Some East Tennesseans celebrate independence with tea parties

Some East Tennesseans celebrate independence with tea parties

By WHITNEY HOLMES
6 News Anchor/Reporter

HARRIMAN (WATE) -- Many people in the region and across the nation didn't celebrate the Fourth of July with a barbecue. Instead, they had a tea party.

Saturday was round two for the 'Taxed Enough Already' or tea parties which are protests against big government spending and high taxes.

It's no coincidence they're holding the parties on Independence Day.

"This country was founded on independence. Small government, not big government," said Harriman tea partygoer Robert Briggs.

"It has all to do with our independence. They are taking our rights away. We need to stop it," added Tirita Phillips.

The first modern day tea party was held on Tax Day, April 15, in over 700 cities and was attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

Saturday, the turn-out in Harriman wasn't boiling over like organizers had hoped.

"I really do appreciate the ones who showed up. Maybe people needed better directions? Who knows why not that many showed up?" Phillips said.

"She (Phillips) was going to do face painting and bean bag tosses and everything here for the kids, for the families, but nobody showed up. Maybe Fourth of July is a bad day to have a Tea party," said Briggs.

Still the 30 or so protestors that did show up are "tea'd off" and want their representatives to know it. They'll be sending them a petition asking for their constitutional rights to be reasserted.

They believe if they continue to practice their First Amendment rights, their voices will be heard.

"They think they are 'We the people...'" said Phillips. "We are involved in that also."

"People are strapped. We have reached the breaking point. Everyone is going to be on welfare before it is all over with," Briggs added.

Tax protests were also scheduled in Athens, Greeneville and Sevierville for Saturday.