About 200 Tea Party Patriots from western Virginia met at Sen. Jim Webb's office Wednesday to express disappointment in federal legislation voted on by Virginia's senators. Afterwards, a number of patriots rallied on the street where motorists honked horns in agreement. Photo by Sandi Andrews.
Conservative activist Suzanne Curran from Shenandoah County at Sen. Webb's office. Patriots from all over western Virginia attended the meeting and rally. Arriving at 11:10, constituents were told they had to vacate the building until their noon appointment time. Here they reconvene at the appointed time. Photo by William Becker.
Constituents voice concerns. Photo by Sandi Andrews.
After meeting with the senator's rep, patriots took their signs and flags to the street. Photo by Sandi Andrews.
The flag says it all. Photo by Sandi Andrews.If Virginia's U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner thought that ducking out of townhall meetings and voting to end health care debate was going to quiet their constituents, they were sadly mistaken.
On Wednesday, January 6, 200 western Virginia tea party patriots met at Senator Jim Webb's office in Roanoke, taking their concerns to their representatives. (Senator Mark Warner's office had insufficient parking for more than a few constituents to meet at his office.)
The rally was covered by Roanoke's WDBJ Channel 7 ... check out their video coverage ... and led the 6:00 news that evening.
There was an interesting exchange between Suzanne Curran and Sen. Webb's staff member about an hour before the meeting began when Mrs. Curran delivered a personal letter to the senator. Mrs. Curran asked how many letters they had received against health care, and how many they had received for health care.
The staff member responded she did not have that information, that it was available from the Washington office, and that Mrs. Curran would need to call Washington for the information. Mrs. Curran responded that no one answered the phone in Washington and asked if the staffer could call. She was told again that she would have to call. Mrs. Curran reminded the staffer that she was the senator's representative and again asked if she would call for the information. By that time a couple of other people had arrived and it was 11:10 a.m. The staffer said they would have to vacate the office until their noon appointment.
By noon the hallway outside the office was packed with people and a tea party patriot stood outside on the sidewalk ringing a bell calling folks in for the meeting. The staffer came out of her office with another staffer, stood on the steps with a legal pad in her hand, and began to address the crowd with talking points. She was politely stopped and informed that they were there to air their concerns, not listen to her talking points.
One after another, those concerns were voiced from the 200 who filled the hallway and overflowed outdoors onto the sidewalk in the cold temperatures.
A young Marine probably summed it up best and caused teary eyes in the crowd when he said it was well known that Jim Webb had served in Vietnam and his service to this country was much respected. However, he said, when he went into the service, Mr. Webb took an oath and swore to uphold the Constitution of this country so how could he now ignore it? Please, he asked the staffer, write that on your tablet ... along with "Semper Fi."
The crowd reminded the Webb staffer that Mr. Webb had held NO townhall meetings, that Mr. Warner had held only ONE townhall and that was in Fredericksburg, and that they wanted to have townhalls in this part of Virginia to voice concerns directly to the senators.
Ken Cruise summed up the concerns and asked that the staffer write it down in her notes and get answers back to the constituents. Others asked when they could expect to have those answers because their phone calls, emails, and letters had been unanswered throughout the entire health care debate.
Perhaps Mr. Cruise summed it up best when he said, "When liberty is gone for us it is gone for the world, perhaps never to return in our life time."
On Wednesday, January 6, 200 western Virginia tea party patriots met at Senator Jim Webb's office in Roanoke, taking their concerns to their representatives. (Senator Mark Warner's office had insufficient parking for more than a few constituents to meet at his office.)
The rally was covered by Roanoke's WDBJ Channel 7 ... check out their video coverage ... and led the 6:00 news that evening.
There was an interesting exchange between Suzanne Curran and Sen. Webb's staff member about an hour before the meeting began when Mrs. Curran delivered a personal letter to the senator. Mrs. Curran asked how many letters they had received against health care, and how many they had received for health care.
The staff member responded she did not have that information, that it was available from the Washington office, and that Mrs. Curran would need to call Washington for the information. Mrs. Curran responded that no one answered the phone in Washington and asked if the staffer could call. She was told again that she would have to call. Mrs. Curran reminded the staffer that she was the senator's representative and again asked if she would call for the information. By that time a couple of other people had arrived and it was 11:10 a.m. The staffer said they would have to vacate the office until their noon appointment.
By noon the hallway outside the office was packed with people and a tea party patriot stood outside on the sidewalk ringing a bell calling folks in for the meeting. The staffer came out of her office with another staffer, stood on the steps with a legal pad in her hand, and began to address the crowd with talking points. She was politely stopped and informed that they were there to air their concerns, not listen to her talking points.
One after another, those concerns were voiced from the 200 who filled the hallway and overflowed outdoors onto the sidewalk in the cold temperatures.
A young Marine probably summed it up best and caused teary eyes in the crowd when he said it was well known that Jim Webb had served in Vietnam and his service to this country was much respected. However, he said, when he went into the service, Mr. Webb took an oath and swore to uphold the Constitution of this country so how could he now ignore it? Please, he asked the staffer, write that on your tablet ... along with "Semper Fi."
The crowd reminded the Webb staffer that Mr. Webb had held NO townhall meetings, that Mr. Warner had held only ONE townhall and that was in Fredericksburg, and that they wanted to have townhalls in this part of Virginia to voice concerns directly to the senators.
Ken Cruise summed up the concerns and asked that the staffer write it down in her notes and get answers back to the constituents. Others asked when they could expect to have those answers because their phone calls, emails, and letters had been unanswered throughout the entire health care debate.
Perhaps Mr. Cruise summed it up best when he said, "When liberty is gone for us it is gone for the world, perhaps never to return in our life time."
The voters were peaceful and respectful. Photo by William Becker.
Many let signs do their talking since time was limited with Sen. Webb's representative. Photo by William Becker.
Webb and Warner constituents traveled from all parts of western Virginia for Wednesday's meeting. Photo by William Becker.
"Can you promise to get us the same health care plan that YOU have?" Photo by William Becker.Photo credit: My thanks to Sandi Andrews and William Becker
6 January 2010
6 January 2010
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing. Good to be informed.
The Heart Beats. If the people who are deaf to WE The People think there is to be silence, they are wrong on that score as well.
Enslavement (via federal govenment trying to suffocate freedoms in the name of good for all and replace it by government control) by the Governmental people whom we elected to represent us and protect our Contsitutional rights is not acceptable.
Palin in 12.
A sincere thanks to those who attended this rally!
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