One of my fondest memories is being part of the FR crew that got M. Larry Lawrence dug up out of Arlington and shipped back to California in the dead of night in November-December 1997.
Posted on 10/31/2018 6:32:09 AM PDT by bert
For weeks ahead of the date, folks like me had to decide……. Do I really believe all this stuff we discuss daily on Free Republic? Should I scrounge up some money and set aside the time to travel to Washington DC to be a part of what is being called The March For Justice? The Answer is Yes!
There was to be a march with State flags. I bought a Tennessee state flag to wave in the gathering. To my astonishment, as I waved the flag, several Tennesseans in the crowd rallied to the flag and zap…..we had a Tennessee delegation present on the field.
There were lots of great speeches and general feeling of well being as we celebrated on the Mall in the literal shadow of the Washington Monument. What we said in our posts lacked an identity, but that day, we came together with more or less one very proud voice. The crowd faced the White House and in that one very loud voice shouted Impeach, Impeach, Impeach.
The night before, across from the infamous Water Gate complex, we took over the hotel. There were small groups and knots of people in every nook and cranny, on the stairs, in the conference rooms we just appropriated by strength of numbers. There were whoops of glee and recognition as we met and put a face to someone we actually knew well but had never seen. There was awe as Matt Drudge showed up and worked the crowd. A woman named Goldberg showed up also. I didn’t know her but she made a big impact. She called us Freepers. The name stuck to this day. There were several selling stuff to finance their trip. There was a table selling authentic March For Justice stuff to finance proceedings. My poster purchased at that table still hangs in my office. That gathering twenty years ago on the evening before Halloween changed my life. I knew that I must pay attention to try to be a better, active citizen.
It was apparent that rather than walk the long distance from the Parking lot to suicide, the body had been driven up a weed clogged road and carried a hundred yards or less and deposited in the park. Also of note, as we traversed through Fort Marcy Park, we noticed yellow post it notes stuck here and there. They had been left by other FReepers who made the visit around midnight the night before. I still have all those sticky notes.
That was twenty years ago today……… what a fantastic day it was
Thanks for reminding me of a wonderful time!
I brought Halloween candy to the MFJ thinking there were probably kids there who missed trick or treating. I was right!
I remember that day well.
I had been lurking on FR since late 1997.
It was intimidating to participate in the discussions—everyone seemed so much more knowledgeable than me.
So I read and read.
When the call went out for the March for Justice, I knew I had to go.
Four hours drive from NJ, parked at the hotel in Rosslyn, took the Metro to DC, and as I walked over a rise at the Washington Monument, there it was—4,000 people and all those flags!
The best part was knowing I was not alone in my belief that Clinton had to be impeached for his lawlessness.
It was thrilling to hear all the speakers.
And knowing we were part of the first Internet call to action for a protest, sort of an early flash mob.
I paid my own way, including the hotel stay and meals.
Next morning, I leave to go home,and my van won’t start. Needed a new fuel pump. Got it repaired locally, stayed another night—an additional $450.00 poorer, but got home OK.
And I was happy when I got home. I had done my part.
And I finally joined FR on 12/30/98.
Over the next two years, I would attend Saturday morning Freeps with the DC Chapter when I could, and we had great times with the WH tourists.
Hard to believe it has been 20 years.
Thanks for the anniversary reminder. It was a great day and weekend for those of us who attended.
Thanks for posting the link to the video. Saw myself in the early scenes. While watching it again, I pulled out the photos I’d taken during the rally to refresh my memories of the day.
I am sorry. I thought I could get a link from Photobucket. The picture is there but I no longer have access.
Since the pictures someone wanted were negatives it was fun discovering that I could scan negatives and prints to jpg files. I parked photos on Photobucket.
I have the jpg file so let me find another site that host files and I'll pass it along.
One of my fondest memories is being part of the FR crew that got M. Larry Lawrence dug up out of Arlington and shipped back to California in the dead of night in November-December 1997.
I got a March For Justice t-shirt, an Impeach Clinton t-shirt and a Free Republic ball cap - all never been worn. :)
You already had 6 whole months of experience posting on FR by then. 1998 doesn’t feel like 20 years ago.
I wasn’t at the march but I was watching it on c-span. I was watching because I decided that morning to look online to see if I could find a website for a man I had heard of whose name was Drudge. I found his site and I also found a notice of a March for Justice was happening that day in D.C. and it had to do with the Clintons or something. I had been having fits of anger and tossing shoes at the TV at the mention of Bill Clinton, and all the liberal anti-conservative stuff I was hearing and seeing. I decided to watch the march. I also found Free Republic that day and after hearing the speeches and seeing the comments on FR, I thought I had found heaven, and never looked back. I’m still here 20 years later. Thank you Jim, you have been my “safe space” for all these years. What more can a man do for his neighbor? You are my hero and I love you. God Bless you and yours for years to come.
