Tea Bags Symbol of Spending Protest
BY STEPHANIE A. WILKEN, SUN STAFF WRITER
Original Story Located Here
Story courtesy of the Yuma Sun.
Diego Baird holds a poster board with a pig on it that reads "I can't pay for all of this government pork."
And if you ask him what pork means, he'll tell you it's "spending money for something else that's not important right now."
Most adults might know what government pork is, but Diego Baird is 10 years old.
He was just one of more than 1,000 people who showed up for a tea party protest at the Gateway Park in Yuma Wednesday evening.
The peaceful demonstration, put on by several Yumans independent of an organization, was one of hundreds held around the country Wednesday to protest government spending.
Diego's father, Adam, said he thinks Congress in particular is being very irresponsible with taxpayer dollars - "and we need to let them know that."
One of the organizers, Isaac Barrera, said the purpose of the demonstration is simple.
"We're asking the legislatures to pay attention, to be careful of how they spend tax dollars. We understand we need to pay for things, we are enjoying a park that's here because of tax dollars ... but spending is out of control.
"We're paying for pork. Be careful how the money's spent because these are the people who got you in (to office) and the people who have the power to change government."
People sat in folding chairs, spread out on the grassy banks of the park and stood and listened to about 10 speakers who shared similar messages of discontent with government spending.
The event culminated with participants tossing tea bags into a small pool of water, a throwback to the Boston Tea Party of 1773 where colonists demonstrated against taxation without representation under British rule.
Organizers also created a resolution, which they said they'll send to lawmakers to make their voices heard. Part of the resolution asks the government to repeal recent spending such as the stimulus package, the homeowner affordability plan and the proposed 2010 budget.
It's the debt that Americans will incur from the recent spending that had many in attendance upset.
Jerry Wich of Yuma was one of more than 700 who waited in line to sign the resolution at the event.
"Four words: They're monetizing our debt," Wich said referring to the ability of the federal government to print new money while it remains in debt.
Wich said the government should only print money to keep up with the gross domestic product, and printing more money now will lead to hyperinflation.
With signs, American flags and tea bags dangling from ears, shirts and even dogs, some of the peaceful protesters expressed their unhappiness visually.
One of them, Kirk Ferst of Yuma, wore his Australian bush hat with corks dangling from the brim. He said the corks are to keep the man-eating flies and mosquitoes away.
But Ferst's hat had a new addition: tea bags, he said, to keep away the corrupt politicians.
Ferst said he came to the tea party because he's tired of a "double standard."
"I am fed up with being lied to. Politicians, with the exception of a very few, never keep their word.
"We are held accountable when we do something wrong, but they are not. Injustice breeds revolution."
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Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.