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.
Very well done sir
I, too, spoke with Joyce Smith at the MFJ. She was broadcast out of Houston as Rejoice.
What an appropriate name! Such an uplifting lady!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Where is the picture though?
A most excellent AAR, MosesKnows!
You certainly captured the significance of the March!
Thank you!
The only down side for me is I missed the speeches since I was constantly walking the grounds for safety, security, and other matters.
BTW, I was the guy with the long hair pulled back into a pony tail. I thought of cutting it before the event, but then thought let's show the opposition that a "long-haired leaping gnome" could be the head of a conservative event.
Thank you for your contribution.
I love to have some of your photos to include in my MFJ files.