Franklin County holds Tea Party rally
There were several signs at the Tea Party earlier Thursday. This child holds one about the national debt.| Melissa Cason/FCT
A group of concerned citizens came together Thursday afternoon to voice their concern about the state of our nation.
The Tea Party, which was held near the Franklin County Courthouse, was like many of the Tea Party rallies going on across the country.
“I am not angry,” Wayne Hardy told the crowd.
“I am concerned.”
Hardy’s concern for our country stems from the direction of the government, he said.
“They are wasting our money,” Hardy said.
The rally featured three speakers.
Bro. Jerry Hester, a pastor and former history teacher,
addressed the crowd concerning some of the federal government’s recent policy decisions and how they impact citizens.
Abortion was one of the issues he addressed.
“5.1 million babies have been aborted,” he said.
“Imagine if we suddenly needed 5.1 million more cell phones, cars, houses and other needed items. We have aborted the American economy.”
Organizers called for a moment of silence during the rally.
Hester talked about how our country was founded, upon the principals of the Bible, and how we have taken those principals out of our government little by little, he said.
Certified Public Accountant Don Holcomb, of Red Bay, spoke about the current financial condition of the country.
“One of the worst enemies we can have is debt,” Holcomb said. “Our country is broke.”
Holcomb said the national debt totals $12 trillion, and that number grows by $12,000 every second. That’s $4.2 billion per day.
“That debt is the chain around all our necks and we are giving the other end of the chain to communist China because they are the ones buying our debt,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb said America doesn’t have the money to fund wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and to bail out banks and the auto industry.
“We are broke. You might even say bankrupt,” Holcomb said.
The event concluded with speaker Randy Pike of Spruce Pine.
Pike, 37, was left disabled from a series of strokes at a young age. He spoke about the current healthcare system and the newly passed Healthcare bill.
“A total overhaul is not the solution,” Pike said.
As a disabled American, Pike receives Medicare benefits, and has been told by Washington the new healthcare bill will not affect Medicare.
Pike says this not the truth.
“We’ve been told that if we are hospitalized for an illness and released, Medicare will not pay if we have to be hospitalized again within one month,” Pike said.
Tea Party rallies were held across the country Thursday pushing for smaller government and more controlled spending.
CPA Don Holcomb talks about the national debt at the rally.|Melissa Cason/FCT
