Back in Iowa after the March on the Pentagon. Pic heavy...

[MaggieSwanson]

I spent 21 hours on the bus to get there, marched for 9 hours or so, then got back on the bus home. And I'd do it again tomorrow.

ANSWER heard the criticisms of the march in September. The March was first, the rally was after for those who wanted to stay and listen. About a half of the marchers split right at the end of the march (it was 23 degrees and the wind was howling). Another 1/4 of the crowd just kept going, but more about that later. The final portion of the group went down to the lot to listen to the speakers. That is where the CSPAN cameras were, I believe.

Here are some pictures of marchers...

Braving the cold



Impeach for Peace



Fuck War



The Left would not yield!



Stop lookin at us like that!



Vs



I loved the puppetry



A wonderful blues singer, Pat Bozeman. She was one of my favorite parts of the demonstration. "This is a rich man's war. What is the poor man fighting for?" "I'm goin down to the Bush/Cheney camp, and I'm gonna take back what they stole from me (hope!), take back what they stole from me (peace!)".



Photo of the Pentagon as close as they wanted us to come - just one, because there were more urgent matters to tend to on the bridge...



Photos from the bridge to the Pentagon...




Standoff



A compromise is proposed: The protesters will leave the bridge and go away quickly and without fuss, if the Pentagon Police will join us in an anti-war song.



The proposition was rejected. The option they gave us: Pepper spray to the left, or batons to the right.



We reminded them that the whole world was watching...see the look on the photographer's face?

*important note: the bandannas and scarves went up to cover the nose and mouth when they pointed the pepper spray hoses and tear gas launchers at the crowd.


Someone asked the Pentagon Police if they would just grin for us, just one grin would be fine, and maybe give us a thumbs-up?



The wind was on our side - pepper spray or gas would have been blown briskly through the photographers behind the police line, and over to the Pentagon itself. After further reflection, they decided to move forward and sweep us back to the other side of the bridge. So we marched backward, 5 feet at a time, off the bridge. It took a very long time on a very cold day. Here I am, with my eyes closed. Not because of pepper spray, dear readers...I was caught in a blink.


Peace out, I'm going to look for other pics of the march online and then finally, finally, get some sleep in a horizontal position.


-Maggie

Oh, and one more thing: you'll notice there are not any pictures from me of the pro-war crowd. I really didn't feel like dignifying their presence with any photographs. They were so spoiling for altercations, and tried to pick fights - but mostly with women in small groups or alone. I did meet a few who seemed to have some humanity. Monkeyman, once I've had some rest I'd like to tell you in particular about a few of my encounters with the Gathering of the Eagles and Rolling Thunder.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Thanks for the pics!

Sure wish I could go one of these days, but since it doesn't look possible, I'll just live vicariously through you. So to speak. Keep up the good fight. Kicked and recmomended.

[MaggieSwanson]

2. Thanks, Bluzmann!

I know a lot of you were with me in spirit, and I shouted all the louder for it.

:hug:

[Irishonly]

3. K&R

Thanks.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. I like ANSWER

and their speakers...I am glad they kept it short and simple before the march and did most of the rally afterwards. I am glad they can hear criticisms and change. I just wish UFPJ would get over itself and start working with ANSWER again..we need to stay UNITED to end the right wing dominance in Washington...throwing one party out of office isn't enough..we need to keep their feet to the fire with a UNITED FRONT. George Bush probably loves the fact that the Left is divided.

[Hardrada]

6. I like the idea of a United Front

or a POPULAR FRONT as it was once called.

[MaggieSwanson]

7. I was very impressed

with ANSWER's willingness to listen to feedback. I enjoy the diversity of the speakers at their events.

I also think that the average person does not differentiate between a march sponsored by ANSWER and a march sponsored by someone else. To the vast majority of Americans, an anti-war march is an anti-war march, regardless of who brings it about. The number of people is what is relevant.

Does that make me a protest whore? :evilgrin:

[BayCityProgressive]

8. exactly

I don't care who gets us the permit, I'll be there either way!

[Hardrada]

5. Great pictures! Thank you Maggie!

[durrrty libby]

9. Thank You ..........K @ R

[DesertRat]

10. K & R!

:yourock:

[EFerrari]

11. Good going! I put up this pic thread, let's trade fours:

:woohoo:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x443852

[pstans]

12. Maggie, your my hero!

[Lilith Velkor]

13. !!!

:wow: :applause: :patriot:

[IChing]

14. Thanks so much for your participation to help secure

and establish our constitutional rights

great photos and story.

nominated.

[progressoid]

15. MaggieSwanson: making us proud to be Iowans...again.

:toast:

[countryjake]

16. Thanks for sharing!