Local residents to attend Nashville 'tea party'

A number of Bedford County residents are planning to travel to Nashville Saturday to join others from across Tennessee to participate in what organizers are calling "the first ever statewide tea-party."

The rally is scheduled to occur at Legislative Plaza from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, a date that organizers hold significant because it marks approximately one year from the 2010 Congressional elections.

As a result, the organizers are calling it a "One Year Notice" to Congress and they are inviting citizens to sign pink slips to send to their representatives, warning "if Congress continues to ignore the will of the people and Constitution they'll be fired."

One of the local organizers of the event, Roger Eyman, told the T-G that he has contacted about 150 people about attending and that a car pool to the Nashville event will be gathering Saturday in the parking lot of Peoples Bank at 1122 N. Main St. at 9:30 a.m..

Tea parties are nothing new to Bedford County. A group of about 100 people gathered on April 15 on the Shelbyville public square, and others gathered in 20 other counties, as well as about 10,000 that attended the Nashville rally that day.

Eyman said his wife Donna organized the April event and a similar event on July 4 that Roger put together attracted about 150 people. He said all the organizing was done by both e-mail and phone.

The first tea parties were in response to Congressional spending and deficits, the bailouts of banks and auto companies and legislation like the stimulus bill, but organizers say that the event this weekend will likely be dominated by the current health care debate.

"As of November 7, the elections will be only one year away and we are telling them, listen to the people or we are going to throw you out of office," a statement on the organizer's website says.

"Too often, we Americans live in fear of our elected officials. It's time for them to fear us."

Organizers of the movement have described it as "very decentralized," with groups forming and acting independently of one another, but for Saturday's rally, Tea Party groups from Tennessee's major regions have partnered for the event.

Speakers will include conservative radio personalities from the Nashville and Knoxville areas, Ben Cunningham from Tennessee Tax Revolt and others.

Those wanting to participate in Saturday's tea party can find more information at oneyearnotice.com or they can call the Eymans at 684-1764 or 575-8805.