Rachael Wohletz of Kansas City, Missouri, brought her 3-year-old, Garrett, and 1-year-old, Rileigh, to participate in Kansas City, Missouri's tax day tea party at Liberty Memorial.

She was motivated by "just an absolute disgust with the way things are turning out and the complete lack of attention the government is paying to their tax payers. I don't like that they ignore us," she said. Although the kids' came because Wohletz had no babysitter, she probably would have brought them anyway, she said, because "I think it's good for the kids to get involved in this kind of thing and to grow up holding true to their values."

They sat on the lawn blowing bubbles as the crowd gathered, next to their sign from which they'd hung tea bags, twisting in the breeze to show small pictures of liberal political leaders on one side of each tea bag.

As the rally started, Veryl Klein waved his "Don't Tread on Me" flag at the foot of Liberty Memorial. Klein, a resident of Raymore, Missouri, served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Wearing his American Legion Post 488 hat, Klein said, "I'm just getting so frustrated. Us old folks are getting to the point where all our hard work we've done in the past ... all of our freedoms are going away. All the amendments are being challenged. It's just frustrating."

He greeted Dan Cook, a former U.S. Navy air crew member. Cook, a 40%-disabled veteran of Desert Storm sported his American Legion 370 hat.

"I love my country," he said. "We have destroyed this country simply by apathy. Apathy is the fifth and final stage of democracy before it crumbles and falls. It gives me a little bit of hope," he said, gesturing to the thousands demonstrating on the memorial lawn. "It makes me feel for the first time in 20 years that what I did wasn't in vain."

Dan Leap, a Merriam, Kansas, council member displayed a sign on which he'd nailed a coffin holding a skeleton, above which he'd written, "I'm being taxed to death."

"We had a 30% tax increase in Merriam," he said. "I voted against it. I'm here to support everybody in lower taxes."

JoEllen Madden of Liberty, Missouri, waved a tiny flag while wearing a colonial-style hat reminiscent of the early Minutemen. "I want my Constitution back," she said.

We had an amazing event- perfect weather, backdrop of KC skyline on one side and the National WWI Museum on the other, and oh yeah, 5,000 people. Ours was a complete grassroots effort made possible with the help of our over 60 volunteers and organizations that participated. A HUGE thanks to Talk Radio 710 and Chris Stigall for all of their help, and also to our band, Sharp Dressed Man, for everything they contributed. Join our mailing list and stay tuned for what's coming next!

http://thevoiceinthewilderness912.blogspot.com/

Brad Davis, of Independence, Missouri, purchased the sign, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore."

"I'm mad as hell and fed up with the way things are going with the country," he said. "We're headed down Socialism just like it was in Germany. I'm just an old man, but that's the way I see it."

Curtis Heaton, of Overland Park, said he was having trouble selling his signs because so many attendees had brought their own. Through his company, Ballyhoo Banners, he has had better success selling signs for the tea parties through the Internet.

"I have a son who's put his life on the line for his country since 9/11, that's his goal, and now he's a terrorist," Heaton said, referring to news that the Homeland Security department had issued a report, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."

Many conservatives (http://tiny.cc/nPD2m) decried the report's language that stated rightwing extremists included those "rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority" and "antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use".

Harlee Kelly, a 12-year-old from Greenwood, Missouri, videotaped Heaton with his signs for a news video she was filming to send to the local news stations.

"I'm just making a movie full of interviews and how people fell about all these bills and money, and I'm going to send it into the news."

Kelly is thinking pursuing a career either as a veterinarian or newscaster when she grows up. She hand-made a sign of her own to display at the event, as well.

A boy from Kansas City held up his own sign, "Barack Obama is loud and makes you feel good, but it's only hot air. Much like a fart." Mallett, who was given the sign by another attendee, giggled saying, "It's so true."

Outside the event, Department of Homeland Security vans were parked on a sidewalk.