Photo by Bill Green Hundreds of people filled the streets of downtown Frederick on Wednesday during a local “tea party,” one of 1,500 held across the country to protest irresponsible government spending. Purchase this photo

The event was one of some 1,500 Tax Day "tea parties" held across the country to protest irresponsible government spending.

Roger Chapman braved the rain to stand up for his beliefs.

"I'm fed up with everything that's going on," he said.

Chapman, whose son is in the military and has been to Iraq three times, believes that spending money to protect the country should be the government's top priority.

"They work for us, we don't work for them," he said.

Protester Karl Barron, formerly of Frederick , said government spending is "out of control."

"We have to turn things back to the states and spend only on the basics," he said. "The federal government's role is to provide for the common defense. That's number one."

Babs Wratten came to the rally because as a small-business owner, she has directly felt the effects of the poor economy.

"I wanted to get my voice heard," said Wratten, who owns de Signs, a sign-making company in Walkersville . She said her business is not doing well and she has lost some longtime customers.

Rosemary Hazard joined Wratten at the protest because she wants her nieces and nephews to have the American Dream.

Nancy and Roland Wilhelm of Libertytown attended the "tea party" because they are concerned about their grandchildren's education. The Wilhelms have 18 grandchildren, 14 of them living in Frederick .

"We are not happy with the way the Board of Education is handling the money," Nancy Wilhelm said.

Roland Wilhelm thinks more money should be set aside for teachers, rather than the school board itself.

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, attended the rally -- his second of the day. Bartlett was pleased with the turnout and the spirit of the protesters.

"I think our grass-roots America understands that what the government is trying to do is not the right thing," Bartlett said. "There's no way you can spend yourselves into prosperity. There's no way you can simply print money and pretend that you're helping the economy. The average American, I think, understands that."

The "tea party" began at City Hall on North Court Street. The crowd then walked to Winchester Hall, and ended the rally at the Frederick County Board of Education building on East Church Street.

Bob Miller and Blaine Young of WFMD emceed the event; speakers included Bartlett, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, school board member Donna Crook, state Sen. David Brinkley and people from the crowd.

At the end of the rally, protesters joined together to sing "God Bless America," and Bartlett was handed two plastic bags of tea bags, representing citizens' concerns, to present to President Barack Obama.

"We're going to hear horror stories from now to the next several years about how much of this money was spent because (the government) tried so desperately to spend so much so quickly," Bartlett said.