(I was unable to download the pictures so I could add them here, but here is the url for the PDF file for this article so you can see the great images).TwanaMy Trip to the Washington Tea Party – September 12, 2009David Schnitz, Orange Grove, TexasTo all Friends and Family:I apologize for letting several days pass before sending this report out, but I wanted to do it right. As you know, I went to the Washington Tea Party last weekend to protest all things Obama. I am working here in West Virginia temporarily and it is only a couple of hours to Washington, DC. I am so glad that I went and was a part of this. One of my best decisions lately. Here’s the story: I went over to the DC area Friday evening. Immediately, I could tell that this was a big event. I stayedin Fairfax which is about 20 miles west of DC in Virginia. I stayed in the Hyatt. No, I’m not rich, youcan get a great room there for $80 a night. Anyway, when I got there, there was a crowd checking in and already 15 buses in the parking lot.So the next morning, I decided to get a early start and beat the crowds. Fat chance. I had tomake a reservation for the shuttle there was such a line. I started out of the hotel at 7am. Thehotel is 7 miles past the last stop on the DC Metro rail line and the traffic on the road wasalready terrible. On a Saturday. When we got to the Metro station, there was a huge crowdwaiting to get tickets, probably several hundred. Luckily, I have been doing the tourista bit inDC the last few weekends and already had a partially used ticket. First bit of luck. Everyonewas in a great mood with lots of “where are your from?” and signs for everyone. Most were 40plus but there were a significant amount of younger people.On the siding are already a thousand or more people waiting for the train. As this was the firststop, the train was empty when I got there and we jammed it up full. We had 10 stops or sofrom there to the Federal Triangle stop, which was the designated stop. At each stop wepassed, we could maybe fit a few more people on as we spent the time between stops shiftingaround to make some room.As you can imagine, the closer we got to DC, the more people got thicker and thicker on thesidings. They were standing 10 deep for a hundred yards at each siding. Easily severalthousand at each stop. Keep in mind that these are only the ones that road the rail metro, notthe buses, cars, or public buses that went. I can easily imagine that many people just weren’tup to the crowding and turned back. I saw many people in wheelchairs, even on oxygen comingalong.We finally got to the Federal Triangle, it took forever to unload as the whole station(underground at this point) was crammed. With my vastly superior knowledge of the DC metrosystem, I knew that the next station was equidistant from Freedom Plaza (where the rallystarting point was) so I opted to ride over there. Bad decision as this one was crammed too. Aswe emerged from underground, the DC cops were there, 4 or 5 of them, with riot gear. Weignored them. I am still ½ mile from the rally and the sidewalks are 6 people abreast at least allthe way. The only counter protest I saw was here where an obvious Obama supporter and hisfamily was walking the other way and telling us to “Go Back to Russia”. The reply from mostwas something along the lines that the country was heading that way. Still lots of laughter andfun being had.By now it is 9:30 or so as it took forever on the train. I think the weight was too much. There issupposed to be a rally at the starting point at 10:30 and the march is to start at 11:30. K Streetcrosses the rally area and when I arrived, the crowd had taken over one lane of the 5 lanes. Within 30minutes, the crowd had taken over all but one lane despite the attempts of DC SWAT (what were they doing directing traffic) to keep it open. They finally gave up and the crowd merged. The street is still open in this picture. This was around 9:30. It was reported later that nobody expected that many people and the cops told the rally organizers to start early on the march so they could clear everything. That didn’t work as although they did start the march an hour early at 10:30, it took an hour to make it to the Capitol for me and I was in the first third of the crowd. After I got to the Capitol, the street was still marching for another hour to get everyone there. But I digress…This picture was taken 15 minutes later. Street is almost closed. Back at the rally point, wewere supposed to find our state flag and march with them. The word soon got out to forget thatand attempt it at the Capitol. Didn’t work there either. Just too many people. I somehow ended upwith a bunch from Ohio. Lots of chanting going on, mostly generic like U>S>A and such. Everyone was extremely well behaved with lots of “Excuse me” and “I’m sorry” as people inevitably bumpedtogether.Around this time, Obama escaped. Marine One left the White House, which was only a coupleof hundred yards away. He got a loud round of booing and yelling. Of course, the White Houseis saying that they didn’t