I went to the "TEA Party" the other night. I went to the Veteran's Home to visit my husband, then dropped by the Wilson County Courthouse to see what was happening. I was pleasantly surprised. The crowd was not rowdy, angry or rude. People were sitting around the grassy lawn on quilts and in lawn chairs, or standing. Everyone was listening intently to each speaker, who were not politicians but just plain old folks. Every once in awhile applause went up. It was not a happy, fun group. It was a serious, worried, concerned group of plain old country folks wondering what was happening to our nation.
I saw a spattering of signs like "Congress hasn't earned a pay raise" and "No more bailouts". I saw children sitting quietly with their parents on the grass, behaving and obedient, quiet but sometimes giggling like kids do.
These appeared to be middle class Americans who went to work every day and came home to their families and were trying to make a living. They were not expecting the government to bail them out every time they couldn't pay their bills. Mothers pushing baby strollers and grandmas and grandpas holding on to each other as they slowly stumbled to their cars as the night grew dark, the street lights came on and the speakers wound down for the night.
To me this was freedom in America. All these people were hoping and praying for Texas and our country. I could see tiredness in many faces. I sat on a bench and rested and listened to the speakers and everyone who walked by me smiled as they headed for their homes. This was small town America.
When I walked to my car as the darkness set in, I felt content and blessed, but a little sad. How much longer would our country be free? Only God knows.