"This DC rally is the most EXCITING event I have ever witnessed"

The people who came to Washington DC were 'community people'...that small fraction of Americans who actually get up and HELP in their communities....I met priests, nuns, religious people, soldiers and their families, government workers, nurses, doctors, drug counselors...

and whatever their occupation, if you talked to anyone at the March, you would find that each person there also worked in 'special community projects'...helping in shelters, feeding the poor in soup kitchens, raising money for charities, sponsoring a section of highway clean-up, volunteering at a hospice....these people are real 'community'...the people who think that it is more important to make America's voices heard on Saturday, than it is to shop at a mall or watch TV...

I was very very honored to walk for a while in the DC March, with an 84 year old man from Ohio, slowly moving along with his walker, a WWII prisoner-of-war survivor...this BRAVE old soldier made the trip from Ohio to DC, despite his failing health...and as we walked along, he told me why THIS WAR is wrong...and why ALL AMERICANS have blood on OUR hands....the Marchers were a real community, and the old WWII prisoner-of-war was delighted that I called for a 'disability van' to pick him up...and then, he moved slowly along in the 'van #6' with other old Veterans and a volunteer EMT, cheered by Marchers in the street as a real American hero...

There were many nationalities and religions at the March...but they are ALL Americans...the Filippino woman with the red headband is an AMERICAN,....the Egyptian man is an AMERICAN, the Black people are AMERICANS....the Koreans are AMERICANS...the White people are AMERICANS....Rabbis, Priests, Elders, Nuns, Ministers are all Americans (immigrants are afraid and will not speak out, everyone at the March are AMERICANS), a U.S. Attorney General on the stage telling bush* that this is WRONG....this is America...crying out....screaming out against the pain inflicted...America screaming in PAIN for what bush* has done to us....and bush* fears that, for the shrub knows that all it takes is 1% of Americans to change OUR country....

America has had enough...and I was proud to STAND UP with real Americans, Patriots who care about OUR country and where we are going...

and the March was not just about the war in Iraq...and that scares bush* and his minions of corporate killers....this March was about WAR itself...WAR with all of it's creepy killing tenacles...WAR and all the causes of war...WAR, as bush* threatens Cuba, Iran, Korea, and gives major loads of weapons to the Philippines (food? for the starving, medicine for the sick...no, bush* gave guns and arms on his recent trip)...WAR as a bush*'s looting of America, draining OUR country of jobs, medical care and education, and giving OUR children's future to his slimy corporate sponsors...WAR as the war profiteers enjoy so much...

The military people and their families were also there, to tell shrub that this is WRONG...I was at the WALL on Friday night when a soldier gave back his medals...I saw OUR soldiers standing with a banner encouraging mutiny for OUR soldiers in Iraq...bush* is destroying OUR military, bush* has taken away the pride in America, OUR young people will not join the military anymore....for it is indeed true, the blood of thousands of innocent Iraqi and Afgani people are now on OUR hands, all of us...just like after WWII, as the POW told me, the German people themselves bear the guilt for turning away, for not STANDING UP...and in DC, I saw the people who would STAND UP and I am so proud of these brave Americans...

The Black people joined the White people to defend the white people's children...it was amazing...because WHITE National Guard and Reserves are getting killed in Iraq in high numbers, and unlike Vietnam, Black people's military children are in the USA this time around...but they embraced each other....as the Black people stood in solidarity, with the mostly White military families, to tell bush* BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!!

After the March, I walked over to the MetroTrain stop with group of people from Boston...and we chatted on the benches in Farragut Square Park as they waited for their charter bus...only four blocks from the White House....and as dusk came, OUR homeless Veterans began to lay down on any park benches that were empty...OUR homeless Veterans, sick, shell-shocked, damaged, with plastic bags of stuff, and no food...OUR Veterans lay down for the night on park benches in the cold...it is ghastly to look at the aftermaths of OUR WARS....it is time to stop....

aren't reporting squat about this.... :mad:
More Americans need to realize that what is happening in Iraq is WRONG. We need more exposure.

From what I saw, the crowd looked a lot like the crowds at the anti-war rallies I attended in Portland: a cross-section of concerned people.

But the news media usually focus in on the most disreputable-looking marchers they can find.

By the way, my favorite signs at the rally, as seen on CSPAN, were

"God forgive America"

and

"Bush = pro-life
Bush = pro-war
I'm confused"

Who would those be?

and thank you for mentioning Friday's 'Veteran's' vigil. I posted the "Veterans For Peace" announcement here and tried in vain for 2 & 1/2 days to bring DUers attention to it. I was greatly disheartened by the seeming lack of interest. I wish Folks fixated on ANSWER would acknowledge the huge amount of energy contibuted by Veterans and military families and their participation in this.

What you say about the type of people who actually attend these protests is absolutely accurate. For the most part these are the people who also are involved in their communities. One great thing about being at an event like this is that there is so much to learn from the remarkable people you meet.

Thanks for the great post!

the people to CHANGE our country's direction...bush* knows that, bush changed our country dramatically with his 1% THUGS....and even here on this DU board, there are freeps spinning this March and calling us 'communists', insane radicals, fringe left...no fringe here at all, these are mostly mainstream AMERICANS from all over the country.... bush* media are trying to downplay the impact....but I felt the great strength of American Patriots, we've had enough...IMO, the groups of people at the DC March are going to make changes, the March was a turning point, the event was one of the great events, like when MLK stood up on the Mall and the rest of America was 'shocked', 'shocked' 'shocked'....

OUR country is in great danger, and WE THE PEOPLE (1%) are going to take OUR country back...

