Tea party celebrates Constitution

Between 1,000 and 2,000 people gathered peacefully Saturday morning in Yuma to voice their concerns about a government they said is too large and is infringing on individual liberties.

The event, which was sponsored by the Colorado River Tea Party, was held at the Arizona Marketplace.

According to Tom Jenney, Arizona director of Americans for Prosperity, many Americans are alarmed over the prospect of losing their unalienable rights.

"There is a huge amount of fear out there about losing freedom," Jenney said. "This is one of the most amazing things I have seen in my entire life, and the entire tea party movement (has been made possible) because people have finally decided things are bad enough that they need to stand up and do something."

Yuman Howard Blitz was at the event to support the U.S. Constitution.

"It protects us from our government," Blitz said. "The whole point of the document is to restrict the power of government, and without it, government officials would be able to run over our rights. It puts them at bay, and that is why it is so valuable."

Blitz believes the Constitution is at risk.

"It is being ignored right now, and has been ignored for quite some time, and I think a majority of the people are finally realizing that. It's getting to the point where you have to get government permission to do anything. We are losing our freedom and becoming slaves, and in many cases we have become slaves."

Jenney said big government is detrimental to maintaining a free society.

"Big government tramples individual rights. It seeks to override, if not destroy, the free market system which has been the source of all of our wealth and prosperity and material progress, and to a larger extent, our cultural progress. It also destroys the structures and institutions in America which serve to defend the individual against abusive power."

Jenney said big government may lead to the crumbling of the current American way of life.

"A lot of people predict some quick and imminent collapse, but I agree with Adam Smith (the 18th-century philosopher and author of the "Wealth of Nations"), who said when a free market society begins to destroy its economy, it will often decline in a very slow way that is imperceptible to people."

Jenney said there are some similarities between the United States and the collapse of the Roman Empire.

"There are many parallels. Big empires eventually tax themselves to death. They get overextended and promise too much to too many people. They raise their taxes, debase their currency and destroy themselves, and I think we are seeing a slow-motion version of that."

Yuman Gary Peters believes there is now an all-out assault against personal liberties on the part of the government.

"This is a war on freedom by a large and abusive government," Peters said. "They are trying to get into every nook and cranny of our personal lives. They are about controlling the American population, and our goal is to get rid of those in Washington who no longer serve the public."

Peters said he wants to ensure personal freedoms for posterity.

"This is about our future generations, but the tendency for some today is to say they don't have to worry about the future because they won’t be here. Everyone should live a better tomorrow, and if we do not stand our ground today we are going to give everything away."

According to Blitz, Americans have a simple tool that allows them to ensure future rights.

"We can peacefully overthrow our government without firing a shot. We can replace all 435 members of the House of Representatives, and that would be overthrowing our government. We don't have to take up arms and risk our lives, all we have to do is pay attention and vote for those who will protect and defend the Constitution.

"What a beautiful gift the Founding Fathers gave us. A vote is more powerful than a bullet, and so are ideas. You can't kill an idea."

**Check out the tea party slideshow at http://www.yumasun.com/sections/slideshow/?id=1099096