My 15 year old son asked me to go with him to the peace rally and march yesterday. I was so honored that he would ask to spend such an important time with me. We got on a bus at midnight at the Ohio State student union and arrived in Washington around 9:30 in the morning. When we arrived, there were already around 100,000 people there. Some were on the Elipse and others spilled across the street around the Washington monument.
We chose signs to carry. I chose one supplied by United for Peace and Justice. My son chose a sign from A.N.S.W.E.R. because it had a picture of Malcolm X. We were impressed by the size of the crowd and it just kept growing as the time to begin the march approached.
There were lots of police all along the march route. Some people were very antagonistic toward them, which I did not understand because they were being very polite, respectful of us, and helpful when they were needed.
I have been to many public festivals and concerts over the years and I can say with absolute certainty that there were close to 300,000 people marching yesterday. The 100,000 estimate is waaayyy off. We came from everywhere and we were all colors and all ages as well. The faith based community was just as well represented as the communists and socialists. There were also Libertarians and Greens and Republicans Against the War. There was a wide spectrum of political opinion and religious belief. Jews, Muslims, and Christians were the religions I saw identified most often. I am sure that others were there as well.
One thing I thought as we assembled on the lawn and then began to march was that the size of this crowd was amazing considering that there is no draft to protest.
Another thought was that the Main Stream Media is going to mess around and find that the people have caused a significant change in policy and they missed it happening. The rally was planned without them, advertised without them, it will be well covered by internet blogs and alternative magazines, radio and even television without them.
They are going to become irrelevant if they don't watch out.
Another thing I was stunned by was that the crowd seemed generally serious about wanting Bush to be impeached. Ending the was did not seem to be enough. The impeachment movement also seems to be picking up steam.
My son is just beginning his political education and he found that there were groups out there he had never heard of. I am looking forward to reading all the literature we picked up and discussing it with him.