Click on the title to read the blog piece written by Mark Skoda, chairman of the Memphis Tea Party. I was a part of this group yesterday so I can attest that everything happened just as he says.
I am not by nature confrontational and I have never been one to carry signs or demonstrate even in support of an issue very important to me. I have always felt that I could contribute better by working hard, keeping my nose to the grind stone, and all that sort of thing. So the idea of picking up a sign and meeting in the front of a federal building to talk to my senator and voice my concerns is not a natural thing for me to do. When I received Mark's action alert email about meeting in front of Senator Lamar Alexander's downtown Memphis office to voice our opposition to government run health care, I struggled with myself right up until about 2 hours before we were supposed to meet. I could think of all kinds of excuses not to go, just as I had always done in the past. Just as I was thinking "it's not a good time for me today" the thought crossed my mind that it would never be a good time, it would never be convenient. If I wanted my voice to be heard and to make a difference I would have to make time. I thought of our founding fathers and mothers. What if they had said "it's not a good day for me to work on the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence?" That was it. I really had no more excuses after that.
So I got out some old school paint (nearly dry from lack of use over the years) and some magic markers and made my sign. Then I drove downtown, parked in the public parking lot across the street from the building, and boldly and bravely (maybe foolishly??) carried my sign across the street to join with about 25 other concerned citizens. The first thing I noticed when I walked toward the building was that there was a police car parked across the street and several security guards out front. I wondered if they were there all the time or if something was going on. Then I realized--WE were what was going on! Looking back on it now, it seems almost amusing. We didn't expect to be met with increased security, and they didn't expect us to be lawyers, teachers, nurses, dock workers, retirees, and even grandfathers with grand children. When we got past the initial misunderstanding with Homeland Security's Inspector Mason, the rest of our visit was very educational, productive and satisfying.
One very important thing I learned from this experience was to remain calm while not backing down. When initially we were told to disperse and later, when we were told only one at a time could go up in the elevators to the office, we could have just given up and gone home. Believe me it was an unnerving moment for me when Inspector Mason forced one protestor to leave because he expressed some of his frustrations. But we stayed and waited until we all went up a few at a time to the office to meet with Senator Lamar's wonderful Constituent Liason. By doing this we demonstrated resolve and strength of purpose and this did not go unnoticed by the security force that escorted us or the rest of the office staff. I was proud and happy that I had stayed and conquered some of my fears and trepidations. I will probably always be nervous about actively demonstrating but I know now how important it is and how important personal visits to representatives are. I left with the feeling that we had taken the first of many steps toward reclaiming our role in government--that of We the People.
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