Tea Party Express Stops in Waterford for Rally

The conservative movement made its voice heard in metro Detroit Friday with a rally in Waterford.

The dozens of people who arrived by bus and the hundreds who waited for them in the parking lot of Summit Place Mall told FOX 2's Roop Raj that they weren't all radicals, nor all Republicans.

They said they simply wanted to take their country back.

"I'm tired of being called a racist, and I'm tired of being called violent and all of the things people say about us" said Tea Party activist Diane Chrzanowski. "I want to take a stand for America (and) for American values."

The rally centered around a national tour called the Tea Party Express, which stopped in Waterford just four days before Election Day.

"I take a look around at these people and these people are people who are frustrated with not just Republicans, but Democrats and politicians in general that are not working for them," said Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski, the Republican candidate for Michigan's 9th Congressional District.

Politics were a predominant feature at the rally, which was no surprise. However, for some, it was bigger than that.

"I have nieces and nephews that I'm worried about, for their future" said Patty Hallendy, who is concerned about the economy.

When asked about her greatest worry, Hallendy replied, "Well, there (are) no jobs and just the way the government's going. We need to get back to the basics."

Harold Zorlen wore a U-M baseball cap and held a sign that read "Our Soldiers Fought and Died for Freedom NOT Socialism."

"Our soldiers fought for our government, and we've got to get our government back under control," Zorlen said.

The Tea Party Express stopped in Monroe later Friday and will be heading to Columbus, Ohio Saturday morning.