10 Most Offensive Tea Party Signs (PHOTOS)

HuffPost has comprehensive coverage of the Tax Day Tea Party protests. Click here for the latest photos and video. CLICK HERE to be alerted about future reporting projects.

More than 2,000 HuffPost citizen journalists signed up to report on their local tea parties, sending photos, videos, and written dispatches, and we've already received hundreds of photos (the complete Flickr slideshow is below, or check out the photostream here).

Below, some stand-out slideshows, beginning with the 10 most offensive tea party signs we've seen:

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Photo courtesy of Jesse Russell in Madison, WI.

Here's a slideshow of children carrying signs during the rallies:

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The tax-paying public weren't the only ones protesting on Wednesday. Those who still keep their savings in a piggy bank were out in force. Children appeared as eager to voice their grievances as their older counterparts--photo by Aggie Yeakel in Panama City, FL.

Professional photographer Mathieu Young sent us these pictures from Fresno, CA., which had one of the largest Tea Party protests in the country. According to organizers, over 7,500 people were in attendance.

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Young man looking forward to President Barack Obama's last day in office--photo by Mathieu Young

Story continues below

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Check out this slideshow of kids and their funny answers to simple questions. It's one citizen journalist's Tax Day version of "Kids Say The Darndest Things."

The slideshow below features some more great submissions from HuffPost citizen reporters:

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The Statue of Liberty crying over the financial crisis in Columbia, SC--photo by W. Salter

The Web's creative commons also holds a wealth of photographs from the tea party protests. Here are some of the highlights:

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And last but definitely not least, here's the Flickr feed featuring hundreds of photos from HuffPost citizen reporters around the country:

Become a fan HuffPost Politics on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Comments

[Veggie-Trunks]

Any of these idiots who used Christianity in their hateful signs, I am ashamed of. Ugh, it's ridiculous. I hope people are smart enough to realize these people are not truly Christians and none of those signs are quotes from the Bible. Jesus said love your neighbor and Obama is the only one doing that in this situation.

[NathanEaly]

I looked many of them and didn't see any quotes from the Bilble, or anyone claiming to quote the Bible. In fact, I only saw a couple of references to God or Christianity. Perhaps you were looking at a different set of picutres?

[TaxDayMan]

The LIB media can make "sick" college teabagging jokes BUT WE WILL HOLD THE TEA PARTIES TO A HIGHER STANDARD! SO LIB!

[hunt49]

If you're going to 'hold them to a higher standard,' please remove all signs that advocate violence in an illegal way, call for 'zero taxes' (and we run a country - how?), or are blatantly racist.

Don't think they were there? Look through all of the pictures linked above. Fact, my friend.

Your libertarianism is being deeply polluted by hate, racism, selfishness, and intellectual dishonesty. Better be careful who you associate with - it defines you.

[NathanEaly]

Wasn't our Revolution illegal violence?

[Lachlan Prescott]

Hmm why are these people so angry about? Is it because of the debt and deficit are high? Wouldn't they have protested when George W Bush turned hundreds of billion of surplus into a trillion dollar deficit, then the econmy collapse before he left office??

[Lachlan Prescott]

Hmm I don't get it, why are these people so angry about? Is it because of the debt and deficit are high? Wouldn't they have protested when George W Bush turned hundreds of billion of surplus into a trillion dollar deficit, then the econmy collapse before he left office?

[Ricky Slatton]

As I read through these posts, it's plain to see who the hate mongerers are. The agenda behind these so-called tea parties has nothing to do with taxes or the constitution or anything other than hate. Obama's policies have not had time to take affect but he is being blamed for some of the things that GWB planted on his way out the door. Some of the things I read and hear from the right wing are preposterous. The McCainanites that I spoke with during the campaign told me some of the dumbest stuff I ever heard of in 54 years. And the surprising part was that they were young people that couldn't make a "D" in history on their best day. They were just going by what someone had heard on fox news or what some other dummy had said. Rhetoric and hate are like guns and ammo for the uneducated. The left wing is just as bad with all their ideals about life and how it should be snuffed or not snuffed. My son just exercised his 2nd amendment rights with a right to carry permit. He's not a hard-nosed gunslinging right-wing hate mongering killer. But he is not a left-wing God hating,abortion loving queer either. I think both parties along with all the others, are poor excuses for human beings. There is only right or wrong. There is no grey area when it comes to the truth.

[KAT8]

OK- go ahead and attack me.

I went to a t-party. (I hate the name)

It wasn't really about taxes. It wasn't about OBAMA-regardless of the signs and lies that you see on TV.

There WERE people that had OBAMA signs, but they were the minority.

It is about BAILOUTS and SPENDING.

I am not a repub., I don't like GWB, I am just an AMRERICAN that doesn't want my kids (or me)

to pay for LOBSTER SPERM MUSEUMS, and AMTRAK, which is a joke- only the rich can ride it.

And millions for TOILET PAPER research. The list goes on and on.

Doesn't anyone get it??? It is not a repub/dem thing. It is a "PEOPLE" thing.

Our govt. wants us to fight among each other so we don't pay attention to what they are doing.

BOTH parties are CORRUPT- both taking our country to BANKRUPTCY.

[janinius]

i am just wondering how we can cut taxes and not cut defense? these people are nuckin futz

[KAT8]

I posted above, so you can see why I went to a tp.

We DON'T want TAX CUTS.

We just want them to stop BAILOUTS, stop bogus SPENDING that WILL raise our taxes in the future,

no matter what either party tells you.

