A protesting we shall go…

My thoughts on Saturday's anti-war rally....

As I approach, I twanged with the thrill of being around so many like-minded people. It's a feeling of unity, solidarity. As I got in the crowd, I saw all the usual suspects, each group hawking their own form of opposition. Some opposing each other. I saw a probably pro-war vet try and put his book with a table of books. He yelled at the keeper of the table when they put it on the ground, under the table. "If you're not going to show it, give it back! Fair and balanced!"

I saw grandmothers for peace. I saw another group of older women in rainbow boas.

The crowd was very diverse age-wise, but not very racially mixed. It wasn't lily white, more like...ochre. Better than many demos I've been to, though.

I took photos. We all took photos. I'd brought my film camera and ran out of film. It was easier when I stopped taking photos, but I missed the chance to catch some of my favorite signs.

I saw UMD students (Spesh would be proud). I saw a lot of NC folks, but no one I knew.

The Young Democratic Socialists gave me a postcard with the time and place of their next event. It was sweet that the guy actually thought I was young enough for this honor. The YDS are a branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose politics are very close to mine.

I also saw one of the more entertaining activist groups around, the radical cheerleaders (not their official name--does anyone know it?). The group consisted of at least one man, wearing a short skirt over tights, and the rest of the group consisting of women wearing skirts over jeans making a delightful mockery of traditional cheers. The main theme was f*ck you, George Bush, and it was hilarious.

Some of the signs I enjoyed and did not photograph:

• War is so last century
• Eradicate mad cowboy dis-ease (with picture of GWB)
• Free Hugs (I saw a woman pose for picture with the guy carrying this sign and afterwards, he opened his arms to her and she said, "For real?" and ran back to give him a hug. For real.)
• Liar, liar, mideast on fire

I stuck around for about an hour and a half, I did not march, but I'm glad I was there.

Grateful for: the anti-war movement.

Drop me a line.

Anti-War Rally

Did you know that a "massive anti-war rally" is planned for Saturday? I didn't until a couple of days ago. I had my entire weekend mapped out and now I have to go and add a protest to the mix? How wrong would it be to make yoga a higher priority than an anti-war rally?

I feel like a dope because I was fairly politically active while I was in grad school. I was totally out of the loop on this one. Since I've moved to DC, the degree to which I'm active is directly proportional to my contact with my friend Spesh. When he's in town, he keeps me involved. When he's not, I fall out of touch with the various movements. If I have friends who come to town for a protest, I join them. That's happened three or four times, but not recently.

When I contemplate going to a rally/march/protest/demo on my own, I balk. It's overwhelming. In fact, I don't think I've ever done it. I'm not sure I'll do it this weekend. But I do want to see a movie at the National Gallery and the rally is right there on the mall so maybe I can combine efforts. Maybe I'll stand there for a while and try to be counted.

I think rallies/protests/marches/demos are important. I hope this rally and others like it has the same effect such rallies had during Vietnam: making it clear to the pols who pay attention that the public wants the madness to end. It may turn out that I'll want to say I was there.

I know it's more important than yoga. I can take the early class at the "regular" studio and skip hot yoga on Saturday.

Grateful for: a sunny day.

Drop me a line.