Matthew Givens is a blogger (at Politics Alabama) and Tea Party organizer who is helping build April 15 Tea Party events in Alabama.
This is the seventh in our series of e-interviews with local Tax Day Tea Party organizers. (There are links to the previous six interviews at the end of this post.)
What has been easy and what has been hard about organizing an April 15 Tea Party?
We’re actually just beginning the process, and with a month to go I’m sure we have a lot more obstacles to face. Finding people willing to help plan was simple, as was creating a website. Next we start with the publicity through press releases, and it should get fun from there. The two major hurdles we face, as does every organizer, is getting people to speak at the event and getting people to attend it.
When did you decide to get involved?
I saw the coverage of the Tea Party movement online, and decided to write a blog entry about it. At the very end I asked one question: Where is Alabama’s Tea Party? I got so much email response that I decided to host an event in my home town of Montgomery, and it’s already taking on a life of it’s own!
Do you have any advice for any other local organizers?
Plan within your means, and don’t try to do it alone. Aim high in planning sessions, and plan the biggest and best event that you can handle.
What’s at stake in the Tea Party movement?
The only thing our politicians in DC really understand anymore is defeat at the ballot box. They’ll do what they want to do as long as they don’t think it’ll hurth their chances for re-election. Right now they’re taxing and spending like there is no tomorrow, and they think they can get away with it. These Tea Parties show them how many people really don’t think that we can tax and spend our way into prosperity. If enough attend, they’ll see we are serious about this and it may cause some to think things through again.
What are the main things you’re doing to let people know about your Tea Party?
Well, we’ve been spreading the word on the internet, through my blog and others. We’re asking supporters to get as many of their friends and family as they can to attend. We created a website to provide additional details to supplement the Facebook page. And, of course, press releases go out soon, which we hope will create opportunities to spread the word through interviews on newspapers, tv, and radio.
[...] Montgomery Tax Day Tea Party Along with Cindy Wright, longtime RLC supporter Matthew Givens coordinated the Montgomery/Tri-County Tea Party on April 15th. According to Givens, approximately [...]
would like to help orginise in phenix city al. & columbus Ga. FT.benning Ga area need i need advice on getting this area started.thank you all i to love my country
[...] Interview with Matthew Givens (Alabama) [...]