Many thanks to Jonathan Hill and the Hill family for their patriotism!
ANDERSON — Barbie Bryan of Anderson has traveled to Columbia and to Atlanta to protest President Barack Obama and actions that he is taking in the White House that she said are “un-American.”
On Friday, she didn’t have to travel two hours to do that. She stood among several hundred people who gathered at the Anderson County Courthouse square downtown for the Taxed Enough Already protest.
She held a large poster that read, “You can’t fix stupid, but you can vote it out.”
“They are putting in socialism faster than we can blink,” Bryan said. “When a president of our country can fire the CEO of a private company, there’s something fundamentally wrong and un-American going on. This is about taking our country back.”
About 300 people turned out for the protest, judging by the number of agenda packets that were handed out by volunteers. The protest organizer, Jonathan Hill of Anderson, said he was pleased with the turnout for the event.
Anderson County Council members Eddie Moore and Cindy Wilson attended. Moore led the pledge and gave the invocation.
About a dozen speakers talked about freedoms in the United States.
A local radio host for WAIM, Rick Driver, spoke to the people about standing up for their rights, bringing a cheer from Bryan.
“Don’t let the people who have been elected take your rights away from you,” Driver said.
S.C. Sen. Kevin Bryant also spoke, talking to the crowd about health care. He argued against socialized medicine and praised the quality of American health care. He also said he was proud to see so many people show up to show their interest in the government and political issues.
“They say health care is expensive,” Bryant said. “Wait until it’s free.”
Drew Gilmer, an Anderson resident, also stood on the courthouse steps and said he is tired of President Obama apologizing for America. Thomas Culberson, a military veteran and Anderson resident, echoed Gilmer’s comments.
“One of the first things Obama did as president was apologize for the policies of the United States,” Culberson said. “And then he bowed to a foreign king.”
Dawn Underwood of Townville said she came out to the courthouse plaza Friday because she is also “tired of Washington” and tired of government spending.
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