Guest Opinion
Want our government to get off our backs and out of our pocketbooks
Jeffery Reynolds
The Oregon Tea Party joined forces with the 9-12 Project during Saturday’s parade.
This year’s Independence Day parade in Hillsboro was remarkable for an entry that stood out.
The Oregon Tea Party, which organized the Tax Day Tea Party event in downtown Portland April 15, had this year’s largest parade entry.
By one estimate, nearly 300 participants marched in the group, representing the Tea Party Organization, Americans for Prosperity and The 9-12 Project.
The Tea Party group, whose stated goal is to stand for limited government and less-burdensome taxes, has built upon the momentum of the previous rally to advance its cause and took the opportunity to get the word out on our nation’s birthday to as many folks as it could reach.
Following the parade, participants held a rally at the Hillsboro Public Services Building.
Tom Cox, who organized the parade entry, said the group printed 5,000 postcards to hand out that explained the group’s basic philosophy and promote its website (www.oregonteaparty.com).
“It is amazing that we were able to hand them all out, and we have none left,” he said.
Participants in the group expressed a common enthusiasm and gratification that their message was heard in a positive manner.
Participant Mike Dailey from Tualatin said, “I woke up thinking, is this really worth it all? But here we were, all gathered together with one purpose in mind: We are taxed enough already.”
He said he felt vindicated when he overheard a parade watcher say, “Oh my goodness, this is wonderful!”
Other participants report similar positive reactions. Approximately half a dozen watchers along the parade route expressed opposition to the entry in the parade, but far more people applauded, accepted organizational information or otherwise expressed approval.
Benjamin Franklin was even spotted in the crowd.
“Since he missed the Boston Tea Party, I walked the parade dressed as Benjamin Franklin to bring a Revolutionary-era touch to the event,” said Jeff Smith of Beaverton. “Most people reacted well to having Ben hand them a bit of literature.”
Although not officially aligned with a particular political party, a number of the group’s participants expressed frustration with a growing disconnect between elected officials and the citizens they represent.
Frank Walker of Portland said, “We all were marching to say, ‘No more taxing the people without reading the bills. No more massive spending digging our country into deeper debt and “no” to social programs such as health care without allowing people to have a choice to be in the program.’”
Doug Keller, a 20 year Navy veteran from Hillsboro, said, “We as a family felt like a debt to this country needed to be repaid and that’s why my three brothers and I chose to serve our country. I have faith that the citizens of this country will start to realize again that we are a great country and that we are capable of great things. The United States of America is a great country, and we need to keep it that way.”
These sentiments were echoed throughout the state of Oregon, as similar Tea Party rallies were held in towns across the state, from Coos Bay and Brookings to Salem.
“I know folks who’ve traded years of their lives for a pink slip today,” said Geoff Ludt, volunteer State Tea Party Coordinator. “Some have lost their homes. In the middle of this, our leaders in Salem just voted to increase Oregon’s cost of living. Today, thousands of Oregonians joined in a nationwide movement to send the message that accountability cannot be perverted by progressive redistribution and that Salem’s policies to do just that are hurting middle-class Oregon.”
All in all, participants in the Oregon Tea Party entry in this year’s parade agreed that a different tone has been set than in years past. Complacency and the taking for granted of liberties have seemingly been replaced with a sense that government requires and, in fact, responds to participation and that liberty and freedom must constantly be fought for and protected.
Jeffery Reynolds lives in Portland.