by Marcus E. Howard
mhoward@mdjonline.com
November 07, 2009 01:00 AM | 749 views | 7

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KENNESAW - The political Tea Party movement is hitting the big screen.
The Georgia chapter of the Tea Party will present a documentary on Sunday about the national advocacy organization's Sept. 12 march on Washington that featured between 450,000 to 1.2 million conservative activists who protested against what they described as a government driving America towards Socialism.
A sneak 30-minute preview version of the film titled, "Tea Party: The Documentary," will be shown at 3 p.m. Sunday at the AMC Barrett Commons 24 theater, 2600 Cobb Place Lane, Kennesaw. A donation of $8 is suggested. Tickets may be obtained in advance at www.thegeorgia teaparty.org.
The documentary is the second in a series of six films about conservative issues presented by the Georgia Tea Party. It follows five individuals in their journey from their hometowns to the march in Washington. Two of those featured are Georgia residents from Woodstock and Brunswick, said Joel Aaron Foster of Mableton, the documentary's writer.
The film will be shown onetime nationwide Sunday, but Foster said he and other members of the film crew will be at the Kennesaw viewing to engage the audience in a question and answer forum after the film. In addition, another conservative short film called, "Perdie Across America," will also be shown following the documentary.
"The movie is told through the eyes of five grassroots participants," said Foster, a former Atlanta talk radio personality.
"We try to answer questions through their stories. (Like) what has moved average people to this movement?"
The Tea Party march in September was the culmination of summer-long protests by conservatives. The group was started earlier this year. They've rallied against what they describe as out-of-control government spending, a soaring national debt and efforts to nationalize the banking, automotive and health care industries.
About 200 Cobb residents traveled to the march in September. A sea of protestors from across the country filled the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol and spilled onto the National Mall in what was then the largest rally against President Barack Obama. It featured speeches by politicians and demonstrators, who waved American flags and homemade signs.
Foster, who participated in the march, said, "It was inspiring to see such an enormous crowd." But he noted that he was disappointed to see some signs that showed bigotry towards Obama.
Tom Maloy of west Cobb, who serves on the eight member nonprofit Georgia Tea Party board, said one of the most important things he hopes will come from the film will be the dispelling of myths about the Tea Party.
"I think a lot of people think that we're just angry at the current administration or that we're all right-wing Republicans. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said.
"The fact is that there are Democrats, independents and Republicans. We all have the same wish, and that is to bring the country back to the Constitutional principles."
The Tea Party movement is here to stay, Maloy said.
"Once we feel that the country is starting to comeback to the Constitutional principles, then we're going to have to be a watchdog group to make sure it stays that way."
Foster said "Tea Party: The Documentary" is scheduled to be released directly to DVD on Thanksgiving Day.
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