tribute and Town Hall, an event organized by the Racine Taxed Enough Already Party, the Wisconsin Prosperity Network and Americans for Prosperity.

The message was clear: "November is Coming," signs said, and tea party supporters want to see a change in government with the upcoming election.

A group of six protesters from Horlick High School showed up with signs in opposition to the tea party. But there were no incidents that required police intervention, said Police Chief Kurt Wahlen, who brought in 10 extra officers for the event.

Fox News reporter John Stossel was originally scheduled to attend the rally, but he was unable to make it because of work commitments, organizers said.

The event started with a remembrance of 9/11 and a tribute video to those who lost their lives. It then progressed into a rally, concentrating on concerns with the government.

"We are here to re-create our government," said U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who represents Racine County and was one of the speakers at Saturday's event. "We want our country back."

His name was met with applause almost every time he was mentioned, as well as nearly every time speakers talked about changing the government and repealing "Obamacare."

"The garbage disposal was invented here," said conservative author and Los Angeles Times columnist Jonah Goldberg, one of the speakers. "Take that metaphor and run with it. Put all that stuff in Washington through it."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's coverage of the event was stunningly inadequate.

Just a little blurb from AP is all that appeared online.

No wonder the Journal Sentinel is floundering.

A rally attended by thousands gets ignored. Of course, if some lone nutcase burned a few pages of the Quran on the steps of the Milwaukee County Courthouse, that would have received massive coverage and analysis.

Poor liberals at the JS. Pretending the Tea Party activists don't exist won't make them go away.

Photos of the event, from the Journal Times.

I see what looks like patriotic Americans. I don't see any indications of crazed racists milling around.


The closest thing I see to a mean-spirited sign is held by a counter protester.

More photos of the Tea Party, Real Debate Wisconsin.

Additional commentary and photos, RacinePost.