For many, the Fourth of July is a day to kick back, have some drinks and enjoy a fireworks display. However, this was not the case for the 5,000 gathered at Kennedy Park in South Tucson for the Tucson Tea Party’s first Independence Day Celebration.
For them, the date had a much different meaning this year.
“”Most college students treat Independence Day as just another excuse to party,”” said Fletcher Morgan, a business junior. “”I think that more young people need to treat today as a chance to voice what they think about the government.””
The Tucson Tea Party’s first ever Independence Day Celebration was a unique occasion. It provided thousands of disgruntled Americans and many UA students with the opportunity to gather together and protest what they see as the government overstepping its bounds in terms of spending and taxation.
“”The current presidential administration is implementing the largest tax hikes in American history,”” said Trent Humphrey, co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party. “”Increasing taxes and spending money on a Cap-and-Trade program is the last action our government should be taking in economically-troubled times.””
President Barack Obama’s proposed cap-and-trade program on carbon emissions was quickly revealed to be the issue of utmost concern at the rally.
“”I think it’s important that we pursue green fuel alternatives, but not if it’s going to destroy jobs and cost money that we don’t have,”” Morgan said.
Almost everyone at the event seemed to share the view that over-taxation, spending and new regulation by our government will not produce a desperately-needed respite to the economic crisis.
Tammy Bruce, a nationally-syndicated talk show host and the key-note speaker for the gathering, took it one step further in regards to the Obama administration’s policies on spending and the effect they will have on younger generations.
“”It’s going to cost around $50,000 in new taxes over the next five years for college students,”” Bruce said. “”Are you willing to give someone a $50,000 check on the promise of them finding the Loch Ness Monster?””
Students who participated in the rally expressed their continuing concern about the threat of new taxes being implemented by the local and national government.
“”Once the level of spending goes down, the Obama administration punishes the lowest class of people by raising taxes,”” said Kai Kaapro, a Russian studies senior.
In addition, a serious problem that many younger participants in the rally pointed out was the apathy of college-aged Americans in regards to politics.
“”Most young people take what they are told at face value, without looking into it,”” said Johnny Anderson, an elementary education senior and rally volunteer. “”I wrote a guide to the 2008 presidential elections, so my friends would really know who they were voting for.””
Apart from volunteers like Anderson at the rally, most university students present were part of political activists groups such as the Pima County Young Republicans.
“”Unfortunately I think that most college kids don’t care enough to get involved,”” said Jessica Drewry, an engineering junior and member of the Pima County Young Republicans.
Whether events such as the Tucson Tea Party’s Fourth of July rally will draw more students into the political debate is still in question. However, the creators of the Tucson Tea Party see it as a step in the right direction.
“”The only way to get people involved in their government is to rally together and express their views,”” Humphrey said. “”We will hopefully be having another rally in the near future.””
