More protest than party

As the sun set on tax day, the Albuquerque Tea Party movement began its rally against government growth and spending.
Hundreds of protesters lined Menaul Boulevard from San Pedro Drive to Wyoming Boulevard on Thursday to support the conservative
political movement.

ATP Organizer Robert Young said followers of the movement wanted to urge government to return to the U.S. Constitution as it was drafted.
“We are here to protest against high taxes, expanding government and just the general direction of the country,” he said.

The intersection of Louisiana Boulevard was congested with cars sporting signs that read, “Make a terrorist happy, vote dem!” And the congestion was compounded with loud honking and chants such as, “Cut spending and taxes; we are headed for disaster!”

Young said people have grown frustrated with the government and are standing up for what they believe in.
“We were the silent majority,” he said. “We aren’t so silent anymore.”

Young said the turnout for this year’s event was much greater than the same event held on Montgomery Boulevard last year.
Daina Wade, an ATP member, said this was her second year to attend the event, and she came back because she wants to change what is happening in government.
“I am concerned about the political direction of our country,” she said. “I think it is primarily turning toward government baby-sitters, and I am really against that.”

Debbie Rosen, a protester, said Thursday’s demonstration was the beginning of more conservative movements and citizen involvement.
“I think you are going to see a lot more of this as time goes on,” she said. “I think people are fed up. They are getting educated, they are figuring out what is going on and they are showing up to protest it.”

The Albuquerque protest was one of hundreds happening around the country, including a rally in Washington D.C. attended by thousands.
Young said the ATP party continues to grow in Albuquerque. He said members attend government meetings at the local, state and federal levels.
“We go to city council meetings, we go to Santa Fe, and you’ve seen us on television in Washington,” he said.

Though the ATP rally was targeted at high taxes, many members were also protesting the health care bill passed last month. The Tea Party movement defeated the bill last year and many ATP supporters wore buttons and stickers that read, “No Obamacare” or “Repeal the Bill.”

Young said the Tea Party movement has grown in the last year and a half to urge government to return to more conservative practices. The movement, which began with only 15 tea party groups, now has thousands of chapters nationwide.