even know the rally was happening. I don’t know how you can miss amillion or so people. More than the inauguration.The signs were all over the place. I think the Health Care debacle was the catalyst for the largeturnout but no more than 10% of the signs were about that. They ranged from anti-largegovernment to taxes to Acorn to gun control to most any other conservative subject you wouldcare to name. I was really impressed by the intelligence and humor in most of the signs. Thesewere obviously well educated people and were right on the mark. 99% of them were handmade. This was no rehearsed and coordinated rally like Obama and the unions put on. Thiswas real grassroots. Lots of mom and pops and almost all small town. From everywhere in theUS. I met people from California and Alaska, as well as Texas and most everywhere. Mostwere from the eastern US just because of logistical difficulties.Many were hardcore individuals like the Un-American, Radical, Mobster pictured here. This was at the very beginning of the rally before the march. In case this makes it out to people who don’t know me, this is me.Lots of great signs and T shirts. One of my favorites was the 15 year old boy wearing a T shirt that said “Help me Mr. President. They want me to work and stuff”. Another of my favorites: a 10 year old girl with a sign that said “ Play by the Rules – Read the Constitution”Some of my favorite signs:• Bury ObamaCare with Kennedy• Congress: We have your pinkslips ready• No Crap and Trade• Quit spending money I haven’t earned yet (with picture of baby)• Joe Wilson for President (lots of these)• Don’t Tread on Me (Hundreds ofthese)• Time’s Up (with drawing of Don’tTread on Me snake striking)(my personal favorite)• We Can’t Afford the Change• It’s the Socialism, Stupid• The real issue is that ObamaLied, not that Wilson pointed itout!!• You Can’t Fix Stupid but YouCan Vote Them Out• Plan A: A Peaceful Restorationof the Republic – Plan B: ARestoration of the republic• Obama-nomics – Trickle up Poverty• Government Control is The Problem• Ram it Down our Throat – 09 – We will Shove it Up Your (picture of donkey) – 010• Bitterly Clinging to My Guns and Religion• Send the Socialist Three Stooges Home (pictures of Obama, Reid, Pelosi) Harry (Reid)Girly (Pelosi) and O (Obama)• Take Back AmericaLots of variations of these and many on spending and big government. So the march started. I ended up marching with a bunch from Massachusetts, of all things. Their chant was “Barney Frank Hasto Go” Many people during the march told me upon learning where I was from that they were coming down to Texas after we seceded from the Union. We walked mainly in the street but the volunteer organizers kept trying to get many folks off the sidewalk, like me. They said we only had a permit to march in the street. We said, “we own the sidewalk”, politely went around them into the street then back onto the sidewalk. I thought at the time that I was in the first third of the crowd. After seeing some pictures taken from the Capitol, I was probably in the first 10%. The reason for this is that I cansee from the picture that the area I ended up in was already crowded and in the picture, thestreet is still full all the way back down to Freedom Plaza. This is probably a mile or maybe alittle less.Let’s talk about how many people were there. Officially, the Park Service doesn’t estimate crowds.The early liberal press said 65- 70,000 early on. It was soon apparent that that little piece ofbullshit wasn’t going to stick. Hell, I saw that many on the way in to town. At the time, doing somevery rough calculations based on what I could see, slicing the crowd into sections andmultiplying by sections, I came up with something over 500,000.Keep in mind that my rule for estimating that many of you have heard me call the Schnitz Ruleis “figure out what you think it is then double it and it is much closer”. I use this on dirt work, cost estimating and everything. I historically underestimate. After a day or so, it seems the consensuswas 800,000 or so. I thought this was about right and felt a million was too much. Well, today, it wasannounced that University of Indiana had analyzed the overhead photos and came up with 1.7million. After seeing the photos taken from the Capitol, I can see that I could not have seen at leasthalf of the crowd and was grossly underestimating it. I can believe 1.7 million. There was onlya million at the inauguration. Hmmm….This also ties with the word at the rally. It was circulating that the cops and park service got realnervous and were quoting 1.5 million people. One guy I talked to said he was listening in on aradio conversation of one of the SWAT team and they were talking 1.5 million. They werescared and didn’t know what to do. Secondhand info, of course, but it ties in with other reports.So where were we? Oh,yeah, still walking. As we neared the capitol, things were different. Thestate flag deal was out the window. There were so many US flags, Don’t Tread on Me flags,banners and all that it was impossible. There were