A journey to DC (dial up warning) - Democratic Underground

unhappycamper

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Mon Jan-29-07 10:38 AM
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A journey to DC (dial up warning)

Edited on Mon Jan-29-07 10:38 AM by unhappycamper

There were three buses from Cape Cod to the rally in DC on Saturday. Our bus left Cape Cod around 10PM Friday evening. The temperature was about 8, with a light wind blowing. Our spirits however, were soaring.

Here we are on the road

We arrived in DC around 8AM after a few pit stops along the way.

The Friends Meeting of Washington opened their doors for us and fed us when we arrived. After the rally, we returned to The Friends for a quick dinner & the ride home.. Our bus was scheduled to leave DC about 6PM Saturday eve, but the damn thing broke. The Friends Meeting house stayed open until we left around 3AM! They were unbelievably, absolutely wonderful!!11!1

We walked from The Friends House (Dupont Circle) down 22nd street to the Mall. Our intention was to see The Wall before we went to the rally. On the way to The Wall, the WV Patriots For Peace had set up a display.

Finding a loved one

Or a comrade

Some Veterans For Peace Brothers at The Wall

On the way to the rally

Here’s a few pics of the Veterans area to the front left of the stage. It was crowded up there.

I talked with a young lad from Atlanta back from Iraq for about 1/2 hour. Early twenty-something with a haunted look. We talked vet stuff, and he said "You guys had it worse (in Vietnam.)" I related my take on my two tours & told him our pain is exactly the same; different war, but it is exactly the same. We talked about what he can do to make a difference, and I suggested he form a IVAW group in Atlanta. Many vets have many of the same feelings about the wars we have served in, but his comrades shared his war. They need to bond, heal, and go forward as Brothers and Sisters united to help each other and their Brothers and Sisters still serving in the occupation. In my heart, I know this is the reason I went Saturday.

The AP story making the rounds says "Tens of thousands protest." Technically, that is true. What is missing in how many "tens of thousands." There was a shitload of people there. The march route was probably about 2.5~3 miles. and it took almost 3/12 hours for most of parade to go the distance.

Do you believe your lying eyes or the AP story?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x68498
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=65121

The place was wall-to-wall people. Tens of thousands, indeed.

I found the DU contingent & was able to spend about 15 minutes with them. (I needed to get back to my VFP Brothers and Sisters.) I met a number of DUers & passed out party favors. I saw a DU thread with horse road apples properly marked; I can only hope that was one of my flags.

Veterans were there in force

We took breaks along the way to watch the march. While watching the seemingly endless flow of humanity, one thing that jumped out at me is there were a lot of young kids (13 ~ twenty-something) out there. Noisy. Vocal. They get it. I saw those kids yesterday, and know that the next generation of sanity is in place. We need to nurture that spark of patriotism and civic duty.

There was a sit in along the march route. When was the last time you saw one? These kids brought a smile to my face

So the question I pose: How many times do we need to do this to get our elected representatives to listen?

Peace,
uhc