Tomorrow I march on the Pentagon.

[Moonliner]

Against the War In Iraq
Against a President
Against companies that put profit ahead of troops

For the brave that fight
For the many that die
For making a statment I hope all the world will hear.

I will be joining the march on the Pentagon tomorrow afternoon.

[mousepod]

Visible mojo for you, Moonliner.

[BarTopDancer]

:snap: :snap: :snap: :snap: :snap: :snap: :snap: :snap:






Support our Troops. Bring them Home!

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

:cheers:

[MouseWife]

Wow, I have been gone for a weekish and look what I miss.

So, I take it these marches are going on all over the country? I saw on an overpass by Los Feliz a banner that announced 'End The War noon 3-17 Hollywood & Vine'.

I looked up on the Axis of Justice website and there will be a march starting there.

I need to see if there is anything going on here in San Diego....

I wish you a safe and successful trip. :snap:

[Motorboat Cruiser]

More visible mojo for Moonliner.

[BarTopDancer]

You can find events in your area via the United for Peace Website (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?sortby=&caltype=51).

[Alex]

I missed it when it happened but I'm glad to see that UFPJ has publicly split with ANSWER.

[MouseWife]

Thank you, BTD!

[sleepyjeff]

Winning the War in Iraq would also bring the troops home btw:)

I don't understand how telling people that what they are doing is wrong or is failing and that you want them to stop doing it is "support"

Do we "support" teachers by telling them they have to stop teaching?

Do we "support" firefighters by telling them they can't fight fires anymore?

Do we "support" the homeless by giving them ..er..nevermind;)

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't understand how telling people that what they are doing is wrong or is failing and that you want them to stop doing it is "support"

The inverse to that is to ask how telling people that sending them into a hopeless situation where their odds of dying or being injured may far outweigh their odds of success is "support".

[BarTopDancer]

*I* support our troops because it is not their fault they were ordered to go fight this war. I want them home because this is something we never should have been involved in.

*I* support our troops who went to and are still in Afghanistan after 9/11. I also support that effort - to find Bin Laden.

[sleepyjeff]

The inverse to that is to ask how telling people that sending them into a hopeless situation where their odds of dying or being injured may far outweigh their odds of success is "support".

*I* support our troops because it is not their fault they were ordered to go fight this war. I want them home because this is something we never should have been involved in.

*I* support our troops who went to and are still in Afghanistan after 9/11. I also support that effort - to find Bin Laden.

Fair enough.

[Moonliner]

I’m back from the March. Thanks to all of you who sent me messages of support!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0008.jpg

I don’t think I was quite ready for my fellow protestors. To be honest don’t remember ever hearing of “ANSWER (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSWER)” before this march and as I suspect some of you already know, ANSWER is a tad liberal, what I believe Mr. Bill O’Riley would call “kool aid drinkers” . While I am firmly against the war in Iraq and President Bush, I’m not quite ready to burn him in effigy or as some signs suggested, hang him as a war criminal nor do I think President Bush was the mastermind behind 9/11.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0041.jpg

As I mixed with the crowd I started feeling a bit uneasy with some of the sentiments being voiced. After a bit I started thinking to myself “My enemies enemy is my friend” but I don’t know that I really believed it. Pressing on I did see at good number of people who I think had views closer to my own. Such as this lady who was marching for all the members of her family (all their names are on her shirt)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0014.jpg

There were also many signs supporting the troops and urging Bush to wake up. Of course there was a lot of press there from around the world.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0017.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0018.jpg

As the press is want to do, they were looking for the most outrageous, outspoken and camera friendly photo-ops. There were a lot for them to pick from.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0032.jpg

One interesting thing I did notice, as I reached the stage area there were not a lot of people there. The vast majority of protestors (including myself) made the march, got to the pentagon parking lot, took a look around and then headed back up the road. I like to think these were the more moderate thinkers.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0026.jpg

Also out in force where the Anti-Anti War Protestors. They seemed to be comprised primarily of various veterans groups.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0039.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0046.jpg
As a group they were much more angry and outspoken than the Anti-War protestors

Continued......

