Jersey Patriots, On July 4, 1776, patriots from the 13 British colonies in North America declared their independence from England and formed the United States of America. Decrying \"taxation without representation,\" colonists demonstrated their displeasure with British rule via acts of civil disobedience, the most famous of which was the Boston Tea Party. 233 years later, a new group of self-proclaimed patriots is again expressing its displeasure with the direction of government. Alarmed by high rates of taxation and plans to further expand the scope of government at all levels, a loose affiliation of groups from around the country have dubbed themselves \"Tea Party Patriots.\" This weekend, in concert with Fourth of July festivities, they will conduct 1300 events across the country and anticipate more than 1 million participants.
On July 3rd at the \"Green\" in Summit, New Jersey, several hundred citizens from the general area rallied in support of this nascent movement. They came to listen to speeches, sign petitions, and voice their general disapproval of the direction of government at all levels. Many carried flags and signs critical of universal healthcare, pending cap and trade legislation, and current political figures including President Obama and Governor Corzine. One man wore a shirt bearing phrases from the Declaration of Independence. Many people bore hats or accessories indicating affiliation with military and other organizations.
Political candidates consonant with the viewpoint of attendees circulated among those gathered. Tents and tables were setup to facilitate collection of signatures. On one end of the \"Green\" was placed a wall of posterboard and a table with post-it notepads. Participants wrote and posted messages. Among the messages were \"Legalize Liberty,\" \"Get Rid of Incumbent Politicians,\" \"Just Say No to Socialism,\" and \"Send Illegals Home Now and Save Trillions on Healthcare and Education.\"
From a podium, a number of speakers shared Jersey Patriots points of view, among them a self-avowed Presidential candidate, Warren Mosler, who explained monetary policy in some detail and the Libertarian Party Gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming election, Ken Kaplan, who beseeched the audience to consider the possibility that a third-party candidate might actually win this year\'s election.
The real stars of the show, however, were those ordinary citizens who, without expectation of personal gain, expressed their opinions clearly and persuasively. One such individual who inspired those in attendance was Barbara Summers of Plainfield, New Jersey. One of only two minority members in attendance, Barbara, an African-American mother of three, grandmother of four, and a lifelong Democrat, electrified the audience with her personal experiences with public healthcare and her recounting of the failures of government in general. When asked what motivated her to appear and speak, she stated that she was witnessing Jersey Patriots \"her country fall apart before her eyes\" and that \"half the country doesn\'t know what\'s going on.\" In response, she vowed to \"keep knocking on doors\" and to \"stand up for America.\" When asked to what she attributed the lack of African-Americans and other minorities in attendance, Barbara indicated that many people were uninformed. She further indicated that she was the only member Jersey Patriots of her family who did not vote for Barack Obama, indicating that she stands with the philosophy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and judges candidates \"not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.\"
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