For Immediate Release

Contact:  Don Adams, Independence Hall Tea Party, 215.620.3055

                John Sullivan, Cherry Hill Area Tea Party, 609.417.4297

                Kevin Street, Diamond State Tea Party, 302.388.7793

                Sharon Cherubin, UNITEPA, 717.413.3973

                Rich Davis, American Sheepdog, 610.580.4797

Tea Party Coalition Says Occupy Philadelphia's Message and Tactics are Wrong for America; Will Monitor Group's Behavior 

Philadelphia, PA (October 6, 2011) -- A Tea Party coalition, representing groups with tens of thousands of supporters and sympathizers in the tri-state region (DE, NJ, PA), is closely watching the actions of Occupy Philadelphia.

Leaders of American Sheepdogs, UNITEPA, Diamond State Tea Party, Cherry Hill Area Tea Party, and the Independence Hall Tea Party have joined together to unequivocally restate their commitment to free enterprise and the U.S. Constitution against a potential political force and social movement which they say could threaten both.

While supporting the free speech rights of all, including Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Philadelphia, the coalition members roundly deplore

the illegal tactics they employ, including sit-ins that interfere with the free flow of traffic.

"Occupy Wall Street demonstrated its willingness to break the law when it took control of the Brooklyn Bridge last Saturday.  In seeking attention for its message, the group thought nothing of prohibiting the rights of others to travel freely," said Association president and Montgomery County, PA resident, Teri Adams.  "Occupy Philadelphia has threatened to block traffic and set up tents--all without acquiring the proper permits.  The Tea Party condemns such behavior." 

The anarchistic backgrounds of some of the organizers of Occupy Philadelphia have certainly raised eyebrows," said Cherry Hill Area Tea Party spokesman and Camden County, NJ resident, John Sullivan.  "They claim to represent the views of  "99%" of Americans, but in actual fact, are speaking for a small, radical fringe of American society." 

"Their notion that Wall Street and Corporations are the root of all evil is foreign to us," said American Sheepdog founder, Rich Davis, a resident of Chester County, PA. "The recent death of Steve Jobs should serve as a reminder of the beneficial nature of businesses such as Apple Inc., of which Mr. Jobs had contributed substantially."

"Of course, like any other institution, Wall Street has its corrupt figures,"

said Diamond State Tea Party founder and Kent County, DE resident, Kevin Street. "And those individuals should be prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law." 

"Our coalition deplores corporate bailouts (General Motors), corporate subsidies (Solyndra), and corporate welfare," added Ms. Adams.   "At the same time, however, we recognize the achievements of large and small businesses alike.  They put America to work."  

"Occupy Philadelphia seems bent on enhancing the power of the federal government--promoting big government at the expense of free enterprise," said UNITE PA executive director and Lancaster County resident, Sharon Cherubin.

"Currently, the federal government, led by the Obama Administration, is stifling the American economy with its reckless deficit spending and zealous over-regulation of the private sector economy," said Adams. 

"The result has been a disastrous three-year-plus recession (which many are now calling a depression) that has devastated American families with its high unemployment rate and its built-in cost of living increases.

"In 2012, we plan on electing a new president to occupy the White House, one who shares our convictions and can lead our nation back to economic prosperity."

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