An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people marched on Lansing April 15 as part of a TEA Party protest against high taxes and big government in general.
Among those exercising their First Amendment rights in the state capital were Oxford residents Shelly Curtis, Teresa Davidson and Karen Mathieson.
‘The rally was amazing,? Davidson said. ‘It was wall-to-wall people. You could not move. I actually spoke with a gal that has worked at the capital for 15 years and she said that’s the biggest crowd that they’ve ever had.?
‘I was really encouraged by what I saw up there,? Curtis said. ‘I think the fact that so many people came out is going to encourage other people to speak up.?
The trio of Oxford women attended the rally to express their feelings about how things are going in Washington D.C. and Lansing these days.
‘My reason for going to Lansing was to let them know that I’m against big government spending at both levels ?- state and federal,? Mathieson said. ‘They want taxpayers to sacrifice, but I don’t think our government does.?
‘I’m worried about how much control the government wants,? Curtis said. ‘They want to have their nose in everything. They can’t even handle what they have.?
The women were primarily concerned about how much debt the nation’s incurring and the effect this will have on future generations.
‘At this point in time as a mother and a grandmother, I fear for the futures of our children and grandchildren,? Davidson said. ‘We are enslaving them with trillions of dollars in debt with no end in sight. We have administrations in Washington and Lansing that believe in the ideology of big government, big spending and big taxes.?
‘We’re getting farther and farther into debt and I’m really worried about what this is going to do for our kids and our grandkids,? Curtis said. ‘We’re leaving them with these huge debts. I don’t know how we’re going to get out of it. We keep borrowing money from other countries. Pretty soon they’re going to be the people in power.?
With regards to the efforts of some media figures and politicians to portray TEA (which stands for Taxed Enough Already) Party attendees as right wing extremists, the Oxford women said nothing could be further from the truth.
‘They were regular people like you and me,? Davidson said. ‘It was such a diverse group of people. People of all ages, of all backgrounds, children, grandparents, whites, blacks. It was a wide range of people who just really want to see this country turn around and get back to the basics.?
‘For me, it was encouraging to see so many people that believe in the same things that I do,? she noted.
The women were very impressed with how orderly the whole rally was from start to finish.
‘The crowd itself was very well controlled,? Curtis said.
‘It was such a good, peaceful group,? Davidson said. ‘It was a great experience. It was the first time I’d ever participated in any kind of a rally.?
The women are hoping the Lansing TEA Party, along with all the other 1,900 rallies across the United States, will be the start of a new political movement.
‘I think this movement is going to continue to grow,? Curtis said. ‘I think the conservatives have stayed quiet for too long and they need to speak up. I think that’s what you’re seeing right now.?
‘I think this is a grassroots effort that is really going to take off and hopefully effect some change ?- get some of these politicians out of there that aren’t representing us,? Davidson said. ‘I’m hoping they continue to have these.?