Protest fills Expoland

FISHERSVILLE — Toting placards, posters and petitions, more than 500 Tax Day protesters overflowed Augusta Expoland seating Wednesday night, more than doubling organizers’ expectations for turnout.

Despite an initial roar from the crowd as organizer Michael Nash took the stage, protesters’ handwritten signs and one-on-one conversations provided most of the emotion. And within an hour, protesters already were exiting the parking lot as the night’s second speaker took the stage.

Some in attendance pushed for more rousing speeches.

The “tea party” protests got their start with an on-air rant from CNBC editor Rick Santelli earlier this year about the White House agenda, Congress, stimulus spending and pork. He called for a Chicago tea party, and others caught on.

Locally, promoters of various political persuasions banked on a “perfect storm” of economic ills and recent unrest over the Augusta County reassessment to encourage a night of protest and petition pushing.

More than 100 people turned out for a protest at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton, and many continued on to Expoland, where they met with petitions to recall Augusta supervisors and a mixed bag of messages about topics such as the founding of the United States and what the looming national debt means for future generations.

“What happened to live free or die?” asked Alex Avery, a father of two from Staunton. “What happened? ... This country wasn’t founded on regulating soda pop.”

Avery carried a yellow sign proclaiming he was “mad as hell” and not going to take it anymore — just one of dozens of similar, if not more pithy, placards.

“We the people are tead [sic] off,” read one.

“Don’t tax me bro,” read another, borrowing from the title of a popular YouTube video about a police Taser incident.

“Millions billions trillions oh my,” read a third.

“It’s time for the American people to take a stand,” said Gloria Stump, of Waynesboro, who criticized greed on Capitol Hill. “I’m just glad people have come out of the woodwork to voice their opinions.”

On stage, Nash spoke for more than 30 minutes, railing against taxes and calling for free business practices.

The crowd mostly listened, except for a single outburst.

Nash said the event also provided an opportunity for networking, and for provoking “fire in the belly.”

“I care so much about the people and their children,” Nash said, “and what we’re leaving for posterity.”