I need to hear that because some of the dialogue here today has me feeling a bit hopeless. I need to keep in mind that 1%.

Ramsey Clark interview from before the Iraq war....inspirational words from a guy who knows...

-snips-

Jensen: So what do we do?

Clark: I think the solution relies on the power of the idea, and the power of the word, and on a belief that, in the end, the ultimate power resides in the people.

In discussing the effects of U.S. foreign policy, we've been talking about only one part of the story. Another part is resistance - the power of the people. We saw that in the Philippines, when Marcos was deposed in a nonviolent revolution, and we saw that in Iran, when the Shah's staggering power was overcome, as well, by a nonviolent revolution.

Of course, just getting rid of Marcos or the Shah is not the end of the story. People sometimes think that, after the glorious revolution, everybody is going to live happily ever after. But it doesn't work that way. What they've gone through in the struggle has divided them, confused them, driven them to extremes of desperation.

I think what all of this means is that we each have to do our own part, and become responsible, civic-minded citizens: we have to realize that we won't be happy unless we try to do our part. And if a small portion of us simply do our part, that will be enough. even 1 percent of the people of this country could break out of the invisible chains, they could bring down this military-industrial complex - this tyranny of corporations, this plutocracy - overnight. That's all it would take: 1 percent of the people.


http://www.thesunmagazine.org/bully.html

activity that george has ever done in his entire life....... besides the court ordered 12 months at the P.U.S.H. youth center in Houston that he served for his cocaine arrest in 72...the man has NEVER given a second of time to anything community :puke: and these good people scare the bejeebbers out of him...they rock!!!!:yourock:

It was amazing to see the sense of community being displayed.

Thank you for going!

it was beautiful...it is the re-awakening of normal middle Americans that are rising up against shrub's vicious wrong-wing THUGS....and take OUR country back....

The SF experience was fantastic also. I'm not sure how many showed up but it was a sizable crowd of at least 30,000.

I did notice though that the anger over here seems more... compact.

There were approximately 18 of us including the Tiki's who had come up from Southern California to share this moving day.

Wish I could write more but I have to run out of the house. Just wanted to tell you how happy I am you had such a great experience and wish you many more!

Peace

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C98%3A%3B89nu0mrj
One of the speakers. All the flags in the background are the world flags on blue background. I thought it appropriate since the whole world stands against Bush

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A883%3C8ot1lsi
The Families of servicemen

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A8%3B%3A42ot1lsi
THE RAGING GRANNIES!! they were absolutely fantastic, wish I had a clip of their songs

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A8%3C955ot1lsi
Al Sharpton, he spoke very very well. I liked his speech a lot

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A93%3B5%3Bot1lsi
Viggo Mortensen

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C9%3A3%3A84nu0mrj
Viggo Again for the ladies

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C985865nu0mrj
Gen. Ramsey, before his speech

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A8%3A5%3B4ot1lsi
A Marching we will go

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C998486nu0mrj
Up 17th Ave, by the old executive office building (on the left)

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C998999nu0mrj
The White House in hte background as we march by

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A78562ot1lsi
Code Pink unfurled this sign along the march route. "Bush Lied. Fire Him" which then became a chant that lasted 2 blocks.

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C989%3C74nu0mrj
One of the younger protestors. Very cool on her parents!
(PS that's LynneSin in front there in the sweatshirt)

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A83366ot1lsi
Along the route someone put this sticker on the eagle symbol. Quite effective I think. It says: President Bush is a Liar Medicare, Education, Taxes.

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C993775nu0mrj
One of the two counter-protestors. Note the sign saying GOD HATES YOU ABORTIONISTS, SODOMISTS, DRUNKARDS JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. Pleasant people, no?

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3A85%3B34ot1lsi
Marching down Pennsylvania Ave...This is what Democracy looks like

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A43%3B523232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C995865nu0mrj
Down Penn Ave towards the Capitol (MoutainLaurel in foreground!)

LynneSin from the back doesn't count lol.

THANKS for sharing- those are some great pics! Can't wait for the SF DUers to upload theirs! We had a a great march and it was a BLAST to be marching together and meeting even more DUers who came from surrounding towns.

I missed these two when posting from the after party. I was so excited that I forgot to take them of DUers at the protest x(

But here:
http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A448723232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E9%3C9%3E3%3C3%3EWSNRCG%3D323254%3C%3A64627nu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/338%3A448723232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2328%3D%3A%3B%3A%3D4%3B4%3DXROQDF%3E232345%3B%3B5656%3Bot1lsi

From the Left we have Oaf of Office's Son, Deutsy, Oaf of Office, JohnKleeb, prolesunited, MountainLaurel, and then kneeling is lizerdbits and KG

that was quite enjoyable!

I got 'drafted' into service....

it was real nice to meet you on Friday night...thanks for the photos...it was a GREAT march....

dinner was great and glad to have met you

be proud to be friends with.

the bus! sorry i missed you! :hi:

did you notice all the homeless Veterans in that park??

at one point, lots of people waiting for the charter bus got up to listen to directions...and I started to walk north toward the MetroTrain stop....in the North area of the park, OUR homeless Veterans were already laying down on the benches (60% of the homeless in OUR Nation's Capital are Veterans)....and a great sadness came over me...this horrible waste of lives...because once these Veterans were good enough to be in uniform and serving OUR country with honor...and NOW, there they were....damaged in their bodies and minds, chemically poisoned, laying on park benches wrapped up in old dirty clothes, laying down on wooden slat park benches to sleep, surrounded by their world possessions (beat up trash bags with 'stuff' inside) with no food...this is where OUR Veterans live: OUTSIDE, homeless.... four blocks north of the White House, in bush*'s America....