We will be slaves to our govt. no matter what party is in power- I hate both parties.

[Richard Terk]

So the dozens of "Cut Taxes" signs i saw firsthand didn't mean that? And the anti-Obama contingent was very large in Sacramento, not a minority or fringe group. It was just as large as the Neo-McCarthyism clan.

[Anna Burham]

PEOPLE PEOPLE! Come on now.

All I see in these comments are intolerance from both sides of the fence. This is not about parties. Sure.... you are going to see signs out there that drive people nuts. You are always going to find a few of them that are really out there at ANY demonstration.

Secondly, children involved at ALL SORTS of demonstrations. Not just a Tea Party. I think its inappropriate but what can you do? Exploit them on the internet to show how horrible the Tea Party is? Does that make it better?

Expressing intolerance whether you are calling someone a Left-wing Loon or calling people a bunch of racists. What is that going to prove? If you say things accusatory things about race. Doesn't that keep racism alive? If you say things about the left does that keep the country divided?

There are so many people out there like me. I am not a Christian, I am an animal rights activist, I care about the environment, but I also believe in basic fundamental rights. I believe that the government should be working for me than against me. I believe that ALL people should have the ability to have free speech and I believe that we must be tolerant of each other and our differences.

Progress takes tolerance and making a clear and educated point rather than shouting hateful things at each other.

Let's all make a difference and have dialogue not just insult each other.

[Richard Terk]

I get the gist of your post and for the most part I agree with the spirit of what you are saying. Your comment about racism I disagree with. While accusations of racism without proof can propagate racism, ignoring racism when it is obvious does not make it go away. Ignoring it makes it worse. Hate keeps racism alive, not pointing it out. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. If I am, sorry.

[hillvoter]

Definitely a right wing extremist. If you keep talking about tolerance, dialogue and free speech you are going to be put on a list.

[WunderY]

WOW! I really like Austin's city hall. All of those people ruined the photograph.

[WunderY]

We are only looking at pictures.

Where were these people for the past 8 years when taxes were cut and federal spending increased with two wars being financed on a credit card.

My favorite sign, "Cut Taxes, Not Defense". Isn't that partially how we got here?

Where are all the black people? Aside from the isolated (2) black protesters, the only other black guy is Obama on their signage. If it weren't for Obama, blacks would be underrepresented in the photographs.

They are all against something, that is what they have in common, can't pin it down to one point.

With most metabolisms, if you eat more than you burn off then you will get fat.

[aquarius2001]

These people are loooony

[HHarvey]

I just can't take them seriously. What's the message again? After reviewing all the signage it looks like a quagmire of republican rants against Obama. I give them credit for protesting, something conservatives have only done on the anti-abortion crusade. They seem disorganized. Pick a message and stick with it. That's how you do it.

[beefy daddy]

These tea parties were just a way for the righties to feel that they were not the minority party that they are. Fox News whipped up the rhetoric and spin to get them all flustered and then populist rage took care of the rest. Logic and reason need not apply.

The actual statements they proposed are standard Republican talking point type things. But the real threat for lefties has to be the fact that the GOP was able to organize a grass roots/astro turf movement fairly quickly, nationwide and mostly virally over the net. Sure Fox News was instrumental and it could not have been done without their input, but that will be there every 4 years anyway.

[Spiderxx1]

Foolish people doing foolish things lead to foolish results. Hateful people doing hateful things lead to hateful results. The teabaggers are foolish and hateful. Obama is wise and strong and his programs are succeeding.

[vgirl1]

........and RACISM is dead in America?

What vile and racist language, imagery and action is being supported and wrapped up in the Republican and FIX news propaganda movement called Tea Parties. Their attempt to disguise what is really behind their actions is wide open for all to see and hear in the posters, banners, signs, flags,actions and voices of the particpants.

These are not innocent American protests against big government. These are deliberate attempts to flame up racist sentiment and fervor under the guise of patriotism and anti-big government. If this were truly that, the Tea Parties would have sprung up under the white President big spender Bush. However, in that scenario all of these so called people worried about their children's future were deathly silent.

Any participant in such Tea Parties who did not immediately withdraw themselves from the events when they saw the posters, banners, signs, flags and actions and when they heard the vitriolic language making up the events are perpetuators and supporters by default.

There are no innocent bystanders when it comes to hate and bigotry. Guilt by association is applicable. Remember, you are known by the company you keep.

Shame on anyone who participated in these virile events where such things occurred.

[balbobby]

You do realize that the editors only picked out the offensive photos to post. I attended a tea party and it was like a sunday picnic and certainly not offensive in any way. The left is angry because their slight majority in the public opinion polls are dropping fast. In all likelyhood, they will be out of power in the next election. The left only believe in free speech as long as they are doing the talking. Think about it as you'll be out of supreme power in 2010.

[myworld]

If your wish doesnt come true ,then what?

[austinavery]

As many times as we had to hear about Jeremia Wright and William Ayers during the campaign, we think it quite fair to show the worst of the worst on the other side. And they are pretty awful. But we are not advocating, by any means, that they should not have the right to utter such awful speech.

[carnegie]

Dream on Bobby. They used to call lynchings a picnic too! A real community get together they were.

[Richard Terk]

I think we realize the editors picked out some of the worst signs, hence the title of this article, "10 Most Offensive Tea Party Signs." It's the point of the article.

[HHarvey]

You sound completely childish.