So fellow News21 reporter Evan Wyloge and I headed out to interview some new U.S. citizens and swing by the truly American tradition of protest in the form of a tea party at the Arizona State Capitol. Here are some audio and photographs from today:

It’s those little things that really tell you about people. This girl was all red, white, and blue as she giggled with family and friends as she was getting ready to leave Saturday morning. She is from Guadalajara but has spent the majority of her life in the United States.

One family from Sudan celebrated two fathers receiving their citizenship on July 4th, 2009. Marco Bako, below, was one of those two dads and the little boy was playing while waiting for his father, a friend of Bako’s also from Sudan, outside.

Tolemi was interesting, she was becoming American after spending 26 years in the country.

And lastly there was Maria Torres, wearing her Virgen de Guadalupe bracelet.

And it would never be a true celebration of our country without a protest right?

Below are pics from Phoenix’s tea party . . . This one focused obviously on the bail out and government taxation but went on to stress the fears of socialized medicine, taxes on methane (to explain the fart photo) and all in all makes for some interesting and patriotic photos.

And with great pride the little girl proclaimed, “that sign is mine. I made it.”

What a great way to celebrate the independence of my country.