How the rally came about: The wife of a young couple, Michelle Smith, mother of 4 boys had heard about all she could endure about the different features of the health care plan proposed by the US House and approved by Obama, when she decided she had to do something to express her frustrations. An Oconee resident, she wanted to sponsor a gathering to allow others to express their frustrations as well, so she purchased a full page ad in a local weekly announcing a scheduled rally for her fellow citizens, coordinated the location, date and time and invited elected politicians to speak. It was initially planned as a conservative event.

Word spread and shortly afterward, the local Democrats announced that they would be meeting at the same location but 30 minutes earlier. On Thursday, Sheriff Scott Berry sent out an e-mail saying that he would meet with the Democrats that night and stated in part: “The GOP (has) scheduled a rally at a public park. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office will support the Constitutional rights of all citizens to peacefully assemble and protest or seek redress from their Government. Likewise, the Sheriff’s Office won’t tolerate violence, damage to property, or acts which violate State law. I would ask everyone that attends to recognize this. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office will be on hand. Peaceful assembly and protest is a valuable right guaranteed all citizens.”

Most of the signs were hand printed, but not all and they tell the story best.

Signs hand printed by the Conservatives: Don’t Tread on Me - Read my Teleprompter No Obamacare! –What’s Fair For One Is Fair For All Taxed Enough Already Fairtax.org – Save America, Impeach the Bums – Our Federal Government is an “O”bamanation – Read My Lips, No Public Option – Save America from Takeover – Never Trust the Media – It’s About Freedom – Mr President, the More We Make the More You Spend, Taxed Enough Already – Obama Lies and Grandma Dies – America Must Return to God – Stop Socialism Now - Reform, Not Replace Health Care – Read the Bill – We the People Say No To Wreak Less Spending – If Congress Won’t Use It, Why Should We? - Don’t Underestimate the People.

Signs professionally printed by the Democrats: Health Care for All – 1,800,000 People in GA without Health Insurance – ObamaCare Means No Decrease in Medicare – Health Care Before Profits – Private Insurance Companies are Death Angels – The Insurance Industry Selects Who Lives and Who Dies – Public Option Does Not Cover Illegal Aliens or Fund Abortions – Not True.

The number of “Not True” signs was about a dozen and were held up and shouted each time a speaker at the mike was trying to explain the wording of the bill. Someone kept shouting “Shut-up and listen.” But it was obvious that Democrats were not interested in what the bill actually states, but rather chose to label information as “not true.” It is obvious also that those people have not read the bill.

The bill is not “reform” (which most citizens desire) but rather an eventual takeover of the entire health care system in America which most citizens do not desire.