Ozark TEA Party Great Success

Update: Photos of the TEA Party Signs. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: This week a small Ozark community experienced a major event. An Ozark TEA Party was held on Tax Day, April 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Northern Arkansas Ozark Mountains in Mountain Home, Arkansas on the Veterans Plaza. While 500 people were hoped for, over 1500 people showed up for a two hour event were no food or beverages were served. My wife and I attended this event.

The event was a modern day ‘Boston Tea Party’” to hear speakers, sing patriotic songs, waive signs and and show their unity against the excessive government spending, taxation, bailouts, earmarks, and the indebtedness of our future generations. Some of these fine citizens were quite concerned about being labeled by Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano as right wing extremest and potential domestic terrorists.

The event was non-partisan and people from all political parties as well as independents gathered this day in a common cause saying "enough is enough." In the crowd, I even saw local elected people from both major parties. Some people traved three hours to the event. There were soo many people that the counting stopped at 1500 people as some people left after the first half of the event for family and mid-week church services and others started showing up after work and supper. Through out Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri many people listened to the live broadcast by Mountain Talk Radio 97.1.

The Ozark TEA Party was organized by Richard "Ricky" Caster, an 18 year old conservative, For the last four years, he has been active in the Baxter County Teenage Republican Federation and after turning 18, he registered to vote and filed to be on the Baxter County Republican Committee. This young man can smile, organize and give a great speech. Richard is a avowed conservative and can quote the Constitution and address conservative principles "at the drop of the hat" without apology. He recruited many people to help and to participate. Mountain Talk Radio 97.1 promoted the event.

In summary, the Ozark TEA Party not only had great purpose but it also featured numerous intersting speakers, some great music, and a wide range of interesting signs made by the citizens who attended. Arkansans also signed "Shape Up or Ship Out" pink slips addressed to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Reps. Marion Berry, Vic Snyder and Mike Ross. The pink slips will be delivered to the local Arkansas offices for each of the individuals along with a statement detailing a plan of action.

A video was prepared and will be released in a few days. Lots of photos were taken. Here are a few citizens' photos of the Ozark Tea Party:

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