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Tea Bags, Protestors and a Pooch




I went to Hillsdale Shopping Mall in San Mateo to see what the tea bag protesters were up to on tax day. I missed the one in San Francisco so San Mateo was the only closest site that was still in full force by the time I arrived.

There were at least 400 people, a majority were baby boomers. They were not the usual mad as hell Gen X-Z protesters that I've seen at the anti-war and union protests in San Francisco. For some, this was their first protest and they all felt proud and empowered to finally stand up to the Feds, politicians and Socialism - or so their signs read. Take away the signs and you'd think you were attending local community event. Sign carrying people smiled and waved back at honking cars and curious pedestrians.

The San Francisco couple drove down right after they attended a baseball game at Pac Bell Park or is it SBC? They keep changing the stadium's name that I lost track. They too missed the San Francisco protest and made their presence known at the corner of El Camino Real during rush hour.

The police were in force and they looked bored hanging out in their cruisers, some chatting with the protesters. No one was arrested and everyone behaved - model citizens. No need after all it's the Peninsula, a pretty safe suburb of middle to upper middle class families.

Tax day has come and gone. Now where do these protesters go from here after being galvanized and energized? I asked half of the interviewees if and when they filed their taxes. Almost all filed as early as two months ago. Law and tax abiding citizens speaking up and sticking it the man, figuratively. Now who took my American flag?
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