More April 15 Pictures!

Jenn over at Green Country Values has posted pictures from the Veterans Park Tea Party here.

Chris Medlock has some pictures from the Downtown Tea Party.

Bland Bridenstine has a bunch of photos from the downtown event and the Veterans Park event.

KRMG has some video from the LaFortune event, including some cool aerial video courtesy of SkyNews 6. If anyone knows about any other pictures, let me know, and I'll add that links well.

KFAQs Tulsa Tea Party page.

Sharp Right Turn attended the Downtown event, here are her pics and take on the Party.

And here is Jai Blevins, the Tulsa Organizer of all things Tea, and his summary.

And of course, my pictures from the Downtown Event

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Updated!
Link Love from Michael Bates! Blatesline has an excellent roundup of Tea Parties in Tulsa, State-wide and some national links as well. Thanks, again for the link.

Linked by Twana Blevins at Patriots for America, who also links over to some OKC coverage

April 15 Tea Party Pictures

When I got there, about 45 minutes before it was scheduled to start, there was already a large crowd gathered. Full Disclosure, I am horrible at estimating these things, but I know there was already more people than at the March event, which had around 400 people.



So here is a crowd shot. As start time approached, more people, we eventually topped out around 1000 people...



Here is a shot of John Gibson, of Fox News, getting set up.
Chris Medlock, known rabble rouser and trouble maker. Just kidding, Chris is a former city councillor, and a great guy. He has done serious good work for the city of Tulsa.



Here is Jai Blevins. He is the primary organizer for the Tulsa Area Tea Parties. We're keeping him busy.



OK, very close to start time, above is Pat Campbell, the local Morning Drive host for KFAQ, and also Amber Newbold, who will sing the National Anthem.

And here is Amber singing, as we get started. She did great, by the way.

Jerry Robinson follows Amber with a Prayer

Here's Chris Medlock addressing the crowd. He stressed the importance of keeping informed (extremly challenging with the murky Tulsa politics) and getting involved. He also told people to join Facebook, and I'm not sure if I can forgive him for that. But he is right, the Conservative Movement needs to master the web, especially for organizing and getting the message out. The left has a certain advantage over us on that front.

Sally Bell, Tulsa County Republican Chair.

Here's a better picture of Sally Bell.

Colin Hughes

And John Gibson, very happy to be in Tulsa.

Here is a crowd shot as Jai Blevins reads out some of the reaction he's received at the his Tea Party website

The Channel 6 Helicopter flew over head, their story can be found here.

That pretty much wrapped up the downtown party, and I scurried over to LaFortune Park to see what they where up to...


They had an excellent turnout, estimates of over 3200 people.

All in all, an excellent day for the Tea Parties in Tulsa.

Afternoon Party

OK, I'll have Pictures from the Courthouse Tea Party up in just a bit. Great turnout, a lot of very vocal people supporting the movement. I've even got a couple of pics from the LaFortune Tea Party. It looks like they had an excellent turn out there as well.


However...

If you missed out, but still want to get out to an event, there is still one more party today in the Tulsa area.

Time: April 15, 2009 from 5:00 pm to 7pm
Place: Veteran's Park
Street:19th & Boulder
City: Tulsa
Facebook: Click here
Contact Info: (918)760-8282

Keep it rolling, folks!

People ask why we are excited.

People ask why we are excited about the spending, but we didn't criticize the previous Administration.

1. We did criticise, especially TARP 1

And 2.



Heck of a difference.

I grabbed the Graphic from Chris Medlock, but the original source, and accompanying story, is at The Heritage Foundation.

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Update!
Wow, a lot of hits coming in from Cincinnati, which is awesome. All I did is comment on the very interesting story at that site, but the Cincinnati site got an Insta-lanche, and I'm getting a mini-lanche from it. Behold the Power of Instapundit!

Look around, folks, welcome to my home. Wipe the shoes at the door, and don't mind the dog, he's just friendly like that.

Be There! Tea Parties on Wednesday!

Just throwing out a reminder:

Time: April 15, 2009 from 11am to 1pm
Place: Tulsa Courthouse Plaza
Street:500 S Denver Ave
Map:Click Here
Parking Map:Click Here
City: Tulsa
Facebook: Click here
Contact Info: (918)760-8282
Event Type: Tea Party
Organized By: Jai Blevins coordinator@tulsateaparty.org

Confirmed Speakers & Guests....
Pat Campbell - 1170 KFAQ
John Gibson - 1170 KFAQ
Jerry Robinson
Chris Medlock
Sally Bell
JB Alexander
Tim Coager
Collin Hughes - Americans for Prosperity

For more information, or the location of other events in the Tulsa area, go to http://www.tulsateaparty.org/Events.html#Events

If you need information on the event being held at LaFortune park, go to the KRMG website.

A Free Market solution to the Pirate Problem?

History provides us with a 300+ year proven track record of dealing with Pirates in a successful manner, and part of that history included the use of privately owned vessels. The fine folks over at the Competative Enterprise Insitute think it might be time to revive that tradition.

