Article by Jeff Fish
The Boston Common was teaming with Tea Party spirit this morning as thousands gathered to see former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin speak for a political movement that has gained popularity and influence since the first wave of Tea Parties only one year ago.
The event was the latest stop in the movement’s cross-country āTea Party Expressā tour, which will end in Washington D.C. tomorrowātax day. Palin, a polarizing political figure, elicited both support from Tea Partiers and opposition from many others in attendance, who were holding signs that said things like āIf she only had a brain.ā
A group of Suffolk students had one of their signs taken away by someone running the event. The woman who took the sign, which said “stop talking that blah blah blah,” told the student holding the sign that because the Tea Party had obtained a permit to hold the event, protesters had to hold their signs outside of the designated area. The girl who was holding the sign, freshman Danielle Vassilladis, said, āWhen we got here, nobody told us that we werenāt supposed to be here. If someone had told me, I wouldāve moved.ā
Vassilladis was also asked by a Tea Partier if she supported Muslims because of a scarf that she was wearing that she got from a Muslim American museum.
Sophomore Garrett Saparnis, who made the sign, said, āI thought [the event] was cool. We were right in the middle of it.ā
āWe got a lot of retaliation,ā he added, saying that Tea Partiers kept trying to cover up the protest signs with American flags and āDonāt tread on meā flags.
Palinās speech lasted about a half hour and she began by saluting the veterans in attendance. She also mentioned that her husband Todd was there. āAs the former āfirst dudeā of Alaska, he had to go to tea parties with the first ladies [of other governors] of the nation. I asked him, āIs this good enough for you?āā she said, gesturing to the cheering crowd.
Palin also tipped her hat to the newly elected Massachusetts Senator, Scott Brown, who āshook up the U.S. Senate.ā
Brown declined an invitation to the event, but Michael Graham, a talk radio personality from 96.9 FM which broadcast the event live, gave him a pass on the event, saying that he was doing his job in Washington.
āThis is the peopleās movement!ā said Palin, striking a chord with Tea Partiers who feel theyāve been āTaxed Enough Already,ā and oppose big government. āCome November, the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda is over! From now on when they say āYes we can,ā weāll say āOh no I donāt.āā
She called the health care bill āthe mother of all unfunded mandates. There is no way to pay for any of this except raising taxes. [Itās] stealing opportunity from this land of opportunity and weāre not gonna stand for it any longer!ā
Despite the current state of the economy, Palin is not worried about the future because she has āhad the privilege of talking to great Americansā who āget it.ā She added that there are a ālot of common sense conservative candidates ready to put it on the line.ā
Palin briefly spoke about offshore drilling and chanted, āDrill baby drill!ā to which a protester responded, āLetās destroy our planet,ā which Palin most likely did not hear coming from the sea of people. She went to say that God created resources for our use.
Toward the end of her speech, Palin said, āFreedom is a God-given right and worth fighting for!ā
A good portion of the crowd left after the conclusion of Palinās speech, although more speakers were lined up. Along with cheering from the Tea Partiers, the speech was peppered with retorts like āseparation of church and state!ā and āTina!ā referring to Tina Feyās now infamous portrayal of Palin on Saturday Night Live.
John Stephen Dwyer • Apr 15, 2010 at 10:52 pm
If the grass looks greener on the Boston Common this summer, thank Sarah Palin for fertilizing it with tons of bullshit.
I saw Obama speak on Boston Common in October 2007. He displayed his willingness to offer specific, well-reasoned, fact-based proposals that people could then accept or reject based on their agreement of disagreement. I see this ā and his insistence on respecting the dignity of people whether they are friend or foe ā as his two defining characteristics. These are good qualities.
Few American politicians of any era so exemplify the opposite of these good qualities as does Sarah Palin. Almost every sentence she utters publically is some combination of false, mean, and stupid. John McCain should have ended his political career with dignity rather than allow his service to be used as a vehicle to bring this horrible woman to national prominence.
There are some Republicans who have a shred of decency and something positive to contribute to the future of the United States. She is not one of them.