The Tea Party, 2009

In June of 2009, I was broke as hell. I didn't have a steady job that paid the bills and relied on any little gig I could find to pay the rent. One of those gigs was selling Gadsden flags for five bucks apiece at a Tea Party rally. I didn't know what it was about, but being from the Boston area where you can go see a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party, I figured I'd want to have my camera along just in case a bunch of people dressed as puritans showed up.

I realized quickly that this was no kid's show. The great thing about it, aside from being able to walk away with some cash, was that people were glad to have their picture taken. They wanted to be on the web or in the papers. Not being one to follow the news too closely or understand politics very well, I didn't know what exactly these people were protesting at first. It took at least an hour for it to sink in; these people hated President Obama.

A journalist, photo or otherwise, is best to remain unbiased and try to blend. I didn't really get into any conversations with anyone because I wasn't there for that reason. Now, almost two years later, I am a little shocked at the response the following photos are still generating. I shouldn't be. It's just history.

I voted for Obama, and I have no regrets. Do I agree with everything he's doing? Hell, no. However, I maintain that change was necessary. In a perfect world, utopia would have followed the election of America's first black president. In a perfect world, change would not have been necessary to begin with.

*IMPORTANT** DO NOT COPY AND POST MY IMAGES FOR USE ON YOUR WEBSITE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION**

--DR