Here are some images from the New Braunfels Tea Party that that Matt Streger sent me.

The following are pictures from the Tea Party rally in New Braunfels on April 15, 2009. The rally was held between 11 AM and 1 PM. As I arrived on the scene about 11:15, I was amazed at the number of people on the plaza in downtown New Braunfels. I took several counts while I was there and estimate that somewhere between 300 to 350 people were on the plaza at the height of Tea Party.

As with our friends up in Boerne and over in Seguin: A hearty "Well done!" to you all in New Braunfels!

This picture is looking down South San Antonio Street from the plaza. The plaza in New Braunfels is a very busy traffic area, especially around lunch time on a workday. Over half of all drivers going by were honking their horns and raising thumbs up to the participants. Needless to say, the horn honking was almost a constant stream of sound during the entire rally.

This picture is looking southeast down Seguin Street from the plaza. Some of the folks turning out for the rally in the foreground went all-out as far as costumes. The lady in the pink hat and costume is dressed as a teapot. Two gentlemen to her left are dressed as Indians in reference to the original tea party in Boston.

This picture is looking northeast, up San Antonio Street from the plaza. Some of the signs in the foreground include, “America, the Next 3rd World Country”, “I am 7 years old and $40,000 in debt”, and “Power Back to the People”.

Several sign-holders are hanging out in front of the Civil War statue on the plaza in downtown New Braunfels, April 15, 2009. I love the comment on Socialism the retired veteran (sitting) is holding in front of him.
"Socialism. Great idea 'til you run out of other peoples money."

On a ludicrous note, when I returned home after the rally, there was an anchor woman on MSNBC vehemently making the claim that these Tea Parties are taking place only because billionaire Republicans are funding them. Well, I sure would like to know which billionaire funded the New Braunfels rally because he or she owes us a lot of money. Of course, I am being sarcastic. I can tell you that the organization of this rally was extremely grassroots and pretty much word-of-mouth. In looking at this picture, do these people look like a bunch of right-wing political operatives? Or could they be a group of very common citizens who are deeply concerned about the future of their country?

This lady actually lay on the lawn in that position for over an hour, symbolizing the proverbial death by taxes. She continually held the sign you are seeing above her, sometimes using one hand or the other or sometimes both. She gets the motivation award!

A look at the bandstand with Tax Day Tea Party banners in the New Braunfels plaza, April 15, 2009.

I literally busted out laughing when I read the sign the gentleman in the center of the picture is holding. Very funny!

"Sec Geithner. It's April 15th. Is there something you're supposed to do today?"

Some media showed up for the New Braunfels event. Here is the truck from KSAT News, the San Antonio ABC affiliate. The man in the light blue shirt standing in front of the news truck is a KSAT reporter, preparing to file a story.

This is another picture of media covering the event. This gentleman is being interviewed by a reporter/photographer with the local newspaper, the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

His picture was on the front page of the Herald Zeitung the next day.

Just some of the crowd that turned out for the New Braunfels Tea Party on April 15, 2009.

Not sure what was going on here, but one older man decided to strip down to his ‘skivvies’ so to speak, perhaps to protest that higher taxes will take everything he has, including wardrobe.

By 1 PM, things were starting to break-up and people were packing up to leave. I heard from many, like myself, voice that they were headed to the San Antonio rally to held later the same day. This is one final look at some of the right-wing extremists that turned out for the New Braunfels Tea Party (sarcasm intended).