Tea Party Movement Alive In Philly — Teri and Don Adams of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association (IHTPA) had another Independence Day triumph before a maximum occupancy crowd of at least 300 at the Independence Visitors Center Ballroom across Market Street from Independence Hall.
The group has held Fourth of July events at Independence Mall featuring nationally known speakers for four straight years. It was moved inside this time due to forecasts of near 100 degree heat and thunderstorms.
This year’s keynoter was the oft-vilified, always underestimated and near heroic Pamela Geller of the Freedom Defense Initiative.
Ms. Geller, a human rights activist, noted that while she is accused of being anti-Muslim, had no problem with Muslims. She said, however, she had a problem with Sharia Law and its demeaning treatment of women and religious minorities. She said she welcomed Muslims coming to America to escape the oppressive law.
Ms. Geller said that the struggle facing this generation is an old one between those who believe in the autonomy of the individual and those who believe in the supremacy of the state. This is why the left usually finds itself on the same side as Islam, she explained, a matter that sometimes confuses the right.
She said that the fight against Sharia is no different than the fight against communism or Nazis, a name that she pointedly noted stood for National Socialism.
Ms. Geller said the Sharia supporters are making surprising inroads into our nation and culture. Islamic leaders shamelessly defend female genital mutilation here, she said. She stressed the importance of voting out President Obama this November, under whose watch moderate Islamic nations have fallen to Sharia throughout the Mideast and who did not lift a finger to help courageous pro-liberty supporters in Iran.
She said Obama has been a strong supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, support which was instrumental in their takeover of Egypt.
Ms. Geller said that the establishment media is a tool of the left and is effective in marginalizing conservative’s best spokespeople specifically citing Sarah Palin. She said too often the conservatives abandon them when this happens and that conservatives must learn to stick with those who have been knocked down.
Emcee duties were handled flawlessly by Ms. Adams and the flow was kept moving smoothly by presenters WHPT talk show host Dom Giordano and WDEL talks show host Rick Jensen. Jensen pointed out that 40 percent of self-proclaimed conservatives did not vote in 2008, and that the nation couldn’t afford them sitting out again.
Sher Valenzuela, who is Delaware’s Businesswoman of the year and is the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of that state, described the tragedy to come if Obamacare is not repealed. She said that her son was diagnosed with autism and was told he would never be able to read or write. She and her husband began a second job to raise the money so he could be treated by a specialist. The boy is now a freshman at the University of Delaware. She was emphatic that that could not have happened if the new law was in existence at the time.
Brandon Posner, the chairman of the Bucks County Teenage Republicans and the grandson of refugees from Castro’s Cuba, described the importance of freedom and the American ideal. The poise shown by someone who had just ended his sophomore year at CB East High School was remarkable.
The 2012 Patriot of the Year award was bestowed on Ryan Manion Borke of the Travis Manion Foundation. A prior commitment kept Borke from attending. The award was presented by Giordano on behalf of the late Joey Vento who was last year’s winner.
The presentation of awards by prior winners has become an event tradition.
The 2012 Betsy Ross Activist of the Year Delaware Award was presented by Kristen Sherman of Founders Values to John Radell of Faith and Freedom of Delaware.
The 2012 Besty Ross Activist of the Year New Jersey Award was presented by Bill Miller of Project Shining City to Cort Rosholt of the IHTPA.
There were two Betsy Ross awards given to Pennsylvanians. Carol Klein of numerous groups presented one to Lin DeCesare of the IHTPA and Saturday Morning in America. The other was presented by Phil Schieber of the IHTPA to Lisa Esler of the Delaware County Patriots, who is also a member of the Penn Delco School Board. Ms. Esler also played an instrumental role in Rogers Howard’s primary challenge to Dominic Pileggi in 9th District State Senate race.
The George Washington Leadership Award was presented by Carol Klein, Teri Adams, Sharon Cherubin to Rich Davis of American Sheepdogs whose successful efforts to lead a counter protest against anti-military demonstrators in West Chester that greatly helped the morale of returning veterans and their families.
Also speaking at times were Ms. Adams and Rick Eckert of the IHTPA. The invocation was given by Rev. Jesse W. Woods Jr., associate minister of the 2nd Baptist Church of Germantown. Music was provided by the 286 Band
The formalities ended with a panel discussion about how to defeat Obamacare presented by Don Adams; moderated by Gary R’nel of WPHT; and featuring Dr. Ed Turzanski of the Foreign Policy Research Institute; Arvin Cabali, M.D., of Docs for Patient Care, Pennsylvania; attorney Matt Rooney of SaveNewJerse.com; Mark A. Young, M.D. of Physicians for Palin; Sgt. Robert Mansfield (ret), Iraq War veteran and the Republican congressional candidate for Pennsylvania’s 2nd District; and Rick Jensen.
An expected counter protest by Occupy Wall Street fizzled in the sizzle. Some signs were held up during the city’s Fourth of July Parade down Market Street preceding the event. A handful of unwashed types with duffle bags were seen lounging on the lawn of the Mall, although they denied being with OWS when asked and expressed concern that the asker was with the police.
This fellow said he was not a member of Occupy Wall Street but said he came down to join their protest. He found himself trapped on the south side of Market Street during the parade, while most of the other sign holders were on the north side. His signs, which were made from pizza boxes, say “End The NWO New World Order” and God’s Voice Not Man’s Voice”.