TEA PARTY: Press report underwhelms

I read with interest your front page article on the "Tax Day" Rally April 14, as I attended the event. The coverage was largely accurate, although the attendance was far more than the reported "roughly 400 people." Each section was 22 seats by about 20 rows, or roughly 400 persons per section. I sat in the fourth, partially filled, section, but the three others were filled and additional participants stood at the rear. Even allowing for gaps in seating, I believe your estimate was far too low; there were clearly greater than 1,000 participants by any reasonable calculation. There were virtually no parking spaces available when I arrived at 6:15, and the few protesters outside had already furled their sails, so I was not able to appreciate their banners or concerns. Nevertheless, the presentations inside were well worth hearing, as you reported.

I also question your headline phrasing: Rather than "clinging" to the Constitution, Mr. Miller urged participants to stand upon it as the founding document upon which our government and freedoms are based. "Clinging" has a snide, condescending tone to it, one which liberals, including our president, have used to refer to those of us who prefer to stand upon our Judeo-Christian values and the principals on which our government was originally based.

TOM STUBER

Hauser