"Tea-ed off" and ready to speak their mind. That's the way hundreds of Michiganders chose to spend their 4th of July.

"As we celebrate our independence, we're re-declaring our independence from big government," Joan Fabiano, organizer of the event, says.

In fact, folks say they're looking to follow in the footsteps of our founding fathers by throwing off the reins of what they say is an oppressive government.

"We need to have our state represent us the most with the government handling things such as security," Supporter, Raedeane Middleton explains.

"They're taking tax dollars and spending them the way we don't want them to be spent," Supporter, Rick Furness says.

The Lansing Independence Day tea party is just one of hundreds across the country-- an effort that organizers say will force the government to hear their message loud and clear.

"We want the government to know that people are waking up and we're sick of what they're doing," Furness explains.

He also says any additional government is really an assault on the freedom of everyone in this country--a sentiment shared with Middleton. She wants less of Uncle Sam before it's too late.

"Our country is going in the wrong direction. We're paying taxes, but we're not being represented. This is a very slippery slope," Middleton says.

Over 15 hundred people gathered at the Capitol today.