Posted on 09/13/2009 3:44:23 PM PDT by GVnana
This event had been promoted as a taxpayer “tea party” but the crowd’s concerns were wide ranging, from outrage at ACORN and Obama’s socialist cadre known as Czars, to Obama’s untruthfulness. Protesters also displayed signs mocking Nancy Pelosi and others for smearing the grassroots movement as “astroturfers” and as an “angry mob”.
I think this gathering should be appreciated as the extremely important historical event that it is. This is the first great conservative anti-statist manifestation in American history. The conservative movement, which developed in the post-WWII, Cold War environment has now fully matured into the most significant political movement of the 21st century. I believe that this day could be referred to in the not too distant future as the day that changed America. This was the day the great silent conservative majority finally found its voice.
Many of the attendees were quite meek and timid and were unsure of exactly what to expect, this being the first time in their lives they’d been involved in a protest movement. Their fears evaporated early in the day and I saw people reveling in the camaraderie , the joy and sheer civility that was exhibited at the entire event. Chants of “Freedom, freedom, freedom”, “No more czars! No more czars!” carried through the air without the slightest hint of rancor or incivility which is the norm at the leftist rallies I have photographed over the years.
The two photos above show a tiny fraction of the two million ABC estimates attended. I saw signs and heard lots of comments comparing this event to Woodstock. At the time this photo was taken, around 1:00 p.m., Pennsylvania Avenue was still jammed completely, and the mall was packed from the Capitol Building past the Washington Monument. See aerial photos here. http://moderateinthemiddle.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/aerial-views-added-d-c-police-close-roads-to-buses-people-on-footestimate-1-2-millionl-abc-cant-count912-party-on-patriots/
Protesters came from every state in the union. This man came from San Antonio, TX. He said that he was really sorry he hadn’t brought his family. He stated that being a black conservative he was afraid to expose his children to what he expected would be a lot of liberal abuse. He was thrilled with the tenor of the event and the fact that no liberals were present to harass him. He spoke about how incredibly intolerant the left is to black individuals who don’t bow to the party line.
These Ohioans took a day off their rodeo bullriding schedule. They said they’ll be back at it tomorrow.
-snip-
In the very center of the photo, above the Silence is Consent – Can You Hear Us Now sign, you can see Pennsylvania Ave., which at this time is totally blocked with protesters who cannot move forward to the Capitol area. Sorry, full up.
There were notable differences though, in the behavior of these attendees. Although the legend of Woodstock is that there was a friendly atmosphere of camaraderie, the truth is that most people were there for the drugs, sex and rock and roll. Today in D.C. there was a true kinship amongst these people based on shared values and intellectual understanding of what America is and how its future is imperiled by big radical government.
Personally, I'm satisfied with the 350-450,000 estimates until someone provides a more scientific analysis. That IS more than Woodstock, despite what Joni Mitchell said!
Oh and BTW. This IS an excerpt. More at link.
PING
Hey!! I know!! Let’s call it:
THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED!!!
(Mocking the nutroots and the Liberal left with their own propoganda!)
This is the first great conservative anti-statist manifestation in American history.
We are sick of these good statist/bad statist co-conspirators/enablers/criminals/elitists/socialists.
The frogs have finally jumped out of the simmering pot and let their voices for freedom finally be heard. I think all of these people are the “Sons of Liberty”. Long live America, a beacon for freedom to all those who live under tyranny.
Excellent report....
Malkin: Yes, the picture is real, nutroots
***********************EXCERPT*************************>
I was offline for most of the afternoon and early evening — and just learned that the nutroots are claiming that the screenshot of the 9/12 march in D.C. that I posted — taken from a livecam of the event that I linked to here — is somehow “fake.”
That’s pretty hilarious considering that I watched that stupid camera live for about three hours yesterday, and the link would be available to anyone.
Big BUMP
Thousands rally with or against Obama
*****************************EXCERPT*************************
WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama flew to Minnesota on Saturday to rally support for his health care plan, a sea of protesters filled the west lawn of the Capitol and spilled onto the National Mall on Saturday in the largest rally against Obama since he took office, a culmination of a summer-long season of protests that began with opposition to the health care overhaul and grew into a broader dissatisfaction with government.
But in Minnesota, thousands of roaring supporters turned out Saturday to rally behind the president's call to overhaul the health care system, packing a Minneapolis basketball arena as Obama warned that nearly half of all Americans younger than 65 could lose their insurance at some point during the next decade.
The rally was the first in a series of events intended to whip up public support for a health overhaul. One of the biggest obstacles the president faces is winning support from middle-class workers who already have insurance, so he is stepping up his warnings that people could lose coverage at any time.
"It can happen to anyone," the president declared Saturday.
The images of 15,000 cheering Obama supporters provided a welcome visual counterpoint for the White House to the protest in Washington.
Yup. The real deal. Other people were watching that web cam too. Be prepared for the Dems to say the numbers were small. People are pissed.
Everybody follow up this week with calls and faxes. 2 free faxes a day at www.faxzero.com
Great pics, great people in the pics and I salute them all for showing up. Awesome.
