Tea Party, Philadelphia, report & photo
I’m not practiced in counting anything beyond the deer herds at Valley Forge Park, but I estimated today’s Tea Party at between two and three-hundred. People were packed together, most had large umbrellas too, so it was difficult to do a count. An ex-security type estimated it in the thousands. I just don’t know.
The weather was miserable.
Next time I’ll know to wear my hunting boots and rain suit. The rain and cold combined to make it very uncomfortable, yet the crowd was good natured and everyone was easy to talk to. Enthused, yet no yelling and screaming, no impolite behavior.
I spoke with a city detective on the edge of the crowd, asking him what the department’s choice of caliber is these days, and learned they use Glocks, 9mm of course. He said he had no concerns whatever about our group and didn’t seem to stick around long; I suppose the weather deterred him from staying.
The signs, though home made, were excellent, as were the various speakers. Appropriately, hardly any referred to the Messiah by name. Several black Americans were in evidence, so I struck up conversations with them. One nice woman, with a great sign, tells me she’s the only one in her neighborhood who knows what’s going on in our country. Another black person I spoke with was Devon Generally, the man who’s declared as a candidate to run against Specter. He’s quite impressive and I wish him well; we’d met at the Independence Hall protest back in February where he announced.
I’m certain that the rain and cold – plus the workday timing, 12 to 2, - kept many from coming. Another protest is planned for this coming Saturday, with others to follow, including a march on the Federal Reserve Building on Independence Mall (no torches please).
I’d parked in Berwyn and took the train, my first train ride in decades; surprisingly, they no longer use the coal-fired steam engines that I remember from last time. These electric trains are nice; I wonder how they work?.
I suppose I’ve gotta get out more.
I could only get one photo to link; some sort of glitch either with Photobucket or with Milsurps.
Regards,