Yes, it was a great day! Thanks for the memories.
I met up with two other Freeper ladies. We have not stayed in touch....so I hope they are both doing well.
It was the Clinton corruption that motivated us then. Here it is 20 years later and we are STILL dealing with Clinton corruption - only this time it’s Hillary, not Bill. GAG!
FR was an anchor then and it is an anchor now! THank you JimRob!
I’ve made many FRiends over the years. LadyX and I became so close we were like sisters and arranged to meet in S.C. It was such a blessing that we had that time together as our husbands slept in the motel rooms. We spent the night talking. Not long after that she passed away. I have saved most of her posts and e-mails and plan to arrange them into a book.
Over time I’ve “connected” with Freepers from CA who traveled all the way across country to visit with us in WV. Some I never met but was attracted to their wisdom or wit. There are a lot of them still here. The Mayor, who starts our days off with a message from above. Wolfie, who lives up to his name, Brad’s Grandma (she knows), Windflyer, my favorite cowboy. I could go on. Thanks to all our family of Freepers for keeping us sane in this crazy world.
No need - the whole thing can be found here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?114519-1/rally-supporting-clinton-investigation
Oh, yes, I remember you, WVNan, and I remember Lady X. She and you were very special. Glad you are doing okay.
Also glad you have made connections with several Freepers down through the years.
I attended a Freeper gathering in Charlotte back in the day.
We were united with our disgust with the Clintons, especially about the Chinese cash they amassed and about poor Vince Foster.
Then during the W years, we were united in being repelled by the horrible Algore.
I sort of got out of the loop during the terrible Obama years.....but President Trump has drawn me back to FR..my home on the internet. Thank God for Jim Rob and for all the faithful FReepers who keep FR going.
Glad you are still around.
The picture is not that impressive but the message is the Constitution matters most.
Today many Conservative sites sell and give away pocket copies but it was unusual to see at the time. I recognized this one because I have one from the Government Printing Office.
I didn't take a picture of the man holding it high but I remember seeing the pride in his face.
BUT: What was the “March for Justice” all ABOUT? What was its POINT? No one here has restated that, for those of us who did not experience it.
Here’s the long answer (4 hours long)
https://www.c-span.org/video/?114519-1/rally-supporting-clinton-investigation
Maybe you can sample a bit. Scroll through till you see a black woman......she is Rejoice. Watch all her speech. She was very prescient
***********
This post on this thread pretty well captures the essance
“Twenty years is not that long for someone my age but I still remember that day.
I had just discovered Free Republic from a Drudge Report link and attended the March for Justice event with my camera. Free Republic provided an outlet for what I wished to express.
I posted this and someone was nice enough to repost it in the proper HTML format. I learned how to create jpg files from my developed pictures because some newspaper wanted to publish them.
My attendance at the “March for Justice” October 31, 1998 Washington D.C. Edited 1/6/2016
Hello to all who have the time to read this. While looking for the merit of the internet for purposes other than business I discovered the Drudge Report. I found Drudge useful because I could go to one web site and find links to newspapers and columnist familiar to me. When time permitted, and sometimes when it did not, I visited other links out of curiosity. That is how I came to find the Free Republic page. I found Free Republic interesting but I didn’t know all about it. Finding posts that I agreed with was satisfaction enough and I never questioned its purpose or objectives. I’ve never felt validation of my views was necessary but validation is usually welcome.
I live near Washington and I considered going after seeing the rally’s announcement. Photography is a serious hobby of mine and it seemed an excellent opportunity. For me it was an easy trip, park the car at the Vienna Metro, get a ticket to the Smithsonian stop and walk over to the monument grounds.
As I crossed the street and approached the glorious Washington Monument, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. I walked around the monument to the West side that faces the Lincoln Memorial and the reflection pool. There, within direct sight of the White House I saw a tent covered structure found at so many events on these grounds, but few people. It was a beautiful day and it didn’t matter if this turned out to be a disappointment. There is much to see within walking distance including the Vietnam Wall, the Lincoln Memorial, and a little known sculpture of Albert Einstein.
As I contemplated what I might find interesting to photograph people begin to arrive, in droves, from all directions. I passed a fellow carrying a very large State flag on a staff so high as to make it almost unmanageable in the strong wind; he held himself straight and his flag high. Soon there was a parade of people carrying the flags from many states accompanied by a man playing the bagpipes. A man in a wheelchair led all in a large circle around the grounds. The man was obviously restricted to the wheelchair but his feet were out of the comfort of the wheelchair platform. His feet were stepping on the ground ahead of the wheelchair and moving as to emulate walking, he was indeed leading. The parade made many laps and I noticed his feet never missed a beat, never rested. The scheduled events began as the crowd continued to grow.