obviously a bunch of people that didn’t evenmarch, just went to the capitol. I couldn’t get within 3-400 yards of the Capitol. And I was in thefront of the march. People were still coming in for an hour after I arrived. The main cheer that was going on was “CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?” Obviously they hadn’t expected such a crowd as the sound system sucked. I tried to listen but couldn’t hear but a couple of the speakers. I just cheered a lot when the crowd near the stage cheered. I would like to report that I stayed for the whole deal but didn’t. I got to thinking about what was going to happen to the Metro when all these people got released. I also couldn’t hear so couldn’t get any more education. And I don’t like crowds anyway and they were still coming. So I left around 1 pm and went over to the Holocaust Museum, but that is another story. I started back to the hotel around three and didn’t beat the crowd by much. It was still crowded.So, where does that lead us? There are several main points that I want to make. Although Iagree with all of these but this is more of a report of the beliefs of 1.7 million people. Now ifeveryone there had 100 people at home that couldn’t come, and I think they did… You do themath.1. The Mood of the Crowd: Everyone was pleasant to each other but highly pissed off at Obama and the whole Democratic Congress. I said many times that day that “THIS IS THE AMERICA THAT THE BASTARDS FORGOT ABOUT”. There will be change. I feel much more optimistic about it and America’s future after this rally. We will be heard. I heard several maybe many comments that blood will be shed before this is over. I sure hope not and so does everyone. But as Jefferson said “ From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with blood” That may have been George Mason, I’m not sure. I am not advocating overthrow, but I know now that there are enough decent hard-workingAmericans out there that are highly upset like nothing I’ve ever seen. There will be change.2. The Credibility of Congress and Obama is gone: It was apparent then and now thatno one believes their bullshit anymore, if ever. The people smell a rat in the WhiteHouse. The Czars, ACORN, Pelosi, Reid, the whole ObamaCare Debacle, and all theother scandals so far are just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone was sure and so am I thatthis is just Chicago Politics gone wild and there is much, much more to the story. It willcome out. Obama, Reid and Pelosi approval ratings are in the 30’s and falling. Theyare in jeopardy.3. There will be change in 2010. There is no way that O can get a health care bill that hewants passed in the Senate. The only way to do it is by muscle and the ReconciliationProcedure. The fools in the House may pass it AT THEIR PERIL. It should be apparentto everyone in Congress and the White House after the Town Hall Meetings thatAmerica is fed up and will be heard. They may be just closing their eyes and hoping butthe jig is up. Anyone in Congress who votes for this bill or any other Obama Socialist plans is in severe danger of getting a pink slip. GET THIS: IT IS NOT ABOUT HEALTH CARE ANYMORE, IT IS ABOUT BIG GOVERNMENT AND BIG SPENDING. No one there argues that health care reform is needed. JUST NOT IN A CRAM DOWN MODE. Try Tort reform and some other ideas first and think this thing through logically and with an eye to the budget.4. There is nothing that must be solved in the next two weeks. Except: Obama knows the jig is up and he will lose the House and maybe the Senate next year and this is his last chance. His effectiveness is just above 0. The jig is up and he will be effectively neutered in 2010. Especially if his Czars are made to be vetted and their communist / socialist ideals and connections exposed.Folks: as Hannity says “Let not your heart be troubled” . I feel so much better now. I can’t express enough that the whole crowd was upbeat and positive. Pride in America and the belief that everything will be all right were the main themes of everyone there.Hang in there Americans, the worm will turn. If you ever have an opportunity to do what I just did, do not miss the experience and the opportunity. It is what America is made of.Question with BoldnessRead the Constitution.David SchnitzRomney, WV 9‐16‐09

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  • A snappy salute to a fellow Patriot David Schnitz !! I read every word of your experience at the greatest most humbling
    gathering in history . We [a group of three from the Boston area] were awestruck by the magnitude & civilty of this
    wonderful group of true Americans! To all who came, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. The common denominator was love of
    country ! Not a Communist America, but a Republic!! I believe we should plan on an even greater assembly sometime
    before the mid-terms in 2010. We will return with a larger group, Bet on it !!

    God Bless America !

    Charlie L. Patriot from Boston
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