I have only written to a newspaper a couple of times in my life, but when I did I felt passionate about something, which is my reason for writing this letter.

I have never been involved in politics except to vote and then to listen to the news that night to see if my person won. That’s about to change.

My husband and I are members of the Mississippi Tea Party and recently attended a town hall meeting at Mississippi College, sponsored by the Tea Party. A panel of physicians, a lawyer and an economist was present. The Tea Party is a group of people made up of all walks of life who have the same goals or ideals in mind on the direction that our country should be going and is not at the present time. Party affiliation or race has nothing to do with it.

America is the best country in the world and it is worth saving. I tried to explain to my husband the way I think we as Americans feel right now, so picture this: America is going down into a tube and we, as Americans, are all standing around the tube and watching as it sinks slowly. We all want so badly to reach down and get her, America that is, and rescue her from the tube. It is only a passing thought though, so we do nothing and go on with our lives as usual.

Well, that is how we have gotten to the point that we are at now! We all have done it to ourselves and have no one else to blame! But if you love America, as I do, then we must do as Glenn Beck in his book “Common Sense” says, “Wake up, get up and get busy doing something.” Call your representatives, your senators, write the president of the United States, put your names on petitions and do anything else that you can to help save our country. I have been doing this and believe me it is hard work. It may take doing this every day or every week, but please do it. It will be worth it in the end.

I ask that all of you who are interested to please join the Mississippi Tea Party at www.msteaparty.ning.com. Our help is desperately needed and they do believe in the power of prayer. They need young and old, rich and poor, male and female, black and white. The only requirement is you must be genuinely dedicated to God and saving your country.

The Mississippi Tea Party will be going to Washington, D.C., on buses Sept. 11 and returning Sept. 13 and they need as many people as possible to go. Tea Parties from all over America will be there to let Washington know that we are fed up and enough is enough.

The doctors at the town hall meeting say that our health-care system in America is not all broken as Washington and the liberals portray. We must take what works now and add to that to make something affordable for everyone. As one doctor said, “You know I can look around this room we are in now and find a flaw in it somewhere, so let’s tear down the whole room and rebuild it.” he said, “That’s how crazy this has gotten.”

We don’t need a government-run health-care system. Everything that the federal government gets involved in ends up being a disaster. Besides, this is not all about health care, this is about our government wanting to take control of our lives, just as they did with the automobile manufacturers. We the people have become a weak people when we are so willing to give up our freedom in order to let the government take control of us and care of us. We must take control of our own lives.

Did you know if the health-care reform bill passes:

1. There will be fewer doctors in the future, because there will be fewer entering medical school.

2. The government will be controlling everything about our lives such as what we can and cannot eat, how and when to exercise, when we can and cannot see a doctor, and for the elderly who have terminal illnesses, whether we have a right to live or die which will be determined by a panel of experts, not your doctor.

3. Doctors will lose control of their patients because a panel of experts will be looking over their shoulders.

4. You will probably be put on a waiting list, possibly for months, before you can see a doctor.

5. Your health care will be rationed. If you have a broken hip or need a knee replacement you may not be able to get it.

6. In the House Bill, page 16 under the Orwellian header of “Protecting the Choice to Keep Current Coverage,” The “Limitation on New Enrollment” section clearly states: “Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of the year the legislation becomes law.” President Obama is not being truthful with us about keeping our insurance. Private health care will wither up and go away.

7. Members of Congress and the president and their families will not be covered under the new health insurance. It is not good enough for them!

8. Approximately 10 million illegal immigrants will be covered under the plan with our tax dollars.

Is this what we as an American Society really want? This is only a hint of what’s to come. We must become educated on all the facts. We cannot sit by. If we choose to do nothing, then nothing is what we are surely going to get.

The statement was made at the Tea Party meeting that if we don’t work fast “in another 6 to 8 months the America, as we know it today, will be no more.” I can see that, considering what has happened in the last six months.

Although I don’t consider myself a real intellectual person, I have never been one to run away from something that I believe in and I am committed to standing up for God and my country. We have been asleep far too long and there is no more time for sleeping. Washington is trying to put fear in our lives and we must not be afraid.

I would like to start a Vicksburg Tea Party, but I am not very computer smart. If there is anyone interested in helping me or taking the challenge on let me know. Thank you very much and God bless.

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Betty Stout is a retiree who lives in Warren County. E-mail reaches her at stout@canufly.net.