PING
PING
bookmark to read link later
thanks for posting, GVnana :)
didi
See the size of the crowd in Minnesota for Obama....bet most were bussed in....#11.
LemonParty.org is a porno site
http://www.lookingattheleft.com/2009/09/conservative-woodstock-rocks-the-capital/
A real winner of a poster:
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Great photographs. Contratulations to JimRob and all the other organizers for putting this together.
I’m sending out a link to that website to my list, as “must see” pictures.
Here is a real good picture of in front of the Capitol.
The pics are VERY significant---b/c the MSM measures crowds by the size of civil rights protests
(right pic)..........which the MSM likes to point out extended PAST AND AROUND the pool.
I was watching the same webcam. I picked it up when the crowd was just filling in between the two red roof buildings and within 1/2 hour this shot was showing filled the whole street. No fake. Netroots numbnutz just can image or allow this many to be ruining their little plan.
Here’s proof that it’s much closer to 2 Million than half a million.
Take a look at this layout showing crowd capacity in the area
http://moderateinthemiddle.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/aerial-views-added-d-c-police-close-roads-to-buses-people-on-footestimate-1-2-millionl-abc-cant-count912-party-on-patriots/
so you can see that there definitely were more people than at the inauguration.
Very, very nice. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
You're right! Now it's important to Keep the Momentum Going by writing, protesting, bloging, FAXING, calling, emailing, "passing it on", Tea-Partying, etc. We have just begun to fight! We are taking the country back, one way or another! We shall NOT STAND BY and WATCH the COUNTRY TAKEN OVER by COMMUNISTS! HEY OBAMA, EVERYONE KNOWS NOW! You're MSM did a great job covering it up. EVERYONE KNOWS and we're Taking Our Country Back!!
Was there another gathering down by the reflecting pool? Because, the march I was at only extended from the Capitol building a little way into the mall area.
Nope. The capitol building is cropped out of the pic being compared to the civil rights March on Washington. You’re comparing the reflecting pool to the pond at the Grant Memorial. Thanks for playing . . .
Very nice
And heartwarming at that. The boilers are being stoked. If these movements increase in size and intensity the clowns on the hill and the occupiers of the WH will get very nervous along with all the one world government folks in their many different disguises, who essentially run the show in the US and the rest of the world.
As one who attended this event, I too am comfortable with around 500,000. I was part of the first wave that started walking down Penn. Ave. I got to the Capitol and sat on the south lawn for at least 45 minutes before working my way back to Penn Ave. As I walked back on Penn. Ave there were still thousands streaming toward the Capitol. It was amazing!!
The comments about the crowd are right on too. Though people were upset at what Obama’s government is doing, they were civil and well behaved. They also did not trash the place like other Leftist gatherings.
Lastly, the issues on the minds of the crowd were wide spread across the whole political spectrum. Deficits, loss of liberty, healthcare, ACORN, corruption, the banking crisis, abortion, guns, education, defense,. I saw it all! And some of the humor in the signs folks carried was priceless! WHich I had a picture of the one with George Washington addressing the current Congress and saying “WTF?”.
LOL
Regardless of the counts, we should keep in mind the significance of the day. Finally, we are seeing grass roots conservative oriented orgs getting together and forming protest gatherings. The silent majority is no longer silent.
Or how many more of us out here weren't able to make the trip to DC this time.
Wonderful - thanks for the post - aren’t those pictures fantastic?
Your photo on the right shows the reflecting pool between the Lincoln and Washington Monuments. The photo of the 9-12 March was taken (I believe) at another pool nearer the capital building.
Ping
I’m not sure yet how many came. It was a LOT! :)
This link you provide, has probably the best aerial shot I’ve seen yet. Wow, the number would only vary somewhat based on density - but clearly, it was in the 500K to 1M mark, by looking at the mall graphic.
Take a look at this layout showing crowd capacity in the area
http://moderateinthemiddle.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/aerial-views-added-d-c-police-close-roads-to-buses-people-on-footestimate-1-2-millionl-abc-cant-count912-party-on-patriots/
so you can see that there definitely were more people than at the inauguration.
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd_N.htm
That image doesn’t show the 2009 inauguration crowd, but gives various markers for crowds on the Capitol Mall.
I think if anything it’s an indication of a larger 9/12 crowd but doesn’t compare, necessarily with the Jan. inauguration crowd.
Was there another gathering down by the reflecting pool? Because, the march I was at only extended from the Capitol building a little way into the mall area.
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I think post 25 was showing different places - so no comparison there possible.
I did hear there were two different rallies yesterday - about 7 blocks apart. I think there was the main rally - that we’ve seen pictures for all over the place and was between 500K and 1M, imo, and then another rally, for which I haven’t seen numbers.
GREAT JOB TEA PARTIERS!!!
BUMP!
Amen.
I am NOT the least bit surprised of the arrogance of the left, TARP and their so called shovel ready stimulus taking demonstrates they know how many of US there are.
I do wonder how much it cost US to bus BamaKennedy’s supporters for his little show in MN.
Thanks
Bump
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