I began taking pictures of posters that caught my eye. It was obvious that organizations had not created the posters. The messages were convictions of the heart and quite varied. Some were elaborate, some were simple, and all carried the same message expressed in so many ways. These people wanted their Constitution back. The poster message that left the biggest impression on me was almost obscure in that it did not face the speaker’s platform. It was on the backside of a poster message. I would not have seen it except for the fact that I would often circle around behind the large crowd of people to see what I may want to photograph. It said, “If you believe the polls then drink the kool-aid.” The picture I am most anxious to see is one I took of a man without a poster but rather holding up a copy of the Constitution. It was the kind that the Government Printing Office prints, no larger than a checkbook and no thicker than a book of matches. He held it high, I realized this small document, almost insignificant among the many posters, and banners, contained the entire reason for this event.
Well back of the crowd, I saw two well dressed eleven or twelve-year-old black boys with the front wheels of their bicycles pointed toward the crowd. I asked them if they knew what this was about, they both answered, “Yes, these people are haters.” I asked them what they hated; they said, “These people hate Clinton.” I then asked why these people hated Clinton, both responded, “Because Clinton is a player.” I inquired if being a player was a good or bad thing, they said it is a good thing; Hillary just didn’t take care of him. I commented that these people may not hate Clinton but rather they loved their Country and their Constitution. Perhaps someday they will hear me.
Again, at the back of the crowd I saw a black man talking while a white man listened. They white man offered no rebuttals to the black man’s assertions that this was all about sex. I joined in the conversation and moments later another white man asked if he could join in as I then realized I had not asked. I left, as the matter discussed was now three to one.
I went behind the speaker’s platform where I saw Gary Aldrich waiting in line at the portable toilets provided. He had already spoken, I thanked him for his service and we shook hands. I had wanted to say more but what could I say to a former FBI agent on corruption in law enforcement. I spotted a huge flag from my home state of Kansas and moved to photograph it blowing so proudly in the calmer but still strong wind. Windy days and Kansas flags go together well. I met a young couple who had arrived yesterday with no expressed purpose other than to attend the March for Justice and would be returning to Kansas the next day. I asked what brought them so far for such a little promoted event. They said, the Free Republic, and from them I learned that the man in the wheel chair was Jim Robinson. Later behind the speaker’s platform, I met L.D. Brown. We shook hands and I looked him in the eye; I saw a man anxious and apprehension about what he had revealed. I also saw a man who knew that no matter the cost, he had done the right thing. Friends, relatives, and mainly his children won’t ask years later, “If you knew, why didn’t you say something.” Others will have no answer when asked that same question. What some people do not understand about a conspiracy is that not all parties have knowledge of the entire situation. Each plays a small part and likely does not know where their part fits until it is too late. Where are the others with the strength of L.D.?
Overall, a most favorable day. I had heard meaningful and sometimes thought provoking speakers. Thought provoking in the sense of hearing Joyce Smith, a woman from Houston not scheduled to speak but did speak with heart and enthusiasm. She was able to help me understand why blacks continue to look to liberal democrats for solutions. I have not seen the blacks truly helped by either Democrats or Republican in any meaningful way. Blacks have told me it is because the Democrats reach out to them while the Republicans do not. Joyce Smith said the Democrats continue to control the blacks with what she called the four Ds’, keep the blacks Dumb, Dependent, Depressed, and Democrats. Larry Layman was outstanding to hear as I had read the Judicial Watch report submitted to congress. I had missed Dr. Paul Flick who was to speak about the Clinton’s mental health but I felt I knew already. I had learned of the State Farm bribery and extortion regarding Clinton’s legal fees from Tom Flocco. Alan Keyes was a pure joy to hear, as was Representative Bob Barr. After a rousing closing talk by Lucianne Goldberg the crowd slowly began to disperse as some headed for a post rally get together and others headed home after policing the area of any trash. In a few moments, the grounds were spotless and little evidence remained of what had taken place here. As the crowd thinned out, to my amazement there were the three men whose discussion I had left earlier. I joined them once again and expressed my amazement that they will still in discussion as they shook hands and took pictures.
I slowly and wearily made my way back to the Metro stop following behind a group of seven or eight people who had managed to get their group back together for the trip home. The posters they carried were now at their side as they walked along the path of the wide-open space of the mall. Now, far from the monument grounds, I saw two young men cock their head to read what the posters said, and I heard one of them mutter under his breath, “Morons.” I had not brought a poster to the rally, but if I had, one side of the poster would have said, “To love one’s country is patriotic” and the other side would have said, “To trust one’s government is folly”
Out of the many pictures I took this was and is my favorite.
Thanks for posting. That is an amazing picture.
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