Waving stars and stripes and Gadsden flags warning “Don’t Tread on Me,’’ a crowd of some 6,000 gathered on Boston Common amid patriotic tunes, heated antitax rhetoric, and much-anticipated exhortations from the tea party movement’s adopted standard bearer, Sarah Palin.
The Tea Party Express — which landed in Boston on the eve of the federal tax deadline, a stone’s throw from the site of the original Tea Party on Boston Harbor — was a noisy and festive assault against Washington’s political establishment that reveled in Republican US Senator Scott Brown’s surprise victory on liberal turf.
“Bostonians have never been afraid to stand up and speak out for principles that they believe in,’’ Palin said. “And look what Massachusetts did in January and shook up the US Senate. Boston, if anyone knows how to throw a Tea Party, it is you.’’
The event drew three busloads of performers from the national Tea Party Express as well as activists from around the region and as far away as Texas. Many toted signs reading, “I am not a racist. I just disagree politically,’’ and, evoking the former Alaska governor’s quote about her state’s proximity to Russia, “We can see November from our House.’’
As one speaker onstage railed on illegal immigration and urged the president to shut down the southern borders, Nina Clay of Salem applauded and shouted, “Yes!’’
“We’ve had enough,’’ she said. “I’m just tired. They’re violating our rights. They’re just flushing the Constitution right down the toilet.’’
Asked to cite a Constitutional violation, the Democrat-turned-Republican cited “Obamacare,’’ and said that although she believes everyone is entitled to have health care, “not at others’ expense.’’
“Why don’t we do away with the government’’ Clay asked, “and just adopt a bum?’’
The polarizing but popular Palin drew wild applause from the crowd with her 22-minute speech, in which she said the government has been on a “spending spree’’ and warned of future tax increases.
“We believe in expanding freedom and opportunity for all, not the intrusive reach of government into our lives and businesses,’’ she said.
The rally included tributes to the military and digs at prominent Democrats, including President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, and US Representative Barney Frank.
The traveling Tea Party Express road show started in Searchlight, Nev., Reid’s hometown, and officially ends in Washington, D.C., today, to commemorate Tax Day.
For some activists, it held particular resonance in Boston, home of the 1773 Tea Party protesting British taxes and hub of a famously liberal state.
“Massachusetts is a blue-collar working-stiff state, and we’re reclaiming it for America,’’ Mark Williams, Tea Party Express chairman, told the crowd.
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