December 16, 1773 was the date of the Boston Tea Party, one of a number of historic events that eventually led to our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and the birth of this nation. The Boston Tea Party has experienced a surge of renewed popularity this year. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have adopted the event as an emblem of their growing frustration with our current government. So two-hundred and thirty-six years later, Tea Partiers still live.
On April 15 of this year, as a protest to the unrestrained government spending of our national government, approximately one million individuals gathered in Tea Parties around the nation. Since that time, the energy and numbers have continued to grow. By July 4, it was estimated that the number of events and number of participants had more than doubled. Another round of protests occurred in September with hundreds of thousands meeting in separate rallies around the country, the largest event being held in Washington, DC where many hundreds of thousands, if not in excess of a million, were present.
Why are so many people so energized? Despite the false reports of some media outlets, they are not funded or organized by some national political machine. For the record, our group, the Franklin County Patriots has hosted numerous events. We have yet to see any funds from anyone other than grassroots patriots, eager to effect positive change in our country. Perhaps a better question might be, “Why are people not concerned?” We are witnessing the dismantling or our system of government. Elected officials are brazen in their disregard for their constituents. Blind loyalty to political parties and rampant corruption is destroying our nation. Unrestrained spending, unsustainable debt, and unconstitutional activity is weakening this county by the day.
The Boston Tea Party was not a single activity of a group of radical extremists. The colonists were protesting what they considered intrusive and unwise policies including the Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act, and the Townsend Acts of 1765. The Boston Massacre of 1770 deepened the resentment and distrust of the colonists toward the military presence of the British.
Multitudes of Americans are frustrated and angered by elected officials who blatantly ignore their constituents while passing billions of dollars of unconstitutional legislation without reading it. Members of both political parties are guilty of betraying the American people and using us for their personal gain. On Wednesday, December 16, we celebrate the anniversary of brave patriots who were willing to sacrifice for the cause of personal liberty. May their number continue to grow.
