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Local Residents Joining National Tax Protest

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

In The Loop

Published: March 29, 2009

WESLEY CHAPEL - As people across the country prepare to stand up to Washington, D.C., with a modern version of the Boston Tea Party, sans the costumes and violence, some Wesley Chapel residents are set to take part.

Prompted by an e-mail that has been circulated across the country, groups like those at Wesley Chapel's Victorious Life Church will mail tea bags to the White House on Wednesday to show their dissatisfaction for how government is spending tax dollars.

Rebekah Kinsey, a member of Victorious Life Church's MOPS group, said she has already bought a box of tea bags.

"I saw the forwarded e-mail, and I also saw it on television," Kinsey said. "I thought this is something we can do. I feel like I need to let Washington know I am unhappy with the way they are spending our taxes. We are a peaceful society so this is the way we should protest."

In order for the protest to work, Kinsey said a lot of people need to be involved, which is why she sent the e-mail to everyone on her contact list.

"I don't want to be politically incorrect or rude, but I think we have come to a point in our society where people are afraid to say what they believe," Kinsey said. "I feel like we are being walked on because we are afraid. There are a lot of people in Wesley Chapel that feel the way I do."

John Formby, the children's pastor at Victorious Life, said he thinks he will be sending tea bags as well.

"This is our way to tell Washington they need to think twice about how they are spending our taxes," Formby said. "I think this is a way we can as a modern society show we disapprove of the way our government spends our tax dollars. This is the way for average Americans to have their voices heard."

Instead of just having a negative opinion of how the government is running things, Formby said he also has a solution.

"I am a fan of small government," Formby said. "The government should not take a large role in the lives of individuals. I think any agency the government has control over is a mess. When a large group of people try to run a corporation or entity, it becomes a total mess because no one is sure who should lead or guide. There are too many voices and it becomes too mottled."

The e-mail that has been forwarded from inbox to inbox states that it originated with a movement called the New American Tea Party. The group's Web site, www.new americanteaparty.com, states the e-mail did not start with them, but that it might not be a bad idea.

The only problem, site organizers point out, is that a tea bag going through the postal system might not make it to the White House. One of the posts on the site suggests just sending the tea bag label along with a note about why the person is sending it.

If interested in participating, send a tea bag or tea bag label to The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20500, on Thursday.

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