[Moonliner]

On my way back I just started walking and thinking to myself. By the time I made it as far as the Lincoln Memorial I was feeling all philosophical thinking about war, sacrifice, good, evil, and our countries place in the world.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0047.jpg

So I decided to walk through the Vietnam and WWII war memorials.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0052.jpg

The wall was moving as always.

Apparently last time ANSWER had a demonstration in DC someone spray painted Anti-War graffiti on the wall. As peace loving as I am, I’d still kick the ass of anyone I saw trying that sh*t. A large number of Vets were standing guard at the two memorials watching for any trouble. I took the time to thank them for their service and for watching over the wall.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0061.jpg

It took me a couple more hours of just walking around the National Mall before I was ready to head back home. All in all it was a very different experience than what I had expected going into it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0058.jpg


If you are interested you can visit my SmugMug gallery (http://moonliner.smugmug.com/gallery/2593114#136666314)for all the photos.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Thank you for marching for all of us who share your spirit. I just found out that my mother-in-law was marching there today, as well. (She flew out just for the occasion.)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

All in all it was a very different experience than what I had expected going into it.Just wondering - what did you expect?

[Moonliner]

Just wondering - what did you expect?

I expected the typical fringe "9-11 was an inside job" and "Hang the president" people you always see at these things, I just did not expect to see them running the event. I don't feel that anti-troop rhetoric and spray painting the Vietnam war memorial is helping achieve an end to this unjust war.

I did not mention it in my report, but after I left the main group part of my walking around was holding my own private protest march. Unlike the main group I took my march directly to the source of the problem and it ain't the pentagon or "big pharma" like many of the marchers were saying. (Yes, some where blaming the war in Iraq on pharmaceutical companies :confused: )

Nope, I went directly to the source of the problem...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/Moonliner/PICT0064.jpg

[Betty]

Thanks for the great reporting. Made me a little teary eyed actually.

[blueerica]

Same here. I find myself often in the middle - Was it right to go there? No, not really. Is it right to pull out quickly? Probably not so much. We are soooo boned right now, it's not even funny. What I wish the country could see are those not on the lunatic fringe. Those from "the left" *not* defacing our monuments and memorials. Those from "the right *not* waving their guns and blowing up bombs, but who are genuinely concerned about a long-term future. You know - those from both sides who want to see our troops home, but want to make sure everything works out for the world.

We're in between a rock and a hard place. And this is pretty much the reason I don't talk politics like I once did. Outside of this fairly well-thought out group, everywhere else is just a bloodbath between the left and the right - where little common sense can be scraped off the battlefield. It's no wonder this seems like such a lost predicament when there seems to be no way for people to just meet eye to eye and try to understand one another.

Moonliner - thank you for going to the march on the Pentagon, and thank you so much more for your pictures and your words. They really meant a lot.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I couldn't say it any better than Erica just did.

[Gemini Cricket]

Kudos to you, Moonliner, for going to the march. I think it's awesome.
:)

[CoasterMatt]

I know tons of people marched on the Pentagon, but did anybody polka on the Pentagon?

[Kevy Baby]

Or wear espadrilles on the Esplanade?

[Tramspotter]

Those from "the right *not* waving their guns and blowing up bombs,

Are you talking about "the right" in the US or "the right" in Iraq?

[blueerica]

I figured that was pretty clear - these people were marching to the Pentagon, not through the streets of Baghdad.

I'm not sure why you're even pulling that particular quote out. There are lunatic fringe from every viewpoint that make it difficult for people (those who may have strong views, to those who are more neutral) to see eye-to-eye, even through disagreement. It's a nasty polarization of our nation that tears us apart and prevents us from being able to accomplish anything meaningful - and that goes to ALL sides of the political spectrum.

[Tramspotter]

I'm not sure why you're even pulling that particular quote out. There are lunatic fringe from every viewpoint that make it difficult for people (those who may have strong views, to those who are more neutral) to see eye-to-eye, even through disagreement. It's a nasty polarization of our nation that tears us apart and prevents us from being able to accomplish anything meaningful - and that goes to ALL sides of the political spectrum.

I see, so there is no hyperbole in that particular quote? I am glad to see you doing your best to avoid posioning the well.

[CoasterMatt]

Hey, I'm proud (as an American) to see people out there marching, and speaking up - on both sides of the issue.