Read the whole article. I enjoyed the whole article but for some reason, this part tickled me...

“The world has changed a lot since nations last made significant use of letters of marquee and reprisal. If Congress were to decide to issue them, it would certainly have to revisit the concept,” said CEI Senior Fellow Eli Lehrer. “It’s the type of free-market solution to a real problem that Congress should consider but hasn’t in any serious way.”

Hat Tip to The Rhetorican
.

Seal of Approval

.

Navy Seal of Approval, that is...

From Uncle Jimbo, at Blackfive:

The lifeboat was approx. 25 m behind the Bainbridge when snipers on the fantail observed one of the pirates in the pilot house of the lifeboat pointing an AK-47 at the back of a tied up Phillips and the other two pirates on board were visible (at least shoulders and heads). The standing authority gave them clearance to engage the pirates if the life of the captain was in imminent danger. The on scene commander deemed this to be true and gave the order to fire. All three bad guys were taken out...

Well Done, Gentlemen.

As a Former Marine, I send nothing but love to my Squidley Buddies! [Just kidding, guys!]

Seriously, Kudos all around. The operation was swift, decisive, and wholly effective. 3 Pirates dead, one captured. Now just several hundred more to go.

GO Navy!

Added Note:

I Highly Recommend www.blackfive.net for commentary on current events from the perspective of the Military. Blackfive, the proprietor of the site, has assembled a group of intelligent, knowledgeable and skilled writers. And as a bonus, they are all Veterans, they have seen the elephant. Quite frankly, any news organization would be lucky to assemble such a group, and to their discredit, those organizations don't seem to make much of an effort that direction.

Foriegn Policy in the Age of Obama

Ronald Reagan one said, "We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted."

Given the President's just completed tour through Europe and the Middle East, is the United States showing that strength or accommodation will be the policy going forward?

Well, why don't we see what Caroline Glick, over at the Center for Security Policy, has to say:

Whether they are aggressors like Russia, proliferators like North Korea, terror exporters like nuclear-armed Pakistan or would-be genocidal-terror-supporting nuclear states like Iran, today, under the new administration, none of them has any reason to fear Washington.

This news is music to the ears of the American Left and their friends in Europe. Obama's supporters like billionaire George Soros couldn't be more excited at the self-induced demise of the American superpower. CNN's former (anti-)Israel bureau chief Walter Rodgers wrote ecstatically in the Christian Science Monitor on Wednesday, "America's... superpower status, is being downgraded as rapidly as its economy."

Hat tip to Donald Douglas, via R. S. McCain

Great Thoughts

"Freedom is not created by government nor is it a gift from those in political power. It is, in fact, secured more than anything else by limitations placed on those in government"

- Ronald Reagan

This is going to be an ongoing feature here on the blog. Reagan said so many great things, and as I read through some of them, I find that many are quite timely indeed. In the future, I'll probably add others to the mix, but for now, we'll start with Ronald Wilson Reagan, and go from there. In fact, we'll start with a double feature...

" Speech delivery counts for little on the world stage unless you have convictions, and, yes, the vision to see beyond the front row of seats"

- Ronald Reagan

Tea Party Movement in Oklahoma: Radio Rivalries Split TeapartyMovement in Tulsa

Jai Sounds off on having two Tea Party Events at the same time.

Tea Party Movement in Oklahoma: Radio Rivalries Split TeapartyMovement in Tulsa

A Minority of One

You often hear about the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy". Various leftists, both pundits and politicians, will attribute unfavorable polls, negative news stories and Pro Right events as proof positive of some large neo-con organization, inevitably well funded by Big Business, working behind the scenes, and being directed by Richard Mellon Scaife, or some such.

The Sad truth is that the Right would have trouble organizing a BBQ in Oklahoma, the Reddest of the Red States. As on old Drill Instructor I once knew all too well would say, "Y'all are just a bunch of stinkin' individuals!!'

And We Are.

We are the smallest Minority. We are the Individual. We value the Individual. We value our ability to use our judgement (judgemental, anyone?), to make our own choices, based on our own needs and our own situation.

Do we always make the right choice? Heck, no. But we have a pretty good track record compared to some Government programs.

We, as Individuals, instinctively distrust any attempts to grant "Social Justice", because we suspect that means an abrogation of the individual right in favor of some special group or organization.

We love the Bill of Rights, because it enshrines and protects the rights of the Individual over the power of the State. And make no mistake, the Bill of Rights is all about the Individual. Every statement is an enumeration of the Individual Right, not the Group. Additionally, every one is State recognition of a pre-existing Right. It is not a matter of the Government granting a Right, but rather the State acknowledges the independent existence of that Right in all people, and pledges the protection of those Rights. As soon as you allow the Government to grant a Right, you have given permission to the State to deny a Right.

We tend to distrust group think, knowing from past experience that any time a Committee or Group decides to do anything, 18-20 people make the decision, and 2 or 3 do the work. All in all, we would rather be left to ourselves, with as little Government interference as possible.

