While the people were setting up the tables and props, there was a pretty good east wind blowing across the lake, it took some extra effort to get the banners, and signs taped down to the tables. More about the wind, later.
My aunt mentioned to me that she had only heard an advertisement for the tea party, once on the television, and that was the morning of the party. I explained to her that the majority of the advertisement was through the internet, the AM talk radio station, and word of mouth. She couldn’t understand why there had not been more announcements on the television. I explained to her that the television stations have a vested interest in encouraging ever expanding gummint; they want no part in any subversive activities that would encourage reducing gummint.
A man made up as Abe Lincoln was there, and you could have your picture taken with him to commemorate the day. There was also a place where you could have your picture taken with “Daisy”. There was a lot of speculation as to who “Daisy” might be, and just prior to the festivities kicking off, “Daisy” was carried in. She was about a forty pound pig. Yes, you got that right…No, I can’t say I saw them put lipstick on “Daisy”.
Thanks was given to the Water Show enterprise, here in Sioux Falls, for the loan of their water-worthy replica of a “man-o-war” to symbolize the British ships bringing in the load of tea, and other commodities.
I had mentioned the stiff east wind that was blowing across the lake, and blowing everything around; at the start of the festivities, there were so many people gathered around, that a lot of the banners, were no longer moving with the wind, because the people were blocking the wind.
A drum corps, and a chorus, were in attendance from the local high school, which, I might add, is also the high school that provides Marine Corps Junior ROTC. They were great!
The MC announced that we were not having any politicians in attendance, primarily because the event was “grass-roots” and not beholden to any political party. There were guest speakers made up to represent historical figures instrumental in our country’s founding and growing. Their words were well taken, and encouraging.
I asked someone about the commie pinkos that were supposed to be there as a counter demonstration, and was informed that there was one van and a motorcycle in the driveway of the parking lot, but that was all. I left the event early to get to work, and did not see any protesters at all.
The count of the people in attendance was somewhere upward of 3500. When I left, there were vehicles lined up in the road trying to find parking places so they could be a part of the event.
Well, it was a good event, and I came away encouraged that there are more people here, than I thought, who are concerned about where the gummint is taking us. You see, South Dakota is an integral part of “flyover country”, we are the hicks that embrace our religion and guns. But I have had a concern that we are a bipolar community. We are considered to be a conservative state, yet, we have a tendency to vote very liberal. I have talked with citizens here, and been informed that it is a good thing to have both a conservative and a liberal in the senate, cuz, it keeps a balance. I am sorry, but I don’t see any balance there, to me it is a cancelled vote, because we only have two senators, and when they vote against each other, we might as well not have a vote.
I have also been told that it is important for us to have the right person in con-gress to make sure we get federal money to do things. Well, hellooooo!!! How often we forget where those federal funds come from. Here we are having a tax day tea party, to make our desires known that we want less taxes, yet, part of our population still wants to get those federal funds. {Shake my head in wonder}.
