Report from the Tea Party Express
The setup for this incredible event was quite strange. We had been approached several weeks ago by people outside of the tiny community of Mt. Vernon, Texas about whether we would consider doing a quick “whistle stop” rally.
The catch: it would be at a rest area, located at mile marker 143 on I-30.
We agreed to do the stop, figuring we’d do a quick touch-and-go stop and shake the hands of the 10 or 20 people who *MIGHT* show up. And if it was just a man and his wife and their two kids, so be it. If nothing else it would make for a good restroom stop.
So imagine our shock and awe as we pulled up to the rest area, saw a contingent of State Troopers and their vehicles with lights flashing and a giant crowd of people behind them.
As we pulled further in we were guided by the troopers who cleared a path through the crowd and then several hundred (estimates ranged from 550 – 800 people) gave us the warmest greeting you could possibly imagine as we got off the bus.
We didn’t have our sound system or stage, or anything like it. So we found a pickup truck, hopped up on it, found a person in the crowd with a bullhorn and had the greatest impromptu rally you could ever imagine.
To those shameless liars on the Left who are smearing and demeaning the tea party movement and calling it Astroturf, we say this: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!
It is not the tea party supporters who are showing up with professionally printed signs from Obama’s political wing – no, that is the astroturfing efforts that YOU have engineered.
Today, like every other day of this tour, we have been greeted by real, everyday Americans who have showed up with homemade signs in their hands, and a passion and love for this country in their hearts.
Here’s the scene from a rest area on the side of a road at Mile Marker 143. These people touched and inspired all of us aboard the Tea Party Express in a way they will never fully appreciate:
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And this from a frienid Traci at Facebook
“I was at the Whistle Stop of the Tea Party Express today! What an AMAZING gathering of patriots who turned out for the love of our country! Estimates at this very small rest area were around 1,500! Thanks to the frontage road and a small BBQ place…we were able to park and walk to the rest area! I am so proud to be a participant in history….defending our constitution…protecting the liberties that this ENTIRE government is trying to steal from us…and basically fighting for the very freedoms so many of our military have died for so that these freedoms will STILL exist for those who return home from foreign lands. GOD BLESS AMERICA and all of those that are giving so much of themselves for this battle we are now in! “
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Wild Thing’s comment……
FANTASTIC! I have yet to work on any of these posts about Tea Party Express with dry eyes. They are so touching and I love to see the love for our country.
Mt Vernon is a small town. It is typical of heartland Texas and heartland America. To have even 500 people gather there is momentous. If they had as many as 1500 that is great. These citizens represent the heart and soul of America. This is where patriotism and the culture are alive and well.
Tom, that brought goosebumps and tears
to my eyes.
My 12 year old son and I traveled from McKinney, TX to be at the Mt. Vernon Whistle Stop. We arrived 1/2 hour early and it was already packed. It was a great experience and I was able to teach my son some civics in the best possible way.