That is why the Tea Party Movement is, in many ways, so shocking. Conservatives just don't do that! The Media doesn't know what to do with it, and they show they'd rather devote coverage to 20 or 30 paid professional protesters (ACORN) who shout the message the Media is comfortable with, than cover the 300 or so people out protesting too much Government.

And maybe we don't know how to work it either. Or at least, not yet. As I said, this kind of protest doesn't come easy to conservatives.

Maybe that's why we now have conflicting Tax Day Tea Parties. It is unfortunate, but as conservatives are wont to do, we will make the best of it. Personally, I am going to the Protest at the Courthouse.

Time: April 15, 2009 from 11am to 1pm
Place: Tulsa Courthouse Plaza
Street:500 S Denver Ave
City: Tulsa
Facebook: Click here
Contact Info: (918)760-8282

This one is being organized by Jai Blevins, and supported by KFAQ. Follow the link for the most up-to-date information and details.

Additionally, Jai has organized an event at 5 PM for all you folks who work normal hours.

Time: April 15, 2009 from 5:00 pm to 7pm
Place: Veteran's Park
Street:19th & Boulder
City: Tulsa
Facebook: Click here
Contact Info: (918)760-8282

However, there is another event being supported by KRMG, and the time overlaps with the event downtown. It will be a La Fortune Park, and you can see the details here.


The important thing here is, above all, participate. Get out to one or more of the Protests, and let your voice be heard!

Real Quick Update! Tax Day Tea Party

OK, Time and location have changed. Not by much, 15 minutes and walking distance, but still...

As of today (2 April, 2009) this is the plan for the Tusa Tax Day Tea Party!

City: Tulsa
When: April 15, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Where: Tulsa County Courthouse Plaza in Downtown Tulsa


I have changed the side bar, and updated the original post, but still, spread the word.

A Manifesto

Will Collier doesn't think it is enough to go and protest things that the Government is up to. No matter what the outrage, protest does no good.

But that isn't exactly what Will said. He said Protest alone isn't enough. He's right. You need a plan.

From Will Collier-

1. A moratorium on bailouts, whether for Wall Street bankers, General Motors, or the irresponsible guy down the street who "bought" too much house. "Failures must be allowed to fail."

2. Repeal of all "Stimulus" spending for the years 2011 and beyond.

3. Repeal of all "Stimulus" pet projects in 2009-2010 with no stimulative effect.

4. Defeat of the Obama 2010 budget, with a new budget set at 2008 levels plus inflation. We've already spent too much money that we don't have.

5. Defeat of any politician who voted for the February "Stimulus" bill.

6. Complete selloff and shutdown of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and an immediate ban on campaign contributions from both, as well as any other firm in Federal receivership.

It isn't enough to simply be angry, or to say "This isn't right". If we, as conservatives, take that route, we are no better than the leftists who shout and protest without making any suggestions to improve the situation. Code Pink comes to mind. Ready to protest any use of the Military, absolutely bankrupt and bereft of reasonable, logical ideas when it comes to confronting rogue regimes and terrorists. Maybe it's just me, but adding sanctions on top of sanctions that are already being worked around, corrupted, or outright ignored, is as effective as a House Ethics Committee Meeting.

It feels good to scream out "I'm mad as Hell, and I'm not going to take it any more!", but it isn't enough. It feels good to go to a protest, to be surrounded by like minded individuals, and while that helps, you can do more.

* If you can, donate.

Send money to the folks who voted against the monstrosity, and to the folks running against the ones who voted for it.

* Write to your Senators and Congressman.

Here in Northeast Oklahoma, our portion of the delegation seems to have their heads screwed on right about this one, for the most part. If, however, you are going to write them a letter critical of their actions, its more likely to not immediately head for recycling if you actually write a coherent statement, summarizing what you feel they did wrong, what you feel they should have done, and why they should have done it. Good or bad, you should write to them, it lets them know you are paying attention.

* Go to the Tea Party Protest.

As I said, get out with like minded folks. Its really easy, especially as a conservative, to feel like you are the only one frustrated by these things. The regular media certainly doesn't help. Take the original rounds of the Tea Party Protests, for example. Here in Tulsa, a city not know for protesting, we managed to get (according to the local radio station) 300-500 people. Dozens of other Protests across the country did as well, and in the case of St. Louis, significantly better. There was a remarkable lack of national coverage. On the other hand, get 40 acorns (and other associated nuts) to take a sponsored bus tour to AIG homes, and you could get hurt by the stampede of cameramen and reporters.

So, to sum up...

1. A moratorium on bailouts
2. Repeal of all "Stimulus" spending 2011 and beyond
3. Repeal of all "Stimulus" pet projects
4. Defeat of the Obama 2010 budget
5. Defeat of any politician who voted for the February "Stimulus" bill
6. Complete selloff and shutdown of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

~~and~~

*Donate
*Write
*Protest