Report from the Peace Rally in Washington D.C.

| Submitted by admin on November 2, 2005 - 10:54am.
Zada Riordan wrote the following, describing her experiences at the Peace Rally in Washington DC on September 24, 2005: 

There were two busses from Buffalo filled with committed protesters from all age groups and cultures, barreling down the highways to D.C.  We didn’t get much sleep, but that didn’t matter, as we had a job to do, convincing our political leaders that they were on the wrong track and showing them the right track.

We were dropped-off near the Ellipse on Pennsylvania Avenue.  Our hearts were filled with the excitement of meeting old friends; with the heady anticipation of hearing lofty speeches and absorbing new ideas, as well as reforming old ones; and just rubbing elbows with so many like-minded people.

As we joined the streaming throngs, we sensed a somberness, as if this protest was coming from our minds as well as our hearts.  We know that the ramifications of this war were being felt by countries all over the world.  We knew that our job here was “to make a difference” and we were determined to succeed.

We quickly learned that there were many focus groups speaking to war related issues, such as the Israeli occupation of Palestine; and the allocation our dollars to war and the Pentagon instead of health care, a living wage, first class education, and job training for our poor here in this country- especially the disenfranchised citizens of New Orleans.

A new group called “The World Can’t Wait” is asking us to sponsor rallies all over the country on Election Day, November 8th to get rid of the Bush regime.  We listened to many speakers at the morning rally, including performing artists, poets and the outrageous “Raging Grannies.”  Jesse Jackson, George Galloway (the British M.P.), and Ramsey Clark gave rousing speeches, asking us to vote out the war mongers in Congress in 2006, and start impeachment proceedings.  We heard Cindy Sheehan and Jessica Lange tell us over again the lies of Bush and how we can’t let any more people die from this unjust, illegal war.

We wondered around, reuniting with old friends from previous marches, schmoozed with the different booths set up all over the Ellipse – Code Pink, Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Truth Out, and many others.  In the afternoon we joined the march around the White House (where to my astonishment, I saw several armed snipers on the roof).  There were no snipers the last time I came to Washington to protest.

We talked with people from all over the states.  Minnesota Veterans for Peace rode for 27 hours on the bus to get there.  There were banners displaying Unitarian Universalists, Buddhists, Methodists, the Workers’ Party, etc.  We did see a handful of war supporters and one sign saying, “Al Quaida Thanks You for Your Support.”  We also saw signs saying, “Join the Republicans Ashamed of Bush” and “Republicans Against the War.”

The afternoon rally was fantastic.  Al Sharpton, basketball star Etan Thomas, Collette Pinchon Battle from Slidell, Louisiana, members of Congress Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, and Cynthia McKinney, Cindy Sheehan, and the South Dakota Native Americans who wrapped a handmade Starburst quilt around her shoulders, were eloquent.  Most of the speakers at both rallies saluted Cindy for being the force that brought us to Washington.  Joan Baez said, “… in 2004 Michael Moore cracked down the wall of our denial, and in 2005, Cindy Sheehan led us through the wall.”  I cried when Joan Baez sang “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”  She was singing that back in 1970 during the anti-Vietnam War rallies.   The outrageous Jim Hightower (from Texas) outdid himself when he asked why the 10 children of the Bush clan were not serving in the armed forces.

Lastly, Leslie Kagen, the leader of United for Peace and Justice, thanked us all for coming out, and asked each of us to continue the work that brought us there and  not lose our commitment to end the war and bring our troops home.  For the people staying over, there was a rally scheduled for Sunday in front of the White House.  On Monday, delegations to speak to our many Congress people were planned.

Here are some of my favorite slogans exhibited at the rally:  “George of the Bungle,” Feel Safer Yet?” “How Many Lives per Gallon?” “Bushed Lied, Soldiers Died,” “War is Expensive, Peace is Priceless,” “Illegitimate President, Illegal War,” “US Farmers Say No to War,” and “Dissent is the Highest Form of Patriotism.”

Respectfully submitted by
Zada Riordan