 "Photo: Ken Muir")
The Tea Party Express came to the Lubbock County Courthouse Thursday to rile up support from Lubbock Republicans for its national bus tour’s 25th stop.
“In Lubbock we expected to find an enthusiastic crowd of middle Americans who are concerned for our system and want to protect their rights that are under attack,” said Mark Williams, vice chairman of the express. “They all came together to defend the Constitution and uphold their views in the right way the First Amendment is supposed to be used — to effect positive change.”
The crowds gathered before the 5 p.m. start time to get a good view of the pavilion where the speakers spoke and musical guests performed.
Pins, T-shirts and flags were being sold by vendors. Signs with messages such as “A revolution is brewing” and “How’s that hope and change working out for you?” were being waved in the air. One man, Gilbert Cope, had a sign that read, “I didn’t vote for this Obamanation” along with a hat and shirt to match. His hat had tea bags dropping from it.
“I was a general contractor, and I lost my job to illegal immigrants back in April,” Cope said. “I went to Washington in June and later met up with the tea party. These are crowds of the right people, and I will stay active with them until this country is fixed.”
The main sentiments of the crowd centered around opposition to the health care reform and the fiscal responsibility of the government.
The rally began with the bus rolling into cheers from the gathered. The program started with prayers for those who died at Fort Hood earlier in the day and also prayers for the country and its leadership.
Williams then spoke about the “domestic insurgency” that is happening within the nation and how the people of the nation need to be aware of the socialist agenda the government maintains.
“We basically believe that the ideology of the White House right now is to dictate our personal lives,” he said. “They even try to tell us what light bulbs to have in our houses. We have several inspirational speakers that come to talk about this socialist agenda and what we can do about it.”
Sheree Shooter, a tea party attendee from Lubbock, also said she is not happy with the way the country is being run.
“I came to the tea party because I have had a gut full and this is the only way we’re going to get rid of these people,” she said. “I’m already scared, and it’s only been a year. It’s apathy that got us here, and so now we need to get out of the nest and do something about it.”
Shooter said she hopes the tea party protests are not ignored by Washington like last time.
The turnout on the lawn of the courthouse was about 500 people from West Texas who were against the party in power.
“We hold uplifting celebrations of the Constitution to try and inspire people to change the makeup of the Senate in 2010 and the White House in 2012.” Williams said. “We’ve had large enthusiastic turnouts with not really any counter demonstrations.”
For updates on how the Tea Party Express is doing on the rest of its cross-country road trip, go to teapartyexpress.org or text TPX to 74700.
