On June 30, 1776, delegates to the first Continental Congress began arriving in Philadelphia with the thought of declaring independence from Great Britain. Over the next few days, the members discussed and ultimately decided to sign their names to a Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776.

That “Spirit of 1776” is the cornerstone of T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party II — rallies across the nation designed to encourage the principles and values of our Founding Fathers established in the fight for independence. Laurel will once again be a site for this grassroots conservative movement that will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 on the steps of the Jones County Courthouse. Judge Charles Pickering will be the guest speaker.

T.E.A. Party II is a follow-up to the Tax Day Tea Party events that were held April 15 around the country, as well as in Jones County, that were a unifying effort to oppose the heavy tax burden placed on Americans.

We Surround Them - Jones County, the local affiliation of the 9-12 Project, is the sponsor of Tuesday’s event. The 9-12 Project is a “ non-partisan political group that advocates a return to principles and values in our government and which encourages citizen involvement to let Congressmen know the individual preferences of the voters,” according to a press release from the organization. “The 9-12 Project is designed to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001. The day after America was attacked we were not obsessed with Red States, Blue States or political parties. We were united as Americans, standing together to protect the values and principles of the greatest nation ever created.”

According to Richard Conrad, who oversees the local chapter of We Surround Them, there are three objectives of the T.E.A. Parties.

“To educate and inspire Americans to return the Founding Principles and the U.S. Constitution,” he stated in an e-mail. “Allow elected officials to see that American citizens are tired of the corruption and spending by an irresponsible and self-serving Congress, and that Americans want our government to operate within the confines of the U.S. Constitution.”

The T.E.A. Parties “create and awareness that if you feel like you’re the only one in your community who see’s what’s happening to America, well, you’re not alone,” according to Conrad. “There are people with the same principles and virtues as you all over the country.”

One of those people is Judge Pickering, a former Federal Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, who has authored two books dealing with the judicial system and the confirmation process he faced.

“Judge Pickering is the embodiment of the world ‘conservative’ and he has stood firm against some great adversaries,” according to Conrad.