Tempers stay cool in Independence Day political battles in Philadelphia

Using the time-honored tools, the bullhorn and the human microphone, a group calling themselves the Continental Congress 2.0 listed their grievances:

Reaching back to the formal cadence of the original Declaration of Independence, they decried too much money in politics, too little protection for the environment, and a lack of representation for citizens of Puerto Rico and the United States territory.

 

The group plans to deliver the petition to all branches of government, and sue in federal court for redress.

On the whole, a convergenge this week in Philadelphia of political groups with confrontational reputations proceeded in a similar vein.

A political odd couple was expected to face off on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall on the 4th of July holiday – Tea Partiers and Occupiers. Instead, they opted for separate bedrooms. Pat Dougherty from Northeast Philadelphia spent her Independence Day at a Tea Party celebration on the mall. “Because this is where it’s all started, where the Constitution was written and the Declaration of Independence,” said Dougherty.Doughterty enjoyed the modern convenience of air conditioning. The Tea Party festivities moved inside because of extreme heat. Tea Partiers also expressed concern that Occupy members in the city for their so-called “National Gathering” might disrupt the conservative meeting. Occupy members got evicted from Independence Mall Saturday night and settled in at a smaller park blocks away, which granted them a permit. Organizer Dustin Slaughter says the group spent the day brainstorming what it wants to get done.”To create a vision for a democratic future. Which is essentially a blueprint of sorts of the occupy movement going forward,” said Slaughter.