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We Surround Rochester
Aug 28, 2010, Washington DC
By rochester_veteran
This post is going to be a work in progress, as I get photos, videos and personal accounts, I’ll add to it, so check back often.
I started out April 15, 2009, in prayer for God’s protection and for the success of the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. Wow, did God ever answer my prayers tenfold!
We were blessed with a beautiful, rain-free, sunny day with temperatures in the low 50′s. That’s pretty good weather for Rochester this time of year and did we got a turnout of citizen patriots, beyond mine and Erik’s wildest dreams!
I arrived at Genesee Crossroads Park at around 10am and there were already people trickling in for the Tea Party. John Woods, who volunteered to MC the Tea Party was one of the first people that I met, along with Laura Z who’s Dad made the T-shirts. We headed to the rally point at the “Y” of the Sister Cities Bridge. What a great location for the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party! Erik picked the spot and applied for the Special Events Permit and he’s to be commended for this because it was a perfect spot to hold a rally, a natural amphitheater with good sight-lines and dramatic setting alongside the Genesee River, the lifeblood of pioneer Rochester.
People just kept on coming as well as reporters from the various broadcast and print media. I crossed paths with Rachel Barnhart from WHAM-TV-13 and recommended for her to interview Erik and pointed him out. I had great exchanges with so many people and everybody was so upbeat and positive and united in the opinion that “We The People” need to regain the reins of government from the crash course that we’re being driven to! There were Ron Paul supporters, libertarians, conservatives, disaffected Democrats and Republicans present and it was truly a “big tent” event!
At around 11:10am, I put the call out for the Veterans and Patriots Color Guard to assemble across the Genesee River with Eric, our talented bagpiper, so we could work out the details of the march across the Sister Cities Bridge for the presentation of the Colors to start the rally. What a proud and ragtag bunch we were! Anybody who expected crisp uniforms would have been shocked and the Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard were true representatives of the folks who planned and participated in the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party, jeans and t-shirts sort of people, regular folks who care about our Nation! As we were going through our preparations, we heard repeated roars from the rally across the river. I saw a sea of people forming up, flags waving and signs being held up and at that moment, I knew this was turning into something big!
At 11:25am, the Veterans and Patriots Color Guard made our way across the Sister Cities Bridge, to start the festivities. I say festivities because that was the mood of the participants of the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. Although we’re pissed-off about the passage of the Porkulus Package and the shift towards socialism, everyone was in a festive mood and smiles were in abundance. Just to share my experience, I led the march across the bridge and the march through downtown and it was the experience of a lifetime! Everybody was so cordial and I’m still on a natural high over the whole experience! The way everybody pitched in and things came together was so heartening! I do believe there’s hope for our Nation to turn things around to our Constitutional Republic roots.
By the time the program started, the “amphitheater” at the “Y” of the Sister Cities Bridge in Genesee Crossroads Park was packed with people! Conservative estimates were at least between 1,500 and 2,000 people! Erik and I were expecting between 500 and 1,000 people, so the turnout blew us away!
An opening Invocation was offered.
Marcy “Minutemon” then led us in a rousing rendition of the National Anthem!
Charlie was the first speaker and stoked everyone up! Charlie’s speech was interrupted several times by chants and cheers!
Next up was my blogging partner, Ken and he hit a home run with his speech.
Sonja Rightmyer was our third speaker at the park and she hit a nerve with folks in the crowd about accountability of our representatives, be it in Federal, State, Local government and our school districts.
Our keynote speaker at Genesee Crossroads Park was Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis. He related on his upbringing in responsible economics as a tobacco farmer and neighborhood grocer in North Carolina and how regular folks have to live within their means. We can’t keep on bailing out irresponsible businesses, even if they’re considered too big to fail. If they’re too big to fail, perhaps they shouldn’t have gotten that big to begin with.
The resounding theme amongst all of our speakers and participants was government meddling of our free enterprise system and that they need to butt out! Does anybody here want Obama propping up and running GM?
Laura Jean then led us in a moving rendition of “God Bless America”! Everybody joined in and it was one of those moving moments that brought a tear to my eye… sorry, I’m a sap about this sort of stuff.
