Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:14:00 +0000 – By Glenn BeckHost, "Glenn Beck"
Don't look at me. . . I didn't do it! No way -- I'm responsible for plenty, but not this. Now hold on-there's no way you're going to pin this on me. It wasn't me that did it. . .
It was you!
The Tax Day Tea Parties were a huge success all across this country, because YOU organized them...YOU wanted to send a message to Washington...YOU knew that YOU are not alone...YOU are mad as hell, and YOU are not gonna' take it anymore!
Congratulations -- our Founding fathers would be proud.
The enormous turnouts on April 15thwere a perfect example of grass roots organizing at its best. We showed our "leaders" just what we think of the direction they're taking our country. In case you didn't get it D.C., we ain't happy.
These tea parties weren't so much about taxes (at least not this year). We've still to feel the blow from President Obama and his tax proposals, and I for one am not looking forward to helping pay for his 'rebuilding' America agenda. No, this April 15thwas all about spending -- how it's gone out of control and money is being funneled into all the wrong places.
Bailouts and handouts are bleeding this country dry, and it's got to stop. You know that, and on the 15thyou made sure that theyknow that youknow. This is no time to be a silent majority. And even though most of the media tried to pass off the tea parties as some forgettable partisan stunt, the impact you made could not be ignored. It's not just conservatives and Republicans that are outraged, but Americans from all walks of life. The morning after, nobody could deny the message that was sent loud and clear:
The Washington Post
"Crowds of tax protesters gathered in Miami, New York, Boston and Sacramento and in cities in Iowa, Kentucky and other states. In Boston, several hundred protesters, some dressed in colonial costume, assembled on the Boston Common not far from the site of the original Tea Party. They carried protest signs, one of which read, "D.C.: District of Communism." "We feel like we're losing our freedom," said Jim Eubank of St. Augustine, Fla., who attended the rally with his wife and daughter. Bunny Monroe, a retired teacher from Fairfax County, said: "I'm really concerned with what's going on with this country...I'm afraid of what's going to be happening...There is no place like this country...I'm afraid that [this] America is not the America that I was born into."
The Los Angeles Times
"We're just Americans trying to get our voices heard -- about too much taxation and spending, the swelling size of government, the bailouts for big business," protester Robin Todd said at a rally outside the domed Capitol in Sacramento. "That's European-style socialism."
USA Today
"Thousands of protesters yelled and jeered Wednesday in cities from Anchorage to Atlanta as part of "Tax Day Tea Parties" aimed at expressing outrage over government spending. The effort, grown through blogs, e-mails and social networking websites such as Facebook, was directed at President Obama's spending policies."
"In Lansing, Mich., 3,000 to 4,000 people cheered Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who became known as "Joe the Plumber" during the 2008 presidential campaign after he confronted Obama about raising taxes. "I came here today to have my voice heard," Wurzelbacher said. "I'm going to keep working, calling my senator, my congressman. The more your voice is heard, the more actual change that can take place."
The Seattle Times
"Thousands of people jammed onto the steps of the state capitol this afternoon to lash out against proposed tax increases. One state trooper said the crowd of 4,000 was eight times larger than what rally organizers planned for. The trooper said it was the largest rally at the Capitol in years."
I was in Texas (where they take Independence veryseriously) and I made my stand-shoulder to shoulder with Americans from all over the country--at The Alamo. It was an incredible day, and the spirit embodied by those in attendance reminded me of the principles this country was built upon, the courage of the men and women who refused to lay down and have their country taken from them. Here's a little of how I described it, live, to my colleague Greta Van Susteren:
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN:It looks like you're there with your friends. Are these people you know?
GLENN BECK:Greta, we're -- when I heard about the tea parties, quite honestly, I thought that it was too early for the tea parties because we haven't been hit by the taxes yet that have to come. But I have to tell you, when the tea parties started to roll and everybody started to do them -- I found out that they were doing a tea party here at the Alamo, and I thought there wasn't a better place to do it. This is the place. Everybody's always heard, you know, draw a line in the sand. This is where it happened. They drew a line in the sand and said, enough is enough.
VAN SUSTEREN:Have you gone into the crowd and found out, you know, where a lot of these people are from? I know many are from Texas, but have some traveled from great distances to be part of this?
BECK:You know, I've met people today from Minnesota. I've met people here today from New York City, Jersey, New York, New Jersey, California, Texas. People are here from all over the -- all over the country. But I tell you, Greta, Texans understand a republic better than anybody else in the country.
VAN SUSTEREN:Well, I think I -- I think we know. You referred to this as a movement. What happens after today? Is this a one-time deal, or are we going to see more of this...ou think this is more than a one-time deal?
BECK:Here's what I have seen -- here's what I have been talking about with people and with the audience that I have on the radio. And that is this is an opportunity for people to connect with each other and to see that they're not alone and to see, "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh, I didn't know you -- really? You believe in this, too?" And be able to connect with each other. And until you keep pushing us up against a wall and pushing up against a wall and pushing against the wall, you know, we just -- we want to just sit back and relax and just watch "American Idol" or something. But I think now is the time that we're all, like, Oh, crap! OK. And we get up. I don't think anybody's really ready to sit down yet.
Of course you're not ready to sit down yet -- you're just getting started. Spending time at a place like San Antonio's Alamo had a powerful affect on me. When I think back to the struggle that was had there, I'm filled with optimism for our future. Think about it...
The Alamo was not built as a fort, but as a religious mission. Even though it didn't have the defenses of a fort, that did not deter Colonel William Travis or the 188 men who defended it against Mexican General Santa Anna and 4000 of his troops. When Santa Anna demanded that the outnumbered surrender, a cannonball was launched from inside The Alamo in reply...Texas' way of saying 'no.' (And for the record, 188 Texans against 4,000 of anybody feels about like even odds to me.)
Santa Anna attacked for 13 days...Colonel Travis and his men were running low on supplies and ammunition...but they refused to give up. Surrender was never an option.
Santa Anna eventually stormed the mission, and six Alamo defenders are reported to have survived the actual fighting. Santa Anna ordered them all killed. Santa Anna made the tragic mistake of underestimating those Texans inside The Alamo, and he lost 600 men in the 13 days it took him to overtake the mission. It seems those 13 days were all that Sam Houston needed to build a volunteer "army" to defend Texas, and 46 days later General Houston led those men against Santa Anna and defeated the Mexican army, thus giving birth to the Republic of Texas.
Really, don't mess with Texas.
So what are the lessons here? Simple: The dedication and commitment of the few can defeat the selfish tyranny of the many...that some things are worth fighting for with everything you've got...and that one loss does not equal overall defeat. On April 15th, we showed Washington and politicians everywhere that the spirit of The Alamo is alive and well. Barack Obama is president, not king, and we're the ones still the ones calling the shots. Yesterday was but a glimpse of the power you have to let your voice be heard. Now it's time to turn up the volume and fight for the country that 188 brave Texans gave their lives for. We will not be spent into third-world status, taxed out of our liberty, nor intimidated by the "popularity" of any leader.
This is America, and on April 15thor the 15thof any month...Tea Party or community meeting...a handful of voices or tens of thousands, "we the people" will never be defeated.
Remember The Alamo!
Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week.