GOUVERNEUR/CANTON - “Stop the pork!” “Wake up!” “Give me liberty, not debt!” “Congress, you work for us!” “Born free, taxed to death!” Even past the chorus of car horns, conversation, cheering and the deep bellows of tractor trailer rigs you could hear voices rising from signs held high by citizens of St. Lawrence County in Gouverneur and Canton today. The first modern Tea Party's in Northern New York were held along the parks bordering Route 11 in both villages today. Families, students, children and adults came out strong, supported by honk-happy commuters, some of whom pulled over and joined the throng. These Tea Party's, modeled after the nature of the revolutionary Boston Tea Party of 1775, are, at first glance, in protest of current Government spending, including, but not limited to, items such as big bailouts, taxation without representation, economic booster projects and the pork barrel legislation that accompanies these situations.

When you look a little deeper you start to find more than just a general malaise concerning the spending, but concerns about the effectiveness of actions taken against those that are considered responsible, in their part, for contributing to the current economic climate. Whether you attended in Gouverneur or in Canton, opinions were similar and the people were hungering to be heard. 

Dotty Wade, who organized the Gouverneur Tea Party, was inspired to do so after seeing that other towns and cities across the country were holding similar events. She spoke to several media organizations, including news and radio, to help get the word out, but like much of the news in our area, it spread through word of mouth. The rally officially started at 11:30 am, but there were people turning out by 10:30, ready for their day to speak out. There were many goals cited by the participants of the rally, but what came to the forefront was the protection of the Constitution and of future generations. “We've had enough of spending when [the administration] doesn't even read what they're going to sign!” said an elderly participant, energized by her passion about the subject. She wasn't the only person in Gouverneur with something to say, a couple from Antwerp had very particular feelings about the state of our Union. “The whole government has become so corrupt. When something goes wrong they'll claim 'Oh I'll take full responsibility,' but does anything ever happen when they take full responsibility? We're being turned into a socialist country.” Of course, this concern was widely shared by others present, many of whom are frustrated with what they view as the lack of consistency and follow through displayed by the current administration. “This isn't what [Obama] promised, he claimed that [bills] would have at least five days on the internet so it would be perfectly clear. It's muddy water!”

Many want the local and federal governments to slow down and take a closer look at the potential effects of their proposals before signing off on them, and even more feel that the people of the United States aren't being granted enough say in the matters at hand, and that if they were there would be a more conscientious appropriation of funds. This thinking led to the two petitions present at both Tea Party's. The first petitioned New York State Senators Joseph Griffo and Darrel Aubertine, Assemblywomen Addie J. Russell and Dee Dee Scozzofava to hold a series of Town Hall meetings in the North Country to grant constituents a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns. The second asked the same of U.S. Congressman John McHugh and U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer. Signatures were quickly lining the pages at Gouverneur as more and more people began to take notice of the demonstration.

Local businessman Dave Lacks, owner of Marble City Threadery, started business in Gouverneur about a year and a half ago. He had hoped to expand the business and generate more locally-based jobs, but, he claims, “there's little help for expansion. Everyone in Congress is touting 'We're going to help small business,' though I'm not sure where that help is coming from.” The bulk of Mr. Lacks' customers are military, though he caters to everyone, and hopes that the Tea Party's help to get the attention of not only Federal officials, but “the county representatives and the state representatives who are just doing a dismal job of helping anybody but themselves, in my opinion.” Mr. Lacks believes that, as a people, we need to start recognizing that the needs of many can not be met by the means of few, and that the Government's spending is going to inevitably negatively impact the taxpayers.

In Canton the mood was much the same. At approximately one P.M. there were already over 110 participants from all over the North Country, even some from as far south as Syracuse and as far North as Ottawa. Nancy Martin, chairwoman for the St. Lawrence County Republican Committee was present, and claimed that the “basis of the rally is taxes. People are speaking out...the taxes are driving out businesses, property owners, and our youth. We need to reign in excessive government spending.” The Canton Tea Party was put together by Nancy Foster, a teacher retired from BOCES, though she worked in Syracuse and in Pennsylvania as an instructor before coming to St. Lawrence County. Like Dotty Wade, she saw that these events were going on all over the nation, and recognized that there was enough interest in Canton to throw a Tea Party of their own. As with Gouverneur, the Canton park was lined with local residents, from children to adults. Students from area colleges also came out in support of the Tea Party.

Brent, an English and Education major from SUNY Potsdam, was concerned about misplaced trust in the current administration. “I think [Obama] is a good man, but his policies are kind of screwy, and because he's African American and future minded many think what he says must be great...in reality he's causing a lot of problems.” Fifteen year old Ashley Swanson was out with her family and friends, and her concerns were with what the current spending would mean to the youth of America. “I think that the debt is just being pushed on to the younger generations, and that just isn't right because we won't have a chance when the time comes.”

Across the street from the bulk of the Tea Party demonstration stood Lance Harbart, a 25 year old Colton native currently attending pursuing a degree in Engineering Science at SUNY Canton. While he desires the same end result as most of the protesters, he had a different idea about the means to that end. He is, as many are, concerned about Government handouts, but thinks that there needs to be control over the banking systems, particularly the Federal Reserve and the World Bank. “I think to allow those to go unregulated could worsen the situation we're in today.” Nature-minded, Lance hopes that if the weakening business giants fall that home-grown “green” companies are ready to take over. “It's what people want. They want efficient vehicles and to help the world, I think.” Lance's personal goals are to use the knowledge of engineering he will attain to help better the global climate, as well as the economic.

Tax Day Tea Party's, as the movement has been dubbed, are growing in numbers and locations. The popularity of these events is partly due to the effectiveness of the symbolism, and their ability to help voice the opinions and concerns of everyday citizens of the United States, but also to the ease in which they are organized and amassed using media and advertising, particularly the internet. Because of the ease this offers to coordinating large groups of people, these events are expected to continue and may very well change the course of American politics in the months and years to come.

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