Then it was onward to Main St., a march to the Monroe County Office Building, down Main St. I want to commend the members of the Rochester Police Department (RPD) for their service to us today! RPD had mounted, motorcycle, bicycle and foot patrols assisting the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. I led the march and the communication between RPD and us went flawlessly! When we crossed Main and State Streets, it took 20 minutes and RPD held back traffic so we could all make it across! Many thanks to the Rochester Police Department for their handling of the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party! I took direction from them throughout the event and they were helpful and professional!
I’ve been watching the local news and they described the turnout for the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party to be in the “hundreds” and I dispute that number. I do believe that our numbers were closer to 1,500 to 2,000 and it took 20 minutes for our gathering to cross Main and State Streets and assemble in front of the County Office Building. Our cheers roared and echoed throughout West Main St.!
Stephanie kicked off the rally in front of the Monroe County Office Building by leading us in a few verses of “Amazing Grace”. Everybody joined in with her and it was quite moving. There’s something about “Amazing Grace” that just touches my soul and it’s a song that inspires me.
We heard from some great speakers in front of the Monroe County Office Building and I can attest on how our cheers echoed down Main St. Rochester!
We heard from two young speakers at the Monroe County Office Building, a Ryan Calhoun and Wyatt. Both delivered impassioned speeches on reclaiming our govenment for we the people! Erik also gave a great speech on the wrong direction our government is headed due to wrong-headed energy policies, environmental policies and capital gains taxes!
We the then marched down Fitzhugh St. to City Hall and rallied there. Marcy Minutemom led us in another rendition of the National Anthem and Ken, Charlie and Erik gave relevant speeches warning of the over-stepping of government and how it’s stifling business and working people.
What a great day it was and we definitely got peoples attention for the cause of freedom! Here’s some photos.
Here’s the link to the Tax Day Rochester NY Tea Party announcement page:
All POW-MIA
12 responses so far ↓
1 mq // Apr 15, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Thank you all for organizing this wonderful way for us to express ourselves and our grave concerns for our country!!
Your description was right on!!
What’s next?
2 Dan Maloney // Apr 16, 2009 at 1:08 am
Wow!
I’m speechless!
You all did Great!
Dan
3 Tax Day Tea Party Reports « Gathering of Eagles: NY // Apr 16, 2009 at 1:12 am
[...] And here is an excellent report with pictures from one of the organizers of the Rochester Tea Party! Beyond Our Wildest Dreams! [...]
4 Leavingroch // Apr 16, 2009 at 8:11 am
Great job guys!! Wish I could have been there.
All I can say is I hope the powers that be understand for everyone of you that was there, there are MORE that wanted to be there and couldn’t….
5 a12iggymom // Apr 16, 2009 at 1:28 pm
R_V and Eric and all of us, what a great start! Check the 912 web site, more meetings coming up. This is just the begining!
6 Melinda McCutchen // Apr 16, 2009 at 4:07 pm
This is the first time I feel that we “average citizens” can make a difference to our country. Please help me spread the following idea.
As a semi-retired journalist, I can tell you what drives the media ultimately – advertising dollars. That’s why ratings are such a big deal. We’ve seen the huge turnouts at the tea parties. Now these same people can change the way the media reports on the “so-called right wing extremists” by boycotting en mass the sponsors of these networks. This would work on the local and national media outlets. Even in our small Texas city, the NBC local affiliate barely mentioned the huge 3,000+ turnout at the local tea party. The main story line focused on the “protesters” of the protest – those with signs saying the “teabaggers are hypocrites”. Let’s not spend the small amount of money we have left supporting businesses who choose to support these media outlets with their advertising dollars.
Thank you,
Melinda McCutchen
Bronte, Texas
7 Spike // Apr 17, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Great job with the videos, it was a wonderful and moving experience April 15, I will never forget it. Something tells me this is only the beginning.
Just thought I would share more pictures of the Tea party. Click link below or copy and paste in your browser.
http://www.spikespchelp.com/rochester_tax_day_tea_party.htm
8 Sue M // Apr 18, 2009 at 1:00 am
It was such a wonderful event. Can’t wait until the next one. I was an even prouder American last Wednesday. Finally able to express my dismay about the direction this country is headed. It was well organized and I hope it’s message penetrates the minds of our dopey politician’s in this State and in Washington. I sat for a spell next to an older veteran holding onto Old Glory. We talked a while and his love of the country he served was so evident. I thanked him for his service and I feel more then ever this is a fight we must continue. Then going home seeing soundbytes of Napolitano’s stupid statements of our veteran’s angered me even more. I was so glad to be in the company of so many patriots and heros, grandmas and grandpas and just ordinary American citizen’s, young and old, that are being financially killed by our President, his administration and the politicians that are supposed to be representing us. They’re bringing down the most greatest nation in the world….and we have to stop them. Thanks for your thread and look forward to the next rally.
9 Charlie // Apr 18, 2009 at 4:22 pm
You think you were impressed!! Imagine this. You’ve tried to get rallies, marches, petitions, ANYTHING to fix your home state. Nobody shows, you get mocked, laughed at, rejected, and scorned when all you want is a place you can afford and be proud of. I’ll try one more time! The day arrives. You’ve spoken to crowds before of 50 – 70. You get there and the crowd starts to grow and grow. Your turn comes and you step up to the mike, facing a solid wall of faces!
What have I gotten myself into? I don’t know if I can do this. I know if I hold back I will fail!
The amplifier’s too small for the crowd so I’ll compensate. (Been hoarse ever since) I start the opening before the welcome and the response is immediate!
WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE! WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND WE CARE!
WHAT A RUSH!!!
10 phantomlord // Apr 18, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I know the feeling Charlie… I’m a naturally shy person and the support from the crowd was beyond amazing. My insecurities went away and I felt like, for a little while, we were all one there.
Wyatt and I are still elated from speaking… he’s eager for the next one and so am I. You and I both spoke to that group of 30 or 40 back on the cold blustery day in March when Paterson came to town and I think it inspired people to come this time. If we could get out there in the 32 degree weather and 50 mph winds, they could come downtown on a beautiful April day.
But we’re still at the beginning, we aren’t at the end. We aren’t even in the middle yet. This movement will grow. The people don’t just want to be heard, they feel they NEED to be heard. We’re all regular folks from every walk of life. Ignore and mock us at your own peril.
11 rochester_veteran // Apr 19, 2009 at 10:09 am
To All Who participated in the Rochester Tax Day Tea Party, thanks so much for joining with the “Commando” 40 and making it a resounding success!
When I assembled the Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard on the other side of the river from the rally point in the park to ready for the Presentation of the Colors, I started hearing roars and I looked over to see a big crowd gathering on the steps. Our MC, John Woods must have been firing up the crowd and getting things started.
How did the slow march across the Genesee come off? Did you hear Eric, our bagpiper? I did that march the day before and it took 3 minutes and I tried to keep the same cadence. Did it look cool when the Color Guard split onto the Y part of the Sister Cities Bridge?
I had already scouted the march route because I knew I’d be leading it. It wasn’t until I got to Main St. that I saw how RPD was going to direct us. I didn’t expect the RPD Mounted unit or as many Motorcycle patrol. They closed off the entire intersection at Four Corners on Main and State Streets and marched diagonally across the intersection. I was the first to get in front of the Monroe County Office Building and it took a good 20 minutes for all of the crowd to arrive and assemble, people just kept on coming. I was wondering how we were going to fit everybody in front of the Building as it was so cool how RPD closed off the two eastbound lanes of Main St. so we could gather.
The roar and echo from our cheers, such as “Vote Them Out!” and “No New Taxes!” got my heart pounding!
All I can say is that I’m still full of elation and hope after that wonderfully powerful Wednesday, April 15, 2009! It’s now time to take the next steps of engaging out Representatives in government, local, state and federal with the strong message that government and taxes must be cut and the Porkulus Package must be rejected! Our great Nation is not socialist, we’re a Constitutional Republic with a free enterprise capitalist economy that allows all to flourish for those willing to work for it.
RV
12 phantomlord // Apr 19, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Took a but long for you guys to start marching toward us from when John called for you… we just needed a bigger PA.
The RPD did a great job
and the spot in front of the county building was a perfect place to speak with the way the sound echoed there.