Taxpayer Tea Parties, as American as Mom and Apple Pie

It's Independence Day! A day set aside to celebrate the birthday of our nation. The second paragraph of The Declaration of Independence states:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Many people today believe their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness is being threatened by an overreaching government. They are exercising their 1st Amendment rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech to protest high taxes by attending Taxpayer Tea Parties.

The Tea Party is of course inspired by the first Boston Tea Party where American colonists protested what they believed to be an unjust system of taxation. "No taxation without representation" was their cry. Today's Tea Party planners and attendees are just borrowing a page from history that predates the birthday of our nation by 3 years.

The first wave of contemporary Taxpayer Tea Parties peaked on April 15th of this year, but there are Tea Parties scheduled for July 4th as well. American Family Association has registered over 1,465 Tea Parties across our nation and state for this Independence Day.

Reason?

"2009 budget grows to a deficit of $1.8 trillion, more than four times higher than last year’s all time high and 50% of total budget." - American Family Association

Americans for Prosperity has registered Tea Parties too: Jay Weber is host to one on July 4th at the Sendik's Village Center in Germantown from 10AM-2PM. Contact: 262-253-1675.

So as you celebrate our nation's birthday this Independence Day by attending parades, fireworks, and picnics, know that some Americans are reaching further back into our nation's history and holding Tea Parties.

More reading: The Heritage Foundation: The Left's Assault on the Declaration of Independence

Links:
Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, CNS News, Jay Weber, Mark Levin, Vicki McKenna Jay Weber, The Right View Wisconsin, The Heritage Foundation