Who were all those Cheyenne teabaggers?

One thing's been bugging me since I attended the lunchtime teabagger rally yesterday at the Wyoming State Capitol.

Who were all these people? I've lived in Cheyenne for 18 years. Sure, I hang mostly with Democrats and artists and writers and other nogoodniks. But I do know a lot of Republicans. I recognize Wyoming politicos of all stripes. There are several hundred employees in our division of state government, most of whom I recognize on sight. When I used to go to church on a regular basis, I was surrounded by folks whom I surely would now recognize, as my faculties are mainly intact.

I saw only two people at the rally who looked vaguely familiar. And I did recognize Dave the radio DJ who made one of the speeches.

Where were the state and local politicians? Where were all the right-wing rabble-rousers who yell at us leftists as we're staging antiwar rallies or vigils or holding up peacenik signs at street corners?

The article in this morning's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle featured a photo of an old guy from Lingle holding a sign. The reporter interviewed a couple from California who said they heard about the rally while passing through in their RV. They, of course, were wildly indignant about Obama and taxes and nearly everything else.

One of the speakers was a guy named Perry Martin who seemed to be in charge of the "Sovereignty Petition," which he displayed behind a booth that featured "Constitution Restitution" T-shirts and flyers for the gay-hating WyWatch Family Institute. I did not recognize Perry. You'd think I would have run into such a politically active fella during the past 18 years. Later, I met a well-dressed woman who was taking photos for WyWatch. I asked her where she was from. She said "Cheyenne," but I have my doubts (WyWatch only lists a PO Box as an address).

Who were these outside agitators taking over the Wyoming Capitol? Anyone know?