41°
The Tea Party came to Norwalk and the reception was lukewarm. The conservative movement that has been holding rallies across the country held its first meeting in Norwalk on Sunday. About 125 people gathered on the lawn of City Hall. Many said they were visiting from neighboring towns including Stamford, Danbury, Wilton and Stratford and shared stories of other rallies they had attended. A handful waved flags or held posters. Some brought lawn chairs and sat under the shade trees as they listened to political candidates decry big government and call for incumbents to be voted out of office. The crowd generally responded with polite applause.
I think for a long time weve been going in the wrong direction, said Mark Generest, of Stratford. It started with Bush and the bail outs. Generest held a poster that read, Liberty not tyranny. He said he worked for a lumber company and didnt make a lot of money but he hoped to be in a high tax bracket someday. The tax rates, though, take away my incentive, he said.
A man in a crimson baseball cap with Harvard embroidered across the front listened as a speaker condemned politicians with degrees from elite universities. A man wearing a Harley-Davidson t-shirt stood next to a middle-aged woman wearing a United States Air Force t-shirt. Norwalk resident Vito Gasparro wore a hat printed with images of marijuana leaves and the word cannabis. He clapped as a speaker called for a return to traditional American values.
Norwalk resident Lynne Moore said she came because she was curious. Moore, the principal of West Rocks Middle School, said she wanted to learn more about what is happening across all fronts in her community. As she listened to the speeches, she commented, Im hearing a lot of misinformation. Im hearing a lot of fear. This seems to be an outlet for that. Like several people, Moore left